OFF-ROAD IN AZERBAIJAN: Visiting the HIGHEST VILLAGE in the Caucasus

Welcome to one of the most ancient continuously inhabited places of the world, Hinalik village. It's home to the semi-nomadic Hinalik people who retain the ancient way of seasonal migration. Twice a year families of shepherds ascend and descend 200 kilometer long seasonal transhumance route. Because of the high altitude and remoteness of this village Hinalik managed to stay untouched. It withstand many invasions and keep its ancient culture and their own language. This is the highest continuously inhabited village in Azerbaijan and the most isolated settlement in the Caucasus. I was lucky to be invited there by a local family. 3350 meters from the sea level. Let's see if Tatar and Azerbaijani are similar. Let's compare the numbers. Wow! How similar! Pepper Cucumber Cup Plate Cup Salt Sugar Bread Water Good day Good house Good morning Color Sky Red Green I think in Tatar language there is no word for tomato and we say tomato. We also say tomato. Really? I think in Tatar language there is no lemon and we say lemon. We also say lemon in Azerbaijani language. Do you understand me? Yes, you understand me. Very similar. Azerbaijani and Turkish are similar? It's the same language. You understand Turkish completely? Yes, completely. You understand Tatar language too? Yes. Tatar language you understand well. Salaam! Welcome! Let's go! Ok, let's the real off-road adventures begin! Salaam! When we go to the mountains and there is nothing, we make a fire, put a stone and put meat and bread on it. And we put a stone on top of it and it is cooked. This is our national food. Only in Khinalyga this art is made. Meet Eyup Izat from Khinalyga. What language is spoken here in this village? This village speaks Khinalyga language. There is no Khinalyga language anywhere in the world. Only here in Khinalyga. That is, you are not speaking Azerbaijani here, but Khinalyga. Yes. How do you know Russian? I learned Russian at high school. In Soviet times, we studied Russian at school. Izat doesn't speak Russian because you were born not in the USSR. I was born in Azerbaijan. I was born in Khinalyga. I'm going to study in Baku. All historical information in Khinalyga alphabet has 75 letters. How do you learn Khinalyga? Only in your family at home? Or is it taught in a school? No. Khinalyga language protects the government, especially to protect the Khinalyga language. And also now in Khinalyga school, the teaching of this language is primary school. So even at school, they learn Khinalyga? Yes. And here in every village, it's a different language, right? Yes. And each other understands. In Dagestan, I have a very near village in Kuruzh, also a different language. And also Lazari.