Chamalal people
Appearance
Total population | |
---|---|
about 5000 (1999) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Russia | |
Languages | |
Chamalal | |
Religion | |
Islam |
The Chamalals are an indigenous people of Dagestan, Russia living in a few villages in the Tsumadinsky District on the left bank of the Andi-Koisu river. They have their own language, Chamalal, and primarily follow Sunni Islam, which reached the Chamalal people around the 8th or 9th century. There are about 5,000 ethnic Chamalals (1999, Kubrik).[1] They are culturally similar to the Avars.
Neighboring peoples are the Godoberi, Avars, Bagvalals, and Tindis.