Lyuli

Lyuli or Jughi (self-name - mugat) is one of the eastern branches of Romani, living in Central Asia, primarily Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and southern Kyrgyzstan; also, they can be found in Russia and Afghanistan. The Lyuli language is an ethnolect of the Tajik language. By religion they are Sunni Muslims. The Lyuli practice Sunni Islam. They have a clan organization (the Lyuli word for ‘clan’ is tupar, the Jughi word - avlod). Division into sub-clans is also practiced. The Lyuli community is extremely closed towards non-Lyuli.[5]

Lyuli
Mugat
Lyuli woman with child at the Bolaq embankment, Kazan, Russia.
Total population
17,000
Regions with significant populations
 Uzbekistan12,000[1]
 Tajikistan4,600[2]
 Kyrgyzstan500[3]
 Russia486[4]
Languages
Romani
Russian (mixed speech and dialects)
Secondary: Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uzbek
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Romani people
Part of a series on
Romani people
Romani people by sub-group
Romani diaspora by country
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Etymology

There are several names for the Lyuli: Jughi, Multani or Luli. However, they refer to themselves as Muğat (Мугат) or Mughat (Persian: مغان, derived from Old Persian magi, "fire-worshipper"), as well as Ghurbat (Arabic: غربات), which means "lonely". The term Multani signifies a person who originates from the city of Multan (in modern-day Pakistan), because some of the Lyuli emigrated from Multan around 1380 AD.[6]

Lyuli in Kyrgyzstan

The Lyuli live in the south of Kyrgyzstan, in Osh Region. Their living standard is extremely low. Many children are not educated in their traditional Romani variety and many Lyuli have no official documents. Education is conducted in Russian, Kyrgyz, or Uzbek, but many Muğat lack education. Lyuli society is working towards improvement of their living standards, education and knowledge of Kyrgyz and Russian, and preservation of their culture.[7][8]

Lyuli in Uzbekistan

There are approximately 12,000 Lyuli in Uzbekistan.[9] While children converse in their native language or mixed speech at home, poor educational standards and poverty have gradually reduced fluency rates in favour of Russian or Uzbek.

Lyuli in Russia

Starting from the early 1990s, the Lyuli began migrating into Russian cities, most noticeably around railway stations and markets. At first, Russians mistakenly identified them as Tajik refugees or ethnic Uzbeks due to their traditional Central Asian robes. Russian Roma emphasize that the Lyuli are distinct from them, however they are considered to be a subgroup of the Romani.[5] They are a frequent target of Russian far right skinheads.[10]

References
  1. Project, Joshua. "Lyuli in Uzbekistan". joshuaproject.net.
  2. Project, Joshua. "Lyuli in Tajikistan". joshuaproject.net.
  3. Project, Joshua. "Lyuli in Kyrgyzstan". joshuaproject.net.
  4. "НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОСТАВ НАСЕЛЕНИЯ". Perepis2002.ru. Archived from the original (XLS) on 2016-02-29. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  5. (in Russian) Николай Бессонов. Цыгане и пресса. Эпопея о люли Archived 2007-02-19 at the Wayback Machine - Some photos of Lyulis
  6. "Roma groups" (PDF). www.compas.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
  7. "Интернет-Журнал "Оазис" Народ без прав". Archived from the original on September 23, 2015.
  8. "Kyrgyzstan: For Marginalized Lyuli, Kyrgyz Language is an Antidote to Isolation | Eurasianet". Eurasianet. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  9. Salopek, Paul (January 17, 2017). "Trading in Tresses". National Geographic. Retrieved January 18, 2017. There are about 12,000 Mugats in Uzbekistan. Uzbeks refer to them, often with contempt, as Lyuli or Gypsies, though there is scant genetic evidence linking them to the world’s Roma diaspora. The group divides itself into a caste system that suggests a migration from the Indian subcontinent into Central Asia centuries ago. Traditionally the Mugat were wandering musicians and entertainers. Today they live in tight-knit neighborhoods that are considered no-go zones by other Uzbeks. They are one of the world’s marginal peoples. Many survive by begging, or by recycling scrap metal or plastic bottles.
  10. Osborne, Andrew (29 January 2005). "Russia's far-right on rise". The New Zealand Herald. The Independent. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
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