Sub-ethnic groups · Avars · Territorial groups of the Avars

Hidatl people

Descendants of the Hidatl free society, which left one of the most famous codes of customary law in Dagestan.

Territory

Villages along the Avar Koysu and its tributaries in the Shamil District of Dagestan

Main villages

Urada, Goor, Khotoda, Tidib and other villages of the former Hidatl

Language and dialect

Dialects of the southern dialect group of the Avar language

Population

There are no exact data: in population censuses most members of the group identify themselves as Avars.

History

Hidatl was a union of rural communities (a free society) governed by assemblies of elders and elected qadis, not subject to the khan's authority of Khunzakh.

The Hidatl people are known for their recorded codes of adats rules of customary law that regulated disputes over land, blood feuds, fines and the order of communal life. These records are one of the valuable sources on the history of self-government in mountainous Dagestan.

In the 19th century Hidatl joined Shamil's imamate, and after the war it became part of the Dagestan Oblast.

Traditions and daily life

The Hidatl villages stand on slopes and terraces: the local residents engaged in farming and cattle breeding and built stone houses closely adjoining one another.

Communal decisions were made at the village godekan; the tradition of collective mutual aid (gobollyi) is preserved in house building and harvesting.

Features and memorable places

Hidatl adats
A record of the norms of customary law of the free society.

Sources

Shamilsky District

Другие субэтносы: Avars

Territorial groups of the Avars

The Ando-Tsez peoples and the Archins