Exploring Azerbaijan's Jek: A Cultural Phenomenon

Jek (also spelt Jeks, Jeklilar, Jack, Cek, Dzheg, or Dzhek) is the name of a village in the Quba Rayon of Azerbaijan, as well as the name of the ethnic group and language associated with the village and its surrounding region. The Jek people are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group and one of the numerically small Shahdag peoples. They primarily inhabit the region around Mount Shahdag in Quba Rayon in northeastern Azerbaijan.

Jek is a village in the Quba Rayon of Azerbaijan

Jek, also known as Cek, Dzheg, or Dzhek, is a village in the Quba Rayon of Azerbaijan. The village is part of the municipality of Əlik and is located in the region around Mount Shahdag in northeastern Azerbaijan.

The Jek village is the historical homeland of the Jek people, a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group in Azerbaijan. The Jeks are one of the numerically small Shahdag peoples, and their native language is Jek, which is spoken by approximately 1,500 to 11,000 people. The Jek language is not a written language, and the Azeri language is used for literary representation.

The Jek people are Sunni Muslims and are a part of the Shahdag group of Dagestani people. They inhabit the northeast of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Shahdag plateau of the Great Caucasus.

In 1886, the population of the Jek village was estimated to be 7,767. However, by 1926, the population had decreased significantly to 607 individuals. It is worth noting that while only 607 people identified as Dzhek ethnically, 4,348 people listed Dzhek as their native language. This discrepancy is likely due to individuals identifying as Azerbaidzhans but speaking Dzhek as their first language.

Jek is a Northeast Caucasian language

Jek, also known as Cek, Dzheg, or Dzhek, is a Northeast Caucasian language. It is the native language of the Jek people, a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group in Azerbaijan. The Jek people are one of the numerically small Shahdag peoples, and they primarily inhabit the region around Mount Shahdag in the Quba Rayon of northeastern Azerbaijan. The historical motherland of the Jek people is the Jek village, also known as Quba, in the northeast of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Shahdag plateau of the Great Caucasus.

The Jek language is not a written language, and the Azeri language is used for literary representation. Azerbaijani, also called Azeri, is the official language of Azerbaijan and is spoken by 92.5% of the country's population. It is a member of the Turkic family and is closely related to the Turkish language. Outside of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani is also spoken in South Russia and Northern Iran, although the dialects differ from those spoken in Azerbaijan.

As a minority language in Azerbaijan, the Jek language is endangered. It is estimated that there are only 1,500 to 11,000 speakers of the Jek language worldwide, primarily in the Jek village in northern Azerbaijan. This estimate is based on the number of individuals who claimed Dzhek ethnicity (607) and those who listed Dzhek as their native language (4,348) in the 1926 population estimate. It is believed that the higher number of native language speakers includes Azerbaidzhans who listed themselves as speaking Dzhek.

The Jek people are Sunni Muslims, and their language is part of the Northeast Caucasian language family, which includes other endangered languages such as Budukh, Kryts, Khinalug, and Udi. These languages are primarily spoken in the Quba Rayon region of Azerbaijan and are considered "severely endangered" by UNESCO.

Jek people are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group

Jek people, also known as the Jeks, Jeklilar, Jack, or Dzhek people, are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group in Azerbaijan. They are one of the numerically small Shahdag peoples, a subgroup of the Dagestani people. The Jeks primarily inhabit the northeast of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Shahdag plateau of the Great Caucasus. Their historical homeland is the Jek village of Quba Rayon, located in the mountains of northern Azerbaijan.

The Jek people speak the Jek language, which belongs to the Northeast Caucasian language family. It is estimated that the Jek language is spoken by approximately 1,500 to 11,000 individuals. However, in 1926, only 607 people identified as being of Dzhek ethnicity, while 4,348 people listed Dzhek as their native language. This discrepancy may be due to individuals identifying as Azerbaidzhans who speak the Dzhek language. The Jek language is not a written language, and the literary representation of the Jek people is done in the Azeri language, similar to other Shahdag peoples.

The Jeks are Sunni Muslims, and their population was estimated to be around 7,767 in 1886. Over time, the population appears to have decreased, as indicated by the lower population estimate of 607 in 1926. The Jek people are considered one of the minority ethnic groups in Azerbaijan, and their language is facing endangerment, with a limited number of speakers.

The Jek people are a tight-knit community with a rich cultural heritage. They have their own distinct language, customs, and traditions, which set them apart from other ethnic groups in the region. While they primarily inhabit the northeastern regions of Azerbaijan, some Jek people may have migrated to other areas, contributing to the spread of their culture and traditions. The Jeks are known for their resilience and strong sense of community, and they play an important role in the diverse cultural landscape of Azerbaijan.

Jek people are Sunni Muslims

Jek people, or Jeks, Jeklilar, Jack, or Dzhek people, are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group in Azerbaijan. They are one of the numerically small Shahdag peoples, a subgroup of the Dagestani people. The Jek people inhabit the northeast of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Shahdag plateau of the Great Caucasus. The Jek village of Quba Rayon is considered the historical homeland of the Jek people, and their native language is Jek, which is spoken by approximately 1,500 to 11,000 individuals. It is worth noting that the Jek language is not a written language, and the Azeri language is used for literary representation.

The Jek people are Sunni Muslims, which is one of the two main denominations of Islam, the other being Shia Islam. Sunni Muslims are considered the largest group within Islam, making up around 80-90% of all Muslims worldwide. The term "Sunni" comes from the word "Sunna," which refers to the traditions and practices of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions.

Sunni Islam is based on the Quran, the Sunnah, and the Hadith, which are collections of the Prophet Muhammad's sayings and actions. They believe in the Oneness of Allah (God) and follow the five pillars of Islam, which include the declaration of faith (shahada), prayer (salat), giving to the needy (zakat), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) at least once in a lifetime.

Sunni Muslims have a diverse range of beliefs and practices, and their interpretations of Islamic teachings can vary. They generally place a strong emphasis on following the Quran and the Sunnah, as well as on the importance of the Ummah, which refers to the global community of Sunni Muslims. Sunni Islam also has several schools of jurisprudence and thought, such as Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali, which differ in their interpretations of Islamic law and theology.

In the context of Azerbaijan, the country has a majority Shia Muslim population, with Sunni Muslims making up a smaller proportion of the population. The Jek people, as Sunni Muslims, may have slightly different religious practices and interpretations compared to the Shia Muslims in the country. However, both denominations share the core beliefs of Islam and coexist in Azerbaijan, contributing to the country's religious diversity.

Jek people are part of the Shahdag group of Dagestani people

The Jek people are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group in Azerbaijan. They are one of the numerically small Shahdag peoples, forming part of the Shahdag group of Dagestani people. The Jeks primarily inhabit the northeast of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Shahdag plateau of the Great Caucasus. Their historical motherland is the Jek village of Quba Rayon, which is located in the region around Mount Shahdag in Quba Rayon in northeastern Azerbaijan. The Jek people speak the Jek language, which is an oral language with no written form. Instead, the literary language of the Jek people is Azeri, which is also the official language of Azerbaijan.

The Jek people are one of the smaller ethnic groups in Azerbaijan, with an estimated population of 607 in 1926. However, it is worth noting that a larger number of individuals (around 4,348) listed Dzhek as their native language at that time, suggesting that many Jeks may have identified themselves as Azeris or Azerbaijanis while still speaking Jek as their first language. This highlights the complex relationship between language, identity, and ethnicity.

The Jek people are Sunni Muslims, and their native language, Jek, is a member of the Northeast Caucasian language family. This linguistic family also includes other languages spoken in the region, such as Avar, which is spoken in parts of northwestern Azerbaijan and Dagestan, and Budukh, which is spoken by about 200 ethnic Budukhs in Quba Rayon. The Northeast Caucasian language family is known for its linguistic diversity and the presence of unique linguistic features not found in other language families.

The Jek people's inclusion in the Shahdag group of Dagestani people further emphasises their cultural and linguistic ties to the Caucasus region. The term "Dagestani" refers to the Republic of Dagestan, a federal subject of Russia located in the North Caucasus region. Dagestan is known for its ethnic and linguistic diversity, with over 30 languages spoken by various ethnic groups within its borders. The Shahdag group specifically refers to the peoples inhabiting the northeastern regions of Azerbaijan and the southern parts of Dagestan, united by cultural, linguistic, and historical ties to the Caucasus region.

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