Slide 1
Traditions and customs of the Circassians
Slide 2
I would sit forever and listen to Shepherd's pipe, which is playing with love now. It’s a pity, there is no voice, otherwise the Mountains, rivers, and valleys of the Caucasus would sing about you. But I will try to correct my mistake, If there is no voice, then you can sing in your soul And besides, I want to add this - Everyone can have a pipe in their heart. And I, listening to the song of the shepherd’s pipe, I begin to repeat to myself only one thing - I am so happy, MY HOLY KABARDA, That I am yours, and that I have been given to live on you! Kabardian, which is the native land of my heart. Where my great-grandfather lived, my grandfather, where my father lives. A highlander’s string is stretched in my heart. Touch her and she will sing about you.
Slide 3
The famous Caucasian historian of the early 19th century, P. Butkov, wrote the following about the highlanders: “In home life they are meek, respectful of old age, moderate in food, sober, and observe the rules of hospitality even against their enemies.”
Slide 4
Slide 5
Slide 6
Ethics of Kabardians
The Adyghe cultural ethnos (the sum of ideas about how to act in certain situations) is completely subordinated to the Adyghe - a system of moral principles, traditions, and customs inherent only to the Adygs. Adygag'e translated into Russian means “Adyghe ethics”. The word ethics means a set of norms and principles by which people live.
Slide 7
The Adygs built their way of life on the following principles: 1. Personal moral example of the older generation, storage and transfer of experience. This is evidenced by the Circassian folk proverb “ShIeblem ebgyelaagur and guegushch” (What kind of example you show to the young, that’s how they will be). 2. Protecting your gene pool from negative influences. “ShchykIyr - embankment ukIyzhsch, schikIyr ikIe mekhyu” (He who transgresses moral laws will be the last person, he kills his happiness). 3. A way of life that does not run counter to religious values. 4. Etiquette known for orderliness, ceremony, politeness, courtesy, hospitality. 5. Study of nature, traditional medicine. 6. Hard work and entrepreneurship. 7. The sanctity of kinship and tribal ties. 8. Code of honor, principles of mutual assistance, etc.
Slide 8
Adyghe folk proverbs
“He who does not value his elders will not receive authority” “They do not call out to the elder - they catch up and speak to his face” “Place of honor goes to the elder” “Having shown honor to the elder, you will earn respect” “He who does not have intention will not find happiness” “Happiness follows the intention” “If you do namys, then you are doing honor to yourself.”
Slide 9
Requirements of Adyghe ethics in relation to elders.
Elders, according to the requirements of Adyghe ethics, are in a special position, regardless of status or gender. In the presence of elders, the younger one does not sit down. In the presence of a father or older brother, the younger one does not engage in conversation. In the presence
unauthorized persons
young people don’t speak casually or laugh.
Modesty and taciturnity are the heritage of Adyghe ethics. The younger ones do not call out to the older ones, but they overtake them and treat them with respect. They do not cross the road until the elder crosses or passes by.
They listen to the elder’s speech with respect, without interrupting.
Slide 10
Kabardian wedding
Here is how Khan-Girey describes the wedding: “Young Circassians, having a free relationship with the girls, have the opportunity to please each other and make their feelings clear. After such an explanation, the man asks the chosen girl to be his wife from her parents through their attorneys. If the parents agree, he gives the girl's father or brother a gift, which corresponds to a betrothal or an agreement. After this ritual, the chosen girl belongs to her groom (that is, others should not seek her hand and heart).”
Slide 11
A wedding for the Circassians has always been a joyful event. And not only for the family whose son got married, but for the entire family, clan and even the whole tribe.
Slide 12
The wedding ceremony is complex, but beautiful.
Slide 13
Joyful events were accompanied by music, songs, poetic wishes, and dancing.
If we turn to the legends and traditions that have come down to us since ancient times, we will find that the Circassians possessed many virtues and exceptional qualities, including chivalry, self-esteem, wisdom and intelligence. They were also famous for their bravery and horsemanship. National education ennobled their souls, tempered their moral spirit and taught them to endure the fatigue and difficulties of wars and long journeys. The sons of the Circassian nobility were required to be able to entertain guests, raise horses, and sleep in the open air, where a saddle served as a pillow. They lived a simple, truly austere life, abstaining from all sensitivity. Thanks to this upbringing, they acquired moral immunity and resilience and could endure severe frosts and heat calmly. As a result, they became a people who possessed the best human qualities.
Our grandfathers were famous for their fortitude and perseverance, but after they were attacked by such savage peoples as the Mongols, Tatars, Huns, Kalmyks and others, they lost these qualities and were forced to leave their lands and hide in the mountains and deep gorges. Sometimes they had to spend months or even years in deserted places, which eventually led to their degradation. Moreover, they had neither the time nor the necessary calm environment to engage in useful peaceful activities and enjoy the fruits of modern civilization.
Such was their position during the dark years marked by tyranny and insecurity. The struggle against the barbarians weakened them and led to their virtues being forgotten. They vegetated in poverty, having wasted all the skills in the crafts that they had learned from the Greeks when they were still Christians.
The ancient Circassians were admired by their neighbors for their military valor, horsemanship and beautiful clothing. They were fond of horse riding and kept the best breeds of horses. It was not difficult for them to jump on or off a horse at full gallop, or to pick up a ring or coin from the ground. The Circassians were also extremely skilled at target archery. Before today our men, young and old, are partial to weapons. Anyone who gets a good saber or gun considers himself lucky. They say that our grandfathers believed that the ability to handle weapons was among the first duties of a man and that carrying weapons developed in a person excellent posture, grace in movement and speed in running.
When the Circassians gathered for war, they chose leaders from their ranks and entrusted them with command of the army, according to their traditions. In most cases, they fought on horseback and did not have any pre-conceived plan to follow. The commander acted impromptu, according to the circumstances and depending on the speed of his own reaction at decisive moments. These were capable, brave people who were not afraid of danger.
The Adygs were famous not only for their military courage, they were proud of their personal qualities, their weapons and courage. Anyone who showed cowardice or timidity or fear of death on the battlefield was subject to general contempt and was treated as an outcast. In this case, he was forced to wear a long dirty hat, sat astride a leprous horse and exposed to people who greeted him with evil ridicule. The bravest warriors disputed the right to occupy the front lines of positions. They suddenly attacked their enemies, scattering them and infiltrating their ranks.
In addition to exceptional courage, the Circassians also possessed other fighting qualities. They were distinguished by their ability to fight at high altitudes in the mountains and on narrow isthmuses, maneuverability and speed in places where others would experience serious difficulties, and also knew how to choose a position in deep gorges and dense forests.
In those distant times, they used swords, long spears, arrows, clubs, heavy armor, shields, etc. as weapons in their offensive and defensive battles. Vanity gave rise to courage, fearlessness and willingness to take risks, and their extreme self-confidence and self-esteem gave them unlimited personal freedom. However, they were modest, far from lust and base desires. The only things they were proud of were courage and military victories. Judging by our traditions, we can conclude that lies and treachery were alien to our forefathers. They made any sacrifice to keep their oaths, promises and loyalty to friendship. Due to their ingenuity, they attached such an importance to these things that is unlikely to be found anywhere else. Among their virtues were such as hospitality and a sense of responsibility for the life and property of the guest.
These noble customs remained unchanged despite the disasters and difficulties that befell subsequent generations. The guest is still considered sacred, and is still received as an honorary member of the family. The owner must greet his guest with the greatest respect and treat him with the best dishes and drinks, and when the guest leaves the house, the owner must accompany him and protect him from harm. In addition, everyone was ready to provide help to those who needed it, for this was considered the duty of every person. Seeking help from others was not considered shameful or humiliating, and mutual aid was common in activities such as building houses and harvesting crops. If any needy wanderer found refuge with them, he was allowed to obtain money through illegal means so that he could improve his situation. But such tolerance lasted only a short period of time, after which he was asked to stop such actions.
The Adygs were also noted for their shyness. After the wedding ceremony, the groom did not take the bride directly to his house, but left her for some time in the house of one of his friends, who escorted her to her husband’s house with numerous gifts. And when she went to her husband's house, her father usually sent a trusted person with her, who returned to him a year later with appropriate gifts. The bride's head was covered with a thin embroidered veil, which, after the allotted time, was removed by a man nicknamed “the one who lifts the veil”: he did this deftly and quickly with the help of a sharp arrow.
The woman had beautiful things in society social status, since she was the owner and mistress of the house, and although the Circassians converted to Islam at the end of the 19th century, cases of polygamy and divorce were rare.
Despite the fact that the husband had the right to demand the complete obedience of his wife, and did not allow him to contradict himself or leave the house without his permission, she still had her own personal rights, and she enjoyed the boundless respect of her husband and sons. Thanks to the mutual respect between them, the husband had no right to beat or scold her. When meeting a woman, the rider usually dismounted and followed her respectfully, he was supposed to help her or serve her if she needed it.
The woman usually raised her children until the age of six, after. whereupon they passed into the hands of men who taught them the art of riding and archery. First, the child was given a knife, with which he learned to hit a target, then he was given a dagger, then a bow and arrows.
When a husband died, the wife, according to custom, visited his grave every day for forty days and spent some time there. This custom was called the “custom of sitting at the grave,” but it was subsequently forgotten.
The sons of princes usually immediately after birth were sent to be raised in noble houses; a noble man who was given the honor of raising the son of his prince and master considered himself lucky. In the house where he was raised, everyone called the prince's son "kan", and he remained there for seven years. When he turned sixteen, he was dressed in the best clothes, mounted on the best horse, given the best weapons and returned to his father's house, which he had never been to before.
The return of the young prince to his father's house was a great event, associated with many formalities and conventions, since the prince had to give gifts to the person who raised his son. He sent him servants, horses and cattle, according to his position and generosity. Thus, the relationship between the prince and his trusted vassal was very close, and the former did not hesitate to comply with any requests of the latter.
All this reminds us of the man who raised our legendary national hero Andemirkan, who fell at the hands of Prince Beslan, and of the treacherous servant, through whose fault he fell unarmed into a trap. Prince
Beslan, famous for its resourcefulness, began to fear young hero, who began to compete with him, threatening his life and throne. Since no one could oppose him in open combat, Beslan treacherously killed him. According to legend, one day the prince went hunting in a cart pulled by his servants, since due to his enormous size he could neither ride a horse nor walk. During the hunt, Andemirkan, eager to show his abilities, drove several wild boars out of the forest and drove them straight to the prince’s cart so that it would be easier for him to hunt. Then he drove a huge boar towards the cart, and when it was very close to the cart, he sent a deadly arrow at it, which pinned the boar to one of the wheels. The prince saw in this act audacity and challenge. He decided to kill Andemirkan by conspiring with his vassal. They killed him when he was unarmed.
As for the prince's daughters, who were also brought up in noble houses, they entered their father's houses only as guests, and when they got married, their bride price (wasa) was given to those who raised them.
Thus, princely children were brought up in noble houses, where they learned basic norms of behavior, customs and traditions. They were introduced to the rules of the Khabz, an unwritten set of moral and social rules that were observed under all circumstances. It was these rules that determined the rights and responsibilities of each person, group or class of people. Everyone, regardless of position, had to adhere to them, since any deviation from them was considered shameful and impermissible.
However, these rules were supplemented or changed according to circumstances. Here I would like to note that the famous national thinker Kazanoko Zhabagi, who raised Grand Duke Kaituko Aslanbek, a contemporary of Peter the Great, was the last to amend this set of rules.
Until recently, every Circassian usually adhered to these rules, carefully observing them, treating them with respect and not violating them. They are the basis of the secret of Circassian heroism, as they teach courage, patience, fearlessness and other virtues. And although there are a lot of them, and they are not written down anywhere, everyone knew them and followed them. For their sake, young people, especially from the nobility, risked their lives, deprived themselves of sleep and were content with the most insignificant amounts of food and drink. They never sat down and smoked in the presence of their elders, they never started a conversation first. Circassians never quarreled with a woman, did not utter swear words, or disturb their neighbors. Life itself could not be imagined without observing these rules. Any disobedience to them was considered shameful /heinape/. A person was not supposed to be greedy in food, had no right to break promises, embezzle money that did not belong to him, or show cowardice on the battlefield. He should not have fled from the enemy, neglected his duties towards his parents, or kept for himself booty captured in war or game killed in a hunt. A Circassian was not supposed to be talkative and allow himself obscene jokes. Thus, these rules were aimed at making a person fearless, polite, gallant, courageous and generous, that is, freeing him from all human shortcomings.
It was also considered a disgrace for a man to kiss his son in someone's presence, to pronounce the name of his wife, and for a woman to pronounce the name of her husband. She should have given him a name or nickname that showed her respect for him. These laws demanded to be above base sensuality, severity and severity towards children. It was for this reason that many princes did not know their sons and did not see them until the latter reached adulthood.
It was also considered shameful to sit, smoke or drink in the presence of the father, or to eat at the same table with him. This set of rules taught everyone how to eat, how to talk, how to sit, how to greet each other and determined the place, rights and responsibilities of every person in society. Without observing them, one could not be a real gentleman. The word Adyghe literally means gentleman; in the national language it also means the name of our people.
However, this set of rules allowed men to have contact with women, and boys and girls could dance in accordance with the rules of etiquette. Likewise, it was not considered shameful for a young man to accompany a girl from one village to another on the same horse in order to attend a wedding ceremony or a race. Women enjoyed full rights and held an honorable place in society, and although Islam allows polygamy, this practice was very rare among the Circassians.
Rules (Khabza). the bards, who were usually ordinary people without education, but who had poetic talent and great abilities in rhetoric and oratory. They traveled on horseback from place to place to read their poems and take part in wars and long journeys. Bards usually made speeches and recited impromptu poetry before the start of battle to encourage the fighters and remind them of the duty and glorious deeds of their grandfathers.
After the spread of Islam among the Circassians, the number of “troubadours” constantly decreased, and soon they disappeared completely, leaving only a good memory of themselves, and a few works of art. Their songs and poems were distinguished by true artistic merit and not only entertained people, but also helped to educate them. We must express our gratitude to them for our knowledge of the events, traditions and examples of prowess of bygone centuries, and the fact of their disappearance is truly regrettable.
According to the rules (Khabza), young men had to breed thoroughbred horses. This type of activity was the main occupation of young people, especially princely sons, who spent long winter nights in the saddle in the open air in the pastures, dressed in burkas. The Kabardians were more interested in horse breeding than others, and their horse breeds were the best in Russia and the East, second only to Arabian horses. Until recently, Kabardians supplied the Russian army big number excellent horses, since Russia had about two hundred cavalry divisions.
On national holidays, young people competed in riding, as they were very fond of sports, especially wrestling and horse riding. Their favorite pastime was a game involving horseman and foot soldiers. The latter, armed with sticks and whips, stood in a circle, and the rider had to attack them and break through inside the circle. The pedestrians prevented him from doing this, inflicting heavy blows. This continued until either side achieved success.
Wedding ceremonies took place according to special rules and rituals. They lasted several days and were expensive. But the gifts presented to the groom by his relatives and friends somewhat alleviated his expenses.
Dance evenings were called “jegu” and were performed by persons who had the right to do so according to customs and traditions. They had the right to expel from the dance anyone who behaved in an unworthy manner. Wealthy people gave them gifts. At the evenings, boys and girls stood respectfully in a circle while others clapped their hands. Inside this circle they danced in pairs, no more than one pair at a time, and the girls played musical instruments.
The young man chose the girls with whom he wanted to dance. Thus, these evenings gave boys and girls the opportunity to get to know each other better, strengthen the bonds of friendship and love, which served as the first step towards marriage. At the height of the dancing, the men fired pistols into the air as a sign of joy and respect for the dancing couple.
We have many dances that require skill and perfection. Among them are kafa, uj, lezginka, hesht and lo-kuazhe, which are both decorous and beautiful. Large dance evenings were held in the open air, where horsemen appeared and tried to interfere with the dancing, and then they were given simple gifts: silk flags and scarves, sheep skin and fur. The riders retired and held competitions in which these things were given away as prizes.
Music occupied an important place in national holidays or celebrations of the birth of a child. Among the Circassians, musical instruments such as the harp, guitar and flute were popular, but later they were supplanted by the harmonica,
Young girls were fond of playing musical instruments, composed poems, read them impromptu, and addressed young men with rhymed couplets. They freely communicated with men, despite the disapproval of the ministers of the Muslim religion, but after marriage they no longer attended dances, but stayed at home. Until recently, young women did housework, received and served guests, embroidered and did other similar work, but these activities were replaced by more ordinary everyday work. homework and mental labor, because modern household appliances have led to the extinction of those wonderful traditions.
Circassians / that is, Adygs / have been engaged in agriculture since ancient times: they sowed grains, such as corn, barley, wheat, millet, and also planted vegetables. Our language has names for all grains except rice. After the harvest, before disposing of the new harvest, they performed certain rituals, since it was necessary to say prayers and spells, after which a feast was prepared from the new harvest, to which relatives and friends were invited. After this, it was possible to dispose of this harvest; donations were allocated for the poor and needy, and the surplus was sold. In addition to farming, our forefathers raised cattle and horses, and since in ancient times there was no money, they carried out barter trade and exchanged livestock, textiles, clothing and other goods for grain.
Their clothes were similar to our modern outfit, which is called “Circassian”; men wore a “kelpak” made of soft fur and a hood on their heads, and a “burka” made of felt on their shoulders. They also wore long and short boots, fur, sandals and thick cotton clothing.
Women wore a long robe made of cotton or muslin and a short silk dress called "beshmet", as well as other clothes. The bride's head was decorated with an embroidered hat trimmed with fur; she wore this cap until the birth of her first child. Only her husband’s uncle, the paternal uncle, had the right to remove it, but only on the condition that he gave the newborn generous gifts, including money and cattle, after which the child’s mother took off her cap and tied a silk scarf around her head. Elderly women covered their heads with white cotton scarves.
From the earliest times, the Circassians used to build rectangular houses. Typically, four families were given a square plot of land to build four houses on, one in each corner.
The space in the center was reserved for carts and livestock. These buildings resembled some ancient fortresses in the country of the Circassians. Guest houses were built at a distance from the houses of the nobility and at a certain distance from the princely houses. The ruins of old buildings and the houses that are now being built in our homeland convince us that our forefathers built fortresses and castles for military purposes with great skill and ingenuity.
The excessive pride of the Circassians was caused by their highly developed sense of self-esteem. Therefore, it was difficult for them to endure the insult, and they did everything possible to avenge themselves. If a murder occurred, then not only the murderer, but also his entire family and his relatives became a target for revenge.
The death of his father could not be left without revenge. And if the killer wanted to avoid her, he had to, himself or with the help of his friends, adopt a boy from the family of the deceased and raise him as his son. Subsequently, he returned the young man to his father's house with honors, providing him with the best clothes, weapons and horses.
The punishment for murder was death, the sentence was usually passed by the people themselves, the murderer was thrown into the river, after having previously tied several stones to him 14.
The Adygs were divided into several social classes, the most important of which was the class of princes /pshi/. The other classes were the noble class and the common people class.
Representatives of the nobility (Uzdeni or Warki) differed from other classes in their culture, attractive appearance and strict adherence to the principles of good upbringing. Young people had enormous respect for their elders.
The princes occupied the most high position and exercised executive power. With the help of the nobility, they carried out decisions and regulations adopted by a majority vote at people's council. The prince was looked upon as a saint whom every person, regardless of his position, had to serve and seek his favor. Without hesitation, everyone could sacrifice themselves for the sake of the prince, since from the earliest times it was known that princes are the protectors of the people (this is the meaning of the word pshi in our language). They had many supporters and followers in all layers of society. A folk song confirms this by declaring: "In adversity, our princes are our fortresses." Despite their high position, holiness and the fact that they owned all the lands and what was on them, the princes were extremely modest. They treated members of other classes as equals, showing neither pride nor boasting. That is why the people deified and loved them. The princes, despite their power and greatness, lived in modest dwellings and were content with simple food. In most cases, the prince was satisfied with a piece of boiled meat and oatmeal bread, and the famous buza served as his drink.
Thus, the powerful ruler did not own anything for himself, and his condition was such that people usually said: “The salamander brings food for the prince,” meaning that he himself did not know where it came from.
However, he obtained everything he needed from his supporters and followers. In return, he had to fulfill the requests of his subjects and protect them from attacks. Any of his subjects or supporters had the right to come to him at any time to sit with him and share his food and drink. The prince was not supposed to hide anything from his subjects and was supposed to give them generous gifts. If his subject liked some thing, for example a weapon, and he asked for it, the prince never refused it. Because of their generosity in donating personal clothing, princes were rarely as dressed as their subjects. They had to wear simple, ordinary clothes.
The Circassian country had no administrative divisions, and its people were not subject to strict laws. In most cases, people had to defend their freedom themselves and hated any manifestation of strict power and despotic rulers. The people instinctively abhorred submission to strict orders, for they believed that absolute, unlimited personal freedom was God's greatest gift to humanity and, therefore, everyone had a right to it.
And yet, discipline and calm reigned in the family and in society. Authority in the family was determined by age and gender. Thus, children obeyed their father, a wife obeyed her husband, and a sister obeyed her brother, etc. Everyone was free to choose their homeland and build a house for themselves where and when they wanted. Traditions had the force of law, they were obeyed in all civil matters, and disobedience to them was considered a crime.
Elders convened public assemblies when there was a need to think about and discuss serious issues. Their decisions were considered indisputable and were obeyed without question.
As for legislation, here the princes presented draft laws and regulations to the council of elders, which was convened to discuss the proposed projects. If the council approved a proposal, it was passed on to the council of nobles, which, like the council of elders, studied and considered the proposals to ensure their usefulness.
Even in ancient times, our people joined progress and civilization. The Circassians armed fortresses and castles, built walls around their cities to repel attacks by wild peoples. In addition, they were engaged in crafts, including the production of iron, which they mined on their land and from which they made household utensils, such as mugs, cups and barrels, as well as military weapons: swords, shields, etc.
Monuments that still stand in old cemeteries and depict heroes, horsemen and nobles with shields, helmets, swords and other armor, as well as inscriptions and carvings (of hands, swords, armor, boots, etc.) that we find on the rocks, convincingly show us how our grandfathers succeeded in carving, sculpture, drawing and other types of fine arts.
Many ancient sculptures were discovered on the banks of the Lesken River in Kabarda. Most of them are works of art in memory of heroes and princes. The names carved on these sculptures coincide with the names of the heroes mentioned in our traditions and legends.
As for the ancient buildings that still exist in the country of the Circassians, they were built when the people were under the influence Greek civilization, we still find the remains of churches that were built in the Greek style. One of these churches is located on the banks of the Kuban River, and the other two lie between the Kuban and Teberda rivers. The first of these is known as "shuune", which means "house of the horseman", and one of the other two is known as "hasa miwa", which means "stone of the judge". It is said that there is a rock in it with the image of a dog's foot and a horse's shoe, and that there was a narrow hole in the rock through which the guilt or innocence of the accused was determined. Every suspect was forced to pass through this hole, and it was claimed that the innocent passed through it freely, no matter how obese they were, while the guilty could not pass, no matter their size.
The Circassians usually visited the Dzhulat castle near the Malka River, where they took oaths, asked for forgiveness from God, and made sacrifices in the name of reconciliation between warring brothers or friends when a quarrel broke out between them. If two brothers were in a quarrel and wanted to make peace, each of them went to this castle, taking with him a bow and arrows. And on this sacred place they took hold of different ends of the arrow, and each took an oath not to deceive, not to harm or to quarrel with the other. Then they broke the arrow and returned as two true friends. It is known that after this place was occupied for some time by the Tatar prince Kodzha Berdikhan, the Kabardians began to call it Tatartup.
One of the most interesting places in Kabarda is Nart-Sano, which is located in the city of Kislovodsk, and where the source of mineral waters originates.
This place plays a significant role in ancient folk songs and stories. The ancient Circassians deified this place and drank from its source. They called it “the water of heroes” or “the source of the sledges,” which we have already talked about. When the Narts wanted to drink from this source, they gathered in the house of their leader, who was the eldest and most noble of them, and a yellow bull was tied to the door of the guest house, which was to be sacrificed. Then they lit six torches, said prayers and spells, and sang songs in which they praised the source of the heroes: “The time has come. Let us go and drink from the fountain of heroes!”
Subject (focus):
Adyghe language and literature.Children's age: 5-8 grades.
Location: Class.
Target:
1. Introduce students to the Adyghe culture.
2. Instill love for your homeland, the Adyghe language.
3.Teaching students highly moral personality traits and etiquette standards of behavior.
Equipment and materials: Slide presentation « Customs and traditions of the Circassians" (slide contents - in Appendix 1); fragments for listening: Adyghe folk melodies and songs.
Progress of the lesson
Teacher: Why do we need etiquette? Probably so as not to think. Do not rack your brains, wondering what to do in this or that case, but maintain inner confidence in any situation. The ability to behave instills in us a sense of self-esteem and self-respect. They say the hardest thing is to stay well-mannered person alone with myself. It's all too easy to fall into the temptation of careless behavior. In the 17th century, at one of the magnificent receptions of the French king Louis, 14 guests were given cards listing the rules of behavior required of them. From the French name for cards - “etiquette” - the word “etiquette” came from, which later entered the languages of many countries around the world.
Teacher:
And what rules of etiquette and traditions are sung about in the song “This is the custom of the Circassians”?
Let's sing this song.
Teacher:
What etiquette rules and traditions are mentioned in the song?
“Is this the custom of the Circassians?”
Etiquette covers the manner and clothing of people, the ability to behave politely and tactfully, the ability to behave at the table, and to be hospitable.
What proverbs and sayings do you know about hospitality?
Many European authors who visited the Circassians wrote about the hospitality of the Circassians:
1 student:
Giorgio Interiano in the 15th century noted that the Circassians “have a custom of hospitality and to receive everyone with the greatest cordiality.”
Giovanni Lucca wrote about the Circassians in the 17th century that “there is no kinder or more hospitable people in the world who accept foreigners.”
“Hospitality,” noted two centuries later K. F. Stahl, “is one of the most important virtues of the Circassians...”
“The memory of former hospitality has been preserved in legends... Despite all the disasters and political upheavals, this virtue has not weakened to this day,” wrote Sh. Nogmov in the first half of the 19th century.
Gardanov V.K. writes: “The right is absolutely stranger to stay as a guest in any house and the unconditional duty of the owner to provide him with the most cordial welcome and provide everything he needs - this is what primarily characterized the custom of hospitality among the Circassians.”
“In Circassia,” noted Khan-Girey, “a traveler, tormented by hunger, thirst and fatigue, finds hospitable shelter everywhere: the owner of the house where he is staying welcomes him cordially and, not knowing him at all, makes every possible effort to calm him down.” , without even asking who he is, where he’s coming from or why, delivers everything he needs.
2nd student:
The guest was a sacred person for the owner, who was obliged to treat him, protect him from insults and was ready to sacrifice his life for him, even if he were a criminal or his blood enemy.” And further: “...Every traveling Circassian stopped where night overtook him, but he preferred to stay with a friend, and, moreover, a person who was not there, it would be too burdensome to treat the visitor.
The owner, hearing from afar about the guest's arrival, hurried to meet him and held the stirrup as he dismounted from his horse. In the eyes of every Circassian, there were no such actions or services that could humiliate the owner in front of the guest, no matter how great the difference in their social status. As soon as the guest got off his horse, the owner, first of all, took off his gun and led him into the kunatskaya, indicating a place there, lined with carpets and pillows, in the most honorable corner of the room. Here they removed all other weapons from the visitor, which they hung in the kunatskaya or took to the owner’s house. The last circumstance had a double meaning among the Circassians: either that the owner, out of friendship, took upon himself full responsibility for the safety of the guest in his house, or that, not knowing him, he did not really trust him.
Having sat down in a place of honor, the visitor, as is usual among the Circassians, spent some time in deep silence. The host and the guest, if they were strangers, examined each other with great attention. After remaining silent for several moments, the visitor inquired about the health of the owner, but considered it indecent to ask about his wife and children. On the other hand, the Circassians considered it a violation of the rules of hospitality to bombard the guest with questions: where did he come from, where and why was he going; the guest, if he wished, could remain incognito. The owner asked him about his health only if the visitor was familiar to him, otherwise he asked this question no earlier than the guest announced his name. In the period of time, before dinner, it was considered indecent to leave a guest alone, and therefore the host’s neighbors came to him one after another with greetings. The initiative for every business came from the guest. He began a conversation and asked those present to sit down, they at first refused, considering it indecent to sit in the presence of a guest, but then the older ones yielded to the second request and sat down, and the younger ones stood around the room. During the conversation, according to custom, the guest addressed himself exclusively to respectable persons or elders, and little by little the conversation became general. The public interests of the country, internal events, information about peace or war, the exploits of some prince, the arrival of ships on the Circassian shores and other subjects worthy of attention formed the content of the conversation and were the only source from which all Circassian news and information were drawn.
The most subtle decency was observed in the conversation, giving the Circassians an appearance of nobility or decency when communicating with each other. The appearance of servants or the owner's sons, or his neighbors with a washstand and basin for washing their hands, served as a sign that dinner was ready. After washing, small tables on three legs were brought into the kunatskaya. These tables are known among the Circassians under the name ane (Iane).
Teacher:
How do you understand the word “kunatskaya”?
3rd student:
The Circassians were always extremely moderate in food: they ate little and rarely, especially during campaigns and movements. “Sadness of the stomach,” says the proverb, “is easily forgotten, but not soon - only heartache.” The food was served clean and tidy. The Circassians ate milk with wooden spoons, drank beef broth or broth from wooden cups, and ate everything else with their hands. The ram slaughtered for the guest was boiled in a cauldron entirely, with the exception of the head, legs and liver, and, surrounded by these accessories, seasoned with brine, was served on one of the tables. The next dish also consisted of boiled lamb, cut into pieces, between which there was a stone cup with spikes - sour milk, seasoned with garlic, pepper, salt; The natives dipped lamb into this brine. Then, in order and dignity, came chetlibzh - chicken seasoned with onions, peppers, and butter; they put pasta on the table... For Chetlibzhe - again sour milk, with pieces of boiled lamb's head, cheesecakes with cottage cheese, cottage cheese pies, pilaf, shish kebab, fried lamb with honey, loose millet with sour cream, sweet pies. At the end of dinner they brought a cauldron with very delicious soup, which was poured into wooden cups with ears and served to guests. Wine, beer, buza or arak and, finally, kumiss were part of every dinner. The number of dishes, depending on the importance of the guest and the state of the host, was sometimes quite significant. So, in 1827, the Natukhai elder Deshenoko-Temirok, treating the English seraskir Hassan Pasha who visited him, served him one hundred and twenty dishes at dinner. They sat down to dinner according to dignity and significance; summers played a very important role in this matter. Summer in the Circassian community was always placed above any rank; a young man of the highest origin was obliged to stand in front of each old man, without asking his name and showing respect to his gray hair, to give him a place of honor, which was of very great importance in the reception of the Circassians.
Teacher:
4 student:
When the eldest stopped eating, everyone sitting at the same table with him also stopped eating, and the table was passed on to secondary visitors, and passed on from them until it was completely empty, because the Circassian did not save for another day what was once prepared. and served. What the guests did not eat was taken out of the kunatskaya and distributed in the courtyard to a crowd of children and onlookers who came running to each such treat. After dinner, they swept and brought the washbasin again, and this time they served a small piece of soap on a special plate. Having wished the guest peace, everyone left, except the owner, who remained there until the guest asked him to calm down as well.
To create the greatest comfort and peace for the guest, the Circassians had a special guest house - khyakIeshch (literally: a place for a guest), known in translated literature as kunatskaya. KhyakIesh was built in the most convenient location estates, that is, away from the owners’ homes, closer to the gate. There was always a stable or hitching post next to the guest house. If the guest arrived on a horse, then he did not have to worry about him. The owners will do everything that is necessary: they will unsaddle the horse, feed and water it, take it to a fenced pasture, and in bad weather they will keep it in a special room. In the Adyghe family, it was customary to save all the best for guests. So the kunatskaya - hyakIeshch was the most comfortable room, furnished the best part owners' property. Here, tables were required - tripods, called “Iane” by the Circassians, a bed with a set of clean bed linen, carpets, mats. And weapons and musical instruments were hung on the walls. So, the eldest greeted the guest, the younger ones were engaged in horse riding or bulls with a cart, and the women were engaged in household chores. If the guest turned out to be older in age, the owner occupied left side, accompanying him to the kunatskaya. Inviting a guest to the house, the owner indicated the direction with his right hand and, walking slightly ahead, walked as if sideways. At the very entrance, the owner slowed down, letting the guest go forward. And the guest had to enter with his right foot, thereby symbolizing the bringing of happiness to this house.
Teacher:
Why is “Iane” depicted on the coat of arms of Adygea?
5th student:
So, having escorted him to the house, they helped him take off his outer clothing and weapons and seated him in a place of honor. If he wanted, he could remain completely incognito, and asking who he was, where he was from and where he was going was considered indecent. The guest could be questioned only after three days. And then the owner did not allow himself to touch upon topics that were unpleasant to the guest or ask ambiguous questions. During the conversation, they did not interrupt, did not ask again, did not ask clarifying questions, did not argue with them, even if they were wrong or were mistaken in something. The guest had to be able to listen carefully and interestedly. It was not allowed to speak in an unknown language in front of a guest. It is no coincidence that the Englishman James Bell
wrote: “From all that I have seen, I look upon the Circassians en masse as the most naturally polite people that I have ever known or about which I have ever read.” The ability of the hosts to conduct a conversation, keep the guest occupied, as well as the ability on the part of the guest to adequately support the conversation that had begun and continue it was considered good manners of behavior.
In the house where the guest is staying, peace and order should reign: in the presence of guests, they did not clean the room, did not sweep, did not fuss. Treats in honor of the guest were prepared so that it was unnoticed by him. In the house they spoke calmly, without nervousness or bickering, they tried to walk more quietly and not stomp their feet. Supervision was organized over the children so that they did not indulge in unnecessary pranks. The best bed, the best food, the best place at the table - for the guest. The family's daughters-in-law, and if they were not present, the younger daughters helped the guests wash and clean their clothes. Giovanni Lucca recalled that in the Adyghe house they not only cared about the cleanliness of clothes, but were also very attentive. And he exclaimed in delight: “There are no people in the world that are kinder than this or more welcoming to foreigners.”
Any national etiquette in in a broad sense words can probably be regarded as a national everyday system of views and norms of behavior. The feast is precisely the case when all these qualities find their concentrated expression. Reception of guests was never limited to a feast. The most important component of receiving and serving guests was the hosts' concern for their entertainment. For this purpose, dances, various games were organized, songs were sung, etc. And for a particularly distinguished guest, horse racing, horse riding, target shooting, national wrestling, and sometimes hunting were organized. Seeing off guests was also arranged very solemnly. Almost the entire household gathered. Each guest was helped to dress and mount the horse, holding the horse by the bridle and holding the left stirrup. The young people did it. Usually gifts were given to the guest. It was imperative to escort him beyond the gates of the estate, and more often to the outskirts of the village. When the guest left the hospitable house, he mounted his horse and, turning to face the house, said: (“All the best! May we meet on a good, good occasion!”). They wanted the same thing in return.
Teacher:
What did the Circassians treat the guest with?
What Adyghe dishes do you know?
Dairy? What is Adygea famous for?
Adyghe cheese. Poem by Nekhai Ruslan “Adyghe cheese”
Teacher: If you solve the crossword puzzle correctly, you will find the hidden word.
1. Drink.
2. A dish of nuts.
3. Adyghe sauce.
4. Beetroot drink.
5. Dough product (flatbread).
6. Dough product.
7. Mamalyga.
8. Homemade sausage.
| A | |||||||||
| d | |||||||||
| s | |||||||||
| G | |||||||||
| uh | |||||||||
| I | |||||||||
| A | |||||||||
| n | |||||||||
2. deshhoshow
3. pinches
4. gynyplyps
5. shchelam
6. I epeeschek I
7. p I aste
8. nekul
| 1.къ | A | l | m | uh | k | sch | A | th | |
| 2.d | uh | w | X | O | w | O | at | ||
| 3.sch | s | P | With | s | |||||
| 4.g | s | n | s | P | l | s | P | With | |
| 5.sch | uh | l | A | m | |||||
| 6.I | uh | P | uh | e | sch | uh | To I | ||
| 7.p I | A | With | T | uh | |||||
| 8.n | uh | ku | l | ||||||
Teacher: Our lesson has come to an end. We talked to you about etiquette - a kind of set of rules of conduct between people. Everyone is free to choose for themselves whether to comply with its requirements or not. But if you want to produce for people pleasant impression, you can’t do without knowing the rules of good manners. And we hope that our event today helped you find answers to many questions about the customs and traditions of the Circassians.
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A. A. Shalyakho. The birth of lines. M., dept. book ed., 1981.
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According to Circassian custom, each visitor could drive into any courtyard, dismount at the hitching post, enter the kunatskaya and spend as many days there as he considered necessary. The guest could be a man of any age, acquaintance or stranger, even a blood enemy. The owner had no right to be interested in his name, his rank, or the purpose of his visit. Refusal of hospitality was unthinkable, and even insufficient care on the part of the hosts who received the guest was considered a shame: in the old days such a person was tried and punished. The owner was responsible with his property for damage incurred by the guest during his stay in his house; he had to protect the guest with weapons if he was in danger.
The guest occupied the most honorable place at the table. His treat constituted a whole ritual. Tables with food were passed from more respected persons to less honorable persons and, finally, were taken outside the kunatskaya, where they were placed at the disposal of women and children. If a whole ram was served, the meat was distributed according to the position of those participating in the feast. The head and shoulder blade, as the best parts, were offered to the guest. The owner was obliged not only to feed the guest during his entire stay in the house, but also to provide him with everything necessary for the journey. Kunak was usually received not in the living room, but in the residential house of the family owner. Unwritten etiquette required that each family have a kunak of a different nationality, who was considered a family friend and was subject to marriage prohibitions. Kunatskaya served as the place of residence for the entire male part of the family. Unmarried male youth spent the night in the kunatskaya if there were no guests there. Circassians usually revered the threshold and hearth in the house.
The responsibilities of the kunak were much broader than just the owner, since the kunakship required the establishment of special relationships such as twinning. This union was sealed by drinking together from a cup into which silver coins were thrown or silver shavings were whittled from the handle of a dagger. This was often followed by an exchange of weapons. Such an alliance was concluded for life.
Adoption was considered admission into a clan with the assumption of all responsibilities and rights both in relation to the clan as a whole and to the family that adopted him. The adoption ritual consisted in the fact that the adopted person had to publicly touch the naked breast of his named mother three times with his lips. Touching a woman's breast with her lips served as sufficient grounds for adoption in other cases. Bloodlines often resorted to this. If the killer touched the breast of the mother of the murdered man in any way - by force or cunning - then he became her son, a member of the clan of the murdered man and was not subject to blood feud.
Although formally the right of revenge extended to the entire clan, it was carried out by the closest relatives of the murdered person. In most cases, it was replaced by payment in livestock and weapons. The size of the payment was determined by the class of the murdered person. Reconciliation could also be achieved by the killer raising a child from the family of the murdered one.
The Circassian wedding ceremony was very peculiar, which consisted of a number of customs that stretched in the past for more than one year. There was a custom of bride kidnapping. Even if it was done with her consent - out of a desire to reduce the size of the bridewealth (bride price), to avoid expenses for the wedding, or because of the disagreement of the parents - even then it inevitably caused quarrels, fights between the girl’s relatives and the kidnappers and often led to injuries and murders. Once the young man made his choice, he negotiated the price for the girl with her father. The ransom most often consisted of chain mail, sabers, guns, horses and several bulls. After concluding an agreement, the groom and his friend took the girl to the home of one of his friends or relatives, where she was accommodated in a room intended for spouses. Here she stayed while the groom's relatives completed preparations for the wedding. The marriage ceremony also took place here. From the day the bride arrived, the groom went to the house of another friend of his and visited the bride only in the evenings.
The day after the bride was taken away, her parents went to the groom's parents and, feigning anger, demanded to know the reason for the secret abduction. Custom required not to show that the marriage agreement had been reached earlier. The next day the wedding began, to which all relatives and friends gathered. Some accompanied the groom to kidnap the bride again, while others prevented them from doing so. All participants in the wedding procession depicted a battle, during which the bride appeared at the door of the house, supported by two friends. The groom rushed forward and carried her away in his arms. Young girls started a victory song, and all those who “fought” united and accompanied the bride and groom. The wedding lasted five to six days, but the groom was not present.
The transportation of the bride to the groom's house was accompanied by various rituals, horse riding and horse racing. Men and girls selected from among the villagers and relatives of the groom went to fetch the bride. The girls stayed with the bride and looked after her until the end of the wedding. The bride was usually brought on a wedding cart. The bride was led into a special room, where she was placed on an ottoman, and a girl was chosen to remove the scarf from her head. On the day of transport of the bride, a treat was arranged for everyone present at the wedding. At the same time, the older men were in one room, and the younger ones were in another.
The groom stayed with his friend until the end of the wedding, and only after its completion did they organize the ceremony of returning the young husband to his home. Upon returning, the newlywed had to perform a ritual of “reconciliation” with his family: at night he appeared in native home and received refreshments from his father and the older men of the village. After two or three days, a dinner was held for him, at which his mother and other women were present.
The room for the newlyweds was a sacred part of the home among the Circassians. It was not allowed to talk loudly or do chores around her. A week after the young wife’s stay in this room, the ceremony of introducing her into big house. The newlywed, covered with a veil, was given a mixture of butter and honey and sprinkled with nuts and sweets. After the wedding, she went to her parents. After some time (sometimes only after the birth of a child), the wife returned to her husband’s house and began to take part in all household work new family. During their married life, the husband visited his wife in their common room only at night. During the day he was in the men's quarters or in the kunatskaya.
In turn, the wife was the sovereign mistress of the female half of the house. The husband did not interfere with the household at all. The wife even had her own property - cattle, which she received as a wedding gift. Nevertheless, it was imposed on her whole line prohibitions in relation to mother-in-law and husband's relatives male line. For example, she did not have the right to sit with men, eat with her husband, or go to bed until he returned. She called her husband “he,” “himself,” “our,” and the husband, in turn, called his wife “living in my house” or “our family.” The husband had the right to divorce without giving a reason. The wife could formally demand a divorce for some reasons (her husband’s infidelity, inability to cohabitate), but this happened very rarely. After the death of her husband, the widow, according to custom, sometimes married his brother. In case of divorce or marriage to a stranger, her children remained in her husband's family.
The Circassian maternity ritual included a number of measures aimed at protecting the pregnant woman from evil spirits. The expectant mother had to observe numerous prohibitions, including not fanning the fire and not going to the cemetery. When a man was informed that he would be a father, he left the house and appeared there for several days only at night. Two weeks after birth, the ritual of placing the child in the cradle was performed, which usually coincided with the naming of the newborn.
Clear echoes of traditional ancient beliefs were the images on grave monuments of objects that the deceased might need in the other world. A person killed by lightning was considered the chosen one of God and was buried in a special way. Even animals killed by lightning received an honorable funeral. These funerals were accompanied by dancing and singing, and chips from a tree struck by lightning were considered healing.
Many religious rituals were closely associated with agriculture. These included, first of all, rituals of causing rain during drought. sacrifices marked the beginning and end of agricultural work.
21:57 15.10.2012
Customs and human destinies are interestingly intertwined. In order for the newlyweds to find happiness and give the world children, the family sometimes goes to great expense. Even if there is no opportunity to have a wedding, the relatives of the newlyweds find a way to satisfy all parties. A wedding is an event that remains in everyone’s memory for a long time, so you should always try to make these memories warm your soul and be unforgettable.
Customs and human destinies are interestingly intertwined. In order for the newlyweds to find happiness and give the world children, the family sometimes goes to great expense. Even if there is no opportunity to have a wedding, the relatives of the newlyweds find a way to satisfy all parties. A wedding is an event that remains in everyone’s memory for a long time, so you should always try to make these memories warm your soul and be unforgettable.
A wedding is a pleasant occasion to gather all relatives and friends, a celebration where you can make new acquaintances, and, in the end, it is at weddings that the future bride and groom sometimes meet in the future.
Undoubted aspects of Circassian weddings were the demonstration of courtesy of the young and the teaching of the elders. In such a fast-paced and rapidly developing world, it is difficult to preserve the beautiful customs that were followed by many generations before us, so in many cases they have to be modified in order to be somehow closer to modern life.
Just like any major event has its charms, a wedding ceremony also has many memorable moments. Everyone tries to add some zest to their wedding so that after this solemn event they can remember with a smile.
How the wedding ceremony became structured is unknown. It can be assumed that experiences from life formed the basis of customs. A striking example of this is the Circassian wedding, which consists of several aspects: searching for the bride, inspecting the bride’s house, ransoming the bride, bringing the bride to the groom’s house, the wedding ceremony (nakah), introducing the bride to the groom’s parents, the wedding night and much more.
It should be noted that the Circassians found and looked for brides and grooms for their children in different ways. It happened that both parties knew their families long before the wedding, and it was already certain that they would soon become related. But moments when young people communicated and knew about each other’s feelings were not excluded. The parents also knew about their relationship, and in order not to burden themselves with many troubles, the bride was simply stolen with her consent. The Circassians considered the first case to be the most correct, but did not criticize the second. The Circassians considered the third option absolutely unacceptable, which could result in a great shame for both the girl and the family: steal the girl without her knowledge and the consent of her parents. The boy’s action in this case was considered unworthy of a man in relation to his family and girlfriend; such an act could not be justified in the face of the entire society.
A wedding became a beautiful custom only if all customs were followed and both parties were happy. Relations between the parents of the bride and groom remained cold only if the bride ran away from her parents' house without asking or permission. In this case, the bride’s parents could not come to terms with her action for a long time and for some time disapproved of her chosen one and condemned their daughter’s choice.
If we analyze all of the above, we can come to the conclusion that the newlyweds were happy and calm only if there was the blessing of all parties. Families that had mutual understanding and a guarantee of the health of the future generation became an imitation for everyone.
The initial and main aspect of a Circassian wedding is the search for a bride.
The Adygs established an old and interesting custom. They matched their children from birth. This was expressed as follows: on the wrist of both girls and boys, ribbons of the same color were attached so that upon reaching adulthood they would tie the knot.
A lot of time has passed since such rituals were performed. Now they are not relevant, and are not practiced at all. This is explained by the fact that now it is the girl who must make her choice. She must decide who to communicate with and who not to. She has the right to choose. If there is no her consent, any plans of both the parents and the boyfriend may be upset. This can explain that the search for a bride among the Circassians was invented by women.
The Circassians did not approve of the custom of matchmaking from an early age, but they considered the custom of finding a bride for a guy acceptable and beautiful. This whole process was led by the older generation, both on the girl’s side and on the guy’s side. There have been cases when young people met at some event, and in the course of a long and pleasant conversation they struck up serious relationship. If the girl considered the guy’s feelings serious and sincere, then she could tell him: “Let your relatives ask about me.” This gesture could not be regarded in any other way. The guy gathered his friends and through them conveyed to his father and mother his intention to woo the girl. He himself could not tell his parents about this; this is unacceptable according to Circassian etiquette. Then the parents decided: if they liked their son’s choice, if she was from a good family or clan, then they immediately sent one of the relatives to the girl’s home so that he could investigate the state of the family, their well-being and get to know the bride’s parents.
The woman was not sent to the bride's viewing. Even if the girl’s parents were not warned about the matchmakers’ visit, it was not difficult to understand what business they came with. Under no circumstances did the matchmakers enter the house or the hachesh; they went to the shed and resolved further issues there. This was the custom. If there was a father’s brother in the girl’s family, then it was he who had to conduct a dialogue with the matchmakers. If he was not there, then he could be a good neighbor or the girl’s older brother. The owners were obliged to greet the guests and invite them into the house. To which they replied: “If you agree to consider us as matchmakers for your daughter, then we will be glad to accept your invitation.”
After the viewing of the bride's house, there was a return visit from the girl to the groom's house. The participants tried not to disclose this event, but in a house where there was a woman, this was not possible. They also did not tell the groom’s parents that guests were coming to them. The delegation that went to inspect the groom's house and property also did not include neighbors and relatives. This mission was entrusted to the person who knew the groom's parents well and for a long time. Three or four other men went with him. It should be noted that women did not take part in this event either. The men who arrived at the viewing did not hide the purpose of their visit and their expectations. The groom's parents invited the guests to a generously laid table, but the guests were in no hurry to sit down until they had explored everything in the house. They were interested in the presence of everything: a yard, livestock, a basement. In a word, there was not a single crack left where they did not look. Addressed close attention on the owners’ dog, on the condition of its coat, on how it is cared for. If the dog looked bad and not well-groomed, then the arrivals might think that the family was insolvent. It was also considered obligatory to find out the neighbors’ opinion about the family: how respected it is in the village.
After examining the family and its way of life, the senior delegation could leave the house without saying anything - this meant that the wedding would not happen. The answer he would tell the bride’s parents was clear: “You cannot intermarry with this family! They won’t be able to provide your daughter with a happy marriage!” After this, it could be considered that the upcoming wedding was cancelled. But if the eldest member of the delegation approached the owner of the house and said: “So-and-so sent us... You can prepare for the wedding,” then the matter was considered successfully completed and everyone was happy.
As you know, the princes and warks did not look at the bride or look at the groom’s house, since both of them knew very well that everything that was necessary for the young couple was available. But if we go back to our time, even today they ask what family the girl or guy is from. It is known that sometimes it is important not only the well-being of the family, but also the honor and respect that their neighbors and relatives show them.
“Nakah” - this word came to us from Arabic precisely during the period when the Circassians converted to Islam. It is not surprising that after the Circassians adopted Islam, much has changed in culture, traditions, and customs. In a word, the usual way of life has changed. In many ways, Sharia influence began to manifest itself. In ancient times, a ransom was taken along with the nakyah for the bride. Along with nakyah and ransom, the girl should have taken with her to the groom’s house silver jewelry sewn to her national costume, items and essentials.
In the old days, Circassians concluded the nakyah in the bride's house, the mufti blessed and assured the nakyah and left it in the girl's family. The cost of the bride price was entered there, they indicated how much nakah was allocated for the girl, and indicated all the duties that she had to perform in her husband’s house.
Princes and warks gave large fortunes for bride price. But for poor families, the ransom amount varied depending on wealth, for example: two bulls, two cows, one thoroughbred horse and the amount allocated for the purchase of various fabrics. The size of a nakyakh was 200 silver coins. Only the bride herself could manage this money; in case of divorce or need of money, the girl could either take everything or take the amount she needed. In addition to money, the girl had a full set of jewelry sewn into her national costume as a dowry. It could be gold or silver (the metal depended on the girl's wealth). Also included with this were such necessary household items as a large and small basin, a silver watering can, a mattress and a pillow, a large chest, a mirror, ribbons and fabrics of different colors and shades. After the bride's relatives presented her dowry, they could go to the table and continue decorating the nakyakh.
The fact that when the mullah signed the nakyah, the witnesses present remembered and counted the amount, how much the bride brought with her and what she was owed from the groom’s family, did not go unnoticed. After all the formalities, the guests were seated at the table and treated to all kinds of dishes.
After Circassia became part of Russian Empire, clerks appeared in all Circassian villages, who entered into marriages according to Russian customs. Now it is simply called the Civil Registry Office department. This turn of events required the Circassians to have witnesses at the wedding, both from the bride and the groom.
Bride ransom. For the Circassians, the biggest headache was bride price. A lot of loving people and fate destroyed this old custom.
Even if there was strong love guy to girl, the girl could not marry the guy until he paid a ransom for her. It would not be so sad if the ransom amount was small. Sometimes young people had to work for decades to collect the bride price. Ultimately, the guys got married at the age of 40, since it was at this age that they could accumulate a fortune to pay the bride price. The size of the ransom did not bother the princes and workers, since they had funds, and even if they did not, they helped each other.
The bride price ritual was ruthless and poorly thought out. It was much more shameful to hear about yourself later: “How cheap they took for their daughter,” than to simply sit down and think about how the family that their daughter was going to live on would live on. Everyone followed the custom.
Although bride price is not particularly practiced in our country today, these pages have been preserved in history when they asked for a lot of money for a bride. Let us dwell a little on the description of this process. The men who made the deal with the bride's relatives went to their home in the late afternoon. Among them there had to be strong-willed, educated, knowledgeable about customs and the traditions of the Circassian people, men who were not previously familiar with the bride’s family. Guests who arrived with the ransom were received very cordially, with an accordion and dancing. At this event there were young people dancing in a circle and having fun. A large table was set for the guests and they treated them for a long time.
The senior member of the arriving delegation made sure that his friends did not get carried away with drinking. Then they drank alcohol from a wooden mug, which was passed around. After the mug passed around the circle for the third time, the eldest of the guests stood up and said: “Drink and food are not going anywhere, let’s get down to business.” The owners answered him: “Your desire is the law for us. What can’t we do for you?”, with these words the men went into the barn. Here they began to argue for a long time. The guests might not be satisfied with the cattle that the owner offered them as a ransom. If the guests heard a rumor that the owner had better cattle, but he hid them from the guests, then they argued until the owner showed them the cattle. After much debate, they came to a common opinion and began discussing household utensils. When everything became clear with this question, the guests immediately became kinder and sat back at the table, and in the future they were not averse to dancing in a circle. After the dances, the head of the guests announced that it was time for them to leave, but they, as a rule, were detained.
There have been cases where, without paying the ransom in full, a guy continued to pay off the debt to the bride’s parents long after marriage. There were moments when a guy left in search of work and money and did not return for years until he had fully collected the ransom amount.
We can safely say that the custom of bride price greatly slowed down the course of history of the Circassian people.
Wedding. The news that there would be a wedding instantly spread throughout the entire village, due to the fact that in the old days the villages were small. If any noisy event like a wedding was planned, no one remained indifferent. The Circassians understood that today some people have joy, and tomorrow others will have joy. They tried to have weddings in the fall, when field work took place, so that there would be enough food. Weddings took place during the day. The Circassians tried to make this event fall on Friday. The family that played the wedding was obliged to warn all relatives in advance. The young guy who was entrusted with such a mission tried not to forget anyone in order to avoid offense later. More than 50 horses took part in wedding races; it also happened that some weddings attracted 100 riders, this depended on the wealth of the family.
It was decided in advance who could be trusted to bring the bride to the groom's house. When the list was already approved, two guys from the clan that the groom represented went around and warned everyone about the wedding, expressing the desire of the elders that they come to the groom’s home and then go for the bride. They always left for the bride late in the evening. A beautifully decorated cart and attendants were sent to the bride. An accordionist and two girls and an older woman sat there. When the cart entered the village, the girls began to sing songs loudly, thereby letting people know that they were coming for the bride.
The cart entered the yard first and only then the riders. She stopped at the very entrance to the house. Girls ran out to meet them and greeted their dear guests, but all this happened under the protection of horsemen. Guests entered the house and sat in privacy until the time of their departure approached. Before the bride was taken out of the house, she was dressed up, a cap was put on her head and a transparent scarf was covered on top, after which she was placed in a corner. Then the groom’s brother came for her, carried her out into the yard and put her in a cart. The guy who came to pick up the bride was grabbed by female relatives and demanded a ransom for him. Until a certain amount of money is paid for the guy, the bride is not supposed to move.
The guests were literally surveilled by the bride's relatives. They were either pushed into an empty room, dirty or forced to eat a whole head of garlic and much more.
Just before leaving home, there was noisy dancing in the yard, everyone was having fun - both old and young. Special attention was given to the girls who came for the bride. They were not allowed to get bored.
After all the “prisoners” were released, the delegation left the courtyard to the noisy singing of national songs. Before leaving the yard, guests should treat the male neighbors who block the path, preventing the guests from leaving; this custom is called “go”. As a “go” they are given several pieces of meat and a little makhsima (a low-alcohol drink of the Circassians).
Having taken the bride, the groom's friends, who also took part in this action, all gathered together and went to the guy's home. They chipped in money to buy a ram, stocked up on low-alcohol drinks and sat until the morning with the groom. The ram that was slaughtered in honor of the groom was called “nysh”. This custom has survived to this day.
Behind these pleasant moments, dawn was quietly approaching. The toastmaster stood up from the guests and said: “Let’s get ready! We're going home!". After these words, the guests were already free. In front of the front of the house, people moved into a circle, giving up the center to the guests so that they could start dancing. The riders who arrived for the bride took turns in a circle and danced horseback riding. At the same time, it was necessary to ensure that the whip was not turned towards women - it was considered similar to a bladed weapon. The Circassians never turned to the woman from the side where the dagger hung.
The bride had to bring with her such things as a mattress, a large chest, a mirror, copper basins, a bed and much more. A girl was supposed to be assigned to the bride to look after her for the entire time until the wedding was over. The bride took such an assistant, “zhemkhagase”, with her to the groom’s house. Among the princes, the girl who was sent with their daughter was left forever in the groom's house so that she would constantly look after her mistress. Later, instead of the girl, they began to send a guy who had to be the girl’s brother, but not her own.
All the neighbors could hear that the bride was being taken, as everything was accompanied by noisy songs. They ran out into the street and laid on the road - some an egg, some their hat. The horses had to run and take turns trampling the egg - this promised good luck and prosperity. The bride's parents sent several horsemen, like guards, after their daughter. When they returned back, having made sure that the bride's cortege had arrived safely at the groom's house, any guy who was the groom's friend or brother had to catch up with the bride's guards and rip off the hat from one of them. From that moment on, races began between the young people, the bride’s relatives tried to catch up and take the hat, others provoked them even more, not giving the hat back. This action was called "paazafeh".
If the groom's family was ready to accept the bride, then she was immediately taken into the house, and if not, the bride was taken to the house of the groom's best friend. Of course, all the wedding chores were taken care of by the parents of the groom's friend, naturally, not without the participation of the groom's parents. Among the Circassians this was the most beautiful custom. Many families wanted to host the bride; this was considered a sign of respect for the family. The bride was carried out of the cart by the same person who seated her there.
They also brought into the house a “zhemkhagase” sitting in the second cart, who looked after the bride all week until the wedding was over. All things brought by the bride were brought into her room.
In the old days, Circassians celebrated their weddings for exactly a week, or even more. Throughout this time, guests were received every day, and they were all treated. Endless dances were held, the participants of which were only young people.
In the midst of the dancing, someone announced that the bride needed to be introduced to the residents of the house, and a fuss immediately began. On either side of the bride stood her sister-in-law and sister-in-law. They had to take the girl into the room where all the elders of the clan were sitting, including the groom’s parents (they led her by the hand, since the girl herself could not see anything, because her head was covered with a veil). Her approach to the house where the elders were sitting was accompanied by noisy exclamations: “We are bringing the bride!”, Islam danced and fired guns into the sky. Before she crossed the threshold of the house, she was sprinkled with candies, small coins, and nuts, which the children then collected.
The bride had to enter the house with her right foot, after which a fresh ram skin was laid on her and the bride was placed on it. If there was a grandmother in the family who knew many beautiful and sincere wishes, she was asked to tell all this to the bride, and if there was no such grandmother in the family, then they asked her neighbors. The bride was placed against the wall, accompanied by good wishes. In ancient times, a veil, behind which the bride could not see anything, was removed by a young guy with the tip of a dagger, later a woman removed the veil with the tip of an arrow, but now this is trusted to a boy of about four or five years old, who removes the veil with an ordinary stick. This stick was supposed to serve as an integral part of the baby's cradle when the bride gave birth to her first child.
In Circassia, this custom has been preserved to this day and this ritual is called “hiteh”. The custom is very old, and its appearance dates back to the times when women still used guns.
The next ritual that the bride had to undergo is very funny. They took a wooden bowl and put butter and honey in it. This mixture was smeared on the lips of the bride, saying: “Oh our Tha, let the girl fall in love with this house and become attached to its residents just like a hair sticks to honey!” After this, the bowl was taken out into the yard only through the window. The Circassians believed that if a girl licked honey from her lips, she would be a grumpy and greedy woman, and if she tolerated honey on her lips, she would be flexible and responsive. This ritual is called "uritsal".
After the girl was showered with gifts and jewelry, her co-wife covered her again with a veil and took her out of the room, without turning her back to the elders. Immediately after this, the bride was taken to her room and, having removed her veil, was seated in the middle of the bed. After all these rituals, the bride was considered a full member of the family and could get up when the elder came in to give up her place. And don’t sit down at all if an older person is sitting.
The wedding celebration was very stormy and fun. “Jeguaco,” who turned on the audience, did everything in his power to ensure that the guests in the circle did not get bored.
The wedding day passed, and the next day in the evening the bridegroom returned home. This custom was called "shaueshyzh", saying modern language- the wedding night. Throughout the wedding week, the groom stayed with his best friend, since among the Circassians it was not customary for the bride and groom to live under the same roof until the wedding was over. And so for a week the groom went to his good friend, friend or neighbors. In the evening, a noisy company consisting of the groom's friends, sisters and close relatives gathered and went to fetch the groom to bring him home. This was accompanied by a stormy procession. The delegation that arrived to pick up the groom was greeted very cordially by the owners of the house - the parents of the groom's friend - and were immediately seated at a generously laid table. In honor of this, they even slaughtered a ram. Time passed quickly at the table, and it was time to get ready.
Closer to midnight, the groom was returned home. Friends chanted: “We have brought you your son, your husband!” They shot guns into the sky, danced and sang. The groom, along with his two friends, entered the room where the guy’s parents were waiting for them.
The groom was freed from the shackles of shame with the words: “We forgive you everything that you didn’t do!” Come in, dear son!” One elder uncle picked up a low-alcohol drink, another elder took a plate of food, thereby preparing to make a speech. This was an awkward moment for the groom, as he was literally burning with shame. However, he had to approach the elders along with his friends. The eldest of those present made a toast, which was intended specifically for such an event as “shaueshyzh”. When the toaster reached the words: “Don’t sleep through your time, thinking that you are on guard,” the groom approached the elder and took the horn with the drink with his right hand and gave it to a friend who stood on his right hand, then also took the plate of food with his right hand and gave it to a friend standing on the left side. The elders distributed drinks and food to the assembled youth, but the groom should not drink strong drinks before the wedding night. This rule existed among the Circassians so that newlyweds would have healthy children. It was considered wrong to conceive a child while drunk.
During the celebration, when all the young people were sitting at the table, the groom's assistant came in, took him out of the company and accompanied him to the room where the bride and sister-in-law were already sitting. After the groom appeared in the room, the sister-in-law left and the newlyweds were left alone. This was all done without unnecessary publicity.
All aspects of the Circassian wedding did not end there. A couple of weeks had to pass, after which the bride was officially introduced to her husband’s parents. This was also a mini-event. The bride was taken out of her room by women who had lived in harmony with their husbands for a long time. The bride was brought to her mother-in-law, introduced to her and immediately sent back to the room. The bride had to bring gifts from home for her new household.
After the bride and mother-in-law met, the first one had to come to the mother-in-law’s and father-in-law’s rooms every morning and put things in order, after which she immediately went to her room in order to in no way allow a meeting with the father-in-law. The father-in-law had no right to talk to his daughter-in-law until she gave birth to her first child.
After all the stages of a Circassian wedding had been completed, the bride began to be taught how to sew, cut and embroider. For this purpose they bought her fabrics, threads and needles. It was believed that after the wedding she had the right to hold a thread and a needle in her hands.
Among the Circassians, the bride did not have the right to call all household members by name. Therefore, she gave everyone a name and subsequently called everyone that.
Among the princes and warks, the bride did not do anything around the house until she gave birth to her first child.
After the wedding, the bride took off the girl’s hat and put on another hat, which was due to her status. The hats they wore after marriage were cone-shaped and were called bridal caps. A girl could wear such hats until she gave birth to her first child. A girl who gave birth to a child never again had the right to wear hats; she wore scarves or wide ribbons.