Mingrelians

Mingrelians (also Megrelians) are an ethnographic subgroup of Georgians primarily living in the western Georgian region of Samegrelo (formerly Mingrelia) and adjacent areas. They speak Mingrelian, a Kartvelian language closely related to Laz and distinct from the Georgian language; most Mingrelians are bilingual in Mingrelian and Georgian. The community is predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christian and shares many religious and cultural institutions with other Georgian groups.

Historically the Mingrelian homeland formed part of the ancient kingdom of Colchis and the medieval polity of Egrisi. From the late medieval period until the 19th century local noble families, most notably the Dadiani, governed a semi-autonomous principality that later became integrated into the Russian Empire and modern Georgia. Mingrelians have contributed to the broader political, cultural and intellectual life of Georgia.

Mingrelian culture features rich oral traditions, folk music and polyphonic singing, distinctive crafts and regional cuisine. Traditional social structures and family networks remain important, and many aspects of Mingrelian identity are expressed through language, folklore and local festivals. Urbanization, Soviet-era policies and modern assimilation have reduced everyday use of the Mingrelian language, which is most widely maintained in rural communities and family contexts.

Significant Mingrelian populations also live in other parts of Georgia, in Abkhazia, and in diaspora communities in Turkey, Russia and elsewhere. Mingrelians are generally regarded as an integral part of the Georgian nation while maintaining distinctive linguistic and cultural characteristics.