Yezidis

Yazidis (Self-designation: Êzidî) are a subgroup of the Kurds, a sub-ethnos within the larger Kurdish ethnic group, who practice Yazidism. According to various sources, the number of Yezidis reaches about one million. The majority live in their historical homeland—Southern Kurdistan (Iraq), while others reside in Southeastern Turkey, Africa, Ukraine, Armenia, the Russian Federation, and Western European countries.

They speak Kurmanji, one of the most widespread dialects among the Kurds. In Georgia, the Yezidis resettled from the Vilayet of Van, the Sanjak of Bayazid, the District of Surmalu, and the Province of Kars, as a result of persecution by Muslims in the Ottoman Empire. The main wave of settlement began in 1918.

In Georgia, the Yezidis primarily settled in the old districts of Tbilisi (Sololaki, Vera, Zemeli, Didube, Meidani, etc.), as well as in Kakheti, Tianeti, Ozurgeti, and Batumi. According to historical accounts, relations between Yezidis and Georgians had already existed in the time of King Erekle II, who communicated with the Yezidi noble Choban Agha about organizing a joint campaign against the Ottoman Empire. For various reasons, however, this plan was never realized.

According to the 2002 census, 19,200 Yezidis lived in Georgia.

Literature: ნ ა დ ი რ ა ძ ე  ე., მსოფლიოს რელიგიები, თბ., 2005; რელიგიები საქართველოში, თბ., 2008.