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balkar

Balkar refers to a Turkic ethnic group native to the North Caucasus, primarily associated with the Kabardino-Balkar Republic of Russia. The Balkars speak the Balkar language, which belongs to the Karachay-Balkar subgroup of the Kipchak branch of Turkic languages. The Balkar language is closely related to Karachay and is typically written in a Cyrillic script in the Russian Federation; historically it has used Arabic and Latin scripts in different periods.

Geography and communities: The Balkars form a significant community in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic and maintain diaspora

Culture and religion: The Balkar people have a distinct language, musical and folk traditions, and cuisine that

History: A defining event in modern Balkar history was the mass deportation in 1944 under Stalin, when

See also: Karachay-Balkar language, Karachays, Kabardino-Balkar Republic, North Caucasus.

communities
in
Turkey
and
other
countries
of
the
former
Soviet
Union.
In
Russia,
they
share
cultural
and
political
life
with
neighboring
peoples
such
as
the
Karachays
and
Russians,
and
they
participate
in
regional
cultural
and
educational
institutions.
reflect
their
Caucasian
heritage.
The
majority
of
Balkars
are
adherents
of
Islam,
primarily
Sunni,
with
local
customs
and
religious
observances
playing
a
role
in
community
life.
Traditional
crafts,
music,
and
dance
are
part
of
the
cultural
landscape,
often
performed
at
regional
festivals
and
family
occasions.
Balkars
and
several
other
ethnic
groups
were
relocated
to
Central
Asia
amid
accusations
of
collaboration
with
Nazi
Germany.
They
were
allowed
to
return
beginning
in
1957,
though
many
Balkars
were
permanently
relocated
elsewhere
during
and
after
the
period
of
deportation.
The
experience
has
shaped
collective
memory
and
intercommunal
relations
in
the
region.