Hazara people

The Hazāra () are a people indigenous to Afghanistan who mainly live in the central highlands known as Hazarajat, and in southwestern Pakistan. They are mostly Muslims with a Shia majority.  

Hazaras are the third largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, forming between 18% and 30% of the population depending on the source.L. Dupree, Afghanistan: Ethnography, in Encyclopædia Iranica, Online Edition 2006.A Survey of the Afghan People, Asia Foundation, 2006. They are also a smaller ethnic group in Pakistan, especially in Quetta and northern Balochistan, and communities exist in Iran, Turkey, Europe, Australia, Canada, and Indonesia.Al Jazeera, "Afghan Hazaras' new life in Indonesia," 2014.  

 Origins and ancestry 
The Hazaras are widely recognized as having **Turko‑Mongol ancestry**, descending from Mongol soldiers and Turkic tribes who settled in Afghanistan during the time of the Chagatai Khanate and the Ilkhanate.David Morgan, The Mongols, Blackwell, 1990, pp. 180–185. Genetic studies show that Hazaras share close markers with Central Asian Turkic peoples, especially Uzbeks and Uyghurs.Qasim Ayub et al., "Y-chromosome diversity in Hazara and other Central Asian populations," *European Journal of Human Genetics*, 2003.  

Many Hazara tribes trace their ancestry to earlier Turkic and Mongolic groups. Historical traditions and ethnographic studies record lineages such as:  
 **Turkoman Hazaras** – linked to Ghazanvid soldiers who settled in Afghanistan during medieval times.Richard N. Frye, The Heritage of Central Asia, Princeton University Press, 1996, pp. 210–212.  
 **Qarluq Hazaras** – connected to the Karluk confederation, which played a major role in Central Asia between the 8th and 10th centuries.Peter B. Golden, An Introduction to the History of the Turkic Peoples, Otto Harrassowitz, 1992, pp. 145–150.  
 **Lachin/Tatar Hazaras** – associated with Tatar and Mongol groups who settled in Afghanistan after the Mongol invasions.Encyclopaedia Iranica, "Hazāra," 2006 edition.  

These tribal names reflect the deep blending of Turkic and Mongolic elements in Hazara identity. Oral traditions, genealogies, and linguistic evidence in Hazaragi preserve many of these connections, showing that Hazara ancestry is closely tied to the broader history of Central Asian nomadic peoples.Thomas Barfield, Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History, Princeton University Press, 2010, pp. 145–150.

 Language 
Hazaras speak Hazaragi, a dialect of Dari (Persian). Hazaragi contains many loanwords from Turkic languages and Mongolic languages, showing their deep historical connections to Central Asian peoples.Brian Spooner and William L. Hanaway, eds., Persian Language, Literature and Culture: New Directions in Iranian Studies, Routledge, 2014.  

 History 
After the rise of the Chagatai Khanate and the Ilkhanate, many settlers of Turko‑Mongol origin established themselves in central Afghanistan. These groups mixed with local Iranian and Indo‑Afghan populations, contributing to the formation of the Hazara identity.David Morgan, The Mongols, Blackwell, 1990, pp. 180–185.  

Early sources describe the Hazaras as distinct for their Central Asian features and Turko‑Mongol heritage. The Mughal emperor Babur wrote in the Baburnama that the Hazaras of central Afghanistan were a separate people, noting their unique appearance and their descent from earlier Turko‑Mongol settlers.W.M. Thackston (trans.), The Baburnama: Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor, Oxford University Press, 1996, pp. 120–122.  

In the 16th–19th centuries, Hazaras were often autonomous in the Hazarajat region. They maintained tribal structures and local leadership, but later faced persecution under Afghan rulers such as Abdur Rahman Khan in the late 19th century, when many were displaced or enslaved.Thomas Barfield, Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History, Princeton University Press, 2010, pp. 145–150.  

 Modern communities 
Today, Hazaras are known for their strong cultural identity, Shia religious traditions, and close ties to Central Asian peoples. They have produced notable figures in politics, literature, and sports. Despite facing discrimination, Hazara communities remain an important part of Afghanistan and the wider Central Asian cultural sphere.Anthony Hyman, Afghanistan under Soviet Domination, 1964–91, Macmillan, 1992.  

 References 

Category:Hazara people
Category:Ethnic groups in Afghanistan
Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan
Category:Ethnic groups in Iran
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 Ethnic groups in Afghanistan

 Ethnic groups in Pakistan

 Aimaq Hazara
 Aimaq people

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 References 

Category:Hazara people
Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan
Category:Ethnic groups in Afghanistan