Megrels Mingrelians

Mingrelians are considered to be Georgians due to historical and cultural ties as well as shared national identity. The Mingrelians are an ethnic subgroup of Georgians and while Mingrelian is a distinct Kartvelian language it is closely related to the Georgian language. The Mingrelians have been an integral part of the historical and cultural fabric of Georgia and their identity is intertwined with that of the broader Georgian nation. While there are linguistic and cultural distinctions the Mingrelians and Georgians share a common heritage and national identity. Nearly all Kartvelian-speaking people have a Georgian identity. The only exception are some of the 20k or so Lazi speakers who are Muslim-Turks and prefer to not be associated with Christian Georgia by choice but that is another subject...