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Ingush people

The Ingush (Ingush: Галгай "Ghalghay") are an ethnic group of the North Caucasus, mostly inhabiting the Russian republic of Ingushetia. They refer to themselves as Ghalghai (галгай, from Ingush ghal "fortress" and ghai "inhabitants"). The Ingush are predominantly Sunni Muslim and speak the Ingush language, which has a very high degree of mutual intelligibility with neighboring Chechen.

Religion

Ingush people are Muslims of the Sufi tariqas Naqshbandi and Qadiriyyah.

Origins

10,000-8,000 BC Migration of the linguistic ancestors of the Ingush people to the slopes of the Caucasus from the Fertile Crescent. Agriculture, irrigation, and the domestication of animals.

6000-4000 BC Neolithic era. Pottery is known to the region. Old settlements near Ali-Yurt and Magas, discovered in the modern times, revealed tools made out of stone: stone axes, polished stones, stone knives, stones with holes drilled in them, clay dishes etc. Settlements made out of clay bricks discovered in the plains. In the mountains there were discovered settlements made out of stone surrounded by walls some of them dated back 8000 BC.

4000-3000 BC Invention of the wheel (3000 BC), horseback riding, metal works (copper, gold, silver, iron) dishes, armor, daggers, knives, arrow tips. The artifacts were found near Naser-Kort, Muzhichi, Yi-E-Borz (now Surkhakhi), Abi-Goo (now Nazran).

History

Ingush tribes have historically been known by the following names: Gargarei, Gelgai or Galgai, Kist or Kust, Glivi or Gligvi, and Dzurdzuk. The history of the Ingush is closely related to that of the Chechens. The ancestors of both peoples were tribes known as the Vainakh. They came under Russian rule in 1810, but during World War II they were falsely accused of collaborating with the Nazis and the entire Ingush population was deported to Kazakhstan and Siberia with great loss of life - an estimated two thirds. They were rehabilitated in the 1950s, after the death of Stalin, and were allowed to return home in 1957. However, much of Ingush territory had been settled by Ossetians and part of the region had been transferred to North Ossetia. The returning Ingush faced considerable animosity from the Ossetians. Violence flared during the Ossetian-Ingush conflict in late October 1992, when tens of thousands of Ingush were forced from their homes in the Prigorodny District of North Ossetia.

Culture

The Ingush possess a varied culture of traditions, legends, epics, tales, songs, proverbs, and sayings. Music, songs and dance are particularly highly regarded. Popular musical instruments include the dakhch-pandr (a kind of balalaika), kekhat pondur (accordion, generally played by girls), a three-stringed violin, zurna (a type of clarinet), tambourine, and drums.