Persian Tajiks have been in the area

now known as Tajikistan for more

than 3,000 years, and speak an
ancient language that is very similar
to those of Iran and Afghanistan.
The natural landscape, agriculture,
and Islamic lunar calendars have
done much to shape the culture of
the nation, with food, customs, and
festivals reflecting both the religion
and particular requirements for
survival in the climate of each
region. Muslims make up 90
percent of a population that is
largely artistic and family-oriented.

History
People have inhabited the area now
known as Tajikistan since around
4000 BC, when different tribes,
distinguished by language, settled
the region. The various kingdoms
were absorbed into the Persian
Achaemenid Empire around the 5th
or 6th century BC, which began a
long process of Tajikistan being
ruled by different empires and
cultures. Alexander the Great next
conquered the region and
incorporated it into the Hellenistic
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. From the
late 4th century BC until the early
2nd century BC, the land formed
part of the Bactrian Empire. Arabs
bought Islam to the area around the
5th century, only to be supplanted
by the Saminid Empire. They
established Tujik cultural centers in
cities that are now in Uzbekistan
before the region become part of
the Emirate of Bukhara.

The Russian Empire spread across

Central Asia in the 19th century,
capturing Tajikistan between 1864
and 1885. The area between
modern Kazakhstan, Afghanistan,
and the Caspian Sea had a
large Tajik population and became
known as Russian Turkestan.

Central Asian guerillas fought a

four-year war against Bolshevik
control following the fall of Imperial
Russia in 1917, during which time
mosques and villages were
destroyed and the people
persecuted. Bolshevik religious
persecution of Muslim, Jewish, and
Christian Tajiks, including the
systematic forced closure of
religious institutions, continued after
the war.

Russia merged Uzbekistan and

what is now Tajikistan into the Tajik
Autonomous Soviet Socialist
Republic in 1924, until the separate
Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic was
formed in 1929. From this time until
1959, the Russian population in the
area increased from below one
percent to about 13 percent. Some
120,000 Tajik
people died fighting in WWII.

Tajik nationalists began calling for

increased rights in the 1980s,
resulting in Tajikistan declaring
independence in 1991 after the
collapse of the Soviet Union. Civil
war, mainly between rival Muslim
groups, erupted soon after
independence. Many non-Muslims,
Russians, and Jews left. Conflict
continued until 1997, by which time
100,000 people had died and 1.2
million had become refugees.

Peaceful but controversial elections

were held in 1999 when President
Rahmon was re-elected by a 98
percent majority. Further elections in
2006 granted Rahmon another term
with 79 percent of the vote. During
2010, there were several violent
incidents between Islamic militant
groups and Tajik soldiers. Further
fighting erupted in 2012.
Culture
The Tajik identity and culture dates
back several thousand years, and is
very similar to that of Afghanistan
and Iran in terms of language,
beliefs, and habits. The vast
majority of the population is Muslim,
which had shaped the culture,
particularly the art, food, music, and
festivals. The Tajik people are
family-oriented, sincere, and known
for friendliness and hospitality.
Decades of conflict have left deep
scars on the national
consciousness, although the mood
in recent times has been cautiously
optimistic. Tajiks tend to be
conservative; gender roles remain
very traditional and women do not
generally wear shorts.

There remains a strong folk art

tradition
across the nation, particularly with
the creation of textiles, embroidery,
and other practical decorative arts
such as carving, furniture, and
jewelry making. The art tends to be
based on nature. A little-known fact
about Tajikistan is that the
asymmetrical ‘Black Prince’s Ruby’
in the Imperial Crown of England
originally came from here, as did
the tulips for which Holland became
famous.