Ethnic groups of Russia: Lezgins

The Lezgins are an indigenous people of the Caucasus. There are over 488,000 in Russia, the vast majority of whom live in southern Dagestan. They practice Sunni Islam. There is also a small group of Lezgin-Shiites, who live in a single village called Miskindzha.

‘Lezginka’, the fiery and energetic dance, originated in ancient times among the Lezgins of southern Dagestan and, later, spread throughout the Caucasus. Today, it’s widely known beyond Russia. It’s believed that the ‘lezginka’ dance was part of a ritual that warriors performed before leaving for a hunt or war.

The Lezgins have their own folk hero, Sharvili. This exceptionally strong and brave warrior, defender of the people and freedom, once lived in the 3rd century AD. In ancient times, a heroic epic poem of the same name was composed about Sharvili and, today, in the village of Akhty, the hero's supposed birthplace, a festival is held in his honor every year.

Lezgins love ‘afar’ – a flatbread made of very thin dough and filled with pumpkin, radish, beet tops and, sometimes, even nettles! Meanwhile, no holiday table is complete without ‘tskan’, a pie made with lamb, potatoes, onions and chopped walnuts.