Dungans - Settlements

Dungan refugees and settlers were given land and settled in compact settlements. After the October Revolution, these settlements were reorganized into kolkhozy and selo; one collective farm can cover an area of several villages, or one large village can contain two or more collective farms. One place might be better known, and more often referred to, because of its collective farm, whereas another place might be referred to more often by the name of the village. For example, Sokuluk is now known as the selo of Aleksandrovka, and at present it contains two collective farms, Druzhba and Besh-Oruk. Most of the Dungan villages or collective farms are flourishing and well-run enterprises. Each has a population of 6,000 to 11,000, with 750 to 1,300 households and 1,200 to 2,600 workers. Each collective farm has a chairman who is a Dungan. A collective farm usually has two to three kindergartens and schools, one or two hospitals, and one cultural center (Russian: dorn kul'tury ) , which in most cases houses a library, several shops, and a post office. Some collective farms also have such enterprises as forestry departments, veterinary clinics, dairies, and hothouses. Most of the people who work in the schools, hospitals, and libraries are Dungans. Some Kyrgyz and Kazakhs are present, but very few Russians.