Ingiloy people


Ingiloys are an ethnographic subgroup of Georgians who speak Ingiloy dialect of Georgian language. Ingiloys are indigenous population of Saingilo, cultural and historical region in northwestern Azerbaijan.

History

According to traditional accounts, the name of the Heretians originates from the legendary patriarch "Heros", the son of Thargamos, who founded the city of Hereti at the Alazani River. With decline of Caucasian Albania, the area was gradually incorporated into the Iberian kingdom forming one of its duchies, throughout of 5th century its peoples were eventually assimilated into the Georgians proper.
During the Arab occupation the region was a separate kingdom within Georgian cultural and political influence. Hereti eventually became part of the Kingdom of Kakheti and Hereti. The latter was annexed to Georgian Kingdom in 1104. In the Middle Ages, seven Georgian schools operated in Hereti which included the courses of theology, philosophy, orthography, church history, and the history of Georgia and for the students. In the 15th century the term "Hereti" gradually disappeared from the political nomenclature and was replaced by the word "Kakheti".
In the early 17th century, Shah Abbas I of Safavid of Persia took these lands from the king of Kakheti and granted them to the Dagestani feudal clans. As a result of raids conducted by bands of Avar and Tsakhur warriors in Saingilo, the Ingiloys became serfs of the Dagestanian rulers, who forced them to pay tribute. In this way, gradually, by peaceful or hostile means, these tribes settled in Saingilo and colonized it. Already after the foundation of the sultanate of Elisu the conquerors had, by a concerted effort, undertaken the Islamization of the region.
After 1801, when the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti became part of the Russian Empire the region ended up in the Imperial Russian conquest in 1803, Saingilo was initially incorporated into Zakatal Okrug of Tiflis Governorate. From 1918 to 1920 both Democratic Republic of Georgia and Azerbaijan Democratic Republic claimed its territory as theirs, but the dispute never led to an armed confrontation. After the fall of the ADR in 1920, Soviet Russia and Azerbaijan SSR recognized it as part of Georgia, whose government granted these lands a degree of internal autonomy. Following the Red army invasion of Georgia in 1921, the area was officially transferred to the jurisdiction and control of the Azerbaijan SSR by the central communist government in Moscow in 1922.

Population

Demographics

Census 2009

As of the census of 2009, the number of Georgians fell to a record low of 9,900 people. Most of them live in the Qax district or in the city of Baku.

Geographical distribution

The majority of the ingiloys today live in an area they call Saingilo, the name of the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Ingiloys people in modern northwestern part of Azerbaijan. The Saingilo area — territory of 4,780 km2 — traditionally includes the Balakan, Zaqatala and Qakh districts.
CountryConcentration

Muslim Ingiloys:
Zaqatala District: Əliabad and Mosul
Balakan District: İtitala
Christian Ingiloys:
Qakh District: Qax İngiloy, Böyük Alatəmir, Qaxbaş, Əlibəyli, Meşəbaş, Zəyəm, Xələftala, Qarameşə.
Zaqatala District: Qımır.

Religion

By religion, Ingiloys are divided to Orthodox Christians and Sunni Muslims. As a result of missionary activities of the Orthodox Christianity Restoration Society, Ingiloys converted to Christianity in 1860, creating 12 laities, but in 1863, 9 of them converted back to Islam. In 1892, 62 converted to Christianity.
There are only three active Georgian Orthodox Churches in Qakh district. Georgian Churches in Azerbaijan are under jurisdiction of Eparchy of Khornabuji and Hereti.

Culture

In the village Alibeyli, there is Qakh State Georgian Drama Theatre. In 2009, documentary called "Ingiloys", dedicated to history, culture, traditions of this ethnic group was filmed in Azerbaijanfilm.
There are seven Georgian schools in Saingilo, while four Azerbaijani schools have Georgian sectors. Georgian language teachers are hired by education authorities of Zaqatala and Qax districts.

Discrimination

Ingiloys are not allowed to give their newborn children Georgian names, they must choose a name from the list submitted by local authorities. Christian Ingiloys are allowed to go to prayers only twice in year: on May 6 and November 23, during the celebration of Saint George.

Notable Ingiloys