History and traditions of Kabardians. Fine art of Kabardians and Circassians
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INTRODUCTION
This project is dedicated to the history of my people - the Kabardians. The population of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic as of January 1, 2017 is 862,050 people. according to Rosstat data on a preliminary estimate of the population as of 01/01/2017.
I, Gonibova Lalina, am a representative of the Kabardian family, immigrants from the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the village of Verkhniy Akbash.
Russia - multinational state. It is home to representatives of more than 100 different nations. A people and a nation are a community of people that has formed over a long period of time in a certain territory and has its own special language, culture, and economy. A person’s belonging to a particular nation is called nationality. A person inherits his nationality from his parents.
In my work, I would like to draw public attention to the development of the cultural traditions of my people.
When starting work on this project, I set myself a goal to learn as much as possible about the traditions of my people. While working on the project, I studied various literary and documentary sources, which helped me learn a lot of useful information. I learned to analyze and draw conclusions. To find answers, I turned to explanatory dictionary, talked with village elders, met with school and rural libraries, visited Internet sites, asked the teacher for help.
On September 1, 1921, the Kabardian Autonomous Region was formed as part of the RSFSR, and in January 1922, a single Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Region was formed, transformed in 1936 into the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
Kabardino-Balkaria - one of the most picturesque corners North Caucasus. The main wealth of the republic is its people: hardworking and brave, generous in friendship and hospitality, harsh with enemies. The workers of Kabardino-Balkaria turned the formerly backward region into a powerful industrial region of the country. New power plants, factories and factories peacefully coexist with the remains of ancient battle towers, monuments to ancient folk heroes - defenders from foreign invaders.
The very name of the republic suggests that two peoples live here - Kabardians and Balkars. These peoples speak different languages, but since ancient times they have been united by a common historical destiny and similarity in their way of life. There are many similarities in the oral literature of Kabardins and Balkars - in their folklore.
Kabardians call themselves “Adyghe”. "Adyge" - common name and two other peoples related to the Kabardians - the Adygeans and Circassians, who live in the Adygei and Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Regions. In the distant past, Adygeis, Kabardians and Circassians formed a single people. They created and general folklore, known as Adyghe.
Majestic tales about the heroes - the Narts, songs about the fighters for people's cause- brave Aidemirkan, Hatha Kochas and others folk heroes, sincere lyrical songs, various fairy tales - all this common property three nations.
Objective of the project: get acquainted with the history of the Kabardian people and explore the peculiarities of cultural traditions.
Project objectives:
Find out from various sources history of the development of the Kabardian people; explore the main stages of development of cultural traditions.
Introduce national crafts and features of homemade culinary products.
To tell about national traditions your family.
Relevance:
Russia is huge, big country. And in this huge country there is a beautiful corner called “Kabardino-Balkaria”. Every person should know well about the place where he was born and lives. Everyone has the right to be proud of their history. Everyone has their own, unique, special, original. It was shaped year after year, created by dozens of generations. What we inherited from past generations was obtained through incredible efforts, sweat and blood of our predecessors. Therefore, we remember them with gratitude and carefully preserve everything they left us.
Today, the issue of preserving the customs and cultural traditions of peoples is very acute in the world. It is necessary to draw public attention to the development of cultural traditions of different peoples living on the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.
Hypothesis: the ability to preserve and enhance the traditions and culture of one’s ancestors, representatives of different nationalities is not only the ability to honor the past and present, but also the ability to educate a cultural, tolerant society for the future generation of our country.
Customs and traditions of Kabardians: loyalty to the principles of Adyghe Khabze.
Object of study:
My family, my classmates, the Kabardian people.
Subject of study:
History and culture of Kabardians.
Research methods:
Collection of information.
Working with Internet resources.
Analysis of received materials.
Chapter 1.
1.1. History of Kabardians.
Since ancient times, until the end of the 14th century, all Adygs (Circassians) (including Kabardians, Circassians of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic and Adygeis) have a common history.
Kabardians are the largest branch of the Circassians (Circassians). Of all the mountain tribes, the Kabardians gained the loudest fame, thanks to their warlike spirit, courage, as well as their dominant position in the North Caucasus. In Russian history they are known by the name "Pyatigorsk Circassians", which comes from the name of Mount Beshtau (in Russian - Pyatigorye), in the vicinity of which they live.
The ancestors of Kabardians have lived on the eastern shores of the Black Sea since time immemorial. But only from the middle of the 15th century to historical scene Kabarda and the Kabardians appear, named after the leader of the people, the semi-legendary Prince Idar (Kabardey). Subsequently, the Kabardian princes kept the neighboring mountain tribes - Ingush, Ossetians, Abazins, and Mountain Tatars - in tributary dependence.
All the highlanders of the North Caucasus, and after them the Russian Cossacks, borrowed from the Kabardians their uniform, weapons, and horse riding. Kabarda was also a school of good manners and manners for the mountaineers.
In 1722, during the Persian campaign of Peter I, the Kabardians, despite the threats of the Crimean Khan, stood on the side of Russia. Their complete unification occurred after a series of Russian-Turkish wars. Friendship with Russia contributed to the strengthening of the influence of the Kabardians in the North Caucasus. In 1991, the Kabardian Autonomous Okrug was formed as part of the RSFSR, subsequently the united Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.
I learned that Kabarda has the best pastures in the Caucasus. The rivers and streams are home to carp, pike, and trout, but the fish of the Caspian Sea rise up the Terek only to Naur or Mozdok. This region lacks only a large population to turn it into one of the most beautiful provinces of Russia. The rivers and streams that irrigate the plains of Kabarda are very numerous. Here is a list of them: Podkumok, Stoka, Zaluka, Malka, Kura, Kish-Malka, Baksan, Chegem, Cherek, Nalchik, Urukh, Psydakha, Shugolya, Durdur, Psykhuzh, or Belaya, Ardon, Fiak-don, Gezeldon, Arkhon, Mostchaya and Kurp.
I also learned that nature generously endowed our region: high mountains crowned with snowy peaks, fertile plains, dense forests. In Kabardino-Balkaria there is highest peak Europe - Mount Elbrus (in Kabardian - Oshkhamakho, which means “Mountain of Happiness”) and the famous Blue Lakes.
1.2. How Kabardians lived and what they did.
Young Kabardians of the noble class have been engaged in their physical development. This is how the ideal of a Kabardian was developed, who has broad shoulders and a narrow waist, a powerful neck like an ox, keen eyes like a falcon, and strong hands like a wolf’s mouth. The love of sports (although there is no adequate word in the Adyghe language) is fantastically reflected in Nart legends. Every year the sledges ( legendary heroes Kabardians) organized heroic games with the Steel Wheel. He was lowered from the top of the mountain, and one of the heroes met him at the foot and drove him back up the mountain with a blow of his foot or palm. The Narts loved multi-day races, wrestling, the goal of which was to drive the enemy into the ground up to his neck. For Kabardians, the Narts were an unattainable ideal.
Kabardian sport did not know mountaineering, but the greatest mountaineering feat in the Caucasus belongs to Kabardian Kilar Khashirov. On July 10, 1829, he was the first in the world to conquer Elbrus without prior training. The ascent was organized by the commander of the Caucasian line, General Emanuel. Scientists were involved in this expedition - geophysicist, geologist, physicist, zoologist, botanist, as well as an escort team consisting of Kabardians, Balkars and Cossacks. However, most of the climbers were forced to descend from a height of 4270 meters, unable to withstand altitude sickness. Some did not reach the top by only 210 meters. Only Kilar Khashirov continued the ascent alone. Observing the assault on Elbrus through a telescope, General Emanuel saw how he climbed to the very top of the eastern peak. To perpetuate Kilar’s feat, by order Russian Academy A memorial slab was cast at the Lugansk plant with the inscription: “Let this modest stone pass on to posterity the names of those who first paved the way to reach Elbrus, which is still considered inaccessible!”
1.3. Trades
Kabarda and Circassia were not areas of widespread development of crafts, like, for example, Dagestan.
Most of the local industries are related to product processing Agriculture and served the needs of the residents of her village. Only the famous Kabardian cloaks and saddles found sales outside Kabarda and Circassia, especially among the Terek and Kuban Cossacks.
Existed among the Kabardians and Circassians in the 19th - early 20th centuries. fisheries can be divided into two groups:
1) women's household crafts (women worked for their families, and in feudal period and for the owner's family);
2) handicraft and handicraft production, serviced by male labor.
The main raw material for women's household crafts came from cattle breeding, with the first place being occupied by wool, from which burkas, hats, felts, cloth, ropes, etc. were made. They are best known for their high quality light and durable local burkas, so necessary in the life of a mountaineer rider. In the household, women were also involved in processing sheepskins and leathers, from which clothes and shoes were made. Along with this, for a long time there were artisan tanners who made leather for shoes and especially belts for horse harnesses.
Women also weaved mats from reeds. In the everyday life of Kabardians and Circassians, things woven from willow and hazel twigs are widespread. The walls of the house and outbuildings, fences, part of the body of a cart, beehives and all kinds of baskets were woven together. Men did the weaving.
Chapter 2. Cultural traditions Kabardians.
2.1. Cloth.
For a long time, Kabardians and Balkars lived in friendship, jointly repelling the onslaught of numerous enemies. In harsh battles, these peoples managed to preserve their language, customs, and rich folklore.
The national clothing of Kabardians and Balkars has evolved over centuries. IN traditional clothes There were great similarities between Kabardians and Balkars. This community has developed over a long period of time historical period. The general military life was also important.
MEN'S CLOTHING
The men's clothing of Kabardians and Balkars was basically the same type. It was largely made from local materials: sheepskin, cattle leather, wool was processed into felt, from which hats, burkas, and homespun cloth were made. Kabardians and Balkars received silk, velvet, and cotton fabrics through developed trade relations.
Men's clothing of Kabardians and Balkars was not only well adapted to local conditions, but was also distinguished by its beauty, grace and peculiar elegance. It fully corresponded to the highlanders’ idea of the beauty of the male figure, emphasizing the broad shoulders and thin waist, its slimness and fit, dexterity, and strength. Both the cattle breeder, the hunter, the warrior, and the rider felt equally comfortable and free in clothes that were precisely tailored to the figure and did not restrict movement.
The clothes of Kabardians and Balkars were also a kind of decoration. These qualities of national clothing ensured its universal recognition in the Caucasus.
WOMEN'S CLOTHING
The clothing of Kabardian and Balkar women had much in common with men's, which indicates the unity of their fundamental principles. There were, of course, significant differences. Ideal female beauty in the Caucasus, a thin waist and a flat chest were considered. To achieve such a figure, Kabardians and Balkars from the age of 10-12 wore morocco corsets with wooden strips placed on the naked body and tightly encircling the girl’s entire bust. This ensured the girl’s slim and slender figure. The corset was tightened with laces and removed only on the wedding night.
Over the corset they put on an undershirt, which had the same cut as the men's shirt. But it was longer and went down below the knees. Her sleeves were also straight and wide, long, sometimes covering her hands. The women's shirt also had a straight cut and a small stand-up collar fastened with a button. Shirts were made from cotton or silk fabric of various, sometimes bright, colors. The choice of material for an elegant shirt was great attention, as the collar, front slit and sleeves peeked out from the dress. Connected with this was the custom of Kabardian and Balkar women to decorate these parts of the shirt with embroidery and beautiful narrow braid. Old women wore shirts made of cotton fabric in white or slightly darker colors, while young women sewed them from dark red, blue, brown colors etc. The shirts of older women did not have decorations or embroidery.
2.2. Food.
The Adygs always approached the issue of food and its intake very seriously. It is no coincidence that in this regard they developed a special etiquette - table etiquette. This etiquette was taught to children from early childhood, for it was not just a meal, but a whole school that required concentration, attention, and self-control.
Meat dishes were a common traditional food for Kabardians. They were prepared from lamb, beef, poultry and game - from fresh, dried, smoked, boiled meat. The carcass was carefully cut up at its joints. First of all, they chopped the spine into small pieces, separated the ribs, loin, shoulder blades and hind thighs. If there was no need to cook the entire carcass of a ram or goat, i.e., food was prepared only for family members, then first of all, pieces of the spine, part of the ribs, a shoulder blade, liver, lungs, and heart were cooked. The last four parts were fried separately in oil. The head and feet were oiled and washed thoroughly in hot and cold water; The innards (offal) were also washed very thoroughly and, at the same time, the head and legs were cooked separately. Before cooking fresh meat, you need to thoroughly rinse it in cold water and put it in a container with already hot, but not yet boiling, salted water and cook, periodically removing the foam. About 30-40 minutes before it is fully cooked, add a head of onion or a bunch of peeled green onions and other spices to taste into the broth. The cooked meat is removed, and the broth can be used separately. Kabardians always ate boiled and fried meat with pasta. A prerequisite for eating boiled meat was that for normal digestion it was washed down with either broth or another hot drink, but in no case with cold water. As a rule, meat was eaten hot and with “shyps” (gravy with garlic on a different base - broth, sour milk, sour cream, a mixture of sour cream and sour milk).
2.3. Culture.
The culture of any people is eternal. It will remain for humanity, even if its creator disappears from the face of the earth. In the system of Caucasian civilization, the culture of the Kabardian people occupies a significant and worthy place. Known to the whole world Adyghe etiquette(a set of unwritten laws of the Circassians) is one of the remarkable monuments of the spiritual culture of the Circassian ethnic group. The national uniform of the Circassians was adopted by almost all the peoples of the Caucasus, as well as by the Don, Kuban and Terek Cossacks. Historically, Kabardians were engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding.
Kabardians raised sheep, cattle and horses. Kabardian horses have always been famous both in Russia and abroad. The famous breed of Kabardian horse is not only the personification of beauty and endurance, it is extremely popular among connoisseurs and equestrian sports enthusiasts; many give preference to it because of its unpretentiousness and practicality in the household. The monumental Nart epic is a significant part of world culture.
Nowadays, after more than 100 years, there has been such a close fusion and mutual enrichment of the cultures of the peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria that samples of them song creativity difficult to separate from each other. They are perceived as a single culture. Therefore, in this work, Kabardian and Balkar music will be discussed as a single whole.
Kabardians carefully preserve the traditions of their ancestors. In their lives, an important role is played by “Adyghe khabze” - a set of norms and rules of behavior that have been established for centuries. Honoring elders is one of the main rules of “Adyghe khabze”. It is no coincidence that an eloquent saying has been preserved in Kabarda for a long time: “The power of the elder is equal to the power of God.” Indeed, old people are the most respected people among relatives and villagers. Elders are always given emphasized signs of attention, they are never objected to. In the company of elders, the younger ones never speak first, do not interrupt them, and, moreover, will never smoke in front of them. The respect of the elders in Kabarda can only be equaled by a guest. Hospitality among Kabardians is virtuous, because it is believed that the guest is a messenger of God. Popular wisdom says: “The Adyghe guest sits in the fortress.” The holy commandment of a Kabardian is to receive a guest at any time, feed and accommodate him in the best possible way. A family that is unable to fulfill the duty of hospitality is condemned by its fellow villagers.
2.4. History of Lezginka dance.
Lezginka is familiar to everyone. This dance is danced at concerts, city squares, weddings and just on the road. He inspires some, irritates others, but people indifferent to Lezginka simply do not exist. The peoples of the Caucasus have many common features, determined by their genetic affinity - starting from the famous “mountain temperament”, ending with linguistic and cultural proximity. One of the most famous common symbols of the culture of the peoples of the Caucasus is the Lezginka dance, which traditionally symbolically expresses the diversity of the mountain worldview.
Lezginka has a deep symbolic meaning - the ancient basis of the dance is the story of the eagle and the swan. In the image of an eagle, a man dances, alternating the tempo of the dance from slow to swift, like an eagle, now soaring, now diving, and spreading his arms as if they were wings. The woman opposite moves smoothly, imitating a swan's figure and grace, gradually accelerating, following her partner. Men compete with each other, trying to show the best skill and the most incredible movements at maximum speed.
Lezginka can also be performed with weapons, which gives it additional belligerence. Techniques for performing Lezginka exist in many variations, and each nation dances it in its own way. However, three types of dance can be distinguished, each of which is distinguished by its unique performance.
Chapter 3. Practical work.
Manufacturing national dish.
To find out how to prepare gedlibze I asked my grandmother to tell me about the peculiarities of preparing the national dish.
Giedlibrze- one of the most common dishes of Adyghe cuisine, without which not a single feast is complete. Gedlibrze is prepared both for every day and for festive table, and to the funeral. This is chicken lightly boiled and then stewed in a creamy sauce. For this dish, place the chicken in cold water, bring to a boil, add salt and cook over low heat until almost done. Then we cut it into small portions. To speed up the process a little, take the chicken fillet and immediately cut it into thin slices along the grain, and then cook. Transfer the boiled chicken meat, divided into portions, to a frying pan. There we fill it with a mixture of cream and broth and simmer.
One serving will require 200 g. chicken fillet, 120 gr. cream 33% fat and 50 gr. strained broth. 10-15 minutes - and the dish is ready. Of course, we serve it with the inevitable pasta.
Conclusion.
Summing up the work, I would like to note that maintaining diversity national cultures is an important task of modern society.
The level of national relations, the degree of their humanity and respect depend on the correct understanding of another people and their culture. Personality included in culture own people who thinks about its origins cannot help but treat another culture with good interest and trust.
This work helped me learn the history of my people and tell my peers about them and their traditions. I believe that the more we know about the peoples living in our country and abroad, the fewer interethnic conflicts there will be on our land.
Let's summarize.
While working on the project, I learned the history of my people, how my people fought for the right to live, observing the traditions of their ancestors. I learned a lot about the development of the culture of the Kabardian people.
The Caucasus is one of the areas of the world where folk costume It is distinguished by its exceptional variety, color and decoration. I found out that by national costume you can study the history of the people. I also learned to independently analyze and evaluate facts and events in the history of my native land.
References:
“Traditional hospitality of Kabardians and Balkars” A.I. Musukaev. 2008
“Traditional culture of Kabardins and Balkars” G.Kh.Mambetov. 2008
“Narts” Heroic epic of the Balkars and Karachais. A.I.Alieva. Moscow 1994.
4. Internet resources.
The musical culture of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic is rooted in the history of the Kabardians and Balkars. Over the centuries-old history of existence, these peoples have created a rich and original song folklore, heroic epic, instrumental music.
The origins of this culture date back to ancient times.
Judging by some songs the most ancient origin, it can be argued that Kabardian and Balkar vocal art was developed everywhere and their means of expression were far from primitive. Song art was one of the most accessible and reliable forms of storing historical information. The song made it possible to judge not only historical and political events, but also about life, economy, clothing, morals, etc., thus being a most valuable ethno-information source and cultural monument.
The term " Adyghe culture, Adyghe music, etc. In this regard, it is necessary to explain who the Adygs are.
The peoples living in the North Caucasus call themselves Adygs. Russia, European, Middle Eastern and neighboring Caucasian peoples they were known as Circassians. Modern Circassians are settled as follows: Kabardians live in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (the capital is the city of Nalchik), Mozdok Kabardians live in the Kursk district of the Stavropol Territory and in the city of Mozdok SOA. The Circassians and Beslaneevites, having merged, formed the modern Circassian nation living in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (the capital is the city of Cherkessk), the Abadzekhs, Bzhedugs, Temirgoyevtsy, and Shapsugs formed the modern Adyghe nation living in the Republic of Adygea (the capital is the city of Maykop). Some Shapsugs live on the Caucasian coast of the Black Sea (Lazarevsky district of the Krasnodar Territory).
Over their centuries-old history, the Circassians have created rich and original folklore, heroic epics and instrumental music.
If the Adyghe language belongs to the Abkhaz-Adyghe group of languages, then the Balkar language belongs to the Turkic-language group, which is akin to the language of the Tatars, Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Karachais, Nogais, etc. In the field of study Balkar people Scientists from Balkaria and Karachay A. Kholaev, Kh. Malkanduev, F. Urusbiev actively worked on song creativity.
In the very first, ancient examples of Balkar music, according to researchers, there was a pentatonic scale characteristic of the music of the peoples of the Turkic-speaking culture.
But due to the historically close proximity of the Circassians and Balkars, the cultures of these peoples interpenetrated. In the first publications of samples of Balkar folklore associated with the names of the Urusbiev brothers, dating back to the period of the 1880s, elements of the pentatonic scale are no longer present.
In the note by S.I. Taneyev, who visited Balkaria in 1885, speaks for the first time about Karachay-Balkar song folklore.
Nowadays, after more than 100 years, there has been such a close merging and mutual enrichment of the cultures of the peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria that samples of their song creativity are difficult to separate from each other. They are perceived as a single culture. Therefore, in this work, Kabardian and Balkar music will be discussed as a single whole.
Perhaps not many nations have a song so vividly and tangibly imprinted with the typical features of the national spirit as among the Circassians. They are so closely connected with life, and so strongly imbued with its dominant direction, that if no other traces remained of the Circassian tribe for posterity other than their songs, then from them alone one can form a definite idea about the life and activities of these tribes.
Truvor Karlovich Scheibler, a well-known musical and public figure in Kabardino-Balkaria, an expert in the musical folklore of Kabardians and Balkars, divided songs into seven types:
1) Labor songs.
2) Ritual songs.
3) Nart songs.
4) Historical and heroic songs.
5) Songs - laments (gybze).
6) Jokingly - satirical songs.
7) Lyrical songs.
(see appendix pp. 1-7 No. 1-7; p. 11 No. 15, 16, 17).
Scientist - musicologist Tamara Blaeva chose the method system analysis in the study of Adyghe songs. She divided the melodies of traditional genres of vocal music of the Circassians according to the principle of textural differences into actual vocal and vocal-instrumental. Vocal ones are presented in three types:
1) Singles (solo), performed by one singer.
2) Group, performed only by a group of singers.
3) Solo - group (with differentiated parts of the soloist and accompanying group).
The Nart heroic (mythological) epic, the formation of which dates back to the era of the tribal system and class formation, occupies a significant place in the traditional folklore of the Circassians. The plots of the Nart epic are grouped around its main characters Sosruko, Orzames, Bataraza, Lashgen.
For us, the Nart epic tales are of interest, like the Greek epic, and provide clear picture life and morals of the entire people.
Ritual songs belong to a large group of songs, whose origins can be dated back to ancient times.
Heroic, majestic and lamentable songs, along with Nart songs, are the most numerous and socially active type of Circassian songs. They are the ones who become the leader historical genre folklore from the 16th century with the formation of the Russian centralized state. The development of the genre of heroic - historical songs of greatness among the Circassians can be attributed to approximately the same period. But no matter how rich the musical folklore of the Circassians was, it for a long time was not studied or processed, but was simply passed down by storytellers from generation to generation, interpreted depending on the talent of the performers on folk instruments. And this is not surprising, since before the revolution there was no professional musicians and scientists - musicologists.
Interest in the culture of the Circassians in general and their folk poetry in particular appeared among the advanced part of the Circassian intelligentsia, mainly starting from the first half of the 19th century century. This was due to the awakening of national consciousness among the progressive part of the Circassians in connection with the escalation of hostilities in the Caucasus.
The first historians from the national environment were Shora Nogmov (1796 - 1844), who wrote "History Adyghe people"and a prominent collector of Kabardian poetic texts folk songs Colonel of the Russian army Sultan Khan - Giray (1802 - 1846). And also Talib Kashezhev and Pago Tambiev, who published the best examples of Adyghe folklore. Shora Nogmov, like Sultan Khan-Girey, drew attention to the social functions and conditions for the performance of historical songs. With their help, public disputes were resolved. Shora Nogmov and folk singers highly regarded their invaluable creations, which bring great aesthetic pleasure to the people. These singers, called "jeguaco" - translated - buffoon, singer, improviser. They were not literate people and of simple rank, but gifted with poetic imagination. They instantly composed songs, poems, speeches on the go, depending on the events that took place in this moment. They could accompany the army to war, talking about the exploits of heroes, or, conversely, ridiculing cowards; they talked about both the good and bad deeds of people, about self-interest and self-sacrifice, about hospitality and stinginess, about the beauty of love and easy morals. For example: according to Khan-Girey, lamentable songs - gybze - “are composed by the warrior’s friends”; description of battles - zeue uered - such songs were composed after each famous battle, marching songs that warriors sang when they went on raids were intended to arouse in the riders a desire to experience danger and become famous.
These "jeguacos" (singers) were highly respected in the community.
Folklore sources are usually not placed on the same level as sources in which information is expressed in sign systems, are not considered the most informative and do not constitute main object source studies. However, many researchers recognize the exceptional value of Kabardian folklore, and even put it on a par with written historical sources.
This study is devoted to the theoretically controversial and, at the same time, practically applied problem of the reliability of folklore historical sources and the legitimacy of their widespread use. This problem can be formulated as follows: can certain folklore texts act as a reliable historical source, such as, for example, written documents. Comparison of folklore sources with written ones emphasizes the two most important signs of their reliability. Firstly, the oral evidence that interests us must be compiled by eyewitnesses and contemporaries historical events. Secondly, these folk texts should not be measured over time.
A large amount of empirical material has been accumulated on this problem, which, however, has not yet been sufficiently studied theoretically. For a century and a half now, debates have been ongoing in Russian historiography about the reliability of Kabardian historical folklore as a source of ancient history Russia, Antes, Khazars, Huns, Sarmatians, etc. In the 19th century. famous scientists M.P. Pogodin, P.G. Butkov, A.A. Kunik, L.G. Lopatinsky, V.B. Pfaff and others began to put Kabardian folklore texts on a par with such primary sources as ancient Russian chronicles. This tradition was continued in the works of scientists of the 20th century. . At the same time, V.F. Miller, M. Markov, N.S. Trubetskoy, L.I. Lavrov, Z.M. Naloev opposed this approach at different times. During the discussion about the advisability of using folklore texts as a historical source, L.I. Lavrov formulated a key question, the answer to which can facilitate the task of studying the problem: “Why is it Kabardian in the North Caucasus?” historical folklore stands out as unusually archaic?” A number of scientists have responded to this challenge. But, despite the duration and activity of the controversy, this problem has not yet been resolved. The reason is that no one has studied it from the standpoint of scientific source studies.
Scientific analysis of sources is carried out, as a rule, in two stages. The first stage, which is often referred to as “external criticism,” is the stage of studying the origin of the source, namely: studying the social nature of the source, establishing the time and place of its creation, authorship, practical and technical origin and purpose of creating the source. At the second stage, which is often referred to as “logical analysis,” it is clarified what kind of evidence and what events are contained in the source, what deviations from historical reality have been established. From such positions we will try to explore this problem.
The theory about the exceptional value of Kabardian folklore as a historical source was formed in the first half of the 19th century. in the works of figures of Circassian culture in 1830-1840, who served in St. Petersburg and wrote in Russian. A.S. Pushkin and V.G. Belinsky spoke enthusiastically about the work of S.M. Kazy-Girey, published in Pushkin’s Sovremennik. For his work on the ethnography of the Circassians, S.M. Khan-Girey received the nickname “Circassian Karamzin” from the Russian emperor. Sh.B.Nogma wrote major works in philology and history. A.M. Misostov’s book “The History of the Unfortunate Circassians” was presented to the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. A little later A.-G. Keshev wrote, and among his works there is a brilliant article on Adyghe folklore.
To compare songs with written sources, it is necessary that since ancient times there has been a special class, a social stratum of professional singers, whose purpose was to compose songs about contemporary historical events. Another function of this class of singers should be to know by heart the songs of previous singers and pass them on to their students. It was necessary to have a special literary language for these songs, which would be different from the spoken language and not mixed with it. The special structure of the poetic verse in such a song should not only prevent arbitrary rearrangement of words in the verse, but also facilitate quick recall of the text, so that the singer, forgetting words as he sings, would not be forced to improvisely substitute others that are suitable in meaning.
Such requirements for the song as a historical source specify the scope of the study. Researchers note that not all peoples have preserved archaic historical songs. Among the Circassians and other peoples of the North Caucasus, only the Kabardians (and the Beslenei people, who were identical in language to them) had such songs. Sh.B. Nogma noted: “The Kabardian and Besleneevskoe dialects are the purest; In these dialects, songs have been preserved that tell about the affairs of bygone times.” S.M. Khan-Girey wrote the same thing: “The dialect spoken by the Kabardians and Beslenians is considered to be the purest for singing.”
The authors of these songs were folk singers - jeguako. They constituted a whole class of professionals, a social stratum in demand by society, which changed with the changes of society, but did not disappear over the centuries. IN ancient times these were squad singers. With the strengthening of princely power, the Kabardians in the Middle Ages began to have court singers, who, in the process of weakening the Kabardian princes, eventually degenerated into traveling singers. After the reforms of the 1860s. the last modification appeared - sedentary jeguacos, which survived until the second half of the 20th century. Along with the change in the status of the jaguaco, the genres of their creativity also changed, of which researchers number more than a dozen. Us, in in this case, I am interested in a historical song, and it has been popular at all times. The functional and specific properties of historical songs are important for assessing their meaning and their information potential. Historical songs can be considered as specific type sources that served a long-standing and persistent need for information exchange. During the heyday of this song genre, this type of historical sources was quite stable with all the variety of songs.
The ancient Jeguaco warriors usually came from common people, but professionally stood out from society and already in ancient times performed special social functions. Before the battle, they sang songs about the exploits of their ancestors to raise the morale of the army. S.B. Nogma wrote that the Jeguaco squad “always rode gray horses to war and had to compose poems or speeches to inspire the soldiers before battle. Standing in front of the army, they sang or read their poems, in which they mentioned the fearlessness of their ancestors and cited their valiant exploits as an example.”
Historical songs reached their heyday in the Middle Ages, when the Kabardian princes began to specifically keep court “singers” with them. Having become a special social stratum, these singers created a special poetic language in their time. The material and social position of the Kabardian court singer was sufficiently secure for him to be able to write professionally. Jeguaco was supported financially by the prince, and his closeness to the political elite provided him with profitable social status. “Every prince who enjoyed the respect of his subordinates had such singers with him, kept them in contentment and enriched them with gifts,” wrote S.M. Khan-Girey. In modern times, with the weakening of feudal power, the jaguacos were reborn as wandering singers. However, this rebirth occurred quite smoothly and kept the singers close to the elite. “Strong princes and influential nobles invited them to their court, kept them there for a long time... and sent them away with generous gifts,” wrote A.-G. Keshev.
Knowledge of folklore and mastery of the art of eloquence based on the high style of heroic songs were considered among the Circassians in the Middle Ages as a measure of education. And one of the functions of the court singers was to teach eloquence to the Kabardian princes. "AND top class“who paid attention to this type of education in eloquence acquired knowledge in it,” wrote S.M. Khan-Girey. S.M. Khan-Girey saw the importance of oratory in the fact that eloquent princes, capable of “strongly and eloquently expressing their thoughts, always giving them the desired shade of truth, at congresses dispose of public affairs according to their own will.”
Over the several centuries of the existence of the institution of folk singers, the Kabardians have developed a special song language and developed a special verse metric. Analyzing the structure of the Kabardian historical song, A.-G. Keshev identified two of its features, thanks to which it is difficult to distort. Firstly, the verse of a Kabardian historical song consists of several words composed in the form of a saying, which makes it easier to memorize it accurately. Secondly, a special rhyme is alliteration, i.e. the rhyming of the final syllable of the previous verse with the initial syllable of the subsequent one makes it easier to quickly remember: “The brief expressiveness of her verse seems to be deliberately designed to be sharply, indelibly engraved in the memory. This makes it very easy to remember a Circassian song after listening to it twice with attention,” wrote A.-G. Keshev. Thus, the invariability of the song’s text when passed on from generation to generation was ensured not only by the existence of a large number of professionals who knew it by heart and checked with each other, but also by its special poetic and musical structure. Therefore, A.-G. Keshev compared historical songs with written documents and wrote about their reliability as a historical source: “Songs acquire meaning historical document". Below we provide typical example from the famous “Song of the Night Attack”, with our translation into Russian.
Hungkyum! - fry di Keberdeir me shes
,
Zashchlo shas
eri Ketykue tluashlam whiny ohye
,
Zer ohye
hri Kureizh gubguem shoguel.
With the cry: “We won’t allow it!” - the Kabardians stand in strem
ena,
U strem
depart to Kaitukskoe intl. ure
whose
And in K ure
lie in the Yi steppes.
Over time, it has accumulated a large number of historical songs. “The number of legends and songs that have reached us is very significant,” stated Sh.B. Nogma in the first half of the 19th century. Adyghe historians of that time, reviewing the amount of material, noted that even a simple collection of historical songs could present the history of the Adygs. “If the ancient Circassian songs indicated the eras of the incidents sung in them, then they could largely replace history,” wrote S.M. Khan-Girey.
The first recordings of historical songs were made precisely for the purpose of preserving them as historical sources. Sh.B. Nogma believed that writing displaces and destroys folklore. “Among educated Europeans, written literature is little by little replacing oral traditions, imprinting them on distant posterity,” he wrote. Based on the idea that not only writing, but also Islam destroys folklore, Sh.B. Nogma believed that it was necessary to preserve folklore through written consolidation. According to his theory, if writing appears much later than the monotheistic religion, then most of the folklore will be lost. And he saw his mission as bridging the gap between the introduction of Islam and the appearance of writing among the Circassians. In connection with this approach, the first Adyghe historians became afraid of losing this oral form of historical sources. This was reflected in the widespread practice in the 19th century. theories of the oblivion of folklore with the introduction of writing and Islam.
The theory of the oblivion of folklore with the introduction of writing was most clearly expressed by Notauk Sheretluk, who worked on the creation of the Adyghe alphabet and grammar and translated Arabic religious texts. Because of his beliefs about the harmfulness of writing to national identity, he abandoned the idea of introducing writing. His decision was so drastic that he burned all his writings. He didn’t put it off until better times, and didn’t even leave it as a souvenir, but burned it: “The darkness of wrinkles does not fall on the clear brow of the people until they have concluded ... their thoughts, and feelings, and songs, and stories - in broad-leaved books,” he said He.
The widespread dissemination of the theory of oblivion of folklore with the introduction of writing is evidenced by an interesting case recorded by A.-G. Keshev. The European-educated Adyghe prince invited a folk singer. Following tradition, the singer sang songs, and the owner presented him with gifts. However, when the owner expressed a desire to record the songs, the singer flatly refused, and, returning the gifts to the owner, left his house. The folk singer did not allow his songs to be recorded. And even material gain did not force him to abandon his conviction about the dangers of writing folklore texts.
Proponents of the theory of oblivion of folklore turned out to be wrong in predicting the imminent disappearance of the jeguaco. The institution of folk singers did not disappear as a result of the social changes that the Islamization of Adyghe society entailed. After the reforms of the 1860s. wandering folk singers transformed into sedentary jeguacos. They turned out to be in demand even after socialist revolution and, not knowing how to read and write, many of them became honored cultural figures and holders of the Order of Lenin. They disappeared only after the final introduction of universal literacy in the second half of the 20th century.
But Adyghe historians of the 19th century. turned out to be right that social change events that happened in their time threatened the historical song. Household folklore genres, more in demand among the general population, began to displace the historical song. And if the Adyghe thinkers of the first half of the 19th century. noted the abundance of historical folklore, then only half a century later the situation changed radically. The richest folklore material was forgotten or subjected to great distortion. At the beginning of the twentieth century. Adyghe historian V.N. Kudashev already considered it impossible for himself to rely on contemporary folklore sources: “There is usually little reliable in such stories. From them it is difficult to create a coherent, coherent and plausible history of the Adyghe people,” he wrote. From the extent to which the pessimistic view of V.N. Kudashev differs from the approach of Sh.B. Nogma and S. Khan-Girey, who at one time literally bathed in an abundance of historical legends and songs, one can conclude how impoverished Adyghe historical folklore has become in just half a century .
Thus, we can say that the Kabardians had historical folklore, which, due to its origin in special historical conditions can be equated to written sources. Kabardian historical songs of antiquity, the Middle Ages and modern times were composed by professional squads, courtiers and traveling poets. Since ancient times, Dzheguako singers have formed a special social stratum in Kabardian society. The songs were composed directly after the historical events that they reflect. Therefore, they accurately convey historical facts and names. These songs were learned by many professional people, which protected them from distortion. The poetic structure and music, as well as a special poetic language, contributed to the transmission of songs word for word, without changes from one singer to another, from generation to generation. And if historical songs were not recorded by their authors, this did not affect their authenticity. Kabardian historical songs literally correspond to the famous Russian proverb: “You can’t erase a word from a song.”
NOTES
1. Pogodin M.P. Traditions of the Adyghe people, not useless for historians of Russia // J. “Moskvityanin”. 1850. Part 1, book. 2, No. 2, dept. 3; Butkov P.G. Circassian news about the Russian princes Svyatoslav and Mstislav // Gas. "Northern Bee". 1850, no. 99; Kunik A.A. News of al-Bekri and other authors about Rus' and the Slavs. Part 1. St. Petersburg, 1878; Lopatinsky L.G. A few comments about the Kabardian legend about Andemirkan // Collection of materials for describing the areas and tribes of the Caucasus. Vol. 6, dept. 2. Tiflis, 1888. P.47-49; It's him. A note about the Adyghe people in general and the Kabardians in particular // Ibid., vol. 12. Tiflis, 1891. P.7; It's him. Mstislav Tmutarakansky and Rededya according to the legends of the Circassians // News of Bakinsky state university. No. 1. Baku, 1921. P.197-203; Pfaff V.B. Materials for the history of Ossetians // Collection of materials for describing the areas and tribes of the Caucasus. Vol. 5. Tiflis, 1871. P.70.
2. History of Russian literature. T.1. M.-L., 1941. P.270; Mavrodin V.V. Education ancient Russian state. L., 1945. P. 360-361; Alekseeva E.P. Materials on the ancient and medieval history of the Circassians (Circassians) // Proceedings of the Circassian Scientific Research Institute. Issue 2. Cherkessk, 1945. P.222-253; Essays on the history of Adygea. T.1. Maykop, 1957. P.68-72; Rybakov B.A. Ancient Rus', Tales, epics, chronicles. M., 1963. P.18-22; History of the Kabardino-Balkarian ASSR. T.1. M., 1967. S. 46, 96-97; Kumakhov M.A. Essays on general and Caucasian linguistics. Nalchik, 1984. P.297-306; History of the peoples of the North Caucasus from ancient times to the end of the 18th century. M., 1988. P. 146.
3. Miller V.F. Review of the “Collection of materials for describing the localities and tribes of the Caucasus,” issue 12 // Journal of the Ministry of Public Education. Part 227. 1801, September; Markov M. Notes on the chorus “u-rededi-da-rededya” // J. “Ethnographic Review”. 1899. No. 1-2; Trubetskoy N.S. Rededya in the Caucasus // J. “Ethnographic Review”. 1911. No. 1-2; Lavrov L.I. On Sh.B.Nogmov’s interpretation of Kabardian folklore //J. "Soviet ethnography". 1969, N2. pp.136-141; It's him. More about Sh.B. Nogmov’s interpretation of Kabardian folklore // Caucasian ethnographic collection. Issue 7. M., 1980; Naloev Z.M. From the history of Adyghe culture. Nalchik, 1978. P.142-151.
4. Lavrov L.I. About interpretation... P.136.
5. Shortanov A.T. Nogmov as a folklorist and historian // Social and political thought of the Circassians, Balkars and Karachais in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Nalchik, 1976. P.63-75; Kumakhov M.A. About the linguistic heritage of the Adyghe enlighteners // Ibid., pp. 82-93; Bgazhnokov B.Kh. About a new stage in the study of the cultural history of the Circassians // Zh. "Soviet ethnography". 1982. N1. P.160-163; Tuganov R.U. Story social thought Kabardian people in the first half of the 19th century. Nalchik, 1998. P.181-203; Kokov D.N. Towards Sh. Nogmov’s explanation of some motifs of Kabardian folklore // Questions of Caucasian philology and history. Vol. 4. Nalchik, 2004. P.254-260.
6. Medushevskaya O.M. Modern foreign source study. M., 1983. S. 22-24.
7. Kazy-Girey S. Azhitugai Valley // Journal “Contemporary”. S.-Pb., 1836. T.1. pp.155-169; Pushkin A.S. Complete collection Op. T.VII. M.-L., 1951. P.344; Belinsky V.G. Complete collection Op. T.2. M., 1953. P.180.
8. Khan-Girey S. Circassian legends // Journal "Russian Messenger", vol. 2. St. Petersburg, 1841; Khan-Girey. Circassian legends. Nalchik, 1989; Khan-Girey S. Notes on Circassia. Nalchik, 1992; Zhemukhov S.N. Worldview of Khan-Girey. Nalchik, 1997.
9. Nogmov Sh.B. The history of the Adykhey people, compiled according to the legends of the Kabardians. Tiflis, 1861; Nogmow S.B. Die Sagen und Lieder des Tscherkessen-Volks. Leipzig, 1866; Nogma Sh.B. Philological works. In 2 vols. T.1. Nalchik, 1956. T.2. Nalchik, 1958; Zhemukhov S.N. Life of Shora Nogma. Nalchik, 2002.
10. Misostov A.M. The story of the unfortunate Circassians. Nalchik, 2004; Kosven M.O. Materials on the history of ethnographic study of the Caucasus in Russian science // Caucasian ethnographic collection. M., 1958. T.2. P.163, 185.
11. Keshev A.-G. The nature of Adyghe songs // In the book: Keshev A.-G. Notes of the Circassian. Nalchik, 1988. pp. 222-237.
12. Nogmov Sh.B. History of the Adykhey people. Nalchik, 1994. P.54-55.
13. Khan-Girey S. Notes on Circassia. P.114.
14. Naloev Z.M. Sedentary jeguaco // Questions of Caucasian philology and history. Vol. 2. Nalchik, 1994. P.70.
15. Nogmov Sh.B. History of the Adykhey people. P.72.
16. Khan-Girey S. Notes on Circassia. P.110-111.
17. Keshev A.-G. Decree. cit., p. 236.
18. Khan-Girey S. Notes on Circassia. P.95.
19. Keshev A.-G. Decree. cit., p. 222, 228.
20. ogmov Sh.B. History of the Adykhey people. P.54.
21. Khan-Girey S. Notes on Circassia. P.111.
22. Nogmov Sh.B. History of the Adykhey people. P.54.
23. Zhemukhov S.N. The theory of oblivion of folklore in Adyghe thought of the 19th century // Linguistic Caucasian studies and Turkology: traditions and modernity. Karachaevsk, 2004. P.121.
24. Popko I.D. Black Sea Cossacks in their civil and military life. St. Petersburg, 1858. P. 76.
25. Keshev A.-G. Decree. cit., pp. 236-237.
26. Kudashev V.N. Historical information about the Kabardian people. Nalchik, 1991. P.30.
Kabardian pshis consider the khabze khans to be correct as mudavi (abaza). Kabardians consider pshi mudavi khans. Mudawis live beyond the Caucasus. Some of them crossed the mountains and settled beyond the Balk and Inzhig rivers. And so, since many Abkhazians lived north of true Abkhazia, they are called Abazekhs, that is, residents north of Abkhazia.
Khan Mudawi immediately after his marriage tried and proved his courage by raiding for booty and robbery.
So, one of the Mudavi khans got married. This khan, according to the khabza, immediately after his marriage went on a raid for booty in order to show his strength, power and courage.
He crossed the mountains, flew with his detachment into one Adyghe village and drove from there all the sheep, horses, even dogs that were guarding the herds. And at this time, Zar-kizh was going to go to Khajret in one village: this was the nickname of one of Khatokshuko. He wanted to marry a widow there. Pago Tambiev and Ismail Konov went with him. On the way, Khatokshuko, Tambiev and Konov stopped by the Khavpachevs and captured, as a companion, the short strong man from Khavpachev, Peluan.
The three of them arrived at the village where the widow lived and began to negotiate with her. The widow gave her consent to marry Khatokshuko. Evening has come. Then night. And it was on this night, even before dawn, that the Mudawi raided the village; That night they drove the sheep out of the village, as has already been said. Scream, din, and noise arose throughout the village. Everyone who had a horse and a saddle chased the mudavi, who were carrying away their prey. The guests could not sit idly by, since the people were in such terrible trouble, and they also took part in the chase.
The widow Kasei had a son, Pshimakho Skinny. He was only sixteen or seventeen years old. To prevent her son from going into battle, the mother hid a weapon. Then Pshimaho Skinny, like real husband, unarmed, galloped off after the people. The mother realized that nothing came of her idea. She returned the boy and gave him a saddle and his father's famous weapon.
A detachment of five people, among whom was Khatokshuko, took cover behind one hill. Khatokshuko, it turns out, told his friends: “If Khajretian sheep are stolen, we will not die for them under bullets. Let's stop."
The Khavpachevsky strongman says here:
- If so, then I’ll go and bring you swag. He said and rode forward, sitting on a tall bay horse. He arrived and began shooting at the mudavi with a gun.
Khan Mudawi rode about a hundred yards ahead of the army. Relying on his strength, the short Khavpachevsky rode up to the khan and pulled him by the arm to knock him out of the saddle, but he could not even lift the khan. Khan pulled the Khavpachevsky peluan, which fell to the ground. Everyone became curious that Khan Mudawi was able to throw him from the saddle: until now there had not been a rider in the world who could have knocked down the Khavpachev Peluan.
Peluan says to the khan:
- In my life I have never seen a horseman who could knock me to the ground. Peluan drove away from the khan and began shooting at his army with a gun, keeping to the side. Pshimaho Skinny burst into the thick of the mudavi and began shooting at them with a gun. And he was seriously wounded. They took him to his mother's house. A messenger was sent ahead to warn the mother that the bed needed to be prepared.
The messenger says to the widow:
- Prepare the bed!
And Pshimakh Kasei’s mother asks: Which one? Small or big?
- Nothing was told to me about whether to do it big or small. They were chatting there that Khatokshuko was wounded. You need to prepare the bed, that's all. Prepare your bed! - the messenger answers.
- Ah! Your house has failed. If I’m a guest, I’ll cook in the kunatskaya; “If it’s my child, I’ll make a bed in the room,” the mother asks again, wants to know if her son is wounded.
The messenger repeated the same thing again and did not add anything more.
Then the mother says to herself: “No, they probably killed the guest, Khatokshuko,” and prepares a bed for the guest in the kunatskaya.
They brought the wounded man, put him in bed in the kunatskaya, and the young man died there.
And the mudavi stole the loot and left for their home.
The guests have arrived and continue to visit. They've sat for a while and say:
- Well, it's time to put an end to our business. They send to the widow, and Kasei’s widow responds:
“I will never marry the one who was hiding behind the mountain when my son was killed.” I won’t marry you for anything, even if in the whole world, besides him, there’s not a single person left wearing a hat on his head. If you remember which road you took here, take the same road back.
“Our business didn’t work out,” said Khatokshuko and fled home in disappointment.
