People

Tajikistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, sharing borders with Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and China. Four communities account for almost the whole population, and each has its own language, religious tradition and way of life.

The Tajiks#

The Tajiks are the largest group, at around 80% of the population. They are predominantly Sunni Muslim and speak a Persian language, which sets them apart from the Turkic-speaking peoples who surround them on most sides. Their oral tradition is strong: poetry, storytelling and sung verse all carry weight, and a well-known couplet is as likely to be quoted at a meal as at a performance. The cuisine runs to rice dishes, stews and soups, and hospitality towards guests is close to an obligation.

The Uzbeks#

Uzbeks are the second largest group, at around 15% of the population, and are concentrated in the north and west near the Uzbekistan border. They are primarily Sunni Muslim and speak a Turkic language. Their craft traditions are the most visible mark they leave on the country: woven fabrics, wood carving and metalwork, much of it produced in and around the towns of the Fergana Valley. Uzbek music relies on stringed instruments and hand drums, and is distinct enough from Tajik music that most listeners can tell the two apart.

The Kyrgyz#

The Kyrgyz make up around 3% of the population and live mainly in the mountainous districts near the Kyrgyzstan border. They are predominantly Sunni Muslim and retain more of a pastoral, herding way of life than the other groups, with horses central to both work and recreation. Their music uses flutes alongside stringed instruments and drums, and their traditional dress is worked with dense embroidery and beading.

The Pamiris#

The Pamiris account for around 1% of the population and live in the high valleys of the eastern Pamirs. They are Ismaili Muslims rather than Sunni, and they speak a group of Eastern Iranian languages that are not mutually intelligible with Tajik, which makes them the most distinct community in the country. Their textiles are worked with embroidery and beading, and their music, like that of their neighbours, is built on stringed instruments and hand drums.

The picture that emerges is of a small country holding several quite different traditions at once, shaped by which valley a community settled in and which trade route ran past it.