Mhallami

The Mhallami people, also known as Mardelli or alternatively spelled as Mahallami (Arabic: المُحَلَّمِيَّة, romanized: Al-Muḥallamiyya; Kurdish: محەلەمی, romanized: Mihellemî; Syriac: ܡܚܠ̈ܡܝܐ, romanized: Mḥallmāye; Turkish: Mıhellemi) are an Arabic-speaking tribal ethnic group traditionally living in and around the city of Mardin, Turkey. Although they originate from a diverse mosaic in West Asia, their historical roots have not been definitively established and most of their traditions were recorded orally. While the Mhallami identify with each other, their ethnic affiliation was disputed. The Mhallami typically identified as Arabs, but many identified as Kurds, and some identified as Assyrians. They are Sunni Muslims with a small Syriac Christian minority. They speak Mhallami, a distinct dialect of North Mesopotamian Arabic with heavy Turkish, Kurdish, and Aramaic influence.

Determining the exact number of Mhallami today is difficult for a number of reasons, but sources generally state numbers as low as 150,000 and as high being around 1 million. Due to migration since 1920 they have a large presence in Lebanon, but as a result of the Lebanese Civil War, large numbers fled to Europe, particularly Germany, where they now form the largest community in the diaspora. Mhallami generally have a poor reputation due to their affiliation with low education, criminal activities, and clan structure; however, a number are also affiliated with positions of law and politics, and are regarded as having been mild-mannered.