The Terloy (also Terlo, Teroy) (Chechen: ТIерлой, ТIерой) is a Chechen

teip A ''teip'' (also ''taip'', ''tayp'', ''teyp''; Chechen language, Chechen and Ingush language, Ingush: тайпа, romanized: ''taypa'' , ''family'', ''kin'', ''clan'', ''tribe''Нохчийн-Оьрсийн словарь (Chechen-Russian Dict ...

. The exact population of the teip is not known, however it is estimated to be around 30,000 people. Terloy speak in the Itum-Kali dialect of the

Chechen language Chechen ( , ; , , ) is a Northeast Caucasian languages, Northeast Caucasian language spoken by approximately 1.8 million people, mostly in the Chechnya, Chechen Republic and by Chechens, members of the Chechen diaspora throughout Russia and the ...

. Chechen writer and poet Magomet Mamakaev defined the Terloy as a

tukkhum ''Tukkhum'' (; from ) is a term and system introduced in the 1960s, most notably by Soviet Chechen writer Magomet Mamakaev in 1962. This system does not properly apply to the Chechen nation and the social structure of Chechen clans. Mamakaev prop ...

in his works, however literature, material and legends by the Terloy themselves are proof that they are in fact a larger teip, with all the typical characteristics of a Chechen teip.

Etymology

The name Terloy comes from the geographical place of origin. Ter- meaning "upper" and -loy which indicates to belonging to a group or place.

History

The Terloy originate from Terloy-Mohk, an area in the south-western mountains of

Chechnya Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federa ...

. There are no people living there after February 1944. All villages were destroyed by Soviet government and was forbidden to live there because the region was considered as rebellious and dangerous. Nowadays the majority of the Terloy tribe reside in the western part of Chechnya, in the

Groznensky District __NOTOC__ Groznensky District (; , ''Sölƶa-Ġalin khoşt'') is an administrativeDecree #500 and municipalLaw #12-RZ district (raion), one of the fifteen in the Chechen Republic, Russia. It is located in the central and western parts of the rep ...

Achkhoy-Martanovsky District Achkhoy-Martanovsky District (; , ''Theẋa-Martan khoşt'') is an administrativeDecree #500 and municipalLaw #40-RZ district (raion), one of fifteen in the Chechen Republic, Russia. It is located in the west of the republic. The area of the distr ...

Urus-Martanovsky District Urus-Martanovsky District (; , ''Ẋalxa-Martanan khoşt'') is an administrativeDecree #500 and municipalLaw #45-RZ district (raion), one of the fifteen in the Chechen Republic, Russia. It is located in the center of the republic. The area of the ...

Akhmeta Municipality Akhmeta ( ka, ახმეტის მუნიციპალიტეტი, ''Axmeṫis municiṗaliṫeṫi'') is the administrative – territorial unit in Eastern Georgia, in the region of Kakheti. The administrative center of Akhmeta munic ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

and in some villages in

Ingushetia Ingushetia or Ingushetiya, officially the Republic of Ingushetia, is a republic of Russia located in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe. The republic is part of the North Caucasian Federal District, and shares land borders with the country o ...

. In 1994, at the beginning of

First Chechen War The First Chechen War, also referred to as the First Russo-Chechen War, was a struggle for independence waged by the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria against the invading Russia, Russian Federation from 1994 to 1996. After a mutually agreed on treaty ...

, there were formed some groups by the Terloy to fight the Russian aggression. There was also one regiment organized by the people of the

Galanchozhsky District Galanchozhsky District (), () is a district (raion) of Chechnya. The district was recreated in 2012. However, the official restoration process of the district is not complete. The district also existed between 1925 and 1944. The administrative cen ...

called "Galanchozhan Polk" but was mostly composed of Terloy, because the leader of the regiment was a Terloy. «Дийначу нехан буьйда бIаьргаш диина маI-ТIерлой» - "Terloy, who ate uncooked eyes of living people." This is a saying which comes from a folk tale, according to which the Terloys ate the eye of a man from a group of people who came to steal cattle from Terloy. Terloy people killed all the men except one. It was that poor man who lost his eye. They left him as an example for others so that he would tell people who did it and for what reason.

Terloy sub-tribes

List of Terloy sub-tribes, or "gar" in Chechen:

Gallery

File:A mosque in Terloy-Mohk.jpg, A mosque in the village Oshni File:Моцкарой.jpg, Guard tower in Motsaroy File:Nikar.jpg, Ruins of the village Nikaroy

External links

Traditional social organisation of the Chechens
(pdf)

References

{{Reflist Chechen people