Turkmen or Teke Flag?
Yesterday Turkmenistan celebrated the Turkmen Flag Day introduced by Saparmurat Niyazov back in 1994. For the first time this year, the festivities were not accompanied by the celebration of Turkmenbashi’s birthday (February 19).
By tradition, the festivities started with a flower laying ceremony at Independence Monument in the southern part of the Turkmen capital, the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports. The first wreath of flowers was laid on behalf of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Yesterday, a festive concert was held at Ruhiet Palace in Ashgabat. Turkmenistan’s best professional and amateur artist groups, as well as pop stars performed at the concert. Today in the afternoon, a military parade, a horse riders’ show and theatrical festive show by masters of culture and arts, children’s and student ensembles, and singing-dancing groups of Turkmenistan took place at the Olympic stadium in Ashgabat. The traditional fireworks will wrap up the State Flag Day festivities.
This made me think of an article written by one of the best known Turkmen scientists, a demographer Shokhrat Kadyrov, who permanently resides in Norway (in exile). He is the author of a book entitled “Natsiya plemen” (“The nation of tribes”) and numerous articles about the Soviet and contemporary Turkmenistan. He also edits a website devoted to the Turkmen history, ethnography and current events that I strongly recommend to everyone who reads Russian.
One of Kadyrov’s main points is that since Turkmenistan gained independence in 1991, it has been ruled by people from the biggest Turkmen tribe called Teke, or to be more precise Ahalteke, that live around Ashgabat (both Niyazov and Berdymukhamedov belong to that tribe). Other tribes (there are several dozens of them) have no influence on the political developments.
What does the flag have to do with all this? Well, Kadyrov claims that the Turkmen flag, anthem and national emblem reflect the symbols of the Teke tribe rather than that of all Turkmen people. If this is true, it would be interesting to know whether the Turkmen from other tribes identify themselves with the state emblem?
on February 29th, 2008 at 6:08 am
That’s a groundless claim. Thank God WE don’t have suh issues in Turkmenistan. Nobody bothers about which tribe rules Turkmenistan.Magtymguly brought US together and WE will live together.
And about OUR flag it has all FIVE tribes ornaments on the left hand side. Each ornament represents one tribe, this is our UNITY. But someones who has no proper knowledge, or let’s put it this way the ones whose knowledge is limited to two-three news on websites say there is discrimination or separation.
‘What does the flag have to do with all this? Well, Kadyrov claims that the Turkmen flag, anthem and national emblem reflect the symbols of the Teke tribe rather than that of all Turkmen people. If this is true, it would be interesting to know whether the Turkmen from other tribes identify themselves with the state emblem?’
If you are not sure y do u ve 2 post such b******t. Maciula watch ur mouth. WE R TURKMEN and WE R ONE.
on March 1st, 2008 at 11:46 am
türkmenistanl? karde?lerim can yolda?lar?m türkiyeden selamlar olsun size. dünyan?n heryerindeki türkmen karde?lerimizle türk birli?ini kurma yolunda i?birli?i yapmal?y?z. Tanr? Türkü korusun ve yüceltsin
on March 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am
türkmenistanli kardeslerim can yoldaslarim türkiyeden selamlar olsun size. dünyanin heryerindeki türkmen kardeslerimizle türk birligini kurma yolunda isbirligi yapmaliyiz. Tanri Türkü korusun ve yüceltsin
ingilizce pek bilmedigim icin Turkce yazdim
on March 1st, 2008 at 11:50 am
artik rus yalanlariyla ne kadar daha ugrasacaz sunu cok iyi bilmeliyiz:
TURK’UN TURK2TEN BASKA DOSTU YOKTUR…