CultureGramsTM World Edition 2011 Turkmenistan centuries. Known for their magnificent horsemanship and BACKGROUND bow-and-arrow skills, the Turkmens frequently went on the attack themselves, making invasions into territories as far Land and Climate away as the Byzantine Empire. Turkmenistan lies at the heart of central Asia. Covering Relying on tribal leadership, the Turkmens governed 188,460 square miles (488,100 square kilometers), the themselves through a well-defined hierarchy, where country is bigger than California but smaller than Texas. maslahats (meetings) were convened and decisions made by Ninety percent of Turkmenistan is taken up by the largely aksakals (“white-bearded” elders). However, the tribes did uninhabited Garagum and Gyzylgum deserts. Turkmenistan is not fully unite until, under the pressure of Persian and divided into five wilayets, or regions: Ahal, Lebap, Mary, Russian encroachments, they joined forces under local Balkan, and Dashouz. The capital, Ashgabat, is located a few leaders. The Turkmens initially managed to hold off a 19th miles north of the Koepetdag mountain range, which forms century Russian invasion, but in 1881 they were defeated the border with Iran. The other major cities are decisively at the Battle of Gok Depe. Thousands of Turkmens Türkmenbashy (formerly Krasnovodsk), in the west, and were slaughtered, and by 1885 the whole territory of Turkmenabad (formerly Chärjew), in the east. present-day Turkmenistan was incorporated into the Russian Turkmenistan has a subtropical desert climate with Empire. extreme variations in temperature. In the summer, Following the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917, temperatures in the open desert frequently exceed 131°F pockets of Turkmen resistance emerged, some in cooperation (55°C), while in the winter they often plunge well below with the Bolshevik Army's counterrevolutionary opponents, freezing. Spring and fall are generally mild and pleasant. the White Army. By 1920, they had been defeated by the Bolsheviks, but small bands of fighters, basmachis, continued History to resist the Soviets into the 1930s. The boundaries for the Turkmens trace their origin back to the Oguz people, a Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic were drawn up in 1924. confederation of Turkic tribes who took their name from the From then until 1991, the country was led by the chairmen of leader Oguz Kahn. Possibly with their conversion to Islam, the Turkmen Republican Soviet, who was appointed by and they took on the name “Turkmen,” meaning “pure Turk” or answered to Moscow. “most Turk-line of the Turks.” They settled in their present On 27 October 1991, prior to the Soviet Union's collapse, location in the 11th century. Over the years, the Turkmen Turkmenistan became an independent country. Turkmenistan tribes defended themselves against attacks from outside joined the United Nations in 1992. Saparmyrat Niyazov, who forces, including the Mongols in the 13th century and had been chairman of the Turkmen Soviet since 1985, became neighboring Persians and Uzbeks between the 15th and 18th Turkmenistan's first president upon independence. Niyazov 1 TM CultureGrams Turkmenistan established a strict authoritarian regime and an elaborate cult break from Soviet domination and in part to give Turkmens of personality. Portraits and statues of him were ubiquitous, greater access to technology and the Western world. grandiose public projects took priority over economic development, and no dissent was tolerated. A 1994 Religion referendum extended Niyazov's term for five years without Although post-Soviet Turkmenistan is a Muslim state, the need for an election, and in 1999, Parliament made him institutional religion has never been strong among the president for life. Niyazov died of heart failure in December historically nomadic Turkmens, who have a long tradition of 2006. Niyazov's deputy prime minister, Kurbanguly praying in their homes. Turkmens have preserved their old Berdymukhamedov, succeeded him as president following traditions to a remarkable extent, fusing pre-Islamic customs elections in February 2007. The change in regime was marked with their Islamic practices. For example, Turkmens say by an elimination of the calendar used by the old regime, and Bismillah (a Muslim blessing meaning “In the name of God”) the removal of some gold-plated statues of Niyazov from before beginning any task and tie a pre-Islamic alaja (a prominent locations. woven camel-hair talisman) to the steering wheel of their cars for good luck. Random misfortunes are frequently attributed to the evil eye (a glance believed to be capable of inflicting a THE PEOPLE harmful curse). Certain plants and bread are used as antidotes to evil. A mother might place a piece of bread under the Population pillow of a child afflicted with bad dreams. Turkmenistan's population of about 4.9 million is growing at The Soviet government outlawed many religious an annual rate of 1.1 percent. The population is composed of ceremonies, forcing the Turkmens to practice them in secret. ethnic Turkmens (85 percent), Uzbeks (5 percent), Russians Many have reemerged since independence, and the (4 percent), and small populations of Kazakhs, Kurds, Jews, government now encourages the celebration of religious Ukrainians, and Azerbaijanis. The five largest tribes are the holidays and pilgrimages to holy sites. Muslims constitute 89 Teke, Yomud, Ersary, Gokleng, and Saryk; tribal carpet percent of the population, and there are small representations patterns are represented in the Turkmen flag. Ashgabat is of Eastern Orthodox (9 percent) and Jews. Turkmenistan's largest and most densely populated city. Even there, many Turkmens continue to preserve traditional ways General Attitudes of life. It is not uncommon to see camels and sheep being An essential component of Turkmen social behavior is edep, raised in courtyards next to homes. The Turkmen population which refers to politeness, graciousness, modesty, hospitality, is young, with 29 percent under the age of 15 and only 4 respect toward elders and guests, and responsibility toward percent over age 65. family. Some schools include edep in their curriculum. Turkmens have a great sense of duty to their family Language (especially elders) and community. They value the well-being The official language of Turkmenistan is Turkmen, although of family and community groups over the well-being of the Russian is still used in the capital city. Turkmen is a Turkic individual, and they depend on networks of relatives, friends, dialect, most similar to those spoken in Turkey and and acquaintances for assistance. Azerbaijan. Historically, the Central Asian languages have borrowed from each other a good deal. With the introduction Personal Appearance of Islam, Arabic and Persian terms entered the languages. The Turkmens still wear their centuries-old, brightly-colored style 18th century poet Magtumguly, who wrote in the vernacular of dress. Women wear long, loose-fitting dresses with dialect, is credited with promoting a distinct Turkmen literary hand-embroidered collars (yaka). Most wear long hair under language, which reduced the number of Arabic and Persian dramatically patterned headscarves, which are both terms. However, throughout the Soviet period, official fashionable and indicative of tribal affiliation. Men more business, education, medicine, and science were conducted frequently dress in Western styles, but dons (robes), telpeks almost exclusively in Russian. Since independence, the (sheep fur hats), and tahyars (embroidered skullcaps) can still Turkmen government and the Turkmen Language and be seen. Literature Institute have combated this trend by replacing Shoes are kept polished, hair is tidy, and nails are regularly Russian-based terms with Turkmen words and Russian trimmed. Turkmens have significantly fewer articles of bureaucrats with indigenous Turkmens. clothing than most Westerners and so tend to wear them on The alphabet has also changed with political shifts. The consecutive days. Among the younger generation of Turks' original runic script gave way to a Perso-Arabic script Turkmens, there is a growing trend toward Western-style with the adoption of Islam. In 1928, in the spirit of Soviet dress. Russian and, more recently, Turkish imports are worn cultural development, Turkmens and other Soviet Muslims instead of, or sometimes mixed with, traditional wear. adopted an “internationally oriented” Latin-based script, a Though considered immodest by most Turkmens, revealing symbol for the Soviets of the international spread of items such as mini-skirts are occasionally worn. socialism. Then in 1940, a push toward greater “Sovietization” was marked by the widespread introduction of the Cyrillic alphabet. Then-president Niyazov declared a return to a Latin-based script in 1993, in part to signify the 2 TM CultureGrams Turkmenistan some Turkmens also drink vodka. In accordance with Islamic CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES tradition, Turkmens hold utensils in their right hands; knives are used only rarely as food is generally cooked in bite-size Greetings portions. Some Turkmens eat with their hands. Every meal is Turkmen greetings combine the Muslim Al-salām ʿalaykum accompanied by bread (chorek), which is honored as the or Salām ʿalayk (meaning “May peace be upon you,” source of life. Chorek is never torn with one hand or cut with generally shortened to Salam, meaning “Peace”) with the a knife, but respectfully broken with two hands; all pieces traditional Turkmen Nahili sen? Gowy my? (How are