Anthropology

Tutsi — ethnic group of the African Great Lakes region Tutsi Tutsi are an ethnic and social group in Rwanda and Burundi, historically linked to cattle-keeping and regional kingdoms; their identity, origins and role were shaped by colonial po…

Tweenager (tween) — the preadolescent stage Tweenager A tweenager, or tween, is a child in the preadolescent phase (commonly about 9–13 years). This transitional stage bridges childhood and adolescence with physical, cognitive, emotio…

Ujjainiya Rajputs (Purvaiya) — a Parmar sub-clan Ujjainiya Ujjainiya (also called Purvaiya) are a Rajput sub-clan claiming Parmar descent, concentrated in parts of Bihar and Jharkhand, noted historically for landholding and local leadershi…

Ukrainian Americans Americans of Ukrainian ancestry: their history, settlement patterns, cultural institutions, immigration waves, and contributions to U.S. civic and cultural life.

Ukrainians: People, Language, History and Global Diaspora Ukrainians East Slavic people native to Ukraine, speaking Ukrainian; a nation with deep historical roots, rich culture and a large worldwide diaspora in Europe, the Americas and beyond.

Ulster Scots people Ethnic and cultural community in Ulster descended mainly from Lowland Scots and border English settlers; notable for Scots-derived dialects, Presbyterian traditions, cultural insti…

Umbundu (South Mbundu): language of the Ovimbundu people Umbundu Umbundu is a Bantu language spoken by the Ovimbundu in Angola's central highlands. This article outlines its classification, structure, history, cultural uses and relation to other…

Uncle: definition, kinship relationships, cultural roles and honorary usage Uncle Defines uncle and explores kinship (maternal, paternal, granduncles), cultural roles and authority across societies, plus honorary uses and non‑biological forms of address such as…

Urarina: Indigenous people of the Peruvian Amazon Urarina The Urarina are an indigenous people of the Peruvian Amazon. This article outlines their location, language, material culture, history of contact, and contemporary issues including…

Uto-Aztecan languages A major Native American language family spread from the western United States into central Mexico, including well-known languages such as Nahuatl, Hopi, Ute, and Shoshone.

Uyghur people: history, language, culture, and diaspora Uyghur people Overview of the Uyghur people: a Turkic-speaking Muslim community centered in Xinjiang, their language and script, historical origins, cultural traditions, distribution, diaspora,…

Uzbeks: people, language, history and cultural identity Uzbek people A concise encyclopedia entry on the Uzbek people: origins, language, distribution, cultural traits, historical formation and contemporary distinctions across Central Asia and the d…

Vietnamese: people, language, and culture Vietnamese Pertaining to Vietnam: its people (including the Kinh majority and ethnic minorities), the Vietnamese language (Austroasiatic, tonal, Latin script), and related cultural practices,…

Vulcans (Star Trek species) Vulcan (Star Trek) Vulcans are a humanoid species from the Star Trek universe known for their commitment to logic, distinctive physiology, rich cultural practices, and influence on franchise history…

Wampanoag: People, History, and Cultural Legacy Wampanoag The Wampanoag are Native peoples of southeastern New England. This article outlines their language, society, colonial contact and epidemics, 17th‑century conflict, and contemporary…

Warumungu people (Warramunga): Indigenous community of central Australia Warumungu people Overview of the Warumungu (Warramunga) people: traditional lands, language use, culture, history of contact, contemporary communities, land rights and resources for further enquiry…

Wayuu — Indigenous people of the La Guajira Peninsula Wayuu The Wayuu are an indigenous group of the La Guajira Peninsula whose language, social structure, crafts and cross-border presence shape the cultural landscape of northern Colombia a…

Welsh: People, Language, Culture, and Related Names Welsh Comprehensive overview of Welsh identity: meanings, the Welsh language, people and culture, history, diaspora, place names, surnames and notable examples.

West Slavs: peoples, languages and historical outline West Slavs West Slavs are one branch of the Slavic peoples including Czechs, Poles, Slovaks, Kashubians and Sorbs. This article covers their languages, distribution, history, cultural traits…

Western Desert cultural bloc (Australia) Western Desert cultural bloc A cultural and linguistic region of central and western Australia defined by related Aboriginal groups, shared language dialects, songlines, art traditions and expansive desert lan…

White Americans: definition, subgroups, demographics, and historical context White Americans Overview of White Americans: who is included, population trends, major subgroups, historical changes in racial classification, geographic distribution, and contemporary social and…

White people: concept, history, and contemporary meanings White people An overview of the term 'white people', its variable definitions, historical development, and contemporary social, medical, and political implications.

Wolof people: history, language and cultural identity Wolof people An overview of the Wolof people of West Africa: their distribution, language, historical states, social organization, cultural practices and contemporary significance.

Woman: definition, biology, identity, history and social roles Woman An overview of what it means to be a woman: definitions, biological traits, gender identity, life stages, historical changes in rights and roles, health and societal issues.

World population: distribution, trends, and global impacts World population An overview of the global human population: definition, distribution, historical growth, demographic trends, measurement methods, consequences, and notable facts.

Wyandot people (Wendat/Huron): history, society, and modern communities Wyandot people Overview of the Wyandot (Wendat or Huron): origins, social organization, relations with Europeans, treaties and removals, and contemporary communities and cultural revitalization.

Xhosa people (amaXhosa): language, clans, history and culture Xhosa people The Xhosa (amaXhosa) are a major Nguni ethnic group of South Africa, speaking isiXhosa. This article outlines their language, clan structure, history, cultural practices, and conte…

Xipaya language (Xipaia, Shipaja) Xipaya language Xipaya (also Xipaia or Shipaja) is a Tupian language of Pará, Brazil. Indigenous and highly endangered, it shares features common to Tupian languages and is the focus of documentat…

Yankee — meaning, origin, regional uses and cultural significance Yankee “Yankee” (or “Yank”) is an English nickname for Americans, especially those from New England or the northern United States. Its sense, tone and regional use have varied from neutra…

Yanomami: Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon Rainforest Yanomami Overview of the Yanomami peoples: location, social structure, housing (shabono), subsistence, culture, history of contact, and contemporary challenges and rights.

Yoruba people The Yoruba are a major West African ethnic group centered in southwestern Nigeria, with communities in Benin, Togo and a broad diaspora; known for rich languages, kingdoms, arts an…

Youth: definitions, development, cultural meaning and social roles Youth An overview of 'youth' covering its meanings, biological and legal aspects, cultural significance, social roles, and common distinctions from childhood and adulthood.

Yucatec Maya (Maaya T'aan) Yucatec language Yucatec Maya, locally called Maaya T'aan or simply Maya, is a Mayan language of the Yucatán Peninsula spoken in Mexico, northern Belize and parts of Guatemala by several hundred th…

Yugoslavs: identity, history and contemporary use Yugoslavs Yugoslavs denotes people who identify with a supranational South Slavic identity connected to the former Yugoslav state. It covers historical origins, political movements, regional…

Yuki people (Ukomno'm): Indigenous people of Round Valley, California Yuki people The Yuki (self-name Ukomno'm) are an Indigenous people from Round Valley in Mendocino County, California. This article covers their identity, language, traditional lifeways, histor…

Yupik peoples: culture, language, and history Yupik Overview of the Yupik peoples of Alaska and the Russian Far East, covering distribution, languages, subsistence, beliefs and ceremonies, historical impacts, and contemporary issues…

Zapotec peoples Indigenous peoples of southern Mexico, primarily Oaxaca; speakers of the Zapotec language family with a rich pre-Columbian civilization and continuing cultural traditions.

Zaza language (Zazaki / Kirmanjki / Dimli) Zaza language Zaza (Zazaki) is a northwest Iranian language of eastern Anatolia. It has several dialects, a complex history, and is the subject of language documentation and revitalization effor…

Zhuang (ethnic group and languages) Zhuang Overview of the Zhuang peoples of southern China, their languages and writing, history and distribution, cultural practices and modern status as the largest non‑Han minority in Chi…

Zulu people: history, language, culture and contemporary life Zulu people Overview of the Zulu people — their language, social structure, historic kingdom, cultural traditions and contemporary presence in southern Africa.

Zuni (Ashiwi): People, Language, Arts, and History Zuni The Zuni (Ashiwi) are a Puebloan Native American people of western New Mexico, known for a unique language isolate, enduring ceremonial life, and distinctive arts such as inlaid je…

Zuni language: classification, structure, history, and documentation Zuni language Zuni (Ashiwi) is a Native American language isolate spoken in the Zuni Pueblo region. This article summarizes its classification, structure, history, documentation, and community e…