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Here is what wiki says, citing a number of sources;
Let's define it a little more specifically here. What are the key indicators of ethnicity? Below are examples applied to the Macedonians, in both the Macedonian and Greek states.
Primary Indicators
Language is most significant, one of the very foundations of ethnicity is the native tongue of a people. The native language of an individual or an individual's family, as passed on through generation to generation, without the requirement of an education. One example is the native language of the Macedonians in the Macedonian state and that of the Macedonians in the Greek state, which is the same, the difference relating only to the official languages of the state and church.
Culture refers to a commonality in traditions, habits and characteristics, and is also demostrated by common phrases, beliefs, etc. Some simple examples would be the traditional dances and songs that are shared by the Macedonians in both the Macedonian and Greek states, but which are foreign to the non-Macedonians in the Greek state.
Ancestry is descending from the same people, for example, the Macedonians of the Greek state and the Macedonians of the Macedonian state have the same origins, their grandfathers, great grandfathers, etc share all the primary indicators.
Kinship, meaning relatives and friends that share the same primary indicators, or, through another dimension the case of the divided Macedonian people on both sides of the artificial border of 'northern Greece'.
Secondary Indicators
Geography indicates descent from a particular region or greater region that has a shared historical commonality relative to the native population. Due to the Greek state occupying and absorbing a large portion of Macedonian territory in the 20th century, and their policy of settling in excess of 600,000 fleeing Christians from Asia, this particular indicator can be manipulated, but only to a certain degree. The people of Skopje, which is in the extreme north of the Macedonian state, are still geographically closer to the geographically Macedonian city of Salonika located in the Greek state, than are the people of Crete, the Peloponnese and even Athens. In addition to this, they have lived in the Macedonian region for centuries as opposed to the case of the new settlers, who have not yet lived a century in Macedonia. Furthermore, prior to the Greek usurpation of Macedonian territories, the Macedonians in Macedonia were relatively free to communicate, congregate and live among each other in their territory, which allowed for a continuation of commonalities in all primary indicators.
Religion also plays a strong factor but it is not an exclusive necessity, because commonality in culture trascends religious affiliation whereas commonality in religion without the primary indicators is of limited significance. For example, while the Macedonians of the Islamic faith may share some similarities with Muslims from Asia, their culture is largely the same as Macedonians of the Christian faith. Similarly, while the Macedonians in the Greek state are (by force) a part of the Greek Orthodox Church, on all levels the primary indicators demonstrate an obviously closer proximity to the Macedonians of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, as opposed to their Greek co-relgionists.
Any thoughts or comments are welcome.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_group
An ethnic group is a group of humans whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage that is real or assumed.[1][2] This shared heritage may be based upon putative common ancestry, history, kinship, religion, language, shared territory, nationality or physical appearance. Members of an ethnic group are conscious of belonging to an ethnic group; moreover ethnic identity is further marked by the recognition from others of a group's distinctiveness.[3] [4]
According to "Challenges of Measuring an Ethnic World: Science, politics, and reality", a conference organised by Statistics Canada and the United States Census Bureau (April 1–3, 1992), "Ethnicity is a fundamental factor in human life: it is a phenomenon inherent in human experience."[5] However, many social scientists, like anthropologists Fredrik Barth and Eric Wolf, do not consider ethnic identity to be universal. They regard ethnicity as a product of specific kinds of inter-group interactions, rather than an essential quality inherent to human groups.[6]
According to "Challenges of Measuring an Ethnic World: Science, politics, and reality", a conference organised by Statistics Canada and the United States Census Bureau (April 1–3, 1992), "Ethnicity is a fundamental factor in human life: it is a phenomenon inherent in human experience."[5] However, many social scientists, like anthropologists Fredrik Barth and Eric Wolf, do not consider ethnic identity to be universal. They regard ethnicity as a product of specific kinds of inter-group interactions, rather than an essential quality inherent to human groups.[6]
Primary Indicators
Language is most significant, one of the very foundations of ethnicity is the native tongue of a people. The native language of an individual or an individual's family, as passed on through generation to generation, without the requirement of an education. One example is the native language of the Macedonians in the Macedonian state and that of the Macedonians in the Greek state, which is the same, the difference relating only to the official languages of the state and church.
Culture refers to a commonality in traditions, habits and characteristics, and is also demostrated by common phrases, beliefs, etc. Some simple examples would be the traditional dances and songs that are shared by the Macedonians in both the Macedonian and Greek states, but which are foreign to the non-Macedonians in the Greek state.
Ancestry is descending from the same people, for example, the Macedonians of the Greek state and the Macedonians of the Macedonian state have the same origins, their grandfathers, great grandfathers, etc share all the primary indicators.
Kinship, meaning relatives and friends that share the same primary indicators, or, through another dimension the case of the divided Macedonian people on both sides of the artificial border of 'northern Greece'.
Secondary Indicators
Geography indicates descent from a particular region or greater region that has a shared historical commonality relative to the native population. Due to the Greek state occupying and absorbing a large portion of Macedonian territory in the 20th century, and their policy of settling in excess of 600,000 fleeing Christians from Asia, this particular indicator can be manipulated, but only to a certain degree. The people of Skopje, which is in the extreme north of the Macedonian state, are still geographically closer to the geographically Macedonian city of Salonika located in the Greek state, than are the people of Crete, the Peloponnese and even Athens. In addition to this, they have lived in the Macedonian region for centuries as opposed to the case of the new settlers, who have not yet lived a century in Macedonia. Furthermore, prior to the Greek usurpation of Macedonian territories, the Macedonians in Macedonia were relatively free to communicate, congregate and live among each other in their territory, which allowed for a continuation of commonalities in all primary indicators.
Religion also plays a strong factor but it is not an exclusive necessity, because commonality in culture trascends religious affiliation whereas commonality in religion without the primary indicators is of limited significance. For example, while the Macedonians of the Islamic faith may share some similarities with Muslims from Asia, their culture is largely the same as Macedonians of the Christian faith. Similarly, while the Macedonians in the Greek state are (by force) a part of the Greek Orthodox Church, on all levels the primary indicators demonstrate an obviously closer proximity to the Macedonians of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, as opposed to their Greek co-relgionists.
Any thoughts or comments are welcome.
and a culture handed down to them by Germans,Englishman, etc.
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