Mişərlər

The Mishar (Mişər) Tatars, known by various endonyms such as mişərlər and mişər tatarları, emerged in the 11th century from the forest-steppe region west of the Sura River, evolving through migration and interactions with various ethnic groups: Burtas, Turks, and local Finno-Ugric peoples. They settled along the Volga and Urals. Various historical names have been associated with different Mishar groups, such as tömən to indicate regional affiliations, alatır, and the broader term möselman. 

The ethno-cultural identity of the Mishars involves historical influences from the Golden Horde period, notably the Burtas, and the development of distinct ethnonym systems. This period marks the Mishars' further development as a distinct group within the borders of the Qasim Khanate, previously known as Gorodets-Meshchersky. There was an increasing use of terms like Mozhar or Meshera, although Tatars remained a common descriptor in historical sources. 

Migration processes in the 16th century led to the settlement of Russians in areas beyond the Volga and Urals, while Tatar settlers moved to Ufa and influenced northern Bashkortostan and Perm Krai, which are now linguistically associated with the Stərletamaq dialect. 

In Tömәn, settlers from the Temnikovsky district of the Tambov Governorate arrived in the late 17th to early 18th centuries. They were Ç-Mishars by dialect and held a distinct social status among Tatars and Bashkorts. They owned land based on local rights. Due to their privilege, they lived somewhat isolated lives and were reluctant to intermarry with members of other estate groups. Tömәn's Mishar villages are primarily in the Republic of Bashkortostan. 

Active interactions between Mishars and Kazan Tatars in the 16-19 centuries strengthened integration, blurring distinctions by the mid-20th century. 

Mishars, like the majority of Tatars, adhere to Sunni Islam, and they predominantly speak the Western dialect of the Tatar language. Linguists have noted similarities between Mishar Tatar and ancient Kipchak languages.  

Their folklore often contains pagan elements and animal motifs, with a tendency towards social satire targeting the affluent and spiritual leaders. Mishar wedding songs share similarities with those of the Chuvash people. Despite their diverse ethnic traits, the Mishars are regarded as one of the most authentic representatives of ancient Kipchak culture. 

The culture of the Mishar people is characterized by their traditional way of life, which includes agriculture, animal husbandry, and beekeeping. They inhabit regions conducive to farming and have a strong focus on livestock, particularly sheep. Traditional Mishar settlements consist of large villages with brick or log houses, featuring unique interior layouts with stoves, yanurdık (benches), and decorative textile ornaments like çebeldek, çarşak and kaşaga. Mishar cuisine includes dishes like salma, kazı, çimay, töpsez bәleş, and pәrәmәç. They used to have special items of clothing like kaşpaw or tayka (headwear). In their folklore, tales featuring characters like Koygorış (the bird of happiness) and Akbuzat (the white horse) are prominent, with wildlife from the Middle Volga region often appearing in their stories.  

While their ethnogenesis exhibits some differences from that of the Kazan Tatars, many of these distinctions have gradually faded away over time. According to the 1897 census, the total Mishar population numbered 622,600 individuals. In 1926, around 200,000 people identified as Mishar Tatars. However, estimating their population since then has been challenging due to their frequent identification simply as Tatars. Today, they constitute a significant portion of the Finnish Tatars (around 500-600 people) and Tatars residing in other Nordic and Baltic countries. 

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R. Möxəmmədova, Mishar Tatars. 1972 

M. Xəsənov, Tatar encyclopedia, V. 4. 2008