kalmay

Kalmay, also spelled Kalmyk, is a term used to refer to an ethnic group and their language. The Kalmyk people are a Mongolic group concentrated mainly in the Republic of Kalmykia, in southwestern Russia, with smaller communities in nearby regions and a diaspora in other parts of the former Soviet Union and beyond. They are the largest national group in Kalmykia and have a distinct cultural and linguistic heritage within the Mongolic world.

The Kalmyk language is a Western Mongolic language closely related to Oirat varieties. It has been written with several scripts over time, including the traditional Clear Script, a Latin-based system briefly in use in the early Soviet period, and, since the mid-20th century, the Cyrillic script. Today Kalmyk is taught in schools and used in media and daily life in Kalmykia, though language vitality faces pressures from Russian.

Historically, Kalmyks migrated from areas near the Dzungar region to the Volga River in the 17th century, where they formed the Kalmyk Khanate. They adopted Tibetan Buddhism, which remains central to Kalmyk identity, alongside folk beliefs and some Islam and Orthodoxy among communities. In 1943, during World War II, the Soviet government deported many Kalmyks to Central Asia and Siberia; most were allowed to return beginning in 1957. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kalmykia became a republic within the Russian Federation in 1991.

Culturally, the Kalmyk people retain Buddhist ceremonies, music, and traditional dress, blending Mongolic and Russian influences. The Golden Abode of the Buddha Shakyamuni in Elista is a notable religious landmark and the largest Buddhist temple in Europe, reflecting the community’s enduring religious and cultural tradition.