A Hint of Russian

I had a chance to attend a traditional dance performance by a group of Russians that converted to Islam in the 19th Century, the Karachays. The Karachays originated from North Caucasus which is South Western Russia. The people speak a Turkic language called Karachay-Balkar and can be found in Russia, Syria, Turkey and Kazakhstan. At the performance, people held green flags and the women traditionally wear white hijabs (head scarves). It was interesting to watch these people file in alongside the Arab majority because they had lighter complexions and it was clear that they were not from the same ethnicity as us.
Jerash, Jordan
July 2009