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Hazara (Race)

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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Hazara, India

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A race of Afghanistan. The Hazaras are of Mongolian origin, speak a dialect of Persian, and belong to the Shiah sect of Mahommedans. They are of middle size but stoutly made, with small grey eyes, high cheek bones and smooth faces. They are descendants of military colonists introduced by Jenghiz Khan, who occupy all the highlands of the upper Helmund valley, spreading through the country between Kabul and Herat, as well as into a strip of territory on the frontier slopes of the Hindu Kush north of Kabul. In the wester 1 provinces they are known as the Chahar Aimak (Hazaras, Jamshidis, Taimanis and Ferozkhois), and in other districts they are distinguished by the name of the territory they occupy. They are pure Mongols, intermixing with no other races (chiefly for the reason that no other races will intermix with them), preserving their language and their Mongol characteristics uninfluenced by their surroundings, having absolutely displaced the former occupants of the Hazarajat and Ghor. They make good soldiers and excellent pioneers. The amir's companies of engineers are recruited from the Hazaras, and they form perhaps the most effective corps in his heterogeneous army. They are now recruited into the British service in India.