The last nomads of Azerbaijan

Terekeme is ethnic group of nomadic cattle-breeders, who preserved the semi-nomadic way of life. They spend the summer on high mountain pastures and move to the steppes of the central part of Azerbaijan for wintering. Wintering place (or "qishlaq" in azeri) is a cattle farm, where several families live in their small houses. During the USSR, these winterings were part of the state farms. After Azerbaijan gained independence, the farms were privatized by private business, often not related to the nomadic Terekeme, but hiring them to work in qishlaq. Some of the qishlaqs are owned by the Terekeme themselves. This series of photos was taken in one of these wintering place in Gobustan area. Gobustan, better known for its mud volcanoes and ancient rock paintings, is a hilly area rugged by ravines 60 kilometers south of Baku. In winter, there is relatively warm and enough feed for livestock. The qishlaq has a long name Haji Molla Veli. Nomads belonging to the Jabirli tribe have been using it for several centuries. I lived with the Terekeme family in the qishlaq for some time, documenting their lifestyle, which gradually disappears under the pressure of urbanism.