The
Journal of Byelorussian Studies
Vol. II, No. 2
THE BYELORUSSIAN TATARS AND THEIR WRITINGS
by G.M. Meredith-Owens and A. Nadson
The Byelorussian Tatars today form a very small
community...This is all that remains of the once
thriving Tatar settlements in Byelorussia, the
beginnings of which go back to the 14th-16th
centuries...The descendants of the early settlers have
been long integrated into the national life of the
country, and speak Byelorussian, which they consider
to be their native tongue. At the same time, mainly on
account of their Moslem faith, they have retained down
to the present day certain distinguishing features.
Moreover, their writings in the Arabic script are an
original contribution to the history of Byelorussian
culture...
...Byelorussia, unlike Russia or Ukraine, was never
under Tatar domination...On the other hand the Grand
Dukes of Lithuania made a practice of enlisting Tatar
troops for their armies as early as the beginning of
the 14th century...
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