Customs and traditions of the Adyghe people. Circassian traditions and customs

Actually, the Adige Circassians are slender and broad-shouldered. Their hair, most often dark brown, frames a beautiful oval face, with sparkling eyes, almost always dark. Their appearance exudes dignity and inspires sympathy.

The folk costume of the Circassians consists of a beshmet or arhaluk, a circassian coat, buttons, chevyaks, a burka and a hat trimmed with galloon, with a bashlyk reminiscent of a Phrygian cap.

Weapons - saber (the name came to us from the Circassians), a gun, a dagger and pistols. On both sides there are leather sockets for rifle cartridges, on the belt there are grease boxes, a screwdriver and a bag with accessories for cleaning weapons.

Women wear a long shirt made of calico or muslin, with wide sleeves, over the trousers, over the shirt a silk beshmet, chaps trimmed with galloon, and on their head a round cap entwined with a white muslin turban. Before marriage, girls wore a special corset that compressed their breasts.

Traditional home

The Circassian estate is usually located quite secluded. It consists of a hut, built of turluk and covered with thatch, a barn on poles and a stable, surrounded by a dense tine, behind which stretch vegetable gardens, sown mainly with corn and millet. Adjacent to the fence on the outside is the Kunakskaya, which consists of a house and a stable, fenced with a palisade. The saklya consists of several rooms with windows without glass. Instead of a stove, there is a recess in the earthen floor for a fire, with a wicker pipe coated with clay. The furnishings are very simple: shelves along the walls, several tables, a bed covered with felt. Stone buildings are rare and only on mountain tops: warlike Circassian considered it shameful to seek protection behind stone fences.

National cuisine

The Circassian is very undemanding when it comes to food. His usual food: wheat soup, lamb, milk, cheese, corn, millet porridge (paste), buza or mash. They do not drink pork or wine. In addition to cattle breeding and hunting, the Circassians cultivate beekeeping.

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 prowess, horsemanship and beautiful clothes. 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.

As a weapon in those distant times in its offensive and defensive battles they used swords, long spears, arrows, clubs, heavy armor, shields, etc. Vanity gave rise to courage, fearlessness and risk-taking, 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 gave these things such important, which 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 host must greet his guest with the greatest respect and treat him the best dishes and drinks, and when a guest leaves the house, the owner is obliged to 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 best weapon 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 about 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 individual, 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 gave 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 true artistic merit and not only entertained people, but also helped 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 saddles outdoors in the pastures, dressed in burkas. The Kabardians were more interested in horse breeding than others, and their breeds of horses 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.

The 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 on 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 guests and waited on them, embroidered and did other similar work, but these activities were supplanted by more ordinary everyday housework and mental labor, because modern household appliances led to the extinction of those beautiful 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 large cattle and horses, and since in ancient times there was no money, they carried out barter trade and exchanged livestock, fabrics, 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 away 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 strong developed sense 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 education. Young people had enormous respect for their elders.

The princes occupied the highest position and exercised executive power. With the help of the nobility, they carried out decisions and regulations adopted by a majority vote at the 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 psha 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 something, 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 authority and despotic rulers. The people instinctively had an aversion to obeying strict orders, for they believed that absolute, unlimited personal freedom was greatest gift God 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.

The elders convened public assemblies when there was a need to think and discuss serious questions. 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 of Greek civilization, and 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 an 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 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 the ancient folk songs and legends. 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!”

21:57 15.10.2012

Customs and customs are interestingly intertwined human destinies. 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.

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 entire process was led by older generation, both from the girl’s side and from the guy’s side. There have been cases when young people met at some event, and during a long and pleasant conversation, a serious relationship began. 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, 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’s dowry included a full set of jewelry sewn into her national costume. It could be gold or silver (the metal depended on the girl's wealth). Also included 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. 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. 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 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 customs and traditions Circassian people, men who were not previously acquainted 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 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. 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 shot 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 was supposed to enter the house with right leg, after which a fresh ram skin was laid on it 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 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. “Dzheguako”, 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. right hand and gave it to a friend who stood on his right hand, then also with his right hand he took away a plate of food and gave it to a friend standing on his left. 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 for a long time lived in harmony with their husbands. 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.

Proud people North Caucasus Circassians (Adyghe, Circassians, Kabardians) are distinguished by rich traditions and customs.

Marriage occupies a huge place in the life of an Adyghe and this event is enriched with many customs and rituals. The entire marriage procedure consists of several stages, such as matchmaking, viewing a house, registering a marriage, traveling for ransom (kalym), the bride’s arrival at the groom’s house, identifying a young girl in “someone else’s house,” introducing the young bride to “ big house" And so on.

Wedding traditions Circassians

The ceremony of matchmaking among the Circassians could begin after the girl whom the guy was meeting gave some kind of symbolic gift to the young man or explicitly hinted that she was not against him sending matchmakers to her house.

After this, the matchmakers went to the girl’s house, but did not enter the house, but modestly stood in the place where the wood was chopped. This meant that they had come to get married. But only on the third visit of the matchmakers did the girl’s parents voice their decision, and this was done by inviting them into the house and setting a modest table for the guests. After the matchmaking, the girl’s clan sent its representatives

(not necessarily relatives) inspect the groom’s house and draw appropriate conclusions about the wealth and well-being of the future groom’s family. Only after the representatives of the girl’s clan made sure of the well-being of the groom’s house could it be said that the wedding preparations would continue. Therefore, after some time, the groom’s relatives visited the girl’s parents with purely symbolic gifts.

Adyghe wedding Marriage among the Circassians was concluded in writing according to Muslim custom, and this marriage document was kept in the house of the bride’s parents. When the marriage was concluded, effends, trusted girls and boys, as well as witnesses were present. Everyone had to wear a hat. Marriage registration or nechyhyyyth took place in the house of the bride's parents. After conclusion marriage contract the parties agreed on exact date, when the girl’s side could come for the bride price.

Kalym or wase consisted of one horse and cattle. This was accompanied by great celebrations; in fact, the Adyghe traditional wedding began with this. On the way to the bride's house, the groom's riders faced all sorts of difficulties and trials. And when they arrived at the bride’s house, the horsemen were greeted with stakes and clubs; everyone except the thamada got it. But as soon as one of the horsemen broke into the house of the bride’s parents, everyone calmed down and greeted those who arrived with hospitality. The guests were treated. Then the bride left the house; she did not have to look back, stumble, cross the threshold, and so on. The bride and the girl sat in the carriage, who came along with the riders to pick up the bride. The bride's side, as the purity, innocence and good manners of the girl, presented the thamada with a red banner or red material. But the young woman was not taken straight to the house of the groom's parents. She was assigned to “someone else’s house” (teshe). This was usually the house of the groom's maternal uncle. In “someone else’s house,” the newlywed was not only entertained, but also given all sorts of tests. There, the groom came to her at sunset and left at dawn. After some time, the bride was given the ceremony of uneishe - bringing the newlywed into the big house, that is, into the groom's house.

Adyghe people or Western Circassians (Adygs) (self-name - Adyghe) - people in Russia (132 thousand people), the indigenous population of Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory, including the Black Sea coast from Anapa to Sochi.

Traditional activities- arable farming (millet, barley, since the 19th century the main crops have been corn and wheat), gardening, viticulture, livestock breeding (cattle and small cattle, horse breeding). Home crafts - weaving, weaving, burochka, leather and weapons production, stone and wood carving. Clothing and household items of the Adyghe people have long been decorated with embroidery with gold and silver threads, silk, cord, and appliqué. Large patterns predominate plant motifs, sparsely filling the background. On silver items (decorations for clothing, horse harnesses, etc.), thin floral and curvilinear patterns were applied by engraving, niello, filigree, and notching. Simple geometric patterns are typical for mats, wood carvings, and patterned felts.

Cloth of the general North Caucasian type, for men - an undershirt, a beshmet, a Circassian coat, a belt with a silver set, trousers, a felt cloak, a hat, a bashlyk, narrow felt or leather leggings. For women - bloomers, lower. a shirt, a tight-fitting caftan, a long swing dress with a silver belt and long sleeve pendants, a high cap trimmed with silver or gold braid, a scarf.

Circassian crafts

Blacksmithing among the Circassians[

Adyghe blacksmiths in the early Middle Ages, apparently, had not yet severed their connection with the community and had not separated from it, however, within the community they already formed a separate professional group,...

Blacksmithing production during this period was focused mainly on satisfying the economic needs of the community (shares, scythes, sickles, axes, knives, chains, spits, sheep shears, etc.) and its military organization(horse equipment - bits, stirrups, horseshoes, girth buckles; offensive weapons - spears, battle axes, swords, daggers, arrowheads; defensive weapons - helmets, chain mail, parts of shields, etc.).

It is still difficult to determine what the raw material base of this production was, but, without excluding the presence of our own smelting of metal from local ores, we will point out two iron ore regions from where metallurgical raw materials (semi-finished products-kritsy) could also be supplied to Adyghe blacksmiths. These are, firstly, the Kerch Peninsula and, secondly, the upper reaches of the Kuban, Zelenchuk and Urup, where they were discovered obvious traces of ancient cheese-making iron smelting.

Jewelry making among the Circassians

“Adyghe jewelers had the skills of casting non-ferrous metals, soldering, stamping, making wire, engraving, etc. Unlike blacksmithing, their production did not require bulky equipment and large, difficult-to-transport supplies of raw materials. As shown by the burial of a jeweler in a burial ground on the river. Durso, metallurgists and jewelers could use not only ingots obtained from ore, but also scrap metal as raw materials. Together with their tools and raw materials, they moved freely from village to village, increasingly breaking away from their community and turning into otkhodnik artisans.”

Gunsmithing

Blacksmiths are very numerous in the country. They are almost everywhere weapon and silversmiths and are very skilled in their profession.

It is almost incomprehensible how they, with their few and insufficient tools, can make excellent weapons.

The gold and silver jewelry that is admired by European gun lovers is made with great patience and labor with meager tools.

Gunsmiths are highly respected and well paid, rarely in cash, of course, but almost always in kind.

Kalmyks (Kalm.Halmgood ) - people; part of the Oirats who migrated in the 17th century to the Lower Volga region (Kalmykia) and the North Caucasus.

The basis of the traditional Kalmyk economy was nomadic cattle breeding. The herd was dominated by sheep, fat-tailed and coarse-wooled, and horses of the Kalmyk steppe breed, distinguished by their unpretentiousness; Cattle were also bred - red cows raised for meat, as well as goats and camels. Cattle have been kept on pasture all year round since the 19th century. began to stockpile food for the winter. With the transition to sedentism (with the exception of Russian Kalmyks and those who lived in the West, the rest of the Oirat-Kalmyks continue to lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle), pig breeding began to be practiced. In the Volga region and the Caspian Sea, fishing played a significant role. Hunting was of no small importance, mainly saigas, but also wolves, foxes and other game. Some groups of Kalmyks have been engaged in agriculture for a long time, but it did not play a significant role. Only with the transition to settled life did its importance begin to grow. Cereals were grown - rye, wheat, millet, etc., industrial crops - flax, tobacco, vegetable gardens, orchards and melons. From the 20th century Kalmyks also begin to engage in flood rice cultivation. Crafts were developed, including leather working, felting, wood carving, etc., including artistic ones - leather stamping, embossing and metal engraving, embroidery.

Men's clothing Kalmyks had a shirt with long sewn-in sleeves and a round neckline (it had White color) and blue or striped pants. Over them they wore a beshmet sewn at the waist and another pair of trousers, usually cloth. The beshmet was belted with a leather belt, richly ornamented with silver plaques; it was an indicator of the owner’s wealth; a knife in a sheath was hung from the belt on the left side. The men's headdress was a fur hat like a papakha or a sheepskin cap with earflaps. Ceremonial headdresses had a red silk tassel, which is why neighboring peoples called the Kalmyks “red-tasseled.” Shoes were soft leather boots of black or red with slightly curved toes; they were worn with felt stockings in winter and canvas foot wraps in summer.

Women's clothing was more varied. It consisted of a white long shirt with an open collar and a slit in the front to the waist and blue pants. Girls from the age of 12-13 wore a camisole over their shirt and pants, tightly cinching their chest and waist and making their figure flat; they did not take it off even at night. Women's clothing was also biz made of chintz or woolen fabric in the form of a long dress, it was tied at the waist with a belt with metal patches, as well as birz - a wide dress without a belt. The girl's headdress was a cap: a woman's headdress resembled a beret with a wide, hard hoop at the bottom. Married women braided their hair in two braids and put them in black or velvet braids. Women's shoes were leather boots. There were numerous women's jewelry - earrings, hairpins, hairpins, etc. made of gold, silver, bone, precious and semi-precious stones. Men wore an earring in their left ear, a ring and an amulet bracelet.

Traditions and customs. A special attitude towards tea as a “divine drink” (deedsin iden) determined the specifics of the Kalmyk tea ritual. There are many canons associated with the ceremony of preparing and offering Kalmyk tea. We will focus on just a few. It is considered good luck when a person is lucky enough to have morning tea with someone. On this occasion, the owners of the house say: “Sen kuune amn tosta” (A good person always ends up with hearty food). The hosts specially invite those who enter to take part in morning tea. As a rule, Kalmyks never refuse such an invitation, because morning tea is associated with the successful resolution of begun affairs, which is confirmed by folk wisdom: “ϴrun tse uupad iarkhla, kerg kutskh” (If you drink tea in the morning, your deeds will be completed).

The marriage was concluded by agreement between the parents of the future husband and wife; the consent of the guy and the girl was usually not asked. The girl was married off outside her khoton. There was no kalym, but the values ​​​​transferred by the groom's family to the bride's family could be significant. Gelyung previously determined whether the marriage would be successful. To do this, they compared the years of birth of the bride and groom according to the Eastern calendar. It was considered good if the bride was born in the year of the hare, and the groom in the year of the dragon, but not vice versa, since “the dragon will devour the hare,” that is, the man will not be the head of the house. For new family They set up a separate tent, with the groom’s side preparing the dwelling itself, and the bride’s side providing the interior decoration and household items. To reduce wedding expenses, by mutual agreement of the parties, an imaginary abduction of the bride could be arranged. The matchmakers came to the bride's family three times to formalize the agreement; these meetings were accompanied by a festive meal. Whether the marriage would be successful and the “happy” wedding day was determined by a zurkhachi (astrologer) using special fortune telling.