Adyghe is the common self-name of the ancestors of modern Adyghe, Kabardians and Circassians. The surrounding peoples also called them Zikhs and Kasogs. The origin and meaning of all these names is a controversial issue. The ancient Circassians belonged to the Caucasian race.
The history of the Circassians is endless clashes with hordes of Scythians, Sarmatians, Huns, Bulgars, Alans, Khazars, Magyars, Pechenegs, Polovtsians, Mongol-Tatars, Kalmyks, Nogais, Turks.
In 1792, with the creation by Russian troops of a continuous cordon line along the Kuban River, the active development of the western Adyghe lands by Russia began.
At first, the Russians fought, in fact, not with the Circassians, but with the Turks, who at that time owned Adygea. Following the conclusion of the Treaty of Adriapolis in 1829, all Turkish possessions in the Caucasus passed to Russia. But the Circassians refused to transfer to Russian citizenship and continued to launch attacks on Russian settlements.
Only in 1864 did Russia take control of the last independent territories of the Circassians - the Kuban and Sochi lands. A small part of the Adyghe nobility by this time had transferred to the service of the Russian Empire. But most of the Circassians - over 200 thousand people - wanted to move to Turkey.
The Turkish Sultan Abdul Hamid II settled refugees (Mohajirs) on the desert border of Syria and other border areas to combat Bedouin raids.
This tragic page in Russian-Adyghe relations has recently become the subject of historical and political speculation in order to put pressure on Russia. Part of the Adyghe-Circassian diaspora, with the support of certain Western forces, demands a boycott of the Olympics in Sochi if Russia does not recognize the resettlement of the Adygs as an act of genocide. After which, of course, lawsuits for compensation will follow.
Adygea
Today, the bulk of the Circassians live in Turkey (according to various sources, from 3 to 5 million people). In the Russian Federation, the number of Circassians as a whole does not exceed 1 million. There are also considerable diasporas in Syria, Jordan, Israel, the USA, France and other countries. They all retain the consciousness of their cultural unity.
Adygs in Jordan
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It just so happened that the Circassians and the Russians have long measured their strength. And it all began in ancient times, about which “The Tale of Bygone Years” tells. It is curious that both sides - Russian and mountain - talk about this event in almost the same words.
The chronicler puts it this way. In 1022, the son of St. Vladimir, the Tmutorokan prince Mstislav went on a campaign against the Kasogs - that’s how the Russians called the Circassians at that time. When the opponents lined up opposite each other, the Kasozh prince Rededya said to Mstislav: “Why are we destroying our squad? Go out to the duel: if you win, you will take my property, my wife, my children, and my land. If I win, I’ll take everything you have.” Mstislav replied: “So be it.”
The opponents laid down their weapons and began to fight. And Mstislav began to grow weak, for Rededya was great and strong. But the prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos helped the Russian prince overcome the enemy: he struck Rededya to the ground, and, taking out a knife, stabbed him. The Kasogs submitted to Mstislav.
According to Adyghe legends, Rededya was not a prince, but a mighty hero. One day, the Adyghe prince Idar, having gathered many warriors, went to Tamtarakai (Tmutorokan). The Tamtarakai prince Mstislau led his army to meet the Circassians. When the enemies got closer, Rededya came forward and said to the Russian prince: “In order not to shed blood in vain, defeat me and take everything I have.” The opponents took off their weapons and fought for several hours in a row, not yielding to each other. Finally Rededya fell, and the Tamtarakai prince struck him with a knife.
The death of Rededi is also mourned by the ancient Adyghe funeral song (sagish). True, in it Rededya is defeated not by force, but by deceit:
Grand Duke of the Uruses
When you threw it to the ground,
He longed for life
He took out the knife from his belt,
Under your shoulder blade insidiously
stuck it in and
Oh woe, he took out your soul.
According to Russian legend, Rededi's two sons, taken to Tmutorokan, were baptized under the names of Yuri and Roman, and the latter allegedly married the daughter of Mstislav. Later, some boyar families elevated themselves to them, for example the Beleutovs, Sorokoumovs, Glebovs, Simskys and others.
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For a long time, Moscow, the capital of the expanding Russian state, has attracted the attention of the Circassians. Quite early, the Adyghe-Circassian nobility became part of the Russian ruling elite.
The basis of the Russian-Adyghe rapprochement was the joint struggle against the Crimean Khanate. In 1557, five Circassian princes, accompanied by a large number of soldiers, arrived in Moscow and entered the service of Ivan the Terrible. Thus, 1557 is the year of the beginning of the formation of the Adyghe diaspora in Moscow.
After the mysterious death of the formidable king’s first wife, Queen Anastasia, it turned out that Ivan was inclined to consolidate his alliance with the Circassians with a dynastic marriage. His chosen one was Princess Kuchenei, daughter of Temryuk, the eldest prince of Kabarda. At baptism she received the name Mary. In Moscow they said a lot of unflattering things about her and even attributed the idea of the oprichnina to her.
Ring of Maria Temryukovna (Kucheney)
In addition to his daughter, Prince Temryuk sent his son Saltankul to Moscow, who was baptized Mikhail and granted a boyar status. In fact, he became the first person in the state after the king. His mansions were located on Vozdvizhenskaya Street, where the building of the Russian State Library is now located. Under Mikhail Temryukovich, high command positions in the Russian army were occupied by his relatives and compatriots.
Circassians continued to arrive in Moscow throughout the 17th century. Usually the princes and the squads accompanying them settled between Arbatskaya and Nikitinskaya streets. In total, in the 17th century, in Moscow with a population of 50,000, there were up to 5,000 Circassians at the same time, most of whom were aristocrats.
For almost two centuries (until 1776), the Cherkasy house with a huge courtyard stood on the territory of the Kremlin. Maryina Roshcha, Ostankino and Troitskoye belonged to the Circassian princes. Bolshoi and Maly Cherkassky lanes still remind us of the time when the Circassian Circassians largely determined the policy of the Russian state.
Bolshoi Cherkassky Lane
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However, the bravery of the Circassians, their dashing horsemanship, generosity, and hospitality were as famous as the beauty and grace of the Circassian women. However, the position of women was difficult: they carried out the most difficult housework in the field and at home.
The nobles had a custom of giving their children at an early age to be raised by another family, by an experienced teacher. In the teacher's family, the boy went through a harsh school of hardening and acquired the habits of a horseman and warrior, and the girl acquired the knowledge of a housewife and worker. Strong and tender bonds of friendship were established between the pupils and their teachers for the rest of their lives.
Since the 6th century, the Circassians were considered Christians, but made sacrifices to pagan gods. Their funeral rites were also pagan, they adhered to polygamy. The Adygs did not know the written language. They used pieces of cloth as money.
Over the course of one century, Turkish influence made a huge change in the life of the Circassians. In the second half of the 18th century, all Circassians formally converted to Islam. However, their religious practices and views were still a mixture of paganism, Islam and Christianity. They worshiped Shibla, the god of thunder, war and justice, as well as the spirits of water, sea, trees, and elements. Sacred groves were especially respected by them.
The Adyghe language is beautiful in its own way, although it has an abundance of consonants and only three vowels - “a”, “e”, “y”. But for a European to master it is almost unthinkable due to the abundance of sounds unusual for us.
Amateur historian Vitaly Shtybin talks about the divided Circassian people.
Yuga.ru has already been told about Vitaly Shtybin, a young Krasnodar entrepreneur who became so interested in Circassian history that he became a popular blogger and a welcome guest at specialized conferences. This publication - about what is common and what is the difference between Adygeis, Kabardians and Circassians - opens a series of materials that Vitaly will write specifically for our portal.
If you are sure that Kabardians and Balkars live in Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachais and Circassians live in Karachevo-Cherkessia, and Adygeans live in Adygea, then you will be surprised, but this is not entirely true. The Circassians live in all these republics - they are one people, separated by artificial borders. These names are administrative in nature.
Adygs are a self-name, and the surrounding peoples traditionally call them Circassians. In the scientific world, the term Adygs (Circassians) is used to avoid confusion. The main rule is one - Adygs are equivalent to the name Circassians. There is a slight difference between the Circassians (Circassians) of Kabardino-Balkaria\Karachay-Cherkessia and Adygea\Krasnodar Territory. It is noticeable in dialects. The Kabardian and Circassian dialects are considered eastern dialects of the Adyghe language, while the Adyghe and Shapsug dialects are considered western. In a conversation, a resident of Cherkessk will not understand everything from the speech of a resident of Yablonovsky. Just as a typical average person in central Russia will not immediately understand the Kuban balachka, so it will be difficult for a Kabardian to understand the conversation of the Sochi Shapsugs.
Kabardians call the Adyghe people the lower Adyghe people due to geography, since Kabarda is located on an elevated plateau. It is worth noting that the term “Circassian” at different times extended not only to this people, but also to its neighbors in the Caucasus. This is precisely the version that has been preserved today in Turkey, where the term “Circassian” is used to describe all immigrants from the North Caucasus.
In the Russian Empire, the Circassians (Circassians) did not have their own republics or autonomies, but with the advent of Soviet power such an opportunity arose. However, the state did not dare to unite the divided people into one large republic, which could easily become equal in size and political weight to Georgia, Armenia or Azerbaijan.
Three republics were formed in different ways: Kabardino-Balkaria- which included Kabardians from the Circassians. To maintain balance, they were united with the Balkar Turks. Then it formed Adyghe autonomy, which included all the remaining subethnic groups of the former Kuban region. The mountainous part of the republic, like the city of Maykop, became part of it only in 1936. Shapsugs in the Lazarevsky district of Sochi received their autonomy from 1922 to 1945, but it was permanently eliminated. Last Karachay-Cherkess Autonomy received in 1957 by the Besleneev Adygs, who are close in dialect to the Kabardians. In this case, the authorities also supported the ethnic balance between them and the Abazas and Karachay Turks (relatives of the neighboring Balkars) who inhabited the republic.
But what do the concepts “Shapsug”, “Besleneevets”, “Kabardian” and so on mean? Despite the one-and-a-half-century history of the Circassians (Circassians) within the Russian state, society has never gotten rid of tribal (or, in scientific terms, subethnic) division. Until the end of the Caucasian War in 1864, Western Circassians lived throughout the Krasnodar Territory and Adygea, south of the Kuban River to the Shakhe River in the Lazarevsky district of Sochi. Eastern Circassians (Circassians) lived in the south of the Stavropol Territory, in the Pyatigorye region, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, in the flat parts of Chechnya and Ingushetia - between the Terek and Sunzha rivers.
As a result of the war, some of the subethnic groups were expelled to Turkey - such as the Natukhais and Ubykhs, most of the Shapsugs, Khatukais, and Abadzekhs. Today, the division into tribal societies is not as pronounced as before. The subethnic term “Kabardians” was reserved for the Circassians (Circassians) of Kabardino-Balkaria. They were the most powerful, numerous and influential Adyghe subethnic group in the entire Caucasus. Their own feudal state, the status of trendsetters and control over the routes in Transcaucasia helped them for a long time to maintain the strongest positions in the politics of the region.
In the Republic of Adygea, on the contrary, the largest subethnic groups are the Temirgoys, whose dialect is the official language of the republic, and the Bzhedugs. In this republic, all names of subethnic groups were replaced by the artificial term “Adyghe”. There are no strict boundaries in the villages of the republics; everyone lives interspersed, so in Adygea you can meet Kabardians, and in Kabarda - Temirgoyevites.
The easiest way to remember subethnic groups is in the following order:
— Eastern Circassians (Circassians): Kabardians in Kabardino-Balkaria; Besleneevites in Karachay-Cherkessia;
— Western Circassians (Circassians): Shapsugs in the Lazarevsky district of Sochi; Temirgoyites\Khatukayites\Bzhedugi\Abadzekhs\Mamkhegs\Egerukhaevites\Adamievites\
Makhoshevites/Zhaneevites in the Republic of Adygea.
But what about the Abazas, who live in all the same villages, but mainly in the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia? The Abazins are a mixed people whose language is close to Abkhazian. Once upon a time they moved from Abkhazia to the plains of the northern slopes of the Caucasus and mixed with the Circassians. Their language is close to Abkhazian, which is related to the Adyghe (Circassian) language. Abkhazians (Abazas) and Circassians (Circassians) are distant relatives, much like Russians and Czechs.
Now, in a conversation with an Adyghe, Circassian or Kabardian, you can ask him what tribe (subethnos) he is from, and you will learn a lot of interesting things from the life of the Adyghe (Circassians), and at the same time gain confidence as an expert on the structure of the amazing Adyghe (Circassian) society.
Faces of Russia. “Living together while remaining different”The multimedia project “Faces of Russia” has existed since 2006, telling about Russian civilization, the most important feature of which is the ability to live together while remaining different - this motto is especially relevant for countries throughout the post-Soviet space. From 2006 to 2012, as part of the project, we created 60 documentaries about representatives of different Russian ethnic groups. Also, 2 cycles of radio programs “Music and Songs of the Peoples of Russia” were created - more than 40 programs. Illustrated almanacs were published to support the first series of films. Now we are halfway to creating a unique multimedia encyclopedia of the peoples of our country, a snapshot that will allow the residents of Russia to recognize themselves and leave a legacy for posterity with a picture of what they were like.
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"Faces of Russia". Circassians. “Circassians - return to origins”, 2008
General information
CHERK'ESES, Adyghe (self-name), the people of the Adyghe group, living in the Russian Federation mainly in the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia together with Karachais, Russians, Abazas, Nogais. The population is 50.8 thousand people, including 40.2 thousand people in Karachay-Cherkessia. According to the 2002 Population Census, the number of Circassians living in Russia is 60 thousand 517 people, according to the 2010 Population Census - 73 thousand 184 people.
In the past, the neighboring peoples called the ancestors of modern Circassians “Kabardians”, “Besleneyevtsy” or “Adygs”. They also live in the countries of the Middle East, where they moved in the 2nd half of the 19th century. Here, under the name “Circassians,” people from the Circassians and other peoples of the Northern and Western Caucasus who emigrated after the annexation of the Caucasus to Russia are often united.
The language is Kabardino-Circassian (common with the Kabardians) of the Abkhaz-Adyghe group of the North Caucasian family. Believers are Sunni Muslims. In the XIV-XV centuries, Circassians were considered Christians. Christianity penetrated to them from Byzantium in the 10th-12th centuries. In the 14th century, Islam began to penetrate the Circassians. And by the 18th century, the Circassians had become Islamized, but they retained elements of Christianity until the 20th century. The Circassians also had their own deities of pagan origin. For example, the god of fertility Thagaleju, the patron saint of hunting Mazythe, beekeeping - Merisse, cattle - Ahin, goats and sheep - Yamsha. Interestingly, the god of lightning and thunder, Shible, was also the patron of horse riding.
The name "Circassians" probably goes back to "kerket", as ancient Greek authors called one of the groups of the Adyghe population of the north-eastern coast of the Black Sea. Modern Circassia was inhabited by Circassians in the 5th-7th centuries. In the 12th-13th centuries, part of the Circassians moved to the Terek, founding here the principalities of Greater and Lesser Kabarda, whose power extended to Circassia. At the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century, there was a massive resettlement of Kabardians to Circassia.
The other main component in the formation of the modern Circassians were the Beslenevites. The first information about them in Russian documents dates back to the 16th century. In the 16th-18th centuries they were known as Beslenei, Beslintsy, Besleney Cherkassy, and the area they occupied was Beslenei, Byslenei, Besleneyskie taverns.
Series of audio lectures “Peoples of Russia” - Circassians
In 1922, the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Okrug was formed (divided in 1926 into the Karachay Autonomous Okrug and the Circassian National District, from 1928 into the Autonomous Okrug; in 1957 they were united again), in 1991 it was transformed into a republic.
The main occupation is transhumance (sheep, goats, horses, cattle; before the adoption of Islam, pigs were also bred). A special place was occupied by the breeding of Kabardian horses.
Traditional craft was mainly associated with the processing of livestock products: making cloth, making clothes, cloaks, etc. Circassian cloth was especially highly valued among neighboring peoples. Wood processing was developed in the south of Circassia. Blacksmithing and gunsmithing were widespread.
The Circassians were united into independent rural communities that had their own bodies of self-government (mainly from wealthy community members). Their members were bound by mutual responsibility, enjoyed common land and pastures, and the right to vote at public assemblies. Patrilineal kinship groups (whose members sometimes formed special quarters in villages), customs of blood feud, hospitality, and kunakism were preserved. The large patriarchal family, which included several generations and numbered up to 100 people, prevailed until the 18th century. Family communities partially began to revive at the end of the 19th century. The marriage was strictly exogamous. Marriage prohibitions applied to all relatives on both lines, to the descendants of people who were related by milk. There were levirate and sororate, atalism, and fictitious kinship. Marriages were concluded through the payment of bride price.
The emergence of most of the modern villages of Circassia dates back to the 2nd half of the 19th century. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, 12 villages were founded, in the 20s of the 20th century - 5. The estate was surrounded by a fence. Residential premises were usually built with a facade to the south. The dwelling had wicker walls on a post frame, coated with clay, a two- or four-slope roof made of wattle, covered with straw, and an adobe floor. It consisted of one or several rooms (according to the number of married couples in the family), adjacent to each other in a row, the doors of each room overlooked the courtyard. Kunatskaya served as one of the rooms or a separate building. An open fireplace with a wicker smoker was installed near the wall between the door and the window, inside which a crossbar was installed for hanging the boiler. Outbuildings were also made of wattle and were often round or oval in shape. Modern Circassians build square multi-room houses.
Traditional men's costume - Circassian coat, beshmet, trousers, fur hat with cloth crown, burka, stacked belt, on the legs - duvets, leggings, for the rich - red morocco boots embroidered with gold. Now only a few have a full set of national costume and appear in it on holidays.
Women's clothing in its fullest form emerged in the 19th century. The dress had a slit from the waist to the floor. The elegant dress was made of silk or velvet, decorated with braid and embroidery. Only noble women were allowed to wear a red dress. The dress was belted with a silver belt. On top they put on an embroidered caftan made of dark red or black material, decorated with gold and silver braid and silver clasps. Shoes made of leather were embroidered with silver. The headdress of a Circassian woman depended on her age and marital status: girls wore headscarves or bareheaded, adult girls and young women (before the birth of their first child) wore a “golden cap” with a high hard band, decorated with galloon and embroidery, and a cloth top or velvet; a thin silk scarf was thrown over it; after the birth of a child, the woman completely covered her hair with a dark scarf (the ends of it were passed through the back under the braids and tied at the crown with a special knot) and a shawl. Modern Circassian women wear national dresses only on holidays.
In summer they eat mainly dairy products and vegetables, in winter and spring flour and meat dishes predominate. The most popular is puff bread made from unleavened dough, which is consumed with Kalmyk tea (green with salt and cream). Yeast bread was also baked. Corn flour and grits are widely used. A favorite dish remains chicken or turkey with sauce seasoned with crushed garlic and red pepper. Waterfowl meat is consumed only fried. Lamb and beef are eaten boiled, usually seasoned with sour milk, crushed garlic and salt. After boiled meat, broth is required, and after fried meat, sour milk is served. Buza is prepared from millet and corn flour with honey for weddings and major holidays. On holidays, they make halva (from toasted millet or wheat flour in syrup) and bake pies.
In folklore, the central place is occupied by tales on common Adyghe subjects and the Nart epic. The art of storytellers and song performers (jeguaki) has been developed. Songs of lamentation, labor and humor are common. Traditional musical instruments - violin, bzhamey (pipe), pkharchach (percussion instrument), various tambourines, which were played with hands and sticks. At the end of the 18th century, the harmonica was borrowed from the Russians; it was played mainly by women, and the rest of the instruments by men.
The song accompanies the Circassian from birth to death. In the 16th-19th centuries, heroic and historical songs were widespread. The songs praised fighters against feudal oppression. In the first half of the 19th century, people composed songs about the struggle against the aggressive policy of Russian tsarism. The songs of greatest interest in this genre are: “How the Great Tsar Came to the Abadzekhs”, “Bzhedug Horsemen”, “Controversial Battle”, “Song of the Battle of Shekhapa”.
The Circassians have their own moral, ethical and philosophical code “Adyghe Khabze”, formed under the influence of the ancient religious system of the Circassians and brought to perfection during the centuries-old history of the people.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, Circassians were considered Christians. Christianity penetrated here from Byzantium and Georgia in the 10th-12th centuries. In the 14th century, Islam began to penetrate here. The Circassians were finally Islamized by the 18th century, but traces of Christianity remained in Circassia until the 20th century. The Circassians worshiped many ancient deities - the god of fertility Thagalej, the patron saint of hunting Mazythe, beekeeping - Merissa, cattle - Ahin, goats and sheep - Yamsh, horse riding - ZeikIuethe, the god of lightning and thunder Shible, metal and blacksmiths - Tlepsh.
THEIR. Kalmykov
Essays
Live according to the rules sanctified by tradition
“Solidarity is crowned with goodness, misunderstanding of each other is crowned with misfortune.” This is what Circassian folk wisdom says. But in order to understand it, to comprehend it, let’s listen to the Circassian fairy tale “The Miracle Apple”.
Once upon a time there lived three inseparable friends. Their friendship was strong: their three hearts, as the proverb says, beat at the same time.
And in the same village lived a beauty who attracted all three friends. And she didn’t know: what to do? If you give one guy his word, the other two will be offended.
She thought and pondered, and finally decided:
I will marry someone who will travel around the world and bring me some wonder.
Three friends got ready for the journey. We went to look for a miracle. They traveled together for seven months, then decided to go their separate ways, and after another seven months to get back together.
So they set off to wander around the world... They wandered for seven months - they gathered at the appointed time,
Who found what? - they ask each other.
“I found a magic mirror,” said one young man.
“I found a magic carpet,” another fellow said.
“And I’m a miracle apple,” said the third.
The friends began to look in the magic mirror and saw that the beauty for whom they had gone on a journey had died,
Oh, what grief! - exclaimed the owner of the magic mirror. - At least we could say goodbye to our beloved!
“Hurry up and sit on the magic carpet,” suggested the owner of the magic carpet.
The magic carpet took off with three friends into the sky and in an instant flew the distance that they had traveled twice for seven months.
The friends told the girl’s parents about their travels and asked permission to look at her face one last time.
Look! - they said with tears and threw back the silk coverlet.
And as soon as the girl’s face was revealed, the owner of the miracle apple immediately brought it to the beauty’s lips, and the girl came to life.
What a sound sleep I had! - she was surprised, got up and ate an apple.
Friends began to think and wonder: which of them should the beauty become his wife?
If it weren’t for my magic mirror, we would not have known that the bride died, and she would have been buried long ago,” said the owner of the mirror. - She is mine by right.
“What good would it do us to learn about her death if it weren’t for my flying carpet,” said the owner of the carpet. We would get home only after seven months. During this time, only ashes would remain of the bride. Don't argue! She is mine!
“And the magic mirror served us, and the flying carpet helped,” said the owner of the miracle apple in turn. - But if it weren’t for my miracle apple, she wouldn’t have come to life. She should become my wife. - And he added, turning to his friends:
Do you have your magic mirror? - Yes.
Do you have your magic carpet? - Eat.
Then give me back my miracle apple and take yourself a bride.
But, of course, no one could return the apple. After all, the beauty ate it.
So she went as a wife to the one of the three friends who got the miracle apple.
We began our story with the Circassian proverb “Solidarity is crowned with good, misunderstanding of each other is crowned with misfortune.” Now it is clear that if the three friends had not been in solidarity and did not understand each other, then the fairy tale “The Miracle Apple” would have had a sad ending.
He who does not know the past will not understand the price of the present
Who are the Circassians? These are the people of the Circassian group, living in the Russian Federation mainly in the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, together with the Karachais, Russians, Abazas, and Nogais.
According to the 2002 census, 49,591 Circassians live there. In total, there are 60,517 Circassians in the Russian Federation. The language of the Circassians is Kabardino-Circassian (common with the Kabardians) of the Abkhaz-Adyghe group of the North Caucasian family.
Circassians also live in the countries of the Middle East. They moved there in the second half of the century as a result of complex historical processes. This is a separate, difficult, and sometimes painful topic. The consequences of those processes, including the Caucasian war, are still felt by the Circassians.
For centuries, Circassians were considered Christians. Christianity penetrated to them from Byzantium in centuries. In the century, Islam began to penetrate the Circassians. And by the 18th century, the Circassians had become Islamized, but they retained elements of Christianity until the 20th century. The Circassians also had their own deities of pagan origin. For example, the god of fertility Thagaleju, the patron saint of hunting Mazythe, beekeeping - Merisse, cattle - Ahin, goats and sheep - Yamsha. Interestingly, the god of lightning and thunder, Shible, was also the patron of horse riding. The Circassian blacksmiths also had their own god - Tlepshu.
The main occupation of the Circassians is transhumance (sheep, goats, horses, cattle). A special place was occupied by the breeding of Kabardian horses. Traditional craft was mainly associated with the processing of livestock products: making cloth, making clothes, cloaks. Circassian cloth was especially highly valued among neighboring peoples.
Puff pastry bread
What do Circassians eat, what are their preferences? In the summer, mainly dairy products and vegetable dishes are consumed; in winter and spring, flour and meat dishes predominate. The most popular is puff bread made from unleavened dough, which is consumed with Kalmyk tea (green with salt and cream). Yeast bread is also baked. Corn flour and grits are widely used.
A favorite dish remains chicken or turkey with a sauce seasoned with crushed garlic and red pepper. Waterfowl meat is consumed only fried. Lamb and beef are served boiled, usually seasoned with sour milk, crushed garlic and salt (bzhynykh shchips). After boiled meat, be sure to serve broth, and after fried meat, sour milk. Makhsyma (national low-alcohol drink) is prepared from millet and corn flour with honey for weddings and major holidays. On holidays, they make halva (from toasted millet or wheat flour in syrup), bake pies and pies (lekume, delen, khyalyve).
Circassians know: to live with dignity, you have to work hard. The theme of work and righteous labor is quite clearly reflected in Circassian proverbs:
“There are no small things, only small men.”
“A thing is only as great as you make it.”
It is easy to guess that people who lead an unrighteous lifestyle are condemned in Circassian society and re-educated. In general, the theme of proper upbringing is well revealed in the fairy tale “The Educator Bear.”
Thanks for the science
Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman, the poorest of the poor, in their village. They never had warm clothes or hearty food. But this is not what they considered grief. They grieved that they did not have a child, that the carefree laughter of children did not ring in their house...
And then, in their declining years, joy came to them: a boy was born to them - healthy, cheerful, beautiful, like a ray of sunshine.
They had a boy, but what should they dress him in, what should they feed him?
If we take our son around in rags, people will laugh at us,” the old man said to his wife. - Let's go further into the forest, maybe we'll meet our happiness there.
They built a small house in a dense forest, where no human had ever set foot, and settled in it. One day an old man went into the forest to get some prey, and the old woman was sitting at home, nursing her son, and singing a song to him. She took the boy out to play on the threshold and left him alone, she went into the house for something. And a bear ran out of the thicket, grabbed the child and carried away. The old woman was killing herself, crying, screaming... But what was the point? You can't bring the boy back!
The old man came home in the evening, and in the house there was such grief that you would not wish on your evil enemy. They grieved together and decided:
We won't leave the forest anywhere. Where our only child died, let death befall us too.
Meanwhile, the bear brought the boy into his den and began to look after him like a bear cub: he fed him plenty of hazelnuts, berries and honey, and put him to sleep on his chest. When the boy grew up, the bear took him to a forest clearing, chose a stronger young oak tree and ordered:
Come on, try it, pull it out by the roots! The boy grabbed the trunk with both hands,
he pulled once or twice, but only tilted it, but could not pull it out of the ground.
Apparently, it's not time yet! - the bear grumbled.
Several years have passed. And again the bear took the boy to the clearing and ordered him to drag the oak tree out of the ground. And the tree straightened out and became stronger. The boy also gained more strength, but still, no matter how hard he tried, he could not uproot the tree, only broke off the top.
It's early, brother, early! - the bear grumbled this time too.
But the boy became a strong and dexterous young man. The bear led him into the clearing for the third time. The oak rose high, spreading strong branches. But the young man also accumulated strength. He grabbed the trunk with both hands and tore the oak out of the ground like a blade of grass.
Now is the time! - the bear was happy. - Now, my son, I will reveal to you who you are. Many years ago I was wandering through the forest and saw a small house. A woman sat on the threshold with a child and sang a sad song to him. She grieved that she had nothing to feed her little son. I listened for a long time, and I felt sorry for the mother and child. When she left, I grabbed the boy and took him away. This boy is you! I raised you, educated you, made you powerful. Now return to your father and mother, be their helper and support. Go, learn human customs and always remember: evil entails evil, good gives birth to good!
The young man said “thank you” to the bear for his science, returned to his father and mother, they returned to their village, and began to live and get on with their lives. They themselves did not know grief and helped the poor in need.
"Narts" - a monument of world culture
If we take the oral folk art of the Circassians as a whole, then the Nart epic was very popular among this Adyghe people. For a long time it was passed on from mouth to mouth. And only in the first half of the century did it become an object of recording and study. The Nart epic glorifies courage and honesty, the willingness to give life for the happiness of people. Epic tales "Narts" is an outstanding monument of world epic culture. They include songs, poems and legends.
The Circassians love stories, stories, legends, short stories and parables. There are heroic and historical tales. Popular tales are about Hatkokoshkho, Chechanoko Chechan, Kaytkoko Aslanbech and many others. Along with reliable events, the legends contain elements of fantasy and fiction. This brings them closer to fairy tales. Historical legends told about the most important events in the history of the Circassians. These are the legends about the Oschnau and Bziyuk battles.
The song accompanied the Circassian from birth to death. Many religious rituals were accompanied by songs. In the 16th–19th centuries, heroic and historical songs were widespread. They tell about the most important events in the history of the people and the exploits of individual heroes. Many songs are dedicated to the fight against the invasions of hordes of Crimean Tatars and Turkish troops. The singers often performed abrek songs, songs about rebels (for example, “Song about Martin”, “About Ali Cherny”).
But not only historical and heroic songs are popular among the people. As before, different songs are popular. Work, love, wedding, lullabies, comic, children's, everyday.
What makes a Circassian a Circassian? Following etiquette, which is called “Adyge khabze”. Upon careful study of the Nart epic and its legends, one can discover almost all the elements of Adyghe (Circassian) etiquette; all its aspects are presented in detail in it.
This also applies to family and marital relations, wedding ceremonies, principles of hospitality and raising children. Life in general. Over time, many of the prescriptions of this etiquette turned into proverbs and became part of Circassian folk wisdom.
“Intelligence is not sold, not bought, but stored in oneself.”
“There is no happiness where there is no respect.
“The mind has no price, and education has no limit.”
“A mother’s etiquette is a standard for a daughter.”
“The price of one who does not value himself is not great.”
Particular attention should be paid to the following instruction:
“If you behave with a cunning person, you will forget your upbringing.” A very relevant thesis for our time.
Cunning cunning, according to the Circassians, is bad, but bold intelligence is good.
There is also an ironclad rule on this topic:
“In a person’s reserve is the power of the mind.”
Sometimes Circassians joke: “May the dog of a reasonable man bite me.” This, you know, is much better than the dog of a fool...
A large number of different peoples live on the territory of the Russian Federation. One of them is the Circassians - a people with a unique, stunning culture that has been able to preserve its bright individuality.
Where live
Circassians inhabit Karachay-Cherkessia, live in the Stavropol, Krasnodar Territories, Kabardino-Balkaria and Adygea. A small part of the people live in Israel, Egypt, Syria and Turkey.
Number
There are about 2.7 million Circassians (Adygs) living in the world. According to the 2010 population census, the Russian Federation accounted for approximately 718,000 people, of which 57 thousand are residents of Karachay-Cherkessia.
Story
It is not known exactly when the ancestors of the Circassians appeared in the North Caucasus, but they have been living there since Paleolithic times. Among the most ancient monuments associated with this people, one can highlight the monument to the Maykop and Dolmen cultures, which flourished in the 3rd millennium BC. The areas of these cultures, according to scientists, are the historical homeland of the Circassian people.
Name
In the 5th-6th century, the ancient Circassian tribes united into a single state, which historians call Zikhia. This state was distinguished by belligerence, a high level of social organization and a constant expansion of land. This people categorically did not want to obey, and throughout its history Zikhia did not pay tribute to anyone. Since the 13th century, the state was renamed Circassia. During the Middle Ages, Circassia was the largest state in the Caucasus. The state was a military monarchy, in which the Adyghe aristocracy, headed by the princes of Pshcha, played an important role.
In 1922, the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Region was formed, which was part of the RSFSR. It included part of the lands of the Kabardians and the lands of the Besleneevites in the upper reaches of the Kuban. In 1926, the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Okrug was divided into the Circassian National District, which became an autonomous region in 1928, and the Karachay Autonomous Okrug. Since 1957, these two regions united again into the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Okrug and became part of the Stavropol Territory. In 1992, the district received the status of a republic.
Language
Circassians speak the Kabardian-Circassian language, which belongs to the Abkhaz-Adyghe family of languages. The Circassians call their language “Adygebze”, which translates to the Adyghe language.
Until 1924, writing was based on the Arabic alphabet and Cyrillic alphabet. From 1924 to 1936 it was based on the Latin alphabet and in 1936 again on the Cyrillic alphabet.
There are 8 dialects in the Kabardino-Circassian language:
- Greater Kabarda dialect
- Khabezsky
- Baksansky
- Besleneevsky
- The dialect of Little Kabarda
- Mozdoksky
- Malkinsky
- Kubansky
Appearance
Circassians are brave, fearless and wise people. Valor, generosity and generosity are highly respected. The most despicable vice for the Circassians is cowardice. Representatives of this people are tall, slender, with regular facial features and dark brown hair. Women have always been considered very beautiful and chaste. Adult Circassians were hardy warriors and impeccable horsemen, mastered weapons perfectly, and knew how to fight even in the highlands.
Cloth
The main element of the national men's costume is the Circassian coat, which has become a symbol of the Caucasian costume. The cut of this item of clothing has not changed after centuries. As a headdress, men wore a “kelpak”, sewn from soft fur, or a bashlyk. A felt burka was put on the shoulders. On their feet they wore high or short boots and sandals. Underwear was made from cotton fabrics. Circassian weapons are a gun, a saber, a pistol and a dagger. The Circassian coat has leather sockets for cartridges on both sides, grease boxes and a bag with accessories for cleaning weapons are attached to the belt.
The clothing of Circassian women was quite varied and was always richly decorated. Women wore a long dress made of muslin or cotton, and a short silk beshmet dress. Before marriage, girls wore a corset. Among the headdresses, they wore high cone-shaped hats, decorated with embroidery, and low cylindrical headdresses made of velvet or silk, decorated with gold embroidery. An embroidered cap trimmed with fur was placed on the bride's head, which she had to wear until the birth of her first child. Only the spouse’s paternal uncle could remove it, but only if he brought generous gifts to the newborn, including livestock or money. After presenting gifts, the cap was removed, and then the young mother put on a silk scarf. Elderly women wore scarves made of cotton fabric. Jewelry included bracelets, chains, rings, and various earrings. Silver elements were sewn onto dresses, caftans, and decorated with headdresses.
Shoes were made from leather or felt. In summer, women often walked barefoot. Only girls from noble families could wear morocco red boots. In Western Circassia there was a type of shoe with a closed toe, made of dense material, with a wooden sole and a small heel. People from the upper aristocratic classes wore sandals made of wood, made in the shape of a bench, with a wide strap made of fabric or leather.
Life
Circassian society has always been patriarchal. The man is the head of the family, the woman supports her husband in making decisions and always demonstrates humility. Women have always played an important role in everyday life. She was primarily the keeper of the hearth and comfort in the house. Each Circassian had only one wife; polygamy was extremely rare. It was a matter of honor to provide the spouse with everything necessary so that she always looked good and did not need anything. Hitting or insulting a woman is an unacceptable shame for a man. The husband was obliged to protect her and treat her with respect. A Circassian man never quarreled with his wife and did not allow himself to utter swear words.
A wife must know her responsibilities and fulfill them clearly. She is responsible for managing the household and all household chores. Men did heavy physical work. In rich families, women were protected from difficult work. They spent most of their time sewing.
Circassian women have the right to resolve many conflicts. If an argument began between two highlanders, the woman had the right to stop it by throwing a handkerchief between them. When a horseman rode past a woman, he was obliged to dismount, lead her to the place where she was going, and only then ride on. The rider held the reins in his left hand, and a woman walked on the right, honorable side. If he passed a woman who was doing physical work, he had to help her.
The children were raised with dignity, they tried to make them grow up to be courageous and worthy people. All children went through a harsh school, thanks to which their character was formed and their bodies were tempered. Until the age of 6, a woman raised a boy, then everything passed into the hands of a man. They taught the boys archery and horse riding. The child was given a knife with which he had to learn to hit a target, then he was given a dagger, a bow and arrows. The sons of the nobility are required to breed horses, entertain guests, and sleep in the open air, using a saddle instead of a pillow. Even in early childhood, many princely children were sent to noble houses to be raised. At the age of 16, the boy was dressed in the best clothes, mounted on the best horse, given the best weapons and sent home. The son's return home was considered a very important event. In gratitude, the prince must give a gift to the person who raised his son.
Since ancient times, Circassians have been engaged in agriculture, growing corn, barley, millet, wheat, and planting vegetables. After the harvest, a portion was always allocated for the poor, and excess supplies were sold on the market. They were engaged in beekeeping, viticulture, gardening, and raised horses, cattle, sheep and goats.
Among the crafts, weapons and blacksmithing, cloth making, and clothing making stand out. The cloth produced by the Circassians was especially valued among neighboring peoples. In the southern part of Circassia they were engaged in wood processing.
Housing
Circassian estates were located secludedly and consisted of a saklya, which was built from turluk and covered with straw. The dwelling consists of several rooms with windows without glass. A recess for the fire was made in the earthen floor, equipped with a wicker pipe coated with clay. Shelves were installed along the walls, and the beds were covered with felt. Stone dwellings were rarely built and only in the mountains.
In addition, a barn and a stable were built, which were surrounded by a dense fence. Behind it were vegetable gardens. Adjacent to the fence on the outside was the kunatskaya, which consists of a house and a stable. These buildings were surrounded by a palisade.
Food
Circassians are not picky about food; they do not drink wine or pork. Meals were always treated with respect and gratitude. Dishes are served to the table taking into account the age of those sitting at the table, from oldest to youngest. Circassian cuisine is based on lamb, beef and poultry dishes. The most popular grain on the Circassian table is corn. At the end of the holidays, lamb or beef broth is served, this is a sign to guests that the feast is coming to an end. In Circassian cuisine, there is a difference between the dishes served at weddings, funerals and other events.
The cuisine of this people is famous for its fresh and tender cheese, the Adyghe cheese - latakai. They are eaten as a separate product, added to salads and various dishes, which makes them unique. Koyazh is very popular - cheese fried in oil with onions and ground red pepper. Circassians love feta cheese very much. My favorite dish is fresh peppers stuffed with herbs and cheese. Peppers are cut into slices and served at the festive table. For breakfast they eat porridge, scrambled eggs with flour or scrambled eggs. In some areas, already boiled, chopped eggs are added to the omelet.
A popular first course is ashryk - a soup made from dried meat with beans and pearl barley. In addition to it, Circassians prepare shorpa, egg, chicken and vegetable soups. Soup with dried fat tail turns out to have an unusual taste.
Meat dishes are served with pasta - hard-boiled millet porridge, which is cut like bread. On holidays they prepare a dish of gedlibze poultry, lyagur, turkey with vegetables. The national dish is lyy gur - dried meat. An interesting dish is tursha, which is potatoes stuffed with garlic and meat. The most common sauce among the Circassians is potato sauce. It is boiled with flour and diluted with milk.
Baked goods include bread, lakuma crumpets, khalivas, pies with beet tops “khuei delen”, and corn cakes “natuk-chyrzhyn”. For sweets, they make different versions of halva from corn and millet with apricot kernels, Circassian balls, and marshmallows. The most popular drinks among the Circassians are tea, makhsyma, the milk drink kundapso, and various drinks based on pears and apples.
Religion
The ancient religion of this people is monotheism - part of the Khabze teachings, which regulated all areas of the life of the Circassians, determined the attitude of people towards each other and the world around them. People worshiped the Sun and the Golden Tree, Water and Fire, which, according to their beliefs, gave life, they believed in the god Thya, who was considered the creator of the world and the laws in it. The Circassians had a whole pantheon of heroes of the Nart epic and a number of customs that were rooted in paganism.
Since the 6th century, Christianity has become the leading faith in Circassia. They professed Orthodoxy, a small part of the people converted to Catholicism. Such people were called "frekkardashi". Gradually, from the 15th century, the adoption of Islam began, which is the official religion of the Circassians. Islam has become part of the people's consciousness, and today Circassians are Sunni Muslims.
Culture
The folklore of this people is very diverse and consists of several directions:
- fairy tales and legends
- proverbs
- songs
- riddles and allegories
- Tongue Twisters
- ditties
There were dances at all holidays. The most popular are lezginka, uj khash, kafa and uj. They are very beautiful and full of sacred meaning. Music occupied an important place; without it, the Circassians did not have a single celebration. Popular musical instruments are harmonica, harp, flute and guitar.
During national holidays, horse riding competitions were held among young people. Circassians held “dzhegu” dance evenings. Girls and boys stood in a circle and clapped their hands, in the middle they danced in pairs, and the girls played musical instruments. The boys chose the girls they wanted to dance with. Such evenings allowed young people to meet, communicate and subsequently form a family.
Fairy tales and legends are divided into several groups:
- mythical
- about animals
- with riddles and clues
- legal educational
One of the main genres of oral folk art of the Circassians is the heroic epic. It is based on tales about heroic heroes and their adventures.
Traditions
The tradition of hospitality occupies a special place among the Circassians. The guests were always given the best, the hosts never bothered them with their questions, set a rich table and provided them with the necessary amenities. Circassians are very generous and are ready to set a table for a guest at any time. According to custom, any visitor could enter the yard, tie his horse to the hitching post, enter the house and spend as many days there as necessary. The owner had no right to ask his name, as well as the purpose of the visit.
Young people are not allowed to be the first to start a conversation in the presence of their elders. It was considered shameful to smoke, drink, sit in the presence of your father, or eat at the same table with him. Circassians believe that one cannot be greedy in food, one cannot fail to keep one’s promises, and one cannot appropriate other people’s money.
One of the main customs of the people is the wedding. The bride left her home immediately after the groom entered into an agreement with her father about the future wedding. They took her to friends or relatives of the groom, where she lived before the celebration. This custom is an imitation of bride kidnapping with the full consent of all parties. The wedding celebration lasts 6 days, but the groom is not present at it. It is believed that his family is angry with him for kidnapping his bride. When the wedding ended, the groom returned home and was briefly reunited with his young wife. He brought treats to her relatives from his father as a sign of reconciliation with them.
The bridal room was considered a sacred place. It was forbidden to do chores around her or talk loudly. After a week of staying in this room, the young wife was taken to a large house and a special ceremony was performed. The girl was covered with a blanket, given a mixture of honey and butter, and showered with nuts and sweets. Then she went to her parents and lived there for a long time, sometimes until the birth of the child. Upon returning to her husband's house, the wife began to take care of the housework. Throughout their married life, the husband came to his wife only at night; he spent the rest of the time in the men's quarters or in the kunatskaya.
The wife was the mistress of the female half of the house, she had her own property, this was a dowry. But my wife had a number of prohibitions. She was not supposed to sit with men, call her husband by name, or go to bed until he came home. The husband could divorce his wife without any explanation, and she could also demand a divorce for certain reasons. But this happened very rarely.
A man had no right to kiss his son or pronounce his wife’s name in the presence of strangers. When a husband died, the wife had to visit his grave for 40 days and spend some time near it. Gradually this custom was forgotten. The widow had to marry the brother of her deceased husband. If she became the wife of another man, the children remained with the husband's family.
Pregnant women had to follow the rules; there were prohibitions for them. This was necessary in order to protect the expectant mother and child from evil spirits. When a man was told that he would become a father, he left home and for several days appeared there only at night. After the birth, two weeks later, a ceremony was performed to place the newborn in the cradle and give him a name.
Murder was punishable by death, the verdict was passed by the people. The killer was thrown into the river with stones tied to him. The Circassians had a custom of blood feud. If they were insulted or a murder occurred, revenge was taken not only on the murderer, but on his entire family and relatives. The death of his father could not be left without revenge. If the murderer wanted to avoid punishment, he had to raise and educate a boy from the family of the murdered man. The child, already a young man, was returned to his father’s house with honors.
If a person was killed by lightning, they buried him in a special way. Honorable funerals were held for animals killed by lightning. The ritual was accompanied by singing and dancing, and chips from a tree that was struck and burned by lightning were considered healing. The Circassians performed rituals to bring rain during droughts, and made sacrifices before and after agricultural work.
And finally we got to the full-fledged first issue about Circassia, which it’s time to put in order and add details. So, who are the Circassians and what is Circassia? Let's talk about this.
Video version of the release at this link - Notes about Circassia No. 1 - Circassians and Circassia.
CIRCASSIANS
Circassians or Adygs (self-name - Adyghe) are currently a group of peoples speaking the Adyghe languages of the Abkhaz-Adyghe language group or the general name of a single people living in the south of Russia and abroad, artificially divided in Soviet times into Adyghe people (former Trans-Kuban Adyghe people) , Kabardians, Circassians (residents of Karachay-Cherkessia) and Shapsugs (Lazarevsky and Tuapse districts of the Krasnodar Territory). Essentially, they represent the indigenous population of Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia and the Krasnodar Territory. Closely related peoples of the Circassians include the Abkhazians and Abazins (Karachay-Cherkessia) with their own Abkhazian dialect of the language. Often the Circassians also include the Ubykhs (self-name “pekh” or “bʼyokh”) - a subethnic group of Circassians that lost their cultural identity and spoken language in the 19th-20th centuries, being assimilated by Turks or other Circassians. At the same time, it is stipulated that the Ubykhs were one of the Adyghe tribes, very mixed in composition. The Ubykhs spoke their own special dialect of the Adyghe-Abkhaz language, which stood out from the general mass, although they were largely bilingual - among them they also spoke the Abadzekh dialect of the Adyghe language or the Abaza dialect of the Abkhaz language. Today, some representatives of the Circassians mark themselves in the census as Ubykhs, but are not native speakers or experts in Ubykh culture.
Since ancient times, the Circassians were known under various names, such as Kerkets, Zikhs, Dzhiks, Kashags, Kasas, Kasogs, Jarkases, Meots, Sinds, Pssesses, Doskhs, Kaskas and others. Most often they were called Zikhs, Meots, Kerkets and Kasogs, as they went down in history starting from the 6th century BC, when they were first described by ancient authors, and their culture was consistently confirmed by monuments of the Maikop culture, dolmen culture, Meotian culture and other archaeological cultures. The ethnonym “Circassians” appeared during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century and was later borrowed from the Tatars and medieval Genoese merchants and travelers, who were the first to make it widespread. However, until the 13th century the name of the Circassians was different. Thus, the Genoese Georgy Interiano, who lived in the Caucasus in the 15th century, wrote in his memoirs “The Life of the Ziks Called Cherkassy” that they are called “Zikhi” in Greek and Latin, the Tatars and Turks call them “Circassians”, and in their own They are called “Adygs” in dialects. The name “Circassians” was already used by the Turkic peoples, as well as the Russians. Since that time, the toponym Circassia has been used to designate the country of residence of this people in the North Caucasus. The exact origin of the ethnonym “Adyghe (Adyge, Adyghe)” has not yet been established. The oldest mention in the history of this self-name in independent sources is the book of the aforementioned Genoese traveler G. Interiano, published in Venice in 1502. There are various versions relating the names to the solar symbols of the Sun, or an analogue of the word “Aryans” among the Aryan peoples.
In the early Middle Ages, the Adyghe economy was agricultural in nature; there were crafts associated with the manufacture of metal objects and pottery. Following the Huns in the 4th - 9th centuries, the peoples of the North-West Caucasus were subjected to aggression from the Avars, Byzantium, Bulgar tribes, and Khazars. In an effort to maintain their political independence, the Adyghe tribes waged a fierce struggle against them. By the 10th century, a powerful tribal union called Zikhia had formed, which occupied the space from Taman to the Nechepsukhe River, at the mouth of which was the city of Nikopsia. In the early 40s of the 13th century, the Circassians had to withstand the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols, the North Caucasian steppes became part of the Golden Horde. In the 14th century, during the period of military rivalry in the Golden Horde between Tokhtamysh and Tamerlane, the Circassians sided with Tokhtamysh. However, the choice turned out to be unsuccessful; Tamerlane defeated Tokhtamysh and took revenge on the Circassians. As the Persian historian Nizam ad-Din Shami noted, the troops sent by Tamerlane devastated and plundered the entire region from Azov to Elbrus. At this time, the Circassians mostly hid in the mountains, and active road connections appeared along the tops of mountains and ridges, which were used until the 20th century.
By the 15th century, the following large subethnic groups stood out among the Circassians:
- Zhaneevites, living in the lower reaches of the Kuban and in the Azov steppe to the Don, as well as in Eastern Crimea and Taman. During the 15th-18th centuries, they were gradually driven out, first by the Crimean Tatars and Nogais, from the steppes north of the Kuban, then pushed back from the south by the Shapsugs and Natukhais, and from the east by the Bzhedugs. As a result, after a serious plague in the 18th century, the Zhaneevites decreased significantly and were assimilated by their Adyghe neighbors. The same part that lived in Taman and Eastern Crimea back in the 16th century was mixed with a whole group of peoples who lived in political subordination to the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire;
- Temirgoyites, who lived from the end of the 13th century on the vast territories of the foothills of Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory, but were later forced out from there by the Abadzekhs and Bzhedugs in the 15-18th centuries. They were considered an aristocratic family among the Circassians; their laws, social and political structure, and fashion were followed by their neighbors; their dialect is still the literary and state language of the Republic of Adygea. By the 17th century, as a result of internal splits, separate small sub-ethnic groups broke away from them and settled in the neighborhood - Khakuchi, Mamkhegs, Adamievites, Yegerukhaevites, etc.;
- bzhedugi, living since the 15th century in the central part of Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory, but later pushed to the left bank of the Kuban in the area of the modern reservoir by the Shapsugs and Abadzekhs by the 18th century. One of the early branches of the Bzhedugs are the Makhoshevites, who lived in the central Laba. They were divided into two clans - Khamysheevtsy and Chercheneevtsy;
- Natukhais, living in the southwest of the Krasnodar Territory, on the coast in the area of Anapa and Gelendzhik and inland to the Kuban. They formed later in the 18th century, assimilating the local Adyghe subethnic groups, including the Khegaiks and Zhaneevs;
- Shapsugs, the largest subethnic group that lived in the 15-16th century in the mountains of the Black Sea coast of the Tuapse and Lazarevsky districts of Sochi. By the 18th century, they increased significantly and occupied vast territories from the Shakhe River to the Pshada River along the coast (Malaya Shapsugia) and the territory of the central part of Transkuban up to the Kuban River, pushing the Bzhedugs towards it, between the Abin and Pshish rivers (Big Shapsugia). The difference between the Shapsugs and the Natukhais is conditional, since in essence they belong to one vast ethnic group. By the end of the 18th century, the Abadzekhs were pushing them out of the Psekups River basin from the east;
- Abadzehi, living since the 17th century, first in the upper reaches of the Belaya, Pshekha and Pshisha rivers, and later settled to their lower reaches and into the Psekups valley. They were considered the most warlike and wild mountaineers, inhabitants of the highlands and were the first to establish a democratic system based on the power of public meetings (Khase). Also the first to be exposed to Muslim radical propaganda and became the basis for the Islamic reform of Muhammad Amin;
- Ubykhs, which were already mentioned above - a special subethnic group, according to one version, which preserved the language and culture of the ancient Circassians. They lived in the Sochi region of the Krasnodar Territory from the Shakhe River to the Mzymta River and were the last to surrender in the Caucasian War;
- Abazins, a conditional group of Abkhaz-speaking small societies living in the valley of the Mzymta River (Sadzy, Dzhiget) and up through the passes in the upper reaches of the Laba (Karachay-Cherkessia);
- Kabardians, living since the 15th century in the vast territories of the Central Caucasus (Big Kabarda) and along the floodplain of the Terek River (Little Kabarda). Founded their own independent state association;
- Besleneevites, living along the Laba River and representing fragments of Kabardians who returned from Kabarda to Western Circassia in the 17th and 18th centuries;
- Abkhazians, the actual Abkhaz-speaking people who lived and are living on the territory of modern Abkhazia.
The territory inhabited by these tribes constituted the historical region of Circassia. In addition, it is worth noting the scientific theory according to which in the 9th-12th centuries the main Adyghe population of the Black Sea coast of Circassia became Abkhaz-speaking, without changing the composition of the population, that is, they adopted the culture and language of the minority spreading from Abkhazia. At the same time, the Christian diocese of Zikhs was subordinate to the Abkhaz diocese. Later, from the 13th to the end of the 19th century, the Abkhazian dialect gradually gave way to the Adyghe dialect in the opposite direction up to the Mzymta River. Moreover, among the Circassians lived other ethnic groups that fit into the structure of life of the Circassians, such as the Armenians (Cherksogai) and the Greeks (Urum), whose culture became in many ways similar to the Circassian. They performed trading functions among them. Of all the listed subethnic groups, the Temirgoys, Bzhedugs, Abkhazians, Kabardians and Zhaneevs had a feudal (princely) structure of power. Other nations had either intermediate options or open democratic societies that made decisions based on the will of popular assemblies. Attempts by the aristocratic families of free societies to take power into their own hands resulted in a civil war of the people against the aristocracy (bourgeois revolution) at the end of the 18th century, which led to the expulsion or significant reduction of the rights of the aristocracy among the Shapsugs, Natukhais and Abadzekhs.
But let's go back to the past. In the 14th - 15th centuries, part of the Circassians occupied lands in the vicinity of Pyatigorye; after the destruction of the Golden Horde by Timur's troops, they were joined by another wave of Circassian tribes from the west, becoming the ethnic basis of the Kabardians. Migration to the east was also associated with the attempts of the Crimean Khanate to politically subjugate the lands of the Circassians, which is why the latter constantly entered into military conflicts with the Tatars. In the second half of the 15th century, Genoa developed active trade and colonization activities in the Black Sea region. During the years of the Genoese penetration into the Caucasus, trade between the Italians and the Circassians received significant development. The export of bread - rye, barley, millet - was important; Timber, fish, caviar, furs, leather, wine, and silver ore were also exported. But the offensive of the Turks, who captured Constantinople in 1453 and liquidated Byzantium, led to the decline and complete cessation of Genoa’s activities in the North-West Caucasus, especially after Turkey captured the North Caucasian colonies of Genoa from 1475 to 1478. At this time, the migration of the Circassians to the east intensified even more, since the Ottoman Empire actively joined in the attempts to conquer the Circassians. As a result, the Western Circassians fell into conditional subordination, while the Kabardians managed to maintain independence at the cost of a 300-year constant war with the Crimean Tatars and Turks for their independence. In the 18th century, part of the Kabardians moved to the basin of the Bolshoy Zelenchuk and Maly Zelenchuk rivers, forming the basis of the Besleneevtsy - the future Circassians of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.
INNER WORLD
In the folklore of the Circassians, the main place is occupied by Nart tales, heroic and historical songs, lamentations about heroes. The Nart epic is multinational and widespread from Abkhazia to Dagestan - among the Ossetians, Adygs (Kabardians, Circassians and Adygeis), Abkhazians, Chechens, Ingush - which indicates the common culture of the ancestors of many peoples of the Western and Northern Caucasus. Researchers believe that the Adyghe version stands out from the general Nart epic as a complete and independent version. It consists of many cycles dedicated to various heroes. Each cycle includes narrative (mostly explanatory) and poetic texts-legends (pshinatle). But the most remarkable thing is that the Adyghe version is a sung epic. Traditional plots of the Nart epic of the Circassians with their song variants are cyclically grouped around their main characters: Sosruko, Bataraza, Ashameza, Badinoko, etc. Folklore includes, in addition to the Nart epic, a variety of songs - heroic, historical, ritual, love-lyrical, everyday, mourning , wedding, dance, etc.; fairy tales and legends; proverbs; riddles and allegories; ditties; tongue twisters performed by Jeguaco folk singers.
The ancient religion of the Circassians is monotheism with a harmonious system of veneration of the One God Tha, Thashkho (Tkhye, Theshkhue). This religion is part of the philosophical and ethical teaching of Adyghe people or Khabze, which regulates all aspects of the life of the Adyghe people, and determines a person’s relationship to man, to the world around him, and to God. Thya (Thyashkho) is the source of world laws, which gave man the opportunity to understand them, which brings man closer to God. Thya does not interfere in everyday life, giving a person freedom of choice, he does not have any image, he is omnipresent, his presence is scattered throughout the world. In general, this religion is somewhat similar to the main features of Druidism (especially in terms of rituals in sacred groves) and Taoism (in terms of the rules of conduct in the life of a true Adyghe, on the basis of which the soul is either blissful or tormented by conscience before ancestors and descendants in the afterlife world).
Christian sources indicate Zikhia and Abazgia (the northern part of modern Abkhazia up to the Kodor River) as objects of preaching activity of the two apostles of Christ - Andrew the First-Called and Simon the Zealot. From the 6th century, Christianity established itself in Circassia, where it existed until the collapse of the Byzantine Empire. A large layer of Christian clergy formed in Circassia. The first Christian bishop (Iuan) in Zikhia appeared in the middle of the 6th century, his residence was in Nikopsis (modern Novomikhailovsky, on the Nechepsuho River on the Black Sea coast), where the remains of a Christian temple are still preserved. The lands of the Circassians were spiritually subordinate to four dioceses, the bishops of which were appointed by Byzantium. These diocesan centers were located in Phanagoria, Metrakh (Tamatarkha), Zikhopolis and Nikops. Even with the disappearance of Christian priests and churches in the 15th century under the onslaught of the Turks and Tatars, many rituals took root among the Circassians and exist to this day. In 1261, after Byzantium allowed the Genoese to settle here, Genoese colonies began to emerge on the coast of Crimea and today's Russian Black Sea. The Genoese built Catholic churches in their colonies. The city of Kafa became the center of missionary activity of the Catholic Church in this region. The missionary activity of Catholics expanded, the success of their preaching was consolidated by the creation of church missions, called “bishop centers” throughout the Caucasus in historical works. However, all this collapsed with the arrival of the Ottoman Empire in the region in the 1470s, leaving no traces, since preaching in Latin was alien to the people, and the Catholic missionaries themselves often tried to act by force, inciting the Circassians against themselves.
The process of adoption of Islam by the Circassians was gradual. The Adygs did not put anyone above themselves and their ambitions, so no matter how hard the Ottoman Empire tried to subjugate them, it did not succeed. Even after the total intensification of Muslim propaganda from the 17th century among the Circassians, the Turkish Sultan began to be perceived only as a spiritual, religious leader, but not as the owner of the land, and Turkish troops continued to be attacked at any opportunity. The first to accept Islam from all Adyghe ethnographic groups were those who lived on the Black Sea and Azov coasts - the Khegaiks, Zhaneevts, Natukhais and Bzhedugs. The second echelon of Islam was adopted by the Adyghe subethnic groups in the steppes and foothills of the North Caucasus: Khatukais, Mamkhegs, Makhoshevtsy, Temirgoyevtsy, Besleneevtsy and Kabardians. Finally, the last echelon were the Ubykhs, Shapsugs and Abadzekhs, who occupied the most high-mountainous parts of the North-West Caucasus. Islam in Kabarda became an ideological weapon of the anti-colonial war with Russia. The goal of the Sharia movement was the unity of all social strata. At the head of this movement were the princes themselves, who, in order to unite all forces to fight Russia, took the most radical measures, abandoning their usual privileges, and also promised land and freedom to the peasants. A harbinger of the Shariaists can be considered Dol, a prince from Lesser Kabarda, who commanded the armed forces of Sheikh Mansur. Later, with the strengthening of Russia’s presence in the region, other Circassians in the region also joined the struggle based on Islam.
Moreover, in the 40s of the 19th century, the naib of Shamil, Muhammad Amin, played an important role in Sharia reform in Circassia. The religious reformer achieved the greatest success in such provinces of Circassia as Kabarda, Natukhai, Bzhedugia and Abadzekhia. In general, Islam became the ideological basis for the consolidation of Adyghe societies of the late 18th - first half of the 19th century in the fight against the expansion of the Russian Empire. The legal and ritual institutions of the Muslim religion were reflected in the culture of the Circassians, in their songs and folklore. Islamic ethics has become a component of the self-awareness of the Adyghe people, their religious self-identification. And yet, their religion until recently represented and represents a mixture (syncretism) of religious rites and customs of Adyghe, Christianity and Islam, when, for example, imams read prayers in sacred groves, next to crosses hanging on trees. In addition, in this region, Amin encountered active resistance from the local nobility, who were afraid of losing their privileges under the Sharia reform and who were uniting the Circassians in the fight against Russia on the basis of the independence of the Circassian society, the legal customs of the Circassian people and the Circassian aristocracy. The clash of ideas eventually led to a military clash between representatives of different ideas in the person of princes Sefer Bey Zanokov (Natukhais and partly Shapsugs), Hadji Berzek Kerantukh (Ubykhs) and Muhammad Amin (Abadzekhs and partly Shapsugs, later also Temirgoyites and Bzhedugs).
By the 18th - 20th centuries, the main complexes of traditional clothing of the peoples of the North Caucasus had already developed. Archaeological material allows us to reliably confirm the thesis about the local origin of the main structural details of men's and women's costumes. Clothing of the general North Caucasian type: for men - an undershirt, a beshmet, a Circassian coat, a belt with a silver set, trousers, a felt cloak, a hat, a cap, narrow felt or leather leggings (weapons were an integral part of the national costume); for women - trousers, an undershirt, a tight-fitting caftan, a long swinging dress with a silver belt and long sleeve pendants, a high cap trimmed with silver or gold braid, and a scarf. The traditional occupations of the Circassians are arable farming (millet, barley, since the 19th century the main crops are corn and wheat), gardening, viticulture, cattle breeding (cattle and small cattle, horse breeding). Among the traditional Adyghe household crafts, weaving, weaving, burochka, leather and weapons production, stone and wood carving, gold and silver embroidery have achieved the greatest development. However, with the intensification of the slave trade towards Turkey since the 15th century, the raiding method of earning money among the Circassians, especially among the nobility, has been actively increasing. Both slaves captured in raids and their relatives were sold into slavery, usually among poor families. The traditional dwelling was a single-chamber room, to which additional isolated rooms were attached with a separate entrance for married sons. The culture of using nature and land was brought to perfection, allowing a harmonious combination of careful treatment of it with the development of settlements, which so impressed the agronomists of Tsarist Russia in the 19th and 20th centuries.
An interesting fact is the Circassian presence in the life of medieval Egypt, where captives were taken from Circassia from the 8th century. Thus, by the 13th century, power in the Egyptian Sultanate was seized by the Burjits - the second Mamluk dynasty of the sultans of Egypt, which constituted the military caste of the Circassians and replaced the Bakhrits, a Turkic warrior caste, in power. The name comes from the tower-shaped barracks (burj) of the Cairo citadel. The founder of the dynasty was Barkuk, a former shepherd from Circassia, who overthrew the last of the Bakhrits and established himself on the Sultan's throne in 1382. The rule of the Burjits ended in 1517 after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, but the Circassians in subsequent years, right up to the 21st century, constituted the officer elite of power in Egypt and still retain their influential diaspora in the country.
CAUCASIAN WAR
Since the beginning of the 18th century, periodic conflicts between the Circassians and the Russian Empire have arisen as it gradually strengthened on the Kuban River and the Black Sea coast, especially since the last decade of the 18th century. The Nekrasov Cossacks also come under attack from Russian troops. In total, the historical period of the Caucasian War took 101 years (from 1763 to 1864), ultimately putting the Adyghe peoples on the brink of complete extinction. And if the active period of the war with the Russians in Kabarda, still alone in its uprising, lasted from 1763 to the 1820s, beginning with the construction of the Mozdok fortress in the lands of the Kabardians against their will, then the active war in the western Adyghe lands began in 1792 with the creation by Russian troops of a continuous cordon line along the Kuban River. After the entry of Eastern Georgia in 1801 and Northern Azerbaijan in 1803-1805 into the Russian Empire, their territories were separated from Russia by the lands of Chechnya, Dagestan and the North-West Caucasus. The Circassians raided the Caucasian fortified lines and interfered with the development of ties with Transcaucasia. In this regard, by the beginning of the 19th century, the annexation of these territories became an important military-political task for Russia. In 1817, Russia launched a systematic offensive against the Circassians. Appointed this year as Commander-in-Chief of the Caucasian Corps, General A.P. Ermolov began to use the tactic of surrounding the mountainous regions of the Caucasus with a continuous ring of cordons, cutting clearings in hard-to-reach forests, ruining rebellious villages to the ground and relocating Circassians, as well as Chechens, to the plain under the supervision of Russian garrisons.
Ermolov
The liberation movement in the North Caucasus developed under the banner of Muridism, one of the movements of Sufi Islam. Muridism assumed complete submission to the theocratic leader - the imam - and war with the infidels until complete victory. In the late 20s - early 30s of the 19th century, a theocratic state - the imamate - emerged in Chechnya and Dagestan. But among the Adyghe tribes of the Western Caucasus, muridism did not gain significant popularity, initially spreading only in Lesser Kabarda under the leadership of Imam Mansur. During these same years, Abkhazia and Dzhigetia (the valley of the Mzymta River) fell under Russia's control. After the defeat of Turkey in the Russian-Turkish War of 1828 - 1829. the eastern coast of the Black Sea from the mouth of the Kuban to the Bay of St. Nicholas was assigned to Russia. It should be noted that the territories inhabited by the Circassians were not part of the Ottoman Empire - Turkey simply renounced its claims to these lands and recognized them as Russia. The Circassians refused to submit to Russia, just as they had previously disobeyed Turkey, recognizing only its religious authority. By this time, Kabarda had fallen into complete submission, finally broken by the plague epidemic.
By 1839, during the construction of the Black Sea coastal defensive line, the Circassians were forced into the mountains, from where they continued to raid Russian settlements. In February - March 1840, numerous Circassian troops stormed a number of Russian coastal fortifications, but were forced to abandon them. The main reason for this was the famine created by the Russians during the blockade of the coast from Turkish smugglers and religious propaganda. In 1840 - 1850s. Russian troops advanced into the Trans-Kuban region from the Laba River to Gelendzhik, consolidating themselves with the help of fortresses and Cossack villages. However, during the Crimean War, in the mid-50s, Russian fortifications on the Black Sea coast were abandoned, since it was believed that it was impossible to defend and supply them given the supremacy of the naval fleets of England and France. However, the Circassians did not take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen and attack due to numerous internal turmoil and lack of unity.
At the end of the Crimean War, Russian troops won a complete victory in the Eastern Caucasus, captured Imam Shamil and, thus, neutralized his imams operating in Circassia. Thus, Russia was able to transfer the entire mass of Russian troops to the Trans-Kuban front and resumed its offensive on the Circassian territories. By 1861, most of the lowland Northwestern Caucasus came under Russian control, and by 1862 Russia had completely taken possession of the Adyghe lands in the mountains. The Russian-Circassian war was extremely fierce. After 1856, having mobilized enormous military resources, the Russian army began to break off narrow strips of land from Circassia, immediately destroying all Adyghe villages and occupying the captured territory with fortresses, forts, Cossack villages, that is, it pursued a scorched earth policy. The gradual annexation yielded results by 1860 due to the fact that Circassia began to experience a severe food crisis: hundreds of thousands of refugees accumulated in the still independent valleys.
Kuban historian Felitsin wrote: “Circassian villages were burned out in the hundreds, their crops were destroyed or trampled by horses, and the inhabitants who expressed their submission were evicted to the plains under the control of bailiffs, while the disobedient were sent to the seashore for resettlement in Turkey.” The new Russian Emperor Alexander II presented the Circassians with a condition - either resettlement to the floodplain of the Kuban River under the supervision of Russian fortresses, or deportation to Turkey. It is worth noting that initially Russian policy in the region in the 20-30s of the 19th century adhered to the point of view of peaceful conquest of the region. It was assumed that the introduction of the Circassians to the benefits of civilization, as well as open trade with them, would lead them to submission and a desire to become part of the Russian Empire. It was during this period that exchange yards actively operate, and a number of foreigners are allowed by the Russian government to formalize plans for the arrangement of trade. However, gradually, due to fraudulent actions on the part of traders, everyday clashes between the parties, especially during the construction of fortifications, as well as massive anti-Russian propaganda on the part of Turkey, the number of military clashes between the parties increased and lobbyists for a military solution to the issue won in Russian politics, especially since it seemed faster than the many years of peaceful involvement of the Circassians in the life of the empire. Attempts by individual commanders and generals to pursue the ideas of peaceful coexistence, especially among the Decembrists, led to their loss of positions or transfer to other regions of the empire.
All this ultimately led to a bloody war and mass deportation of Circassians to the Ottoman Empire. According to preliminary estimates, the number of people remaining in their homeland was slightly more than 50 thousand people out of an original population of 1.3 million. During the chaotic expulsion, tens of thousands of people died along the way from disease, from overloading Turkish ships and poor conditions created by the Turks to receive exiles, not to mention the fact that during the entire hundred-year war, many of them died from epidemics caused by hostilities . The expulsion of the Circassians to Turkey (Muhajirism) turned into a national tragedy for them, and subsequently the loss of culture and language. In 1864, Russia completely took control of the territories inhabited by the Circassians, part of the Circassian nobility by this time had transferred to the service of the Russian Empire, and established control over the last non-annexed territory of Circassia - the mountainous strip of Trans-Kubania and the North-Eastern Black Sea region (Sochi, Tuapse, and mountainous parts Apsheronsky, Seversky and Abinsky districts of the modern Krasnodar Territory). On May 21, 1864, the Caucasian War ended with a parade of Russian troops on the site of present-day Krasnaya Polyana, and this day is celebrated among the Circassians around the world as a mourning day in memory of those killed in the war, and many monuments to this date have now been erected on the territory of the Circassian republics.
The Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II supported the settlement of the Circassians on the territory of his empire, which was expressed by false stories about numerous benefits for the settlers. As a result, they settled on the desert border of Syria and in other desolate border regions to stop Bedouin raids, settling separately in order to prevent the emergence of large enclaves. Soon the Circassians were given equal rights with other subjects of the Ottoman Empire, which meant paying taxes on a general basis and conscription into the regular army. In subsequent years, the Circassians here were deprived of the opportunity to study in their language and express their own culture during the Turkish revolution of the early 20th century. As for those Circassians who decided to move to the Kuban, for a long time they essentially lived in reservations, receiving the status of a traitor people, until in Soviet times the attitude towards them changed, largely thanks to the activities of the Soviet functionary of Circassian origin Hakurate, who managed to achieve education a separate autonomous region of the Circassians and their receiving educational opportunities in their native language and in their native culture.
Shahan-Girey Hakurate
In general, in Soviet times, the lands inhabited by the Circassians were divided into one autonomous union republic, two autonomous regions and one national region: the Kabardian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, the Adyghe and Circassian autonomous regions and the Shapsug national region, abolished in 1945. Many of their territories were administratively transferred for settlement to neighboring ethnic groups, as well as to the Cossack and Russian populations. Abroad, the ethnonym “Circassian” continues to be used in relation to the descendants of the Adyghe Muhajirs, as well as the descendants of the Circassian Mamluks who ruled Egypt and Syria from 1390 to 1517, living in the Adyghe diaspora. The largest diaspora of Circassians is represented in Turkey, where their number is about 1.5 million people. Also, their descendants live in all countries of the Middle East - Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, etc. The diaspora is also represented in some European countries (mainly Germany, France and some Balkan countries), North America and Australia.
On February 7, 1992, the Supreme Council of the Kabardino-Balkarian SSR adopted a resolution “On condemnation of the genocide of the Circassians during the Russian-Caucasian War,” which declared the death of the Circassians in 1760−1864. genocide and proclaimed May 21 “Day of Remembrance of the Circassians (Circassians) - victims of the Russian-Caucasian War.” In October 2006, 20 Adyghe public organizations from different countries appealed to the European Parliament with a request to recognize the genocide of the Adyghe people during and after the Russian-Caucasian war of the 18th–19th centuries. A month later, public associations of Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a request to recognize the genocide of the Circassians, which was ignored, and in 2010, Circassian delegates made a similar request to Georgia, which on May 20, 2011 adopted a resolution on recognition of the Circassian genocide by the Russian Empire during the Caucasian War.
At the end of the Caucasian War, the Zhaneevs, Khegaiks, Khakuchis, and part of the Shapsug tribes no longer existed, and in the Caucasus there were no representatives of the Ubykhs (they completely lost their language and culture), Natukhais, Yegerukais and Khatukais. Today, in connection with the war in Syria, repatriates from this country are arriving in Kabardino-Balkaria from the descendants of the Circassians who moved to Turkey, who are trying to integrate into society with state support.
