HAZARA PEOPLE

The name of the Hazara people derives from the Persian word hazar, which means “thousand”. The term was originally used to refer to the Mongol military unit of 1,000, but was later applied to a distinct group of people.

Physically these people are Mongoloid. We cannot deny the Mongol descent, because of the Hazaras’ physical attributes and parts of their culture and language.

It is in the 15th century that we first hear about the Hazaras.

In the 18th century they have faced several wars and forced displacements. The Pashtuns had persecuted and forced them to flee from many parts of today’s Afghanistan to Hazarajat.

The Hazaras have suffered several social, economic and political discrimination through most of the 20th century.

They constitute about 9% of Afghanistan’s population.

CULTURE

Hazara people, outside of Hazarajat, have adopted the cultures of the cities where they have lived. In Hazarajat they have retained many of their own customs and traditions.

LANGUAGE

Hazaras often speak Hazaragi, a variety of the Persian language. Many of the urban Hazaras in the larger cities, like Kabul and Mazari Sharif, do not speak Hazaragi but Kaboli or regional varieties of Dari Persian. The Hazaras in Quetta, Pakistan often include Urdu and English words as part of their language.

RELIGION

Hazaras are predominantly Shi’a Muslims, and there are some that are Shi’as of the Ismaili denomination. There is also a small number of Hazaras that are Sunni.