Circassian rituals. Features, character and customs of the Circassians

All over the world, every nation has special customs and principles of how to welcome a guest. As you know, the Caucasian peoples have always been distinguished by their hospitality. And not always someone could compete with them in the ability to greet a guest with dignity and grace.

In the 19th century English writer, journalist John Longworth traveled through North Caucasus. The most vivid impressions he described in his books: “To become a respected person in Circassia, you need to know only 3 rules: courage, the ability to reason wisely, and the last thing - to greet the guest generously and beautifully.”

More than 300 years have passed since the owner of the Dominican Order and monk Jean de Luc wrote: “No one can outshine the Circassians in hospitality and humanity!”

Many words of praise were said regarding the hospitality of the Circassians by government officials. “Provide hospitality to the guest - main feature Circassians, regardless of whether an enemy is on the doorstep or a friend. Even the poorest will treat as a rich man would treat in another place,” wrote Lieutenant Colonel, Baron - K.F. Steel in 1849 in his book " Ethnographic sketch Circassian people».

Among the Circassians, it was considered bad form to be unable to fully satisfy a guest's hunger, otherwise the family could be disgraced in front of the entire street. The Circassians, famous for their hospitality throughout the world, have always respected their customs and attached great importance to them.

Many famous figures of the Circassian people, such as Tembot Kerashev, Barasbiy Bgazhnokov, Mikhail Mizhaev, Raya Mamkhyagova and many others, wrote about hospitality and the rules of good manners at the table.

In the old days, any Circassian who respected their traditions was obliged to have a guest house (khachesh) in their yard. It was located separately, not far from the owner’s house. Inside there was a small room, which was always perfectly cleaned and ready to receive guests. The Circassians themselves placed their houses far from the gates in order to avoid attacks from enemies.

No matter who knocked on the door of the Circassian house, the owner was obliged to meet everyone. But it cannot be said that the owner treated all guests equally kindly.

Based on this, the degree and importance of the guest was divided as follows:

1. dear guest;

2. female guest;

3. male guest;

4. a guest who will live in the guest room;

5. the most welcome guest;

6. long-awaited guest;

7. a guest who did not give his name;

8. guests and relatives of the bride, if there is one in the family;

9. guest-foreigner;

10. a guest who was invited to visit;

11. uninvited guest;

12. guest-enemy (even the Circassians did not have the right to refuse).

In the distant past, people traveled exclusively on horses. If the rider needed to go to a neighboring village, he still harnessed the horse. The women traveled on a cart, which was beautifully decorated.

When the rider approached the gate, he used his whip to signal the horse to stop, and so that the inhabitants of the house would hear about it. The guest was greeted very cordially and taken into the house with honor.

If the guests did not intend to sit for a long time, they did not tie the horse to the stall. Even from the way he hung the whip on the nail, it was clear how long the guest would stay: if the whip was hung so that it hung to the floor, it meant that the guest had time and would stay the night. And if the whip was hung folded, it meant that the guest had little time and would soon leave after resting and eating.

The woman was not brought into khachesh. The most comfortable and beautiful room was always reserved for her (thus one can once again be convinced that the Circassians showed deep respect to the woman).

If the guest was satisfied with the way he was received, he rode away from the house, pointing his horse's head towards the owner's gate. If the guest was dissatisfied with something, he immediately drove away, turning his back to the owners. In this case, it was a shame for the family, and subsequently all the neighbors could say about them that they could not satisfy even one guest.

If you start listing all the rules that the Circassians followed for caring for guests, you could write a whole book about it. But here we will focus only on the rules that the Circassians follow today in relation to their guests:

1. The Circassians believed that a guest is a gift from God, so in no case should one in any way make the guest feel that he was unwanted.

2. Any person who said: “I am an Adyghe” considered it an honor to meet the guest with dignity. Even if the hosts did not have anything that could be put on the table, he did not have to hide anything from the guest: everything that was there had to be put on the table.

3. Every guest, no matter who he is, needs to say: “Welcome”! You cannot show by any of your actions that it is time for the guest to go home.

4. You should never refuse hospitality, neither young nor old, nor loved ones, nor enemies. The ancestors of the Circassians said: “There are no extra guests.”

5. If many guests arrived, then those who arrived from afar were always given special honor. As the old Circassian proverb says: “A distant guest is more valuable than a close one.”

6. Our ancestors always had houses for guests (khacheshi). Nowadays, even if there are no such haches, there should always be an extra room for guests.

7. It is indecent to keep a guest on the threshold for a long time; you must immediately, after greeting them, lead them into the house.

8. The guest must be seated in a place of honor, which is reserved for elders. Even if the guest is younger, the owner cannot sit next to him until he gives him permission.

10. In ancient times, it was impossible to ask a guest who he was and on what issue he came. You could only ask after three days. Now this is no longer relevant. Now the guest must be asked who he is and help if he is in trouble.

11. Guests must not be left alone in the room. If you still need to go out, then you must definitely leave one of the residents of the house so that the guest does not feel unwanted.

12. You cannot make a guest wait for a long time to eat. Even if the family has nothing to eat, neighbors will come to the rescue. The Circassians believed that “if someone has a guest on the street, then he is a common guest.”

13. Today, even alcohol is served on the table for guests. But to put modern ones on the table alcoholic drinks too dangerous. It is better to put on the table a drink that replaced alcohol among the Circassians - makhsima.

14. In ancient times, if men and women went to visit together, they were never seated next to each other. Women immediately went to the kitchen or to a separate room. The reason for this was that, for aesthetic reasons, Circassian women did not want men to see the process of eating.

15. In ancient times, the youngest residents of the house had to bring a towel, water, a basin and soap to guests before meals, so that the guest would not be bothered to go outside.

16. There always had to be careful care at the table; one of the younger ones in the house always had to monitor whether the guest had a fork, spoon, or whether the guest’s mug was filled. The owner of the house could not finish the meal first. If this happened, then he thereby made it clear to the guest that he could finish eating. It was indecent.

17. Circassians always first seated the youngest in the family - children - at the table, so that they would not feel hungry, and only then set the table for the guests.

18. You should never decide family affairs in the presence of a guest - this is the height of disrespect for him.

19. The guest’s clothes must be ensured that they are clean; if necessary, shoes should be washed if they are dirty.

20. When the time comes for guests to leave, under no circumstances should you show them that you are happy about their departure.

21. If a guest was dear and long-awaited, the Circassians always gave him gifts. The guest must always be escorted to the gate and wait until the guest leaves.

Slide 1

Traditions and customs of the Circassians

Slide 2

I would sit forever and listen to Shepherd's pipe, which is playing with love now. It’s a pity, there is no voice, otherwise the Mountains, rivers, and valleys of the Caucasus would sing about you. But I will try to correct my mistake, If there is no voice, then you can sing in your soul And besides, I want to add this - Everyone can have a pipe in their heart. And I, listening to the song of the shepherd’s pipe, I begin to repeat to myself only one thing - I am so happy, MY HOLY KABARDA, That I am yours, and that I have been given to live on you! Kabardian, which is the native land of my heart. Where my great-grandfather lived, my grandfather, where my father lives. A highlander’s string is stretched in my heart. Touch her and she will sing about you.

Slide 3

Famous Caucasian historian early XIX century, P. Butkov wrote the following about the mountaineers: “In home life they are meek, respectful of old age, moderate in food, sober, and observe the rules of hospitality even against their enemies.”

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Slide 6

Ethics of Kabardians
The Adyghe cultural ethnos (the sum of ideas about how to act in certain situations) is completely subordinated to the Adygage - system moral principles, traditions, customs inherent only to the Circassians. Adygag'e translated into Russian means “Adyghe ethics”. The word ethics means a set of norms and principles by which people live.

Slide 7

The Adygs built their way of life on the following principles: 1. Personal moral example older generation, storage and transfer of experience. This is evidenced by the Circassian folk proverb “ShIeblem ebgyelaagur and guegushch” (What kind of example you show to the young, that’s how they will be). 2. Protecting your gene pool from negative influences. “ShchykIyr - embankment ukIyzhsch, schikIyr ikIe mekhyu” (Criminal moral laws will last person, he kills his happiness). 3. A way of life that does not run counter to religious values. 4. Etiquette known for orderliness, ceremony, politeness, courtesy, hospitality. 5. Study of nature, traditional medicine. 6. Hard work and entrepreneurship. 7. The sanctity of kinship and tribal ties. 8. Code of honor, principles of mutual assistance, etc.

Slide 8

Adyghe folk proverbs
“He who does not value his elders will not receive authority” “They do not call out to the elder - they catch up and speak to his face” “Place of honor goes to the elder” “Having shown honor to the elder, you will earn respect” “He who does not have intention will not find happiness” “Happiness follows the intention” “If you do namys, then you are doing honor to yourself.”

Slide 9

Requirements Adyghe ethics in relation to the elder.
Elders, according to the requirements of Adyghe ethics, are in a special position, regardless of status or gender. In the presence of elders, the younger one does not sit down. In the presence of a father or older brother, the younger one does not engage in conversation. In the presence of strangers, young people do not speak freely or laugh. Modesty and taciturnity are the heritage of Adyghe ethics. The younger ones do not call out to the older ones, but they overtake them and treat them with respect. They do not cross the road until the elder crosses or passes by. They listen to the elder’s speech with respect, without interrupting.

Slide 10

Kabardian wedding
This is how Khan-Girey describes the wedding: “Young Circassians, having a free relationship with the girls, have the opportunity to please each other and make their feelings clear. After such an explanation, the man asks the chosen girl to be his wife from her parents through their attorneys. If the parents agree, he gives the girl’s father or brother a gift, which corresponds to a betrothal or an agreement. After this ritual, the chosen girl belongs to her groom (that is, others should not seek her hand and heart).”

Slide 11

A wedding for the Circassians has always been a joyful event. And not only for the family whose son got married, but for the entire family, clan and even the whole tribe.

Slide 12

The wedding ceremony is complex, but beautiful.

Slide 13

Joyful events were accompanied by music, songs, poetic wishes, and dancing.

Slide 14

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Adyghe people or Western Circassians (Adygs) (self-name - Adyghe) - a 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 include weaving, weaving, burrowing, leather and weapons production, stone and wood carving. Clothing and household items of the Adyghe people have long been decorated with gold and gold embroidery. silver threads, silk, cord, applique. 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 hood, 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, skewers, 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 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.

Gold and silver jewelry, which excite the admiration of European gun lovers, are 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 was white) 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 fur hat like a hat or a sheepskin hat 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 There 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 overlays, as well as birz - 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.

Kanokova Farizet
Lesson summary " Family customs Circassians"

Subject: "Circassian family customs. Putting the baby into the cradle for the first time"

This material will be useful for preschool teachers educational institutions, with the purpose of forming a regional culture in children.

Types of children's activities: gaming, cognitive-research, communicative, perception fiction, musical and artistic.

Target: Introducing children to the culture of their people, replenishing children’s knowledge about their native republic, nurturing love and respect for traditions and Circassian customs.

Introduce children to the ritual of putting a baby into the cradle for the first time (kushch'ehaphe);

Continue to introduce children to traditional everyday culture Adyghe people;

maintain and develop interest in the traditions of the Small Motherland;

Expand and deepen children's understanding of ancient family customs;

Consolidate ancient knowledge Adyghe names;

enrich lexicon nouns: amulet, cradle.

Preliminary work:

Conversations to familiarize yourself with the environment "Items Adyghe antiquity» ; "Me and my name", Visit to the regional museum;

Reading Adyghe folk tales , epics, looking at illustrations, listening Adyghe folk songs , lullabies; organizing and conducting with children Adyghe folk games.

Equipment: items Adyghe life and culture, cradle Adyghe, baby doll, egg white, cat toy.

Progress of the lesson

Children enter a room decorated according to the theme. classes.

Org. moment

Educator: Guys, look how many guests came to us. Let's greet the guests and warm them with our smiles. What else warms us up and improves our mood? That's right, sunshine. And we will imagine that our hands are sun rays, let's touch each other with them and give warmth to our friends. (Children dance in a circle, stretching their arms up, touching each other.)

Children:

Sunshine, sunshine!

We are your rays!

Be good people

Teach us!

Educator: So we warmed our friends and guests with our warmth and shared our good mood with them.

Guys, tell me what ours is called a country: (Russia)

Our Russia is a huge, powerful country. Russia includes many small republics. You and I live in one of these republics. What is the name of our republic? (Republic Adygea)

Right. From the shores of the Black Sea, far to the east, since time immemorial, lived the Circassians or Adygs. IN Adygea people live in different nationalities: both Russians and Circassians, and many other nationalities.

In our republic there is beautiful cities, villages, hamlets, villages.

You and I live in a village. What is it called? (Krasnogvardeyskoe village).

There are also villages in the republic where people live Circassians.

What are the names of the villages in which they live? Circassians? (aul)

Now in the villages there are large modern houses, and before, in the old days Circassians lived in houses, built from wicker coated with clay, covered with straw or reeds.

What were the names of the houses in the village in the old days? (saklya).

Guys today at kindergarten, our group received a letter from the village. Look at the envelope unusual with Adyghe ornament. Do you want to know what's in it? (children's answers).

Open the envelope and read.

Educator: Dear guys! We are very glad that our letter reached you. Today we have a big holiday in our village - our long-awaited firstborn was born! We are waiting for your visit! See you and good luck!

So, are you guys ready to go on a journey? (children's answers).

And what you and I will go on a trip with, you will find out by guessing riddle:

House with three porches

Rides with the Little People (Bus)

Music game "Bus"

Educator: So you and I have arrived. Where are we? (In the village)

Guys, look, there is a red flag hanging on the house! Want to know what this means?

When a child is born in a family, a flag is hung on the roof of the house in honor of the birth of the child. If a girl is born, then the flag is made of variegated fabric, and if a boy is born, then the fabric is plain, usually red.

The flag symbolizes that the child is alive, the mother is alive, that everything is fine. Everyone celebrates the birth of a person.

What flag hangs on this house? (red) So who was born here? (boy).

Probably, we were invited here in a letter! Let's knock! (knock).

(grandmother comes out and greets the children and Adyghe, and in Russian).

Grandmother: Good afternoon! How many guests have arrived, we are glad to see you, come in, make yourself at home, have a seat. (children sit on chairs).

(The sound of a baby crying is heard.)

Educator: Guys, what is that sound? Who's crying?

Grandmother: Children, look, that’s who’s crying with us - the baby. He was just born today, that’s why he’s crying. You need to rock him to calm him down.

(Grandma takes out the doll, shakes it, the crying subsides.)

Adygeis have always been considered trendsetters: men were called “aristocrats of the mountains”, and girls “Frenchwomen of the Caucasus”, since the latter youth started wearing corsets. Adyghe women were considered the most beautiful and desirable wives, and men were considered the best warriors. By the way, even today the personal guard of the King of Jordan consists exclusively of representatives of this brave and proud nation.

Name

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

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

Where they live and numbers

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

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

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

Language

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

Story

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

Appearance

The vast majority of the nationality belongs to the Pontic anthropological type appearance. Some representatives have features of the Caucasian type. TO distinctive features The appearance of the Adyghe people can be attributed to:

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

Cloth

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

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

Men

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

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

Women

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

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

Family life

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

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

Housing

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

Life

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

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

Religion

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

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

Culture

Special role In the tradition of the Circassians, a dance was played that existed since ancient times and was considered the soul of the people. Popular couples dance- a lyrical Islam in which a man, like a proud eagle, soars in a circle, and a modest but proud girl responds to his advances. More rhythmic and simpler is uj, which is usually danced in groups at weddings and during folk festivals.

Wedding traditions

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

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

Birth traditions

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

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

Funeral traditions

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

Traditions of hospitality

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

Food

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

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

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