The Hemshin: History, Society and Identity in the Highlands of Northeast Turkey

by Hovann H. Simonian

The Hemshin are without doubt one of the most enigmatic peoples of Turkey and the Caucasus. As former Christians who converted to Islam centuries ago yet did not assimilate into the culture of the surrounding Muslim populations, as Turks who speak Armenian yet are often not aware of it, as Muslims who continue to celebrate feasts that are part of the calendar of the Armenian Church, and as descendants of Armenians who, for the most part, have chosen to deny their Armenian origins in favour of recently invented myths of Turkic ancestry, the Hemshin and the seemingly irreconcilable differences within their group identity have generated curiosity and often controversy.

The Hemshin is the first scholarly work to provide an in-depth study of these people living in the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. This groundbreaking volume brings together chapters written by an international group of scholars that cover the history, language, economy, culture and identity of the Hemshin. It is further enriched with an unprecedented collection of maps, pictures and appendices of up-to-date statistics. The Hemshin forms part of the Peoples of the Caucasus series, an indispensable and yet accessible resource for all those with an interest in the Caucasus.

Genres: History

452 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2004

Reviews

[Mariam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simonyan does a thorough job of compiling the immense culture history, linguistic peculiarities, and folklore of the Hemshin people. It was refreshing to see a historical account acknowledging earlier indigenous historiographies, while still approaching them with a highly subjective approach. His reference to Dumezil's arguably groundbreaking research with the Hemshin people further sets this book apart from other literature surrounding the Hemshin.

As an Armenian of Hemshin descent, it was refreshing to see a comprehensive academic work (as expansive as well) surrounding the largely forgotten subgroup of Armenians.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a balanced collection of articles about this almost unknown minority in Turkey, that configurate a very complete and interesting book.

I highly recommend this book to anybody interested in learning more about the complex reality of minority groups in Turkey.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the process of reading and it looks to be interesting. Seems to mix history and anthropology in an analytical way.