Alahaarets

Alahaarets are an ethnolinguistic group native to the Alahaaret Highlands, a mountainous region bisecting two modern states. The people live in compact hillside villages connected by terraces and footpaths, with a smaller urban diaspora in regional capitals. Their language, Alahaaret, is spoken by the majority and is considered part of the imagined Alah language family. It is described as agglutinative with vowel harmony, and literacy in Alahaaret uses both a ceremonial script and the dominant national script.

History is traced through archaeological and oral records to sedentary settlements established around the 12th to 13th centuries, followed by the formation of a loose federation of clans known as the Council of Clans. Contact with traders and neighboring states increased in the late medieval period, bringing metal goods and new crops. In the 20th century, assimilation policies challenged cultural autonomy, leading to revival movements from the late 20th century onward.

Culture centers on kin-based clan networks, with leadership provided by rotating elder councils. Rites mark planting and harvest, cattle cycles, and ceremonies of passage. Traditional crafts include wool weaving, carpet kilims, and carved wooden wares. Music features panpipes, frame drums, and call-and-response singing. Social life emphasizes communal labor and mutual aid within villages.

Economy remains mixed, combining pastoralism (sheep and goats), terraced cropping (potatoes, barley, legumes), and craft production for local markets. Trade routes connect highland villages to downstream towns, supporting exchange of goods, information, and cultural practices.

Contemporary status notes that the Alahaaret language is considered endangered, with ongoing efforts in bilingual education, cultural preservation, and academic documentation. The community participates in national politics while maintaining distinctive cultural institutions and practices.