FAMILY AND KINSHIP TIES AS AN ETHNIC IDENTITY PRESERVING FACTOR IN AHISKA TURKS

Abstract

Ahiska Turks are among the peoples who were subjected to total Stalinist deportation during World War II. Today, Ahiska Turks live in countries such as Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United States, and Georgia. Despite being dispersed for almost 80 years, Ahiska Turks have managed to survive as a nation and preserve their ethnic identity and culture. Factors such as language, religion, culture, art, customs, worldview, history,and legal consciousness are crucial to the preservation of ethnic identity. Depending on these factors, many conceptual meanings can be invoked. This study examines the concepts of family and family relations, which play an important role in the maintenance and survival of Ahiska Turks’ ethnic identity. It is fair to say that the effort to preserve ethnic identity is the same regardless of the geographical location of Ahiska Turks' residence. Therefore, we assume that the results of the observations and interviews with the families of Ahiska Turks living in the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, who migrated to the Caucasus directly or indirectly from Central Asia, will be identical for the families of Ahiska Turks living in other countries. For data collection, a field study was conducted using a qualitative method, the data obtained with a scan pattern was analyzed and the role of the family and family relations of Ahiska Turks in the context of preserving their ethnic identity was examined.