Milan Mayer

Provozně ekonomická fakulta ČZU v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha-Suchdol
Faculty of Economics and Management, CULS Prague, Czech Rep.
Kabuka@seznam.cz

Gagauz people – their language and ethnic identity

Language: Czech
Issue: 2/2014
Page Range: 39-54
No. of Pages: 16
Keywords: Gagauz language; ethnicity; Moldavia; ethnic minorities; ethnic identity
Summary/Abstract:

The paper focuses on identifying the main elements of Gagauz ethnic identity within the Gagauz ethnic minority in Moldova. The theoretical part presents theories pertaining to the thus far unexplained origin of Gagauz people. It also presents a brief history of this ethnic group from their arrival into the Dobruja region to the emergence of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia. Gagauz figures are mentioned as well as other states in which members of this ethnic group can be found. The practical part comprises an assessment of the current situation in the Gagauzian region and consists mainly of information about religious life, the use of language, and cultural associations. The study also considers whether Gagauz people in Moldova feel they are Gagauz as a result of having a different origin from the majority of people in society. The situation in Bulgaria and Greece is vastly different as ethnic Gagauz in those countries are at risk of assimilation because of the gradual loss of the mother tongue. The results were obtained through structured interviews with open questions, informal interviews, and group interviews during two periods of fieldwork conducted in the Gagauzian autonomous region.

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Introduction

Ethnic minorities have been the subject of study by travellers, and then anthropologists, since colonial times. The aim has always been to map a given ethnic group, to try to understand their culture and its differences. In today’s modern society, where migration is taken for granted, the need for such research has reappeared. Ethnic minorities assimilate and gradually disappear, but new ones often emerge, with migrants remaining in their destinations and creating a new minority in the country.

The Gagauz minority is unique in Eastern Europe in several ways. The first is undoubtedly the as yet unexplained origins of this group. A thorough search can find as many as 20 theories about the origin of the Gagauz. The second unique feature is certainly the Gagauz language associated with religion. Although it is a language that is misinterpreted as a dialect of Turkish, the Gagauz are Orthodox. The third unique feature is undoubtedly the Gagauz Autonomous Region within the Republic of Moldova. This unique status in the Republic of Moldova has lasted for 20 years.

The theoretical part deals with the hitherto unknown origins of the Gagauz and puts forward the theory that they are descendants of one of the Turkic tribes. It also reflects on the history of this ethnic group from the first records in the 13th century to the official establishment of autonomy in 1994. A substantial part of the text also deals with the Gagauz language, whose development has been very complex. In the beginning, there was only an oral form, in the historical development this language was stigmatized on the Bulgarian territory and the first official written version of Gagauz was created only in 1957.

When researching ethnic minorities, it is always important to provide quantitative data on the number of members of a given ethnic group. The reader is then able to get an idea of its development and also of the upward or downward trend of the population. Gagauz can also be found in other countries. Among the countries with the largest numbers are Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Greece and Macedonia.

Who are the Gagauz people?

No satisfactory answer has yet been found in scientific circles as to who the Gagauz are, let alone who their ancestors were. This issue has been influenced mainly by two factors. The first was the absence of written Gagauz until the mid-20th century. Thus, historical writings could not be found and subsequently researched to help determine the origins of the Gagauz. The second factor was the similarity of the oral version of Gagauz to Turkish. On the basis of this fact, the Gagauz were often referred to as Turks, or Turkish-speaking people.

Currently, there is a consensus in the scientific community that the Gagauz are descended from Turkic tribes, but it is not clearly identified which particular tribe. The three most frequently mentioned are:

1. Oghuz – Kumans
2. Karakalpaks
3. Bulgarians of Volga

With the development of genographic tests, there was an effort to find out the origin of the Gagauz by this method. The first research was the work of Varsahr, Spitsyn and Sheremetyev[1] from 2003, the second important work is the research by Varzari, Kharkov and Vadimstepanov[2] from 2009. The first research in 2003 focused on genetic and demographic research of the Gagauz population. This was the first such research ever conducted among the Gagauz. The main contribution to this work was the discovery that Gagauz are intensively intermixed in marriage unions with Moldovans, Bulgarians, Russians and Ukrainians. This finding clearly indicates the existence of inter-ethnic unions.

The fact that the Gagauz are not a homogeneous group is clearly evidenced by their occurrence, especially in Eastern Europe. In addition to Moldova, Gagauz can be found in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and Kazakhstan.

From Gagauz history

Slavomir Horák in his article From the History of the Moldovan Gagauz deals with the origin of the Gagauz and their history. The first mentions belong to the 13th century, when the ancestors of the Moldovan Gagauz settled in the now historical territory of Dobrudja. It was also during this time that the adoption of Christianity was supposed to have taken place, through the Karvun exarchate[3]. In 1417 Dobrudja became part of the Ottoman Empire, but the Sultan allowed the Gagauz to use the Orthodox rite.[4] In Figure 1, North Dobrudzha is highlighted in orange and South Dobrudzha is highlighted in yellow.

Figure 1: Territory of the first appearance of the Gagauz in the 13th century

Source: http://upload.wiki…cadrilater.png

Another important stage in the history of the Gagauz occurred in the 18th century, when a part of the Gagauz moved to the now historical territory of Bessarabia. The reason for the resettlement is still not satisfactorily explained. It could have been refugees during the Ottoman-Russian wars or the population that was offered to settle the area after the expulsion of the Nogai Tatars. It could also have been a population that wanted to break free from Ottoman influence in the Balkans.

The first thoughts of Gagauz independence date back to 1906, when a republic was unilaterally proclaimed with its seat in Komrat. This lasted for ten days, after which Russian troops put an end to the revolt. The borders of the state of Bessarabia also changed several times (between Romania and Russia).[5] The period after the First World War is the time when most of Gagauz territory fell under Romanian rule. The strong wave of Romanisation had a negative impact on the relationship between Gagauz and Romanians. The older generation of Gagauz still remember the Romanian authorities with bitterness. The Gagauz became part of the Soviet Union in 1940.

In the 1960s, there was a renewed interest in the Gagauz language, culture and history. The first official version of written Gagauz (in Cyrillic) was created and the language began to be taught in schools. Although teaching officially ended in 1962, this short period of time gave rise to a generation of Gagauz intellectuals who later became leaders of the Gagauz autonomy effort.[6]

In February 1989, the demand for autonomy was voiced. The „Gagauz halki“ movement, led by the writer Stepan Bulgar, played a major role. The Moldovan government, under pressure from the Gagauz delegation, began to address this demand. However, the Gagauz demands were rejected. In addition, a new language law was enacted which established Moldovan/Romanian as the only official language in the country. On 11 November 1989, the Gagauz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was unilaterally declared within Moldova.

The Moldovan government’s refusal led to the creation of the sovereign Gagauz SSR within the Soviet Union. This attempt was also rejected from Chisinau. A period of legal illegality followed, during which the Comrat was even occupied. Volunteer troops from Transnistria came to the rescue, and the situation in the separatist Transnistria helped the newly created Gagauz republic to maintain the status quo with the Moldovan government. Turkey, whose President Süleyman Demirel has visited Komrat several times, has also shown interest in the new autonomy. His interest has also attracted some investment from Turkey. The legal status of Gagauzia was only resolved after the Moldovan elections in 1994. In December 1994, the Moldovan Parliament adopted a law on the special legal status of Gagauzia (Gagauz Eri). This law also constitutes the unofficial constitution of Gagauzia. A referendum in March 1995 established the borders of Gagauzia, which included five towns and 25 villages.[7] The delimitation of the borders by referendum has also drawn the atypically „tooth-like“ borders of the Gagauz Autonomous Region.

The current narrow estimate for the total number of Gagauz is between 200,000 and 250,000. The last official population census for the Gagauz region was conducted in 2004. In that year, the population of Moldova was counted at 3,383,332, of which 147,500 were Gagauz.[8] Even among the authors of specialized texts there is no overall consensus on the number of Gagauz. Slavomir Horák, for example, speaks of about 200 000 people.[9] Charles King reports that in 1989 there were 197,768 Gagauz in the entire Soviet Union and 153,468 of them in Moldova.[10]

History of the Gagauz language

Gagauz can be classified as belonging to the Altaic language family, then to the Turkic language family, where in the subgroup of West Turkic languages we can find Oghuz languages. The Western Oghuz languages include Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, Azeri and Gagauz. The Gagauz language in Moldova can be divided into two dialects: the Chadir-Comratic or Central dialect and the Vulcanesti dialect (also called the Southern dialect).

In earlier times, however, the mother tongue of the Gagauz was not referred to as Gagauz, but most often as Turkish or Turkish dialect. This designation is also found in official documents of Tsarist Russia.[11] This also led to a negative view of Gagauz, especially in the areas conquered by the Ottoman Turks.

The written version of Gagauz had a rather complicated birth. The credit for the early version of the Gagauz script and in fact the first book published in the Gagauz language goes to the Orthodox Church. Mihail Cakir, a priest and member of the Born of Christ Brotherhood, pointed out the necessity of speaking to the Gagauz faithful in their language and the complete lack of religious texts in a language that these settlers could understand. As a result of his letters and urging the bishops, a commission was appointed, headed by Mihail Cakir. He, as an expert in the Gagauz language, was tasked with compiling the prayers and gospels in use and taking care of their translation into Gagauz. The book was published in 1908 and was entitled „Evangelia“. It is the first book in history to be written in the Gagauz language.[12] The first officially recognized form of Gagauz was then created in 1957 in the Moldavian SSR.

Currently, the written version of the Gagauz language uses the alphabet operating with the Latin alphabet. Most Gagauz intellectuals are now pro-Turkic. Thanks to this, the current version of the script remains similar to the Turkish alphabet.

The current situation of the Gagauz

The current situation in the Gagauz Autonomous Region can be characterised as stable.[13] The Gagauz are content with their autonomy status and their political involvement has been reduced to regional issues. The emergence of autonomy also prompted the beginning of official relations between the Gagauz and the Turks. The Turkish government supports the autonomy financially, there are exchange study programmes in education, and Turkish programmes are broadcast on Gagauz television. A new building of the Komrat State University, a new home for the elderly have been built with Turkish funds, road repair is also financed by this cooperation and the medical sector is also supported. Thanks to Turkish support, the economic situation of the autonomy is steadily improving.

Alexander, a historian at Komrat State University[14], believes that one of the worst parts of Gagauz history was in recent times when the Gagauz wanted autonomy but the Kishinev government thought they wanted to secede from the country. The situation gradually escalated to the sending of troops to the borders of the current autonomy, which, according to Alexander, negatively affected relations between Gagauz and Moldovans. „They did not understand what we were trying to achieve. We had very strong arguments, but they thought we didn’t need to develop our culture, our language and our institutions. Fortunately, we got through this negative period. I think the really hardest years were the four years when we basically had an illegal republic and government. We existed just like Transnistria.“ He is now satisfied with the current situation, adding that the situation is improving every year in the autonomy.

Alexander also sees the initial rejection of autonomy in the USSR era as ultimately positive. „People began to have thoughts of a Gagauz republic, they began to feel like Gagauz. Until this moment, nobody in Moldova or Russia knew much about the Gagauz.“ Poets began to publish their poetry collections, authors began to write and publish their books in Gagauz, voices were heard on their own television, radio, and newspapers, all in the Gagauz language. „It was a very rapid growth, but it was good for us. I think our culture grew the most out of everything.“ Even though the autonomy is relatively young, Alexander sees good results in culture, in new writers, musicians and the like.

Religion

The Orthodox Church is the largest religious group in the territory of the Gagauz Autonomous Region. Up to 96% of the population is Orthodox. The centre of the Gagauz Orthodox faith can be found in Komrat, in the local church. The second largest religious group is Protestant. They account for up to 3% of the population. On further investigation, the author has come to the conclusion that a significant part of the population is what he calls „cold“ in their religious beliefs. Those aged 60 and over attend church regularly, often several times a week. The generation between 30 and 60 years of age is most often in church on Sundays and on name days. The younger generation itself does not show much interest in the faith. When questioned, the Gagauz immediately reply that they are believers, that they can be classified as Orthodox or Protestant (the second largest group), but when asked further questions about their faith, their confidence leaves them.

The author interviewed a priest, Sergei, from St. John’s Cathedral during his first field research. Sergei and the other priests conduct their sermons and services in three languages – Gagauz, Moldavian, Old Slavonic[15] and some parts of the sermons or services are also in Russian. Sergei was also asked about church attendance. He confirmed that most residents visit the church on Sundays and on various religious holidays. „On Sundays and religious holidays 300-500 people. During the week, about 50.“ He adds that in the last two years he has noticed a renewed interest from young people, or their children, for whom a Sunday school has been operating for two years. Sergei explains the religious „coldness“ of the population as a remnant of the influence of the previous regime. „In the USSR, faith was ‚suppressed‘; I, for example, was expelled from school if I wore a cross around my neck. At that time there were also many atheists. People think they know the essence of faith and that’s enough for them.“

Religion is considered a social issue. People grew up that way, seeing the Orthodox still in the family and not looking to become „true“ Orthodox. „Maybe the government is to blame, maybe we are, but during the USSR we lost the connection with the people, the contact. Now, especially the young don’t know what it means to be Orthodox, so they are looking for another denomination. Maybe that’s why they take it lightly, the whole faith.“

During questions about the tasks of the Orthodox Church, Sergei’s concern about new church organizations came out. „With Orthodoxy, the task is not to try to lure people to church. People have to decide, without any pressure. We are not like the various ‚sects‘ that are just trying to lure you to church. When they talk to you, they literally ‚bombard‘ you with love. They don’t talk about God for your sake, they talk about God for your sake, for the sake of getting you to come to their church.“

Gagauz language

Of all the Turkic languages, Turkish is the closest to Gagauz, which Andrea’s guide commented with exaggeration: ‚Gagauz, it’s like a Russian speaking Turkish…‘. The linguistic similarity is also noticed by the Turks, who, despite the vocal similarity of the language, refer to a mutually shared origin.

In 1957, the first Gagauz alphabet was officially created, based on the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. This was followed by a brief period when Gagauz was taught in schools. It lasted only two years, but the results were evident. Gagauz then survived mainly in the villages, in families and intellectual circles. The language came to the fore during the revival efforts in the 1990s and mainly because of the fear of re-Romanicization, when the Moldovan government wanted to reunite with Romania.

Although Gagauz is listed as one of the three official languages of the autonomy, Gagauz education is taught in Russian. It is important to note that after the establishment of Gagauz as one of the official languages of the autonomy, there was virtually no professional literature. There were no vocabulary or grammar books, only a few Russian-Gagauz dictionaries. Andrey’s primary school teacher says: „When we started, there was nothing, we didn’t even have books. Honestly, we didn’t know how to teach Gagauz very well either. I only spoke Gagauz with my grandmother.“ The situation gradually improved. After a few years, Gagauz language textbooks began to be published and now the fifth edition with corrected errors can be purchased in Komrat bookstores.

Depending on their origin, pupils/students have oriented language lessons, for example Gagauz Gagauz, Russian Russian, Bulgarian Bulgarian. Moldovan and Gagauz are the most represented in the number of lessons, which are taught four times a week. Next is Russian three times a week and in last place English twice a week. Andrey gives a memory from his childhood. I was quite good at the language, so I was given more homework than everyone else, there were about three of us. You can imagine how much I must have „enjoyed“ it back then. Today I’m glad I can speak Gagauz, but here in Komrat or at work I use Russian much more anyway.“ Andrey’s recollection gives a picture of the current situation with Gagauz in big cities like Komrat, Chadir-Lunga or Vulcanesti.

Russian here plays a major role as a universal means of communication. It is an eastern variant of the lingua franca. Andrey’s teacher adds, „Even though we would like Gagauz to be spoken here, at the moment we don’t have the means. Of course, there are also students who say, why should we learn it? How am I going to use it, it’s useless.“ He also adds that students who come from the villages around Komrat can speak Gagauz better than students from the capital. However, some of them face negative reactions from their surroundings. As Andrey himself says: „When I was studying, students from the villages who spoke Gagauz better than Russian were often looked down upon.“

Gagauz is mainly found in villages and smaller towns. Older generations speak it among themselves. Their children’s generation uses Gagauz mainly for contact with them and when their spouse is also of Gagauz origin. Inter-ethnic unions were not common among Moldovan Gagauz until about the middle of the 20th century. Andrey commented on this issue, „You have to remember that before there were only Gagauz villages, the towns were very mixed. Almost everyone in the village knew each other and spoke Gagauz together. It was customary to marry someone who was also Gagauz. When this changed, I think the language also started to slowly decline.“ Ideally, the younger generation is in contact with Gagauz at home or at school in language classes. It very much depends on the individuals what their relationship is with their language, but overall the younger generation speaks more Russian. People in the villages often take advantage of the similarities between Gagauz and Turkish when on exchange study programmes in Turkey or when looking for work in Turkey.

The author of this article also interviewed the writer Gülü Karanfil. This writer of Gagauz literature returned to Moldova a few years ago, where she is trying to bring Gagauz back to the forefront with her work. She regularly publishes her books, mostly novels, children’s stories and poems. She also actively participates in various projects to promote the language, such as „Let’s say hello to Gagauz“, where leaflets with the most common Gagauz phrases are distributed, organizes events to find new writing talents and is actively involved in the „Gagauz Camp“ project, which is a children’s camp where Gagauz would be taught in a fun way.

Gülü is very concerned about the language situation in the autonomy. She assumes that after the declaration of autonomy more people should know their mother tongue, but the opposite is true. „It is a great pity because 30 years ago all the young people understood Gagauz. I don’t know why this is happening, but after we declared autonomy, people should know more, but it is exactly the opposite.“ He also sees the reasons in his family, who used to teach their children Gagauz, so they were in constant contact with their mother tongue. „The Russian language became fashionable among the young people here. Parents between the ages of 40-50 think so too, so the children don’t hear Gagauz at home and know so little. Maybe some children want to speak but can’t because their parents don’t understand them.“

Writer Gülü’s organization is mainly focused on the preservation and development of the Gagauz language and culture. They organize competitions for young Gagauz talents in order to find writers who are able to write in the Gagauz language. In the USSR regime there were more writers who wrote in Gagauz, now with better conditions in the autonomy these talents are diminishing. Gülü sees the main problem as a lack of inspiration and effort to create in his mother tongue. „Today there is a lack of that inspiration to create, whether poems or books. A lot depends on the situation as well. In the USSR, for example, they used to publish books for free and then give the authors money. Everything I publish now is from my own money.“

Ethnic identity of the Gagauz

On the basis of the interviews conducted by the author with the inhabitants of the Gagauz Autonomous Region, the author is of the opinion that it is not possible to reach a clear conclusion on the question of the main ethnic elements. Linguistic identity is very complex in the Gagauz Autonomous Region, as the process of language revitalization is underway. The Gagauz population could be divided into two groups. The first, which lives in the larger towns, uses Russian as its main language. The second group is the Gagauz people who live in smaller towns or villages and use the Gagauz language more. The whole situation is complicated by the inter-ethnic ties of the Gagauz with other ethnic groups inhabiting the territory of the autonomy. Another factor is the general ‚popularity‘ of the Russian language, which, especially among the younger generation, is gradually pushing the Gagauz language into the background.

The interviews conducted show that Gagauz in Moldova do not consider themselves Moldovans. They feel themselves to be Gagauz. The information provided showed that they most often refer to their different origin from the majority society, as well as to their cultural customs, language and their history. However, the recognition of true Gagauz cultural customs is very difficult due to the interference of Moldovan, Romanian, Russian and Bulgarian customs. For example, as informant Natalia states, „I think our traditions are slowly declining. I remember that in my youth I celebrated much more with my parents.“

Different manifestations of Gagauz ethnicity in Bulgaria and Greece

Several different manifestations of ethnicity can be found among the Bulgarian Gagauz. The main difference is ethnic awareness, where Bulgarian Gagauz consider themselves Bulgarians. They live the same way of life as the majority and recognise the same values. At present, the Bulgarian Gagauz are probably in their best period. Other Bulgarians accept their difference and are no longer subjected to discrimination as in the past. The Gagauz minority in Bulgaria has no media. There are no radio or television stations in Gagauz in Bulgaria. Books and newspapers are not published in the Gagauz language.

Only the older generation in Bulgaria can read and write in Gagauz. The language is passed on from generation to generation by mere eavesdropping in the family and is not taught in schools. Thus, most middle-aged people understand the language, but do not know how to use it actively. Young people are gradually losing their mother tongue. The teaching of Gagauz in schools is not sufficiently justified because Gagauz children in primary schools are few and decreasing. This is due to the increase in mixed marriages with Bulgarians. Teachers in Gagauz villages such as Bulgarevo try to teach children traditional songs and dances. However, the teaching is done in Bulgarian.

There is also a decreasing trend in the number of Bulgarian Gagauz. In the 1900 census, 5,501 Gagauz declared their ethnic group, while in 2001 only 540 people declared their ethnic group. Furthermore, it is estimated that in 2000 there were around 2 000 Gagauz living in the village of Bulgarevo. Since that year, their number has dropped rapidly to around 1350 inhabitants.[16] The number of Gagauz is steadily declining, which is in line with the demographic trend throughout Bulgaria. The main element of differentiation at present is the language, which is very specific compared to Bulgarian. But if a member of this ethnic group does not speak the Gagauz language specifically, even a true Bulgarian will not know his true origin.[17]

The situation of the Gagauz in Greece is similar to that in Bulgaria. The main difference is also in the expression of ethnicity, with most Gagauz in Greece considering themselves Greeks first, then possibly Gagauz. If some Gagauz consider themselves a minority, it is not an ethnic minority but a linguistic one. The Gagauz language is nowadays used only sporadically in songs, legends and when Gagauz visit other European countries. Young people are not able to use the language actively, they learn it only in songs passed down from generation to generation or in folklore societies. There are no schools where Gagauz is taught.[18]

Similarly to Bulgaria, in Greece we can find folklore and cultural associations such as „Krasochoria“ or the voluntary folklore association „Angelos“. It brings together those interested in traditional Greek and Gagauz dances. However, the Greeks consider that Gagauz traditional dances are almost identical to traditional Greek dances. There is also a historical and ethnographic museum in the centre of Nova Orestiada. Inside the museum you can see traditional Gagauz folklore costumes. It is very difficult to estimate trends in the number of members of this ethnic group in Greece. The Greek authorities do not distinguish between ethnic groups in the census. Unofficial estimates range from between 25,000 and 50,000 people.

Conclusion

From the history of the Gagauz, the 13th century is significant, when the ancestors of the Gagauz settled in the historical territory of Dobrudzha and were supposed to adopt Christianity at this time. The next important stage of Gagauz history is the 18th century. At this time and subsequently in the first half of the 19th century, a part of the Gagauz moved to the historical territory of Bessarabia. Today these are areas in the Republic of Moldova and the Odessa region in Ukraine.

During the 20th century, very significant events took place from a historical point of view. In 1908, the first book written in the Gagauz language was published. Until then, the Gagauz language existed only in oral form. A religious book called „Evangelia“ was written in Cyrillic. The year 1957 is very important, when the first Gagauz alphabet was officially created, also in Cyrillic.

The period of the 1990s is characterized by the Gagauz efforts to improve their situation within the Moldavian SSR. The term „Gagauz national revival“ can also be used. Various movements and their efforts for national self-determination resulted in the declaration of autonomy in 1991. After 4 long years of illegal existence, the Moldovan government recognised the autonomy by a special law and in 1994 we can officially speak of the Gagauz Autonomous Region. A referendum in 1995 then established the borders of the newly created entity.

At present, the total number of Gagauz in the world is estimated to be between 200,000 and 250,000. It is very difficult to ascertain the exact number, as the last population count of this minority in Moldova was carried out in 2004. Gagauz are also found in Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia and Romania. The Gagauz language can be classified in the Altaic language family. In this family there is a branch of Turkic languages, where in the subgroup of West Turkic languages we find Oghuz languages.

The current situation in the autonomy can be described as stable. The Gagauz are now satisfied with their autonomy status. There are also important, mostly economic-financial relations with Russia and Turkey for the Gagauz. Religiously, the Gagauz are Orthodox, but up to 3% are Protestant.

The linguistic situation in the Gagauz Autonomous Region is one of the most interesting issues under study. Gagauz education is organised in Russian. The Russian historical influence is very much felt and in the big cities Gagauz loses out to Russian. In villages and smaller towns, Gagauz can be encountered to a greater extent. This language is mainly used by Gagauz students studying in Turkey or Gagauz trying to find work in Turkey because of its affinity with Turkish. One can speak of a process of revitalisation of the language in the autonomy territory.

The elements of ethnic identity are difficult to clearly identify among Moldovan Gagauz. The situation with the language is so complicated that to label the language as the main ethnic element would be a fatal misunderstanding of the issue. The Gagauz in Moldova do not feel themselves to be Moldovans, they feel themselves to be Gagauz and the interviews conducted showed that they most often refer to their different origin from the majority society, as well as to their cultural customs, language and their history. However, the recognition of true Gagauz cultural customs is very difficult due to the interference of Moldovan, Romanian, Russian and Bulgarian customs.

Further long-term research is necessary to fully understand and map this interesting ethnic minority. The linguistic situation is complicated and very important in terms of the further development of the situation in the autonomy.

[1] VARSAHR A, SPITSYN V, SHEREMETYEVA V. Genetic Demographic Survey of the Gagauz Population of Moldova. Russian Journal Of Genetics [serial online]. September 2003;39(9):1061-1069. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. [cit. 26-05-2013].

[2] VARZARI A, KHARKOV V, VADIMSTEPANOV V, et al. Searching for the Origin of Gagauzes: Inferences from Y-Chromosome Analysis. American Journal Of Human Biology [serial online]. May 2009;21(3):326-336. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. [cit. 29-03-2013].

[3] Exarchát neboli církevní administrativní jednotka.

[4] HORÁK, S. Z dějin moldavských Gagauzů. Nový Orient, 2005, roč. 60, č. 2, s. 27-30

[5] HORÁK, S. Z dějin moldavských Gagauzů. Nový Orient, 2005, roč. 60, č. 2, s. 27-30

[6] HORÁK, S. Z dějin moldavských Gagauzů. Nový Orient, 2005, roč. 60, č. 2, s. 27-30

[7] Tamtéž.

[8] Statistica Moldovei [online]. 2005 (XLS). [cit. 20.10.2014] Dostupné z: http://www.statistica.md/…xls.

[9] HORÁK, S. Z dějin moldavských Gagauzů. Nový Orient, 2005, roč. 60, č. 2, s. 27-30

[10] KING, CH. The Moldovans: Romania, Russia, and the Politics of Culture. Hoover Press, 1999. 304 s. Další dostupnost: google.books.cz

[11] Kvilinkova E. The Gagauz Language Through the Prism of Gagauz Ethnic Identity. Anthropology & Archeology Of Eurasia [serial online]. Summer2013 2013;52(1):74-94. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. [cit. 28-11-2013].

[12] Tamtéž.

[13] Nutno chápat v kontextu obou terénních výzkumů, červenec 2012 a říjen 2013.

[14] Rozhovor byl proveden v rámci realizace výzkumu v Gagauzské autonomní oblasti.

[15] Dnes se jedná o liturgický jazyk, též známý pod názvem církevní slovanština.

[16] НАЦИОНАЛЕН СЪВЕТ ЗА СЪТРУДНИЧЕСТВО ПО ЕТНИЧЕСКИТЕ И ИНТЕГРАЦИОННИТЕ ВЪПРОСИ: Етнически малцинствени общности. НАЦИОНАЛЕН СЪВЕТ ЗА СЪТРУДНИЧЕСТВО ПО ЕТНИЧЕСКИТЕ И ИНТЕГРАЦИОННИТЕ ВЪПРОСИ [online]. 2006 [cit. 2013-04-18]. Dostupné z: http://www.nccedi.government.bg/…es

[17] NEUŽILOVÁ, Klára. Vliv státních zásahů na utváření kultury, příklad Gagauzů. Praha, 2014. Bakalářská práce. Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Provozně ekonomická fakulta.

[18] NEUŽILOVÁ, Klára. Vliv státních zásahů na utváření kultury, příklad Gagauzů. Praha, 2014. Bakalářská práce. Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Provozně ekonomická fakulta.

References

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