Interesting traditions of the Circassian people. Development of the lesson "customs and traditions of the Circassians"

Circassians (Circassians/Adygs of Karachay-Cherkessia) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia.

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 pasture lands, the right to vote on people's assemblies. Patrilineal kinship groups (whose members sometimes formed special quarters in villages), customs of blood feud, hospitality, and kunakism were preserved. A large patriarchal family, including several generations and numbering up to 100 people, prevailed until the 18th century. Family communities have partially begun to revive in late XIX 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 XIX - early XX centuries. 12 villages were founded, in the 20s of the XX 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.

The main occupation is transhumance cattle breeding (sheep, goats, horses, large cattle; before the adoption of Islam, they also raised pigs), gardening, and viticulture. Horse breeding occupied a special place. 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 “L'epk”, which had self-government bodies from people from clan groups (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.

The traditional men's suit is the “circassian” (tsei), a single-breasted caftan with an open chest, length just below the knees, with wide sleeves. Young men of warrior age wore short-sleeved Circassian shorts so that they would not restrict movement in battle. On both sides of the chest, gazyrs were sewn (Adyghe khazyr - ready) - narrow pockets stitched with braid for special sealed pencil cases, often made of bone. “Circassian” strictly differed among men by class in color - white for princes (pshi), red for nobles (work), gray, brown and black for peasants (blue, green and other colors were usually not used). The beshmet (keptlal) was cut like a Circassian jacket, but had a closed chest and a stand-up collar, narrow sleeves, its length was just above the knee, it was usually sewn from a light and thinner material, often the beshmet was quilted on a cotton or wool base. Pants (guenshedzh, gyuenchedzh) tapered towards the bottom with a wide step. The papakha (papakha) was made of sheepskin, white, black or brown, the height varied. Also among the Circassians (Circassians), felt hats (uplkle dust) were widely used in everyday life. Burka (shklue, klaklue) - a long, felt cloak, black, rarely white. Stacked belt. Its buckle was used as a crosshair for cutting out fire. Shoes - chuvyaki (vakye) were made of red morocco, usually worn by the upper class, peasants wore rawhide or felt. The obligatory items of a man's costume were a dagger and a saber. The dagger (kame) - the handle and scabbard were richly decorated with silver, usually blackened - so as not to unmask the owner, like the handle of a checker (seshkhue), but the scabbard of a checker was decorated with galloon and gold embroidery (this work was done by young girls of the highlanders) Now only a few have a complete set of national costume and appear in it on holidays.

Women's clothing was very varied and richly decorated. Like men's clothing, it varied according to class variations. A woman’s costume included a dress, caftan, shirt, pants, a variety of hats and shoes. Dress - (bostey, bokhtsey, zegyal'e, sai) long, swinging with an open chest, sleeves narrow or wide to the wrist or short to the elbow. Festive dresses were made from expensive, purchased fabrics: silk, velvet, taffeta... The color scheme of women's clothing was also restrained, blue, green and bright colorful colors were rarely used, preference was for white, red, black, brown shades. The edges of the dress and seams were closed and trimmed with galloon and braid made of gold and silver threads, the edges of the hem and sleeves were decorated with gold embroidery. Before the birth of their first child, young girls from noble families wore caps (dyshche pyle) on a hard leather base, decorated around the band with braid or embroidery with a round or cone-shaped top, the center of which was crowned with a silver ball, a crescent or the figure of a bird. A light silk shawl or braided decoration (schkhats pyshche) was thrown over the top of the cap, which was attached to the top of the cap with a thin cord and went down in the form of two long ribbons, behind each ribbon there were laces under which the braids were pulled, such braids were decorated with gold embroidery and bassonry. Shoes - (vakye), like men's, were made of leather or made of thin felt. Beads and bracelets were not very popular among Circassian women. A mandatory element of clothing for noble (aristocratic) Adyghe men was edged weapons. The “Beshmet” was girded with the so-called saber girdle, that is, a leather belt decorated with copper and silver plaques, to which a dagger and saber were attached.

IN summer time During the year, 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. National dish, libzha - chicken or turkey with 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, broth must be served, after fried meat - spoiled 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).

According to the French agent of the Swedish king Charles XII (King of Sweden) Abri de la Motre, long before 1711 Circassia had the skills of mass smallpox vaccination. Abri de la Motre left detailed description smallpox vaccination procedures among the Circassians in the village of Degliad: “... they vaccinated a little girl of four or five years old... The girl was taken to little boy three years old, who was sick with this disease and whose pockmarks and pimples began to fester,” etc. Let us recall that only on May 14, 1796, the English pharmacist and surgeon Jenner inoculated 8-year-old James Phips with cowpox.

Currently, the main religion of the Circassians is Sunni Islam, the Hanafi madhhab.

Customs and folklore

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 self-awareness Circassian people, his religious self-identification.

IN ancient culture Circassians central place occupies the moral, ethical and philosophical code “Adyghe Khabze”, formed under the influence of the ancient value system of the Circassians and brought to perfection by the centuries-old history of the people. Following Adyghe Khabze is one of the instruments of self-identification of Circassians: the concept of “Adygag’e”, literally translated into Russian as “Circassianness”, is the main evaluative criterion of an individual’s behavior in Circassian society. “Adygage” means compliance of a person’s behavior with the criteria of Adyghe Khabze. “Ar adygag’ek1e mepseu” (“He acts in accordance with adygag’e”) is one of the highest praises for a Circassian.

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 disgrace: in the old days such a person was tried and punished. 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 the economic work of the 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 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 ceremonies 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.

The Circassian community very solemnly, with the participation of the entire population of the village and with the invitation of respected people from other villages, celebrated the completion of plowing and sowing. Women prepared festive meat dishes, sweets and intoxicating drinks. All this was brought to the field on the day of the holiday.

In folklore, the central place is occupied by tales on common Adyghe subjects and the Nart epic. The art of storytellers and song performers (jeguaklue) has been developed. Songs of lamentation, labor and humor are common. Traditional musical instruments- shyklepshchyne (violin), bzh'emi (pipe), pkh'etslych (rattle), various tambourines, which were played with hands and sticks. At the end of the 18th century, the harmonica became widespread.

The art of storytellers and song performers (jeguaklue) has been developed. Songs of lamentation (gybze), labor and humorous songs are common. Traditional musical instruments are shyklepshchyne (violin), bzh'emi (pipe), pkh'etslych (rattle), various tambourines, which were played with hands and sticks. At the end of the 18th century, the harmonica became widespread.

Circassian sayings: “Shapsug does not like to burn gunpowder”, “the death of a rider in battle is a cry in his house, and the loss of a weapon is a cry among the whole people”, “a real well-mannered horseman must leave the feast so that he can immediately be present again for the same treat."

Circassians in the past did not have professional musicians. Songs were passed down from mouth to mouth. The singers performed before the audience not only as vocalists, but also as storytellers and musicians, for which they were highly respected. Circassians compose their songs and perform them with great skill during family and religious holidays. There are heroic, labor, everyday and historical versions of songs. Short ditties, often satirical, are usually sung at parties in the winter.

The most common among Circassians are pair dances to the accordion and rattle or clapping, as well as a dance like the Lezginka - Islamey, which they practice from an early age. For a girl ( married women don’t dance) dancing is a look at her beauty, grace, and attire. The first dance outing is like a recognition of the girl’s coming of age. Dances are held on the occasion of weddings, during parties and on general holidays. Dance tunes are many and varied. Folk musical instruments: violin, various tambourines played with hands and sticks, as well as harmonica. It is played mainly by Circassian women, while all other national instruments are played only by men.

Sayings about Circassians

… The Circassian is agile
Wide steppe, through the mountains,
In a shaggy hat, in a black burka,
Leaning towards the bow, on the stirrups
Leaning on your slender leg,
Flew at the will of the horse,
Getting used to war in advance.
He admired the beauty
Swearing and simple clothes:
The Circassian is hung with weapons,
He is proud of him, comforted by him:
He is wearing armor, a arquebus, a quiver,
Kuban bow, dagger, lasso
And a checker, an eternal friend
His works, his leisure.
Nothing bothers him
Nothing will blurt out; on foot, horseback -
He's still the same; still the same look
Invincible, unyielding...

A. S. Pushkin “Prisoner of the Caucasus”

He raised his bright brow,
I looked and was internally proud!
That he is a CHERKESIAN, that he was born here!
Between the unshakable rocks alone,
He forgot the transience of life,
He, in the thoughts of the world, is the ruler,
I would like to appropriate them forever.

M. Yu. Lermontov. Historical sketch about Ishmael
Atazhukine, poem “Ishmael - Bey”. 1832.

She's cute - I'll say between us -
Storm of the court knights,
And maybe with the southern stars
Compare, especially in poetry,
Her Circassian eyes...

There are three qualities which in these parts give a man the right to fame - courage, eloquence and hospitality; or. a sharp sword, a sweet tongue and forty tables.

Adyghe people have always been considered trendsetters: men were called “aristocrats of the mountains”, and girls “Frenchwomen of the Caucasus”, since the latter began to wear corsets from a young age. Adyghe women were considered the most beautiful and desirable wives, and men were considered the best warriors. By the way, even today the personal guard of the King of Jordan consists exclusively of representatives of this brave and proud nation.

Name

There are many myths and disputes around the name “Adyghe”, and all because it is actually made up in Soviet years a name created to divide the Caucasian peoples along territorial lines. Since ancient times, in the territory of modern residence of the Circassians, Circassians and Kabardians, there lived a single people who called themselves “Adyghe”. The origin of this word has not been fully established, although there is a version that it is translated as “children of the sun.”
After the October Revolution, the authorities divided the territories of the Circassians into smaller regions in order to weaken the power of a single people by including different subethnic groups into the new regions.

Adygea included the peoples living on the territory of the Kuban, and later the mountainous regions and the city of Maykop.
Kabardino-Balkaria was inhabited mainly by Adyghe-Kabardians.
The Karachay-Cherkess region included the Besleneev Adygs, who were similar in cultural and linguistic characteristics to the Kabardians.

Where they live and numbers

Starting from Soviet times, Adyghe people began to be registered separate people, which led to division with the Circassians and Kabardians. According to the results of the 2010 census, about 123,000 people in Russia consider themselves Adyghe. Of these, 109.7 thousand people live in the Republic of Adygea, 13.8 thousand live in the Krasnodar Territory, mainly in the coastal regions of Sochi and Lazarevsky.

The genocide of the Circassians during the civil war led to significant migration of representatives of the nationality and the formation of large Adyghe diasporas abroad. Among them:

in Turkey - about 3 million people
in Syria - 60,000 people
in Jordan - 40,000 people
in Germany - 30,000 people
in the USA - 3,000 people
in Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Israel - 2-3 national villages

Language

Despite the presence of dialects, all Adyghe people speak the same language, which belongs to the Abkhaz-Adyghe language group. Writing has existed among the people since ancient times, as evidenced by the surviving written monuments: the Maikop slab and the Makhoshkushkha petroglyphs, dating back to the 9th-8th centuries BC. By the 16th century it was lost; starting from the 18th century, it was replaced by analogues based on Arabic writing. The modern alphabet based on the Cyrillic alphabet appeared in 1937, but it was finally established only in 1989.

Story

The ancestors of the Adyghe people were ancient population Caucasus, which, interacting with neighboring peoples, formed the tribes of the Achaeans, Kerkets, Zikhs, Meots, Torets, Sinds, who occupied the Black Sea coast and the Krasnodar region at the end of the first millennium BC.
At the beginning of the new era, one of the oldest states in the region, Sindika, was located here. Even the famous king Mithridates was afraid to pass through its territory: he had heard a lot about the fearlessness and courage of the local warriors. Despite the feudal fragmentation that followed, the Circassians managed to maintain independence from the Golden Horde, although their territories were subsequently plundered by Tamerlane.
The Circassians maintained friendly and partnership relations with the Russians starting from the 13th century. However, during Caucasian wars the authorities began a policy of capturing and subjugating all the peoples living here, which led to numerous clashes and genocide of the Circassian people.

Appearance

The vast majority of representatives of the nationality belong to the Pontic anthropological type of appearance. Some representatives have features of the Caucasian type. The distinctive features of the appearance of the Adyghe people include:

average or high growth;
a strong athletic figure with broad shoulders for men;
a slender figure with a thin waist in women;
straight and dense hair of dark brown or black color;
dark eye color;
significant hair growth;
straight nose with a high bridge;

Cloth

The national Circassian costume has become a symbol of the people. For men, it consists of a shirt, loose pants and a cherkeska: a fitted caftan with a diamond-shaped neckline. Gazyrs were sewn on the chest on both sides: special pockets in which at first they stored gunpowder measured in quantity for firing, and then only bullets. This made it possible to quickly reload the weapon even while riding.

The older generation had long sleeves, while the younger generation had narrow sleeves, so as not to interfere with combat. The color of the outfit was also important: princes wore white Circassian coats, nobles wore red, peasants wore gray, black and brown. A replacement for the Circassian coat was a beshmet: a caftan similar in cut, but without a cutout and with a stand-up collar. In cold weather, the suit was complemented by a burka - a long fur coat made of sheep's fur.
Women's outfits were even more colorful. Rich Circassian women specially purchased velvet and silk for sewing dresses, while the poor were content with woolen material. The cut of the dress emphasized the waist: it hugged the upper part of the figure and greatly expanded towards the bottom thanks to the use of wedges. The outfit was decorated with an exquisite leather belt with silver or gold jewelry. A low cap was put on the head, and after marriage and the birth of a child it was replaced with a scarf.

Men

An Adyghe man is, first of all, a brave and fearless warrior. From early childhood, boys were taught to wield a knife, dagger, bow and arrow. Every young man was required to breed horses and be able to ride well in the saddle. Since ancient times, Circassian warriors were considered the best, so they often acted as mercenaries. The guard of the King and Queen of Jordan still consists exclusively of representatives of this nation and continues to wear national costumes in service.

From childhood, men were taught restraint and modesty in everyday desires: they had to be able to live in any conditions. It was believed that the best pillow for them was a saddle, and the best blanket was a burqa. Therefore, men did not sit at home: they were always on hikes or doing household chores.
Among other qualities of the Adyghe people, it is worth noting perseverance, determination, strong character, and perseverance. They are easily inspired and do everything to achieve their goals. They have a highly developed sense of self-esteem, respect for their land and traditions, so when communicating with them it is worth showing restraint, tact and respect.

Women

Since ancient times, not only legends, but also poems have been written about the beauty of Circassian women. For example, in the poem “Cherkeshenka” the poet Konstantin Balmont compares a beautiful girl with a “thin lily”, “a gentle weeping willow”, “a young poplar” and a “Hindu bayadera”, but at the end he notes:
“I would like to compare you... But the game of comparisons is perishable.
For it is too obvious: You are incomparable among women.”

From the age of twelve, the girl began to wear a corset. He provided correct posture, flexible figure, thin waist and flat chest: these external qualities were highly valued not only by fellow tribesmen, but also by foreigners. On the wedding night, the groom cut off the corset with a knife; a married lady was not supposed to wear it. Luxurious long hair: girls braided them or did other hairstyles, and married women had to hide them under a scarf.
All the peoples of Eurasia sought to have a Circassian wife or concubine. Princess Kuchenei, the daughter of the famous prince from the Temryukov dynasty, entered history: she became the wife of Ivan the Terrible and received the name Maria Temryukovna. During the slave trade, Adyghe women were sold at twice the price of others: it was prestigious to have them in a harem for their beauty, handicraft skills, pleasant manners of communication and behavior.
From childhood, Adyghe girls were taught handicrafts, rules of etiquette, modesty, and instilled with a sense of self-esteem. Women played an important role in society, they were respected and revered, despite the patriarchal structure and the practice of Islam. It was forbidden to smoke, swear, quarrel, or fight in front of women. Men of any age stood up at the sight of them, and the riders dismounted. Having met a lady in the field, on the road or just on the street, it was customary to offer her help if she needed it.
There was also a custom of giving gifts: men returning after a military campaign or a successful hunt gathered for a feast in the house of the most revered or desired woman, where they were obliged to bring her as a gift part of what they received in battle. If there was no such woman, gifts could be given to any Adyghe woman encountered along the way.

Family life

The Adyghe people have a traditional patriarchal family structure. At the same time, the role of women was much more important, and their position was freer than that of other Caucasian peoples. Girls, just like boys, could participate in folk festivities and host boys: for this purpose, they even equipped separate rooms in rich houses.

This allowed us to take a closer look at opposite sex and find a mate: the bride’s opinion when choosing a groom was decisive, if it did not contradict the traditions and wishes of the parents. Weddings were rarely carried out by conspiracy or kidnapping without consent.
In ancient times, large families were common, numbering from 15 to 100 people, in which the head was the elder, the founder of the clan, or the most respected man. Since the 19th-20th centuries, priority has shifted to a small two-generation family. The main thing in resolving social issues was the husband; one could not contradict him or argue with him, especially in public. However, the woman was the main one in the house: she solved all household issues and raised children and girls.
In rich, especially princely families, atalyism was widespread. One or more sons from a wealthy family with early age were given to be raised by a less noble, but still influential family. The boy grew up in it until he was 16 years old, after which he returned to his father’s house. This strengthened the relationship between the clans and observed the tradition according to which the father was forbidden to become attached to his children and publicly express his feelings towards them.

Housing

Traditional home for the poor Adyghe people - a house assembled from rods coated with clay. Usually it consisted of one room, in the center of which there was a fireplace. According to tradition, it should never go out, as this promised misfortune to the family. Subsequently, additional rooms were added to the house for sons who got married and decided to stay with their parents.
Later, extensive estates, in the center of which stood main house, and on the sides there were outbuildings. In wealthy families, separate dwellings were built in the courtyard for guests. Today this is rare, but every family tries to have a special room to accommodate travelers, relatives and guests.

Life

The traditional occupations of the Adyghe people are cattle breeding and agriculture. They planted mainly millet and barley, later corn and wheat were added. Cattle breeding was pasture; goats and sheep were bred, less often cows and yaks, and in mountainous areas - donkeys and mules. In the subsidiary farm they kept birds: chickens, ducks, geese and ducks.

Viticulture, gardening, and beekeeping were widespread. The vineyards were located on the coast, in the areas of modern Sochi and Vardan. There is a version that the name of the famous “Abrau-Durso” has Circassian roots and means the name of a lake and a mountain river with clear water.
The Adyghe crafts were poorly developed, but in one of them they succeeded much better than their neighbors. Since ancient times, the Adyghe tribes knew how to process metal: blacksmithing and blade making flourished in almost every village.
Women mastered the art of weaving fabric and were famous as excellent needlewomen. The skill of embroidery with gold threads was especially valued national ornaments, which included solar, plant and zoomorphic motifs, and geometric shapes.

Religion

The Adyghe people went through three main periods of religious definition: paganism, Christianity and Islam. In ancient times, the Adyghe peoples believed in the unity of man and the cosmos, they thought that the earth was round, surrounded by forests, fields and lakes. For them there were three worlds: the upper one with the deities, the middle one where people lived, and the lower one where the dead went. The worlds were connected by a tree, which continues to play a sacred role to this day. So, after the birth of a grandson, in the first year of his life, the grandfather is obliged to plant a tree, which the child will subsequently care for.

The supreme deity of the Adyghe people was Tha, or Thasho, the creator of the world and its laws, who controls the course of life of people and all things. In some beliefs, the leading role of the god of lightning, similar to Perun or Zeus, is observed. They also believed in the existence of the souls of ancestors - Pse, who watch over their descendants. That is why throughout life it was important to observe all the laws of honor and conscience. There were also individual patron spirits of fire, water, forest, and hunting in ritual culture.
Christian tradition indicates that Simon the Canaanite and Andrew the First-Called preached in the territories of Circassia and Abkhazia. However, Christianity was established in the Circassian region only by the 6th century, dominating here until the fall of Byzantium. Beginning in the 16th century, under the influence of the Ottoman sultans, Islam became widespread. By the 18th century, it rallied the entire population under the banner, becoming a national idea during the struggle against the colonialist policies of the Russian Empire during the Caucasian Wars. Today, the majority of Adyghe people profess Sunni Islam.

Culture

A special role in the Circassian tradition was played by dance, which existed since ancient times and was considered the soul of the people. A popular couples dance is the lyrical Islamey, in which a man, like a proud eagle, soars in a circle, and a modest but proud girl responds to his advances. More rhythmic and simpler is uj, which is usually danced in groups at weddings and during folk festivals.

Wedding traditions

Wedding traditions Adyghe people are still largely preserved to this day. Often the girl chose the groom, hinting to him of her desire to start a family with a small gift. Negotiations about a future union began with matchmaking: men from the groom’s side came to the house of the chosen girl and stood in the place where they cut wood. There were at least three such visits: if during the last one they were invited to the table, this meant the bride’s consent.
Afterwards, the girl’s relatives went to inspect the groom’s house to assess his financial well-being. This was necessary because it was possible to start a family only with people of your own social class. If what they saw satisfied the visitors, the size of the dowry was discussed: usually it consisted of at least one horse and cattle, the number of heads of which was determined depending on the wealth of the family.

On the wedding day, the husband's male relatives and one girl came to accompany the bride. There were obstacles along the way for the wedding train, and it was possible to get into the bride's house only after a playful battle. The future wife was showered with sweets, a path made of silk was laid in front of her, and she was necessarily carried over the threshold so that she would not disturb the spirits of her ancestors.
Upon arrival at the groom's house, the bride was again showered with sweets and coins, but the future husband left for the whole day, returning only at sunset. During the day, the girl was entertained by her husband’s relatives; there was also a humorous custom of “grandmother leaving”: once a new mistress came to the house, the old one had no place here. The bride had to run after her with sweets and persuade her to stay. Then they hugged and returned to the house together.

Birth traditions

Many Adyghe customs are associated with the birth of children. Immediately after the birth, a flag was hung over the house: this meant that everything was fine with both mother and child. A plain flag announced the birth of a boy, a motley flag announced the birth of a girl.
Before the birth, no dowry was prepared for the child; this was considered a bad omen. Afterwards, the mother’s relatives made a cradle from hawthorn wood and brought bedding. The cat was placed first in the cradle so that the child slept as soundly as she did. Then the baby was placed there by the paternal grandmother, who had not usually seen the child before. If there was a guest in the house at the time of the birth of the baby, he was given the right to choose a name for the newborn. He received such an honorable right, since the Adyghe people believed that any guest was a messenger of God.

When the child began to walk, the “First Step” ritual was performed. All friends and relatives gathered at the parents' house, brought gifts to the baby and feasted. The hero of the occasion had his legs tied with a satin ribbon, which was then cut. The purpose of the ritual is to give the child strength and agility so that his further steps in life can proceed freely and without obstacles.

Funeral traditions

In the early and late Middle Ages, some ethnic groups Adyghe people had a ritual of air burial. The body of the deceased was placed between hollowed out logs, which were secured to tree branches. Usually, after a year, the mummified remains were buried.
More extensive burial practices were practiced in ancient times. Stone crypts were often built for the deceased, similar to the dolmens preserved in the Sochi region. Rich people had mound burial grounds where they left household items that the deceased had used during his lifetime.

Traditions of hospitality

The tradition of hospitality has passed through the lives of the Adyghe people through the centuries. Any traveler, even an enemy who asked for shelter, was required to be accommodated in the house. He was accommodated in the best room, livestock was slaughtered especially for him and food was prepared for him. best dishes, gave gifts. At first, the guest was not asked about the purpose of the visit, and it was not allowed to kick him out if he did not violate the traditions and rules of the house.

Food

Traditional Adyghe cuisine consists of dairy, flour and meat products. IN Everyday life ate boiled lamb with broth. The national dish of poultry meat, libzhe, was always served with a spicy sauce, Shyips, made from garlic and hot pepper.

Cottage cheese was made from milk, to which fruits or herbs were added, and hard and soft cheeses were prepared. After the Moscow Olympics in 1980, Adyghe cheese became famous throughout the world, which was branded and placed on the shelves especially for foreign guests. According to legend, the recipe for cheese was told to a Circassian girl by the god of cattle breeding Amish because she saved a lost herd of sheep during a storm.

Video

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.

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 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.

The way wedding ceremony has become structured, unknown. It can be assumed that experiences from life formed the basis of customs. A striking example This can be achieved by a 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.

Adygs installed the old one 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. They paid close attention to the owners’ dog, the condition of its coat, and how it was 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 for your daughter 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 close associates show them.

“Nakah” - this word came to us from the Arabic language 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 the groom with her to the house silver jewelry sewn to her national costume, items and essentials.

In the old days, the 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 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 the 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. Many loving people and destinies were destroyed by 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 the bride. Let's 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, well-mannered men who knew the customs and 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 full amount of the ransom, a guy, long after marriage, paid off the debt to the bride’s parents. 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 who 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 sat there and two girls with older woman. When the cart entered the village, the girls began to sing songs loudly, thereby letting people know that they were going to pick up 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. Particular attention was paid 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. This was the most beautiful custom among the Circassians. 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 placed 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 the neighbors. The bride was placed against the wall, accompanied 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 docile 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 it was not customary among the Circassians 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. It 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 was required to bring gifts from home for her new household.

After the bride and mother-in-law met, the first 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 the Circassian wedding were completed, the bride began to be taught 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.

Customs and traditions of the Circassians. Hospitality, kunachestvo, mutual assistance. Atalism.

Cuban Studies 7th grade

1. Analyze a fragment of K. Zhane’s poem “This is the custom of the Circassians” and draw a conclusion about the attitude towards elders in Circassian society.
If somewhere among young people
The gray-haired Circassian is speaking,
Don't you dare interrupt him,
Hold your pride and agility,
Respect his gray-haired age.

This is the custom of the Circassians!

Respect for elders and submission to their authority were strictly observed and became an integral element of the moral code of the people.

2. Determine the meaning of the terms. Kunak
- friend, brother. The word goes back to the custom of kunakism, when men belonging to different clans, tribes or nationalities in the North Caucasus entered into friendly relations and provided assistance to each other. Atalychestvo
- the custom of compulsory education of children outside the parental family. Equestrianism
- horseback riding. Dzhigit

- a rider distinguished by courage, endurance, and stamina.

3. Mark the correct statements with a + sign.
Atalychestvo is a custom of welcoming guests among mountain peoples.
- Atalyk, as a rule, became a representative of the nobility.
+ Atalychism contributed to preparing young people for military life.
+ The custom of hospitality required the owner to provide the guest with shelter, food and protection.
- Only blood relatives could become kunaks.

+ The custom of kunakship provided protection to travelers.

4. Identify what customs are being discussed in the passages below.
1) If a guest knocks at the door,
Open your heart to him
And give me half the house for a while,
and treat him to chitlibzh,
Respect his gray-haired age.

2) The child was sent to another family to be raised until he reached adulthood. This bound the two families with ties of strong friendship. The girls in the foster family were taught needlework, housekeeping, and all the intricacies of housekeeping. Boys - the art of war. The teachers taught the boys horse riding and handling weapons. The Adyghe princes gave their children to be raised by one of their subordinate orcs or peasants. It was considered an honor to raise the son or daughter of a prince.

3) An ancient Caucasian custom, according to which two men belonging to different clans, tribes or nationalities entered into such close friendly relations that these relations in their meaning were close to consanguineous, which made it a matter of honor for them to help each other and provide protection .

4) A system characteristic of almost all peoples of the Caucasus. It consisted of organizing military campaigns against neighboring tribes in order to capture booty, mainly livestock and slaves. This way of life was typical not only for the aristocratic tribes of the Circassians (Kabardians, Temirgoyev, Besleneevites), but also for the democratic tribes (Shapsugs, Abadzekhs, Natukhais).

Answers: 1) hospitality 2) atalychestvo 3) kunachestvo 4) raid system

5. List the main responsibilities of the atalyk.

The duties of the atalyk were to teach the student agility, horse riding, skillful use of weapons, courtesy in dealing with elders, and maintaining the decency of his rank with younger ones. The atalyk's wife taught the girls to do needlework, to behave decently - in a word, to everything that was necessary for future life in marriage.

Maykop, December 25 - AiF-Adygea. Many centuries ago, people's lives were full of many rituals. One of the most colorful rituals, of course, was and remains the wedding. Among the Circassians, it took place in several stages.

In the beginning, as is customary throughout the world, there was matchmaking. This mission was carried out by the eldest of the groom’s family - an uncle on the maternal side and three or four men on the paternal side. The matchmakers agreed on three visits with the family of the prospective bride. If after three visits the guests were never set the table and were not promised to give an answer, then this was regarded as a refusal. If the families agreed, then preparations for the wedding began. All these rituals, including the wedding process itself, were stipulated in the unwritten etiquette of the Circassians “khabze”.

It happened that lovers were not allowed to marry. Then the groom could kidnap his bride, but only by agreement with her. If, after she was brought to the groom’s house, she left, this greatly spoiled the young man’s reputation, and given that for the Adyghe his name was above all else, it was like death.

Today, brides are often kidnapped - in most cases these are very young boys and girls, and many of them create good and strong families.

You have to fight for happiness

At the first stage of the wedding, about fifty horsemen, led by the groom, came to pick up the bride from home. At the same time, they were prevented from passing and various obstacles were created. For about three days, the guests lived in the bride's house, where they also tried to unbalance them with various provocations, thereby testing the patience of the groom and his entourage. When leaving with his future wife, the groom gave his mother-in-law a horse, and the newlyweds went to the relatives of their future husband. Moreover, when he was taking the bride away, the village residents did not allow their cortege to pass peacefully and could attack the horsemen with stakes. It happened that horses or even people were killed. Her relative was with the bride all the time - a young guy who protected her and made sure that everyone treated her well. Approaching the groom's house, the cortege was again not allowed to enter freely.

Such cruel rituals were explained by the fact that in both clans, when creating a new union, there was a reluctance, in one case, to give their daughter to strangers, and in the other, to accept someone else’s woman.

Wedding today

However, even in our time, a wedding is stressful for all its participants. And often in a fit of emotions various incidents occur. But still, a wedding is always a joyful event, and an orderly row of beautiful cars moving slowly and dignifiedly through the city is one of the most mesmerizing sights. Young men and women today are proud of their customs, and many weddings are held in a traditional style.

Traditional wedding ceremonies- That's very beautiful. Especially when the bride is brought to a new house, which she has not been to, and then taken out into the yard to the guests. I also really like it when brides wear national dresses - “sai”. Moreover, now they are sewn so beautifully. This is our culture, our priorities, and I would also like my wedding to have such beautiful rituals,” said MSTU student Darina Khoretleva.

Interethnic marriages are also frequent, when entire cultures unite and a new interpretation of wedding rituals appears, when each party brings its own flavor to the common holiday.

So that fate is like silk

When the bride found herself in the groom's courtyard, a path of silk fabric was laid out in front of her, and she entered the house. A specially prepared room was allocated for the newlyweds, in which the bride could stay from one month to a year, or even more. During her stay there, she did not do household chores, but received guests and gifts. The more respect shown to the girl, the longer she stayed in this room.

The groom hid with his friend until all issues regarding the payment of the bride price and the wedding were resolved. Modern weddings have retained elements of ancient customs, so today brides are led into the house along a path, paid a bride price for it and allocated a special room, but all this is done in a shorter time.

Oh this wedding...!

The most eventful day was “nyseshejegu” - a wedding celebration with dancing, games, rituals of the grandmother leaving the house, bringing the bride into the big house and into the kitchen. In honor of the wedding, horse races could be held. The wedding began and ended with a round dance. All festivities lasted up to three days, princely weddings could last up to nine days. As before, at modern weddings there is a special host “jaguako” - the “player”. In his hands he holds a symbol of power - a hazelnut stick, and directs the entire course of the event according to the traditional plan.

A wedding is a complex set of rituals and a great test for the newlyweds. But first of all, it is a beautiful ritual through which people tell the whole world about their love.