Aimaks - a confederation of nomadic tribes in Afghanistan

In the mountains in the northwest and north of Afghanistan, along the border with Iran, live the Aimaks. They are a semi-nomadic people of mixed ethnicity, formed several centuries ago by the merging of Turkic-Mongolian tribes with the local Tajik population. According to various estimates, the Aimaks in Afghanistan number between 600,000 and 1,200,000 people. For almost all of them, the mother tongue is Persian, although some southern groups have adopted Pashtun.

Since the official notation in Dari is out of the question for obvious reasons, we give the English version of the names here. The name "Aimak," from the Persian "Aymaq," is derived from the neighboring Turkic languages of Central Asia and means "clan" or "tribe." In Afghanistan, the Aimaks are known as Chahar Aimaq, meaning "four tribes." Firozkohi, Jamshidi, Taymani and Timuri. The ethnogenesis of the Aimak tribes involved Mongolian, Turkic and local Tajik peoples who came to Afghanistan. Mongolian influence is evident in both the Aimak language and their physical type. In terms of origin, the Aimaks are close to the Hazaras, but they adhere to Sunni Islam and speak in dialects similar to the Dari language.

The regions inhabited by the Aimaks are the uncultivable mountain and foothill deserts of Ghor province and the salt steppes (saltmarshes) near the salt lakes along the Afghan-Iranian border. They surround the densely settled oases of the Tajiks (most notably the oasis city of Herat. Although the Aimaks were traditionally a nomadic people, they are gradually becoming semi nomadic, moving only at certain times of the year with their herds of goats and sheep. As they migrate to new pastures, they trade with villagers. They offer hides, carpets, milk, dairy products and more in exchange for vegetables, fruits, grain and other foods and goods.

The Aimak social structure is based on the patriarchal family. The main source of wealth is carpet weaving, but the wealth of the Aimaks is still measured by the size of the herd. Being a nomadic people, the Aimaks, divided into various subgroups, roamed the territories of Afghanistan and Iran. With no real territorial base, the Aimaks showed no aspiration for self-determination. Their nomadic and tribal way of life was an obstacle to political activity, and they did not seek administrative power. Unlike other rural communities in Afghanistan, Aimak women have a high social status and can participate in group discussions with outsiders. They also have some influence over the selection of a future husband.

Four Aimak tribes

Jamshidi (Jamshids ) - one of the four main Aimak tribes. The Jamshids inhabit the northwest of Afghanistan and the northeast of Iran's Khorasan province. Their language is Dari and a dialect of the Tajik language. They adhere to Sunni-type Islam. According to scientific research, they are part of the Aimak tribes of Mongolian origin. Linguists point to Turkish-Mongolian influences (superstratum) characteristic of their language.

They retain relics of ancestral-tribal divisions. The family type is patrilocal, that is, the wife is included in her husband's local group. The Jamsheds preserve their folklore of dance and music. Horse racing is popular among them. Staple foods include bread and dairy products. The traditional occupation of these Aimaks is semi nomadic cattle breeding. They raise sheep, including caracula and kurdyuk (a special breed that accumulates fat in the tail part), goats, camels and horses. They grow wheat, barley, alfalfa, clover, cotton, and melons. They have developed weaving, leatherworking, and making wine barrels.

The summer dwellings of the Jamsheds are shacks and tents, and they also settle in dugouts. In winter, they live in huts made of clay, while the wealthier live in houses with gabled or domed roofs.

Traditional men's clothing consists of a shirt and pants made of cotton cloth, a black sleeveless jacket embroidered with haberdashery, rings, sometimes an earring in one ear. Women's clothing is white or colored sarees, shirt, bedspread, rings, earrings, wide bracelets, head jewelry with pendants, necklaces, nose ornaments.

Firozkohi (Firuzkuchas) - belong to one of the main Aimak tribes. They claim to be descendants of the Pashtuns of the Achakzai tribe. In turn, their name comes from Firozkoh, the capital of the Ghurid dynasty. They live in the northwestern territory of Afghanistan in the Murghab and Geriruda riverside, in the eastern part of Herat province, and in the area around Chaghcharan.

They are of the Sunni faith. They have no language of their own, speaking a dialect of Persian. Turkish-Mongolian influences are also characteristic for the Firozkohi tribe.

Their traditional primary occupation is raising sheep, goats and camels. They are famous for breeding strong and sturdy horses. They are also developing agriculture, with wheat and barley being the dominant crops. Handicrafts have a special place, they are mainly engaged in weaving (bedspreads, blankets, woolen rugs) and felt making.

In winter they live in kishlaks - permanent winter settlements, and in summer they live in tents of quadrangular form.

The clothing of these Aimaks consists of a yoma - a traditional jacket sewn together from three pieces of cloth, pants, a cap and a shawl placed on top of the cap. The staple food is bread, milk and a large amount of fruit.

Taymans (Tajmans) - one of the Iranian peoples settling in the northwest of Afghanistan. Scholars separate the Taymans into northern and southern according to the border of the Farahrud and Hari-Rud river basins. They speak Dari and Farsi dialects. There is also a strong Turkish-Mongolian influence here. They profess Islam according to the Sunni rite. According to the opinion of researchers, the Tajmans fall into the group of Aimak tribes with Mongol origins.

The Tajmans' primary occupation is animal husbandry - sheep and large horned cattle. They also engage in agriculture, primarily growing crops.

They build their houses of stone and clay, and cover them with straw thatched roofs coated with clay. In summer, they set up rectangular tents or yurts of 20-30 each.

The men's clothing consists of pants, a shirt, a sleeveless jacket, a khalat or burqa made of white vilok, a cap, a turban, and wool socks. Women wear a shirt, sleeveless, short burqa.

Timuri (Tajmurs) - a people living on the border of Afghanistan and Iran, belonging to the Aimak group. The Tajmurs speak Farsi and Dari. They are Muslims - Sunnis.

There are two versions of the origin of the Tajmurs. According to the first - they settled in their ethnic area after the Mongol invasion in the 13th century. According to the second - the Tajmurs are refugees from Central Asia, and their name comes from Timur, who conquered them in the 14th century. Tajmurs in Afghanistan lead a sedentary or semi nomadic lifestyle. Their primary occupation is land cultivation, with animal husbandry playing a lesser role. The Tajmurs of Iran, on the other hand, are mainly engaged in grazing animals over large areas. They live in tents covered with black felt.

The strongest Turkish-Mongolian base is demonstrated by the Tajmurs. The groups least subject to Turkish influence in the past are the Jamsheds and Firuzkuchs. The Aimak dialects have not yet been thoroughly studied scientifically, but are generally characterized by belonging to the Persian-Tajik continuum. Some Aimak dialects are closer to South Tajik dialects, while others are closer to Herat dialects. All show a strong Turkic-Mongolian layer.