Mercenary marriages in Tajikistan
Yesterday I watched a news program on TV channel “Mir”. This channel covers all the CIS countries. All the news programs are made of small reports from the CIS countries. Usually, the news programs are very positive. I like watching these programs when I have a delirious mood.
The report on Tajikistan was about imbalance in the number of male and female population. It was interesting to watch because it was about Tajikistan and it made me angry because the Tajik men were shown as sly dogs which try to get married only to girls from wealthy families making use of imbalance in numbers.
The number of men in Tajikistan is much less than that of women, so there is big demand in men. Taking into consideration the demand in men families usually try to marry their daughters to anyone just to make them avoid the disgrace of being an old maid. The reporter said that the female population in Tajikistan gets in trouble when it reaches the age of 21, because at that age girls are already considered as old maids.
The reporter also said that families that have sons are aware of the current state of things and try to find wives for them from wealthy families. There was shown a woman who went to a fancy house like a castle which does not coincide with the general trend of economic development in Tajikistan. She thought she could find a good wife for one of her sons but she was very much disappointed when she found out that all the girls in this family are already married.
There was also shown a guy who commented on the advantageous position of male population who enjoy a “good demand”. That guy said that he would get married to any girl whose father could buy him a car. He meant that though he did not look like a prince at all.
One expert said that in Tajikistan for each 100 girls are born 106 boys but due to some circumstances the number of male population becomes less than the number of female at the age of 20. There are many reasons for that and one of them is the Civil War. However, most of the people think that the main reason is the massive migration of male population of Tajikistan to Russia and other countries in search of living.
I also support the argument about the labor migration which has already become a great problem for our country. It is especially true for the rural areas, where most of the male population is gone.
Of course, the mercenary marriages take place in Tajikistan as in the rest of the world but I think it is not the general trend as it was shown in the program.
on January 15th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I think you have to have in mind that in certain regions of Tajikistan ‘mercernary marriages’ as you call them indeed take place, especially the Kulyab region and Subordinate districts, and some of Khujand valleys as well. The age of 21 is also shocking to be considered an old maid, but unfortunately that is very true for Tajiksitan. I have learned that an exception is the Pamir region, where people tend to be more moderate and the education level of girls is, in fact, higher, than male’s, which is a paradox in the context of Tajikistan. Consequently, the more educated the women are, the more they put forward a financial independence than a blind marriage.
As an anthropologist, I propose to undertake more study of such phenomenon in Tajikistan, which is an absolutely stunning case.
Thank you, Vadim, for your nice beginning!
on January 17th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
This is so True; however, I don’t agree with the fact of 21 year old females being old, especially, in Khujand. In order to support my statement I would like to mention that girls getting married happily at the age of 20 and above. For God’s Sake, please, Muslims Parents don’t go crazy, your daughters will get married just give it sometime, unless She’s is Sharmoota. Anyways, ragrding guys who want to marry girls from wealthy families–I personally say ***K OFF!!!
on January 17th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Gulijon,
A bit harsh there towards the ending, weren’t you? Wealthy families also need to marry their daughters
There is nothing wrong with marrying someone from a wealthy family (as long as feelings are genuine and mutual)…
Am I right or am I right?
But again that would not make it a “mercenary marriage”… is that the right phrase btw? never heard of it before.
on January 27th, 2007 at 4:32 am
I think most of the things that are covered by the media are generally exagerated including what Vadim had to write about the marrige situation in Tajikistan. For some reason people like talking about somewhat trivial issues while ignoring issues like corruption and the domination of the country by a pack of excriminals from Kulyab.
on January 28th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
horny bastard,
different people have different interests. Why don’t you share your views about the items you find interesting?
on January 29th, 2007 at 1:20 am
tajik boy,
I am really not interested in much of what’s going in Tajikistan. I just think that all this stuff about marriage is exagerated while issues like our government’s corruption are rarely talked about. Or the fact that a handful of people on top are sucking the blood out of the common folk.
on January 29th, 2007 at 11:10 am
Dushanbe has much more educated people than Pamir. In only Dushanbe there is more than 8 universities. {some of the intolarable words were deleted from this comment}
on January 30th, 2007 at 11:09 am
t hanks
on February 2nd, 2007 at 10:07 am
Having worked with several Pamiri girls, they have independantly verified that Pamiris are much more likely to marry after age 25 than Tajiks. Pamiris consider themselves “more European” than ethnic Tajiks. I dont think the level of education is necessarily higher, but it does seem more of a cultural phenomena.
I also agree that the imbalance in male/female ratio is due largely to migration. The men leave to work, the women stay, and often…the men don’t come back because they started a family in Russia. The “Tajik Dream” is for a young guy to go abroad and save up enough money to buy into some kind of business (maybe buy a GAZel and become a taxi, or open a shop) and thus attract a good wife.
on February 2nd, 2007 at 2:16 pm
It is a little bit offending about the “Tajik dream” for me as a Tajik, but I think it is true for a large portion of young male population.
on February 2nd, 2007 at 3:43 pm
American guy in TJ,
About Pamiri girls… of course what they think of themselves (perception) and who they acually are (reality) are two different things. Just because they happen to have a couple of blond and blue eyed folks among them does not necessarily make them “more european” :). Culturally they are not that different from folks across the border in Afghanistan, but I don’t see them claiming to be more European. So the “cultural” links of their “European heritage” does not quite make sense.
What does actually make sense is that a certain religious group tries to set them apart from Tajiks by telling them all these stories about them being more european…
Really, what is the problem with these folks? in all pictures they tend to bring forward “white-looking males and females”. My take is that they suffer from some inferriority complex…
BTW: ratio of blonds and blue-eyed folks is more or less the same across different parts of Tajikistan and no one banks on it as Pamiris do.
That’s my non-Pamiri opinion
on February 2nd, 2007 at 3:46 pm
oh by the way: American guy in TJ
The “tajik dream” applies to Pamiries equally if not more
Certain portions of that region depend heavily on remittances from Russia…
on February 5th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Dear guests, if you have not noticed, this post is not about the Pamiris but marriages in Tajikistan.
on February 8th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Great article
Thanks for the info.
on October 11th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Hello, This is just what I was looking for!
on May 16th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
To American guy in tj.
I think before making harsh remarks it would be very helpful if you would read some books on the history of Pamir or Tajikistan in general. And pls for the future try to use academic facts to justify your intolerance toward pamiris unless you want to make contribution to the existing gap in the relationship of Pamiris and Tajik people. I guess the Civil war during 90s should serve as a lesson for people like you - american TJ boy…