Ethics and etiquette of the Circassians. Table etiquette and mealtime routine among the Circassians. What does the concept of Circassian etiquette include?

Municipal budgetary educational institution

Secondary school No. 16
Literary lounge on the topic:
“Adyghe etiquette in proverbs and sayings of the Adyghe people and in the lyrics of Adyghe poets,”

dedicated to the Year of Culture of the Russian Federation

Completed by: N.F. Konova,

teacher of Adyghe literature

MBOU Secondary School No. 16 in Tula

Maykop district.

Tulsky village

year 2014.

Introduction.

Scenario for a literary lounge.

1. 
   Target. Tasks.
2. 
   Equipment.
3. 
   Reflection.
4. 
   The meaning of the word "etiquette".
5. 
   Proverbs and sayings are small genres of folklore.
6. 
   Proverbs and sayings about human mental abilities.
7. 
   Intrafamily etiquette.
8. 
   Honoring elders.
9. 
   Adyghe hospitality.
10. 
    Poems by K. Janet “The Circassians have this custom”, “And you’ll see something else”, “Guest”, Kh. Murumov “My Side”, J. Chuyako “Good Custom”, R. Nekhaya “Adyghe Table”. Song “Salam” Aleikum."
11. 
    Excerpt from the film “Adyghe Khabze”. Song "My village"
12. 
    Labor education. A sense of community. Shihaf.
13. 
    Poems by K. Zhanet “Kambulet”, H. Beretar “Apple Tree”, “The Adyghe have this custom”.
14. 
    Chivalrous attitude towards women.
15. 
    Re-enactment of the Adyghe custom “Stop a fight.”
16. 
    Dance “Meeting at the Spring”.
17. 
    The poem by K. Janet “That’s what they say in Adygea” and the song by Anzor Zhudov.
18. 
    Reflection.

List of sources used.

Introduction.

Literary living room - a community of three muses: Poetry, Music, Theater. This is a form of comprehension of aesthetics. “You need to live in beauty to recognize it,” wrote N. Berdyaev. Hence one of the main tasks: to create an atmosphere of the Beautiful, an atmosphere of communication with art, so that everyone feels a special emotional mood “in the highest way” - lyrical.

The aesthetics of the living room are created by the students themselves. During the discussion, general conclusions are reached: how to optimally build the stage space, what kind of lighting, scenery, musical accompaniment, costumes, hairstyles are needed; how to harmoniously compose the script, what is the vision of the mise-en-scène...

Thus, the first and important component of our work is aesthetic. The result is the formation of aesthetic taste, instinct, aesthetic views, and, in the long term, an aesthetic worldview.

We cannot separate the moral component from the aesthetic component. All the “literary material” that children “pass through themselves”

Morally oriented (toward the highest human values), that is, while mastering it, the teenager simultaneously masters such concepts as conscience, nobility, dignity, compassion, honor, love, feat, dedication, etc. Thus, the experience of involvement, sympathy, experience of experiencing strong emotions with the hero. Thanks to this, the emotional sphere of the personality develops.

The moral and aesthetic are embodied in the word. The main nerve of our work, its core, is communication with the poetic word.

In preparing the living room, the following stages of work can be distinguished:

• 
  Selection, discussion and systematization of literary material, familiarization with a variety of sources.
• 
  Understanding the “general idea” of a poetic performance.
• 
  Building a composition and preparing a script.
• 
  Preparation of musical accompaniment.
• 
  Detailed arrangement of key and minor mise-en-scenes.
• 
  Analysis of lyric poems.
• 
  Working on stage movement, rehearsing individual scenes.
• 
  Selection of scenery and costumes.
• 
  Design of advertising (invitation cards, announcements, posters).
• 
  Reflection. Traditional conclusion, when participants and spectators share their impressions with a lighted candle in a circle.
• 
  Formation of the student’s linguistic competence, linguistic flair and careful attitude to the word.
• 
  Development of coherent, correct, figurative and emotional speech, literary and creative abilities, improvement of the student’s speech culture.
• 
  Mastering rational techniques and skills for working with scientific, educational, reference literature, and literary texts.
• 
  Gaining experience in public speaking.
• 
  Expanding and deepening students’ understanding of the writer’s personality, of the era in which he lived and worked.

The literary lounge is an introduction to the work and world of great poets, education through art, moral education, education of a culture of behavior, and an opportunity to fully implement the principles of cooperation pedagogy. Thus, the literary lounge is a favorite common activity, needed by everyone, contributing to the humanization and humanization of education. It is humanitarian education that first of all shapes the student’s personality, his readiness to live in the new world, and teaches modern forms of communication.

Where else, if not at school, can a person receive the beginning of aesthetic education, acquire a sense of beauty for the rest of his life, the ability to remember and appreciate works of art, and become involved in artistic creativity. And we, teachers-philologists, can give a worthy, practical answer to this question, with an organic combination of classroom and extracurricular activities, making good the tradition of holding literary lounges at school.

^ Literary living room. 2

Subject: «

Target: introduce students to the elements « Adyghe khabze” based on proverbs, sayings of the people and the lyrics of Adyghe poets.

Tasks:

1. 
   to form among students the concept of “Adyghe khabze”;
2. 
   trace the elements of Adyghe etiquette in proverbs, sayings, and the lyrics of Adyghe poets, draw students’ attention to their meaning in everyday life;
3. 
   promote the development of high moral personality traits in students;
4. 
   to cultivate in students feelings of respect, empathy, responsiveness, and tolerance towards others and representatives of other cultures.

Equipment:

• 
  computer;
• 
  projector;
• 
  screen;
• 
  “emoticons” for reflection;
• 
  film "Adyge khabze";
• 
  Anzor Zhudov “That’s what they say in Adygea” - video recording

“Salam-alaikum” - video recording.

Literary living room. 2
Subject: « Adyghe etiquette in proverbs, sayings of the Adyghe people and in the lyrics of Adyghe poets.”
PLAN

(Slide 1)

Yellow - I can tell you something;

Green - I know a lot.
- I would like to start the meeting with your understanding of the meaning of the word “etiquette” (Slide 2) . How do you understand this word? (children's answers)

Is it important to observe the elements of etiquette today? (children's answers)

In other words, (cry ) ETIQUETTE is the rules of behavior in society that every cultured person must adhere to. Knowing the rules of etiquette makes it easier to live in any society. For successful communication between representatives of different cultures, it is necessary to know the language of culture - the language of etiquette.

Among the Circassians, etiquette is a set of unwritten laws (customs), known as “ADYGE KHABZE” (cry) .

I. Mashbash in his poem “ADYGE KHABZE - etiquette of the Circassians” said:

“Sit your father in the best place,”

Be courteous to your mother to the end.

ADYGE KHABZE is not advice,

And the rules are the wisest.”

From birth, the Adygs instilled in their children the elements of Adyghe khabze - those norms of human behavior that would contribute to a favorable existence. When the Adygs say about someone “Adygag’e khel” (“Adyghe is present in him”), this means that the person has the best human qualities.

Adyghe folk wisdom says: (Slide 3) “Unem zyshigiasi, hasem kio!” ( (cry) “Learn to behave at home, and then go into society”).

A very interesting fact is that, having met a young man or a young girl, the Circassians ask: “Whose son (daughter) are you?” - not what their name is, but who raised them. It’s not for nothing that Adyghe wisdom says: “Look at your mother before you marry your daughter. Look at your father before you marry your son." (“Yane eply, yphyu kesche. Yate eply, yk’o dakIo”)

In educating the younger generation and in shaping the views on life of adult members of Adyghe society, proverbs, sayings, legends, tales, parables, etc. are of great importance.

Let's once again pay attention to the topic of our meeting (read out). (Slide 4)

There are folklore genres that we encounter every day, which are firmly woven into our speech and have become part of it. These are small genres of folklore, primarily proverbs and sayings. They are distinguished by their brevity, capacity, rhythm, and therefore are easy to remember. They are created and told not only by adults, but also by children.

Why are proverbs and sayings classified as “small genres of folklore”? Yes, because they often consist of one sentence. But it is in these works that the wisdom of the people is concentrated.

(Slide 5) A.S. Pushkin highly valued proverbs and sayings, collected them himself, and skillfully used them in his works. And he wrote with admiration: (cry) “What a luxury, what a meaning, what a point in every saying! What gold!”

Adyghe writers and poets also highly value proverbs and sayings as guardians of folk wisdom and widely use them in their works. Famous Adyghe writer (Slide 6) Ishak Mashbash writes admiringly: (cry ) “I always think about how much folk wisdom is contained in proverbs, sayings, tongue twisters... Both when I write and when I talk, they are my great helpers.”

Proverbs and sayings reflect the psychology of the people, their character, way of thinking, their customs and traditions. There is no area of ​​human life that is not reflected in Adyghe proverbs and sayings; they have enormous educational power. (Slide 7)

No one doubts that the mind is of great importance in a person’s life. From early childhood, Adygs try to develop mental abilities in their children. Many proverbs and sayings call on the younger generation to master knowledge, showing all the superiority of a person with intelligence.

A stupid man is like a hearth without fire.

A mother's habits are a pattern for her daughter.

Rot the vine while it is young.

He who is stupid is poor.

He who has intelligence has endurance.

Know how to get around a stupid person, and a smart person will find an approach to you.

The mind has no price, knowledge has limits.
- And those who do not want to develop their mental abilities, considering themselves the smartest, people condemn in their proverbs and sayings: “A smart man makes no excuses, a fool shifts his blame onto his companion.”

No matter what mental abilities God bestows on a person, he will not become smart, much less wise, if he does not learn and develop his abilities. The Circassians believe that it is never too late to learn, but they begin to teach and raise children right from birth.

- “Adyge khabze” regulated not only relationships in society, but also relationships in the family. If one of the family members did not observe intra-family etiquette, then this was condemned by society. (Slide 10)
According to the etiquette of the Circassians, it is customary to honor elders and obey them unquestioningly; elderly people, regardless of status and gender, are in a special position. A young man with all his appearance must express attention, respect for the elder, and readiness to carry out any assignment.

The younger one was strictly forbidden to call out to the older one. To attract the attention of the elder, it was necessary to enter the latter’s field of vision and then address him. This is stated in many proverbs and sayings.
(Children read from their seats and collectively give an explanation.)

They don’t call out to the elder, they catch up with him.

Those who have old people have order.

What is told to the old, do it, and what is prepared for the young, eat.

Let's remember the lines from Kirimize Zhane's poem “The Circassians have this custom”:

If somewhere among young people

A gray-haired old man is speaking,

Don't think about interrupting him,

Hold your pride and agility,

Respect his gray-haired age -

The Circassians have this custom.
I propose to move on to the traditions of Adyghe hospitality.

Each Circassian built another small house opposite his residential building, which was intended for receiving guests. It was called in Adyghe “hyakIeshch”, (Slide 12) those. a guest house, and in literature it was called “Kunatskaya”. A stable for travelers' horses was added to the Kunatskaya. At any time of the day or night, a guest or traveler could enter the hut without asking permission from the owner - the doors of the hatch were not locked at all. A guest of any nationality and any religion could count on an equally warm welcome from the host.

Of course, not all Circassians had the same income and
all the haches were richly furnished, but one thing is certain - all the best that the family had was in the hache. Each owner spared nothing to furnish the kunatskaya well and take care of the best treats for the guests.

The advantage of Adyghe hospitality over the system of serving travelers adopted by other peoples is that here the traveler received bed, food and everything he needed from the owner completely without any remuneration and could remain as a guest for as long as he pleased. Moreover, the hospitality of the Circassians even extended to enemies who crossed the threshold of the hache, the doors of which were always open.

(Children read from their seats and collectively give an explanation.)

An Adyghe guest feels like he is in a reliable fortress.

A guest is never young.

With a guest comes happiness.

There is melancholy in a house without guests,

The table is not set - a board.

The poorest Circassian is even hospitable.

The attitude of the Circassians towards the guest has always been respectful. Every Circassian considers it an honor to receive a guest. “A guest in the house of an Adyghe is like in a fortress,” says popular wisdom.

The relationship between the guest and the host, the norm of their behavior are succinctly expressed and enshrined in aphorisms. For example: Where there is a hitching post, there will be a kunatskaya one; Bring for the guest, but do not eat, saying that he will not come; In a house where there is no guest, there is no blessing; The Circassian has bread and salt in the palm of his hand.

Let us remember the lines about hospitality from the poem by K. Janet “This is the custom of the Adygs”
"If a guest comes to the door -

Open your heart to him

And give half the house away for a while,

And treat him to chitlibzh,

And drink spring water -

This is the custom of the Circassians.”

Now let’s read two more poems by K. Janet about hospitality:

“And you’ll see something else” and “Guest”, an excerpt from Khusen Murumov’s poem “My Side”.

J. Chuyako has a poem about hospitality “Good Custom”, Ruslan Nekhai has “The Adyghe Table”.

Now let’s look at an excerpt from the film “ADYGE KHABZE”.

What elements of hospitality did you learn about from the film (children's answers).
Song "My village".
The sense of collectivism is very strongly developed among the Circassians, which is why they help each other in both joy and sorrow.

The ability to work is considered by the Circassians to be one of the main human qualities. From early childhood, the younger generation was taught to work, to do feasible work not only at home, but also to help neighbors and relatives. Any adult can make an order, send for something, ask for a small service, and the young man, leaving his affairs, must, according to the custom of the Circassians, strictly carry out the order and report on what has been done.

(Slide 8) Young people received good labor education and shihaf (sh1ykhaf)- traditions of mutual assistance among the Circassians. This tradition arose in ancient times, but is still preserved. It is used when building a house, harvesting crops, making hay, shearing sheep, processing wool, and performing other labor-intensive work. (cry) The literal translation of the word “sh1ykhaf” means “to do in debt” (sh1y - do, khafi - debt).

A few days before the appointed day, the owner of the house under construction notifies his relatives, neighbors and all village residents about the upcoming sh1ykhaf. Since the necessary character traits of a real Adyghe are considered to be generosity and a willingness to selflessly help someone in need, then not going to sh1ykhaf without a very good reason is considered immoral.

A sense of confidence in the future can only be had by a person who can rely on his friends, relatives, neighbors, i.e. in general on the society in which he lives.

No matter how rich and strong a person is, he cannot live without communication with other people and without their help, so he must earn the respect of society. And to earn this respect, you need to care not only about your well-being, but also about the well-being of other people, to provide assistance to needy members of society and, above all, to neighbors, relatives and friends.

(Children read from their seats.)

He who slept in the spring cries in the fall.

In unstarted business there is a snake.

Work elevates a person, laziness devalues ​​a person.

As is the worker, so is the harvest.

Whoever says “today” gets rich,

Whoever says “tomorrow” goes broke

(i.e. “don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today”).

Decorate your word with action.

A good deed is more pleasant than a kind word.

The master has many friends.

For a craftsman, darkness is not a hindrance.

During haymaking time, remember about the snowstorm.

Together you will move mountains.
- The shIyhaf participants were divided into groups to perform different types of work - men did the harder work, women did the easier work, and children were involved in performing different tasks. Both adults and children tried to do their work as carefully and quickly as possible, so as not to be ashamed in front of other participants in mutual aid. There are many known cases when sh1ykhaf participants completed the construction of a house, barn and toilets in one day.
Let's remember the lines about mutual assistance from the poem by K. Janet “The Circassians have this custom” (Slide 9):
“If you are building your new house,

The whole village helps with labor,

You alone do not lift the log,

And for everyone it’s like a feather.

The house above the river will rise joyfully -

“Grain” and “Kambulet” and Hamid Beretar’s poem “Grandfather’s Apple Tree.” (Through the customs and traditions of the people, the connection between generations is carried out. The apple tree has become a symbol of the family.)

Let's return to K. Zhanet's poem “This is the custom of the Circassians,” to the lines about the tradition of planting trees at the birth of a child:

“If a daughter or son is born,

Citizen of our glorious country,

You press him gently to your chest,

And plant a tree in the garden

In honor of the one who disturbed the peace...

The Circassians have this custom.

Whoever has written about the wondrous beauty of Circassian women: travelers and scientists, geographers and historians, writers and poets, domestic and foreign researchers.

Circassian woman is the daughter of the harsh and proud Caucasus, the most beautiful place on earth. The beauty of the Circassian woman inspired poets and writers all over the world, her purity and loyalty won the hearts of the Circassian horsemen, her sharp mind surprised scientists, her skill delighted travelers of all nations and peoples.

But it was not only the beauty of Circassian women that surprised and captivated the poets. What is beauty that is not inspired by intelligence and wisdom, that is not combined with purity and chastity? These and many other advantages of Adyghe women have given rise since ancient times to a chivalrous attitude towards women, which permeates “Adyghe khabze” and all Adyghe etiquette. The Adygs raised their daughters on the images of the smart and wise Setenai-guasche, the Narts' adviser in all difficult matters, the witty Malechipkh, and the talented Lashchyn, because they always valued intelligence and wisdom in women.

Adygs have long treated women with special warmth and respect. In her they see the embodiment of beauty, tenderness, grace, humility, attentiveness, and warmth.

In the presence of a woman, a man should not allow himself to speak loudly or rudely; when she appears, he usually stands up.

The attitude towards a woman, mother, wife is reflected in Adyghe wise sayings. Here are some examples:

^ He who does not give way to a woman has no conscience.

Seniority (i.e., primacy) is left to the woman

Where there is a woman, the saber is not taken out of its sheath

(i.e. it is not proper to fight in the presence of a woman).

But the Circassians do not idealize women. Such an objective approach, a fair assessment of the wife’s behavior is recorded in proverbs, for example:

^ It's better to have a whole village of enemies than an enemy wife

(i.e. the wife is the most dangerous enemy of all)

An evil wife ages her husband

The evil wife does not treat the guest

The angry wife, feeling that she will be scolded, begins to scold herself.

^ An evil wife is capable of any meanness

Don't go to someone who has an evil wife and others.

Let’s finish our meeting by watching the Adyghe custom “Stop the fight.”
Anagrams - a literary device that consists of rearranging the letters and syllables of a certain word, resulting in another word.
(slide13)

“Adyge khabze” is a set of unwritten laws that includes customs, traditions, rules of behavior in society, and in one word (etiquette) KETETI.
(slide14)

Proverbs and sayings belong to small genres of folklore. They contain native... (wisdom) MUTROSD
(slide15)

According to the laws of hospitality, the Circassians received guests in a house, which was built next to the main one especially for these purposes. It was called kunatskaya or... (hachesch) SHCHACHE
(slide16)

The tradition of shihaf is... (mutual assistance) HELP MUTUALLY

Today at the meeting we talked about the etiquette of the Circassians. Tell me, can the customs we were talking about be attributed to the culture of another people? Explain your answer. (If there is an option, pay attention to the national composition of the class: what customs and traditions similar to the Adyge khabze are brought up in you, in your family?)

K. Zhane’s poem “That’s what they say in Adygea” (children read 4 lines each)
(Slide 17)

The song “That's what they say in Adygea” by Anzor Zhudov with lyrics by K. Zhanet sounds.

1. 
   Results.

Guys, let's go back to our emoticons once again. Were you interested?

Did you learn anything new?
Red – it was not interesting, I didn’t learn anything new;

Yellow – it was interesting, I learned something new;

Green – it was interesting, I learned a lot, I would like to continue studying this topic.

Conclusion.

The peculiarity of our “Literary Living Room” is that it brings together students of different age groups and different levels of training.

The framework of the “Literary Lounge2” allows you to hold meetings with local writers and poets, literary readings, stage plays, develop literary and musical compositions, actively participate in various creative competitions, try to write your own poems and not be afraid to read them. Working in it helps schoolchildren participate in research activities on local history, edit and prepare material for conversations and conferences, carry out research work, competently structure their speech, write scripts, reviews and, finally, poetry. It is valuable that work in the “Literary Living Room” develops in children a desire to read books, participate in theatrical performances, and awakens interest in literature.

The knowledge and skills that students acquire in the “Literary Lounge” undoubtedly help them in writing creative works, participating in various competitions, in communication and in life. Students will explore the world of beauty. Their actions, attitudes towards other people, as well as experiences, aspirations and ideals change.

Thus, the literary lounge instills in students a sense of citizenship and patriotism, promotes spiritual education, awakens students’ creative abilities, creative imagination, and develops thinking.

Sources used

1. 
   History of Adyghe literature in 2 volumes. Adyghe Republican Institute of Humanitarian Research. – Maykop, 1999.
2. 
   Kesebezheva N.I., Kiyarova N.A. Adyghe literature. Reader for grades 5-6, middle school. Ed. 2nd. – Maykop: Adyghe. rep. book publishing house 2011. – 288 p.
3. 
   Nepso M.S. Adyghe artistic culture. 1st year of study. – Maykop: 2000
4. 
   Nepso M.S. Adyghe artistic culture. 2nd year of study. – Maykop: 1997
5. 
   Treasures of the culture of Adygea. Ed. Tarunova A.M. Series “Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation” issue 9, 2007;
6. 
   Savv R.H. The wisdom of Adyghe etiquette. Maykop: 1995;
7. 
   Z.U. Blagoz. Pearls of folk wisdom. Adyghe proverbs and sayings in the Adyghe and Russian languages. Maykop: 1992;.
8. 
   Audio recording “That’s what they say in Adygea” performed by Anzor Zhudov.
9. 
   Video film "Adyge khabze".
10. 
    http:// aheku. org- site of current materials of the Circassian world “Adyge Heku”.
11. 
    ru.wikipedia.org - electronic encyclopedia "Wikipedia" .
12. 
    www. PROSHOLU. ru- about School ru - a free school network (club of teachers of the Adyghe language and literature).

Adygs (self-name Adyghe, foreign name Circassians) belong to the Abkhaz-Adyghe language family, which includes five languages: Abkhazian, Abaza, Kabardian, Adyghe, and Ubykh (now a dead language, because the last Ubykh recently died). According to the 2010 census, the number of Circassians in Russia is about 714,845 people (Adygeis - 124,835 people, Kabardians - 516,826 people, Circassians - 73,184 people); they live mainly in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, the Republic of Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory. Currently, according to representatives of the Adyghe diaspora, around the world there are about 7.5 million Adygs who moved from Russia at different times, mainly during the Caucasian War (1753-1864). All these peoples belong to the autochthonous peoples of the North Caucasus and have the ethnonym “Adyghe”, and the other name “Circassians”.

Name of Adyghe ethics adygag'e literally translated as “Adyghe”. Adyghe ethics adygag'e along with a set of rules of conduct for the Circassians, with a moral code Adyghe Khabze are the main component basic personality Adyga. “There is no Adyghe in you” - this appeal to a modern Kabardian or Circassian is extremely humiliating and formulates a departure from traditional ethical norms. Becoming an Adyghe means mastering the basics of Adyghe ethics and code of conduct. Adygag'e is a moral imperative of national ethics, and is translated as humanity, which “shows the focus of ethnic ethics on universal human values.” Main content adygagye disclosed in the work “Adyghe Ethics” by the famous Kabardian scientist B.Kh. Bgazhnokova. According to the author of the work, “the principles and attitudes of Adyghe people (humanity, respect, wisdom, courage, honor, etc.) were formed and honed in close interaction with other peoples of the Caucasus and, in turn, had a reverse, invariably progressive influence on them. Adyghe ethics is the standard of all-Caucasian moral philosophy."

The main, basic norms of Adyghe ethics, which B.Kh. Bgazhnokov calls “five constants”: humanity, respect, reason, courage, honor. Humanity ( ts1yhuge) is the most important, dominant principle Adyghe peoples, playing the role of determining value. The concept of “humanity” includes: empathy, compassion for people, willingness to help them, gratitude for the assistance provided, sensitivity, delicacy, and the customs arising from this moral norm: hospitality, respect for elders.

Constancy "respect" (nemys)- this is good manners, modesty, delicacy, good manners. Intelligence ( akyil) is the basis of morality; violating the Adyghe khabze is “inappropriate, irrational, unreasonable.” Courage ( l1yg'e) in the context of the Adyghe khabze is not only and not so much military courage and bravery, but justice, delicacy, tolerance, the ability to endure physical and mental suffering, failures. In addition, strict adherence to Adyghe ethics and etiquette requires great courage. Honor (nape) is the “face” of a person, closely related to such concepts as “conscience” and “shame”.

An integral part of the general Adyghe ethics was the code of professional warrior knights (werk) - uerkyg'e - and knightly and noble etiquette - uerk khabze. This ethical and etiquette system is built on the same principles as the general Adyghe ethics, but the knights had to observe all this to the highest degree: honor, valor, courage, sophistication of manners, courtesy. That is why the Circassians in the Caucasus were considered the standard of nobility, good manners, and elegance.

The word “habze” itself consists of two elements: heh -"public", "society" and bze -“mechanism”, “mode of action”, “language”. “Khabze is a universal method and mechanism for the production and reproduction of social connections and relationships.” That is, in fact, khabze are the norms of sociotypical behavior accepted in Adyghe society, which are a behavioral standard. And Adyghe ( adygag'e) is a system of values ​​on which the norms of sociotypical behavior are based.

So, let's take a closer look at the characteristics of the main components of Adygheism. Humanity ( ts1yhuge) B.H. Bgazhnokov defines it as a system of “positive, unifying feelings and reactions”, which are based on love, compassion and understanding. An important aspect of humanity is that a good deed brings great benefits to the person who performs it: it spiritually ennobles and enriches. “When you do a good deed, you do a service to yourself,” says popular wisdom.

Humanity is based on empathy, the structure of which includes moral attention, moral memory and moral understanding. According to B.Kh. Bgazhnokova, “moral attention presupposes the desire to identify the experiences of another person in order to respond to them ethically.” Moral memory, being a continuation of moral attention, selects and reproduces that material that is associated with the interests of another person, allowing you to come to the rescue in time, show care, participation on the one hand, and on the other hand preserve the memory of the good attitude of other people.

Reverence ( nemys) - comes from the Greek word “namus” - honor, conscience, reputation, good name. Describing the relationships of people based on respect, love, mutual understanding, they say: “The basis of their relationships is nemys." I wonder what the word "nemys" used, like many other peoples, to denote ethics and morality in general in the sense of etiquette/breeding. Nemys is the shield that protects any person from disrespectful, disrespectful attitude. At the same time, respect for others is a necessary condition for human well-being: “He who is respectful is happy.”

Intelligence ( akyil) in the system of Adyghe ethics is moral, social reason, which allows one to distinguish good from evil, moral from immoral. In a certain sense, this is a special Adyghe mentality. This is a critical attitude towards oneself, which protects a person from forgetfulness and arrogance; knowing of limits. “In doses that exceed the measure, medicine is poison,” says Adyghe wisdom.

Courage (l1yg'e) in Adyghe ethics it is represented by the widest range of moral concepts: on the one hand, courage, determination, perseverance, and on the other hand, generosity, humanity, justice, delicacy, condescension. Therefore, if an act of courage lacks a moral basis, it is not an act of courage. Associated with courage are the concepts of honor and dishonor, and the high importance of public opinion, the so-called “public identity”. According to B.Kh. Bgazhnokova, this is “a well-known conformism based on the desire to be and be considered courageous in order to satisfy the expectations of the group, thus achieving recognition and authority.” Thus, we are again dealing with public opinion, which is the most important factor in regulating human behavior.

It is necessary to note that in the Adyghe system, courage is in no way connected with aggression and anger: “of all the virtues, the best and happiest is restraint in anger.” Adyghe courage is, first of all, valor, fortitude, endurance, restraint in anger, courage and nobility. The motto of courage is the aphorism: “Let fate (luck) not grant me what I have not earned with my courage.” Courage is perseverance, self-control and endurance, which control such unsightly inner impulses of a person as cowardice, fear, despair, passion, etc. Courage is also diplomacy, condescension, and the ability to forgive. It is closely related to nobility.

The concept of "honor" ( nape) in Adyghe ethics is associated with the concepts of “conscience” and “reputation”. Closely connected with them is the category of the person as an “organ” of honor and conscience: “My face is lost” - the Circassians react to deviations from the principles of Circassian ethics. Since honor and dignity in Adyghe society have the highest price, actions aimed at discrediting a person are equated to attacks on human life. Honor is also propriety, beauty and harmony.

Analyzing honor as a category of Adyghe ethics, B. Bgazhnokov introduces the concepts of intra-identity (“my face”) and inter-identity (“our face”). The face is a person’s conscience as an internal assessment of his behavior and shame as “a social feeling that is a projection of collective opinion - a social moral code.” Since the Adyghe culture, like other cultures of the North Caucasus, belongs to collectivist cultures, A/s identity is extremely relevant for a person. The moral identity of an Adyghe is associated with his ethnic identity.

S. Lyausheva identifies the following structural parts “a dy-gagye":

1) ideological, including moral, religious and aesthetic ideas, based on the cosmization and sacralization of tribal and ethnogenetic ties and emanating from the sacred ethnic chronotope - the “land of ancestors.” According to the author, this is a worldview, a worldview, a world feeling, and an attitude.

“2) ethical standards, rules of behavior institutionalized in the “Adyghe Khabze”;

• 3) artistic expression and translation of the ethnic chronotope in the symbolism of folk art, in the epic “Narts”, in language and folklore;
• 4) religious rituals and actions, adopted from world religions, but reinterpreted and subordinated to the sacred chronotope;
• 5) legal norms defining the internal and external laws of life of the Adyghe society (for example, adat)."

Adygheism performs the following functions: worldview, axiological, communicative, regulatory, integrative. At the same time, both specialists and ordinary representatives of the Adyghe ethnic group emphasize that Adygheism is a living, changing system, which is characterized by “on the one hand, loyalty to tradition, and on the other, the demand for change, in accordance with changing conditions. This, at first glance, contradictory “unity of opposites” ensures both the traditionality and relevance of the worldview and worldview. Therefore, the Khabz system is sometimes compared to a thousand-year-old tree, which has a solid foundation and, at the same time, constantly renewed, growing branches.” About modernity and relevance of following Adyghe Khabze is also evidenced by the fact that khabze called the “ideology of success,” requiring an approach that will provide “the best result in any endeavor.” This thesis looks very modern and is aimed at a young audience striving for success.

The basic values ​​of Adyghe culture are closely related to Adyghe culture: readiness to help, sensitivity, the art of understanding, courtesy, sense of proportion, fear of violating moral norms, delicacy and tact, as well as the ability to sacrifice oneself for the sake of those in need.

And here is how our respondents defined the basic principles of Adyghe ethics:

• Humanity, respect, courage, honor, intelligence.
• Humanism.
• Respect for elders.
• Responsibility.
• Pride.
• Hospitality.
• Caring for others, support.

As can be seen from the examples given, the respondents’ answers coincide with the opinion of experts.

Implementation Adyghe peoples in behavior occurs by observing the norms of Adyghe etiquette: Adyghe mute, Adyghe Khabze, Adyghe sh'en-khabze. Adyghe Khabze is not only a moral code, but also the etiquette of the Circassians, since etiquette principles are combined with legal norms. It covers three types of social norms: communicative and everyday (etiquette), ritual and ceremonial, legal.

At the center of etiquette norms are respect for elders, women, guests, and children. Self-respect, modesty and restraint are an indispensable component of etiquette.

Kabardian respondents named the main goals of raising children: Teach them to be humane (cab, male); To instill in them patriotism, respect for elders, mercy, to accustom them to faith (cabinet, female); Respect, honesty, modesty, ambition (cabinet, female); Respect for others (cabinet, male); Instill love for your language, traditions, teach to treat others with due respect (cabinet, female); Teach children not to lie, to be friendly, teach them religion (cab., female).

On the basis of the general Adyghe moral code, codes of individual families are formed. For example, we were able to analyze the modern Code of Life of the Kabardian Irugov family (provided by B.S. Irugov, the head of the clan living in Moscow). The Code, in particular, states: “...we hereby testify to our respect for our ancestors and our future descendants, our close and distant relatives, the laws of the country of residence, national customs, religious canons, and quite consciously and voluntarily accept the obligations proclaimed hereby code." The main obligations proclaimed by the code are: respect for each other, mutual assistance, increasing the well-being of the family and clan, equality combined with respect for elders, compassion, care and responsibility. The procedure for voluntarily signing the Code of Life and refusing to comply with it is described in detail.

The upbringing of children and youth in line with the basic concepts of Adygheism occurs both in the family and in educational institutions of all levels within the framework of the national-regional component. In the republics (Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia) textbooks on folk ethics and etiquette and the norms of Adyge Khabze are published. Educational institutions organize museums and corners of folk culture, and offer optional lessons in ethics and etiquette. Much work on education in line with national traditions is carried out as part of the study of the native language and literature. The teachers themselves consider restraint, respect for elders, non-questioning, balanced, and the presence of a certain etiquette of behavior in relationships between men and women to be the key norms of Adyghe Khabze, which can be formed in modern children. The teacher of the Circassian language and literature of gymnasium No. 5 in Cherkessk, honored teacher of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic Kuklya Dzhambekovna Kirzhinova, enjoys great respect. She is the author of the elective course “Adyghe etiquette as part of world culture.” “In the classroom of the Circassian language, she collected and systematized unique material on the history and culture of the peoples of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, created an ethnographic museum with state status, where the Folk Studio, organized by her, works, which develops the artistic and aesthetic abilities of children through the means of their native language.”

The theme of Adyghe ethics and the norms of Adyghe behavior based on it are glorified in modern Adyghe poetry. So, for example, Yu.A. Gedygushev in the newspaper “Adygs of Stavropol” formulates his vision of the “Code of Conduct of the Modern Adygs:

Wish for others what you wish for yourself

Always be fair

Be patient in every way

Forgive, be generous, do not look for faults in others, be able to restrain anger,

Be able to keep your word, fulfill agreements, stay on the righteous path,

Be trusting

Be what you look like and look like you are

To the younger ones - with love, to the older ones - with respect.

Avoid pride and be humble

Avoid stinginess, greed and be generous,

Be careful in maintaining the health given by Allah, spend your free time in good deeds.

An analysis of the presented text shows that the moral values ​​reflected in it are human, universal, equally secular and religious, Orthodox and Muslim values. Despite the fact that the most important source of moral standards for the Circassians is Islam (this is evidenced by the answers of our respondents), nevertheless, according to experts, “in modern secondary schools, lessons about Islam, incl. and about the moral norms of Islam are carried out rarely and carefully. In previous years, “Islamic etiquette” was taught in schools... But later it was canceled due to the emerging “Wahhabi” movement.” Propaganda of Islamic values ​​is not particularly popular among Adyghe youth, who believe that maintaining a religious lifestyle is very difficult and is associated with a number of restrictions that are unbearable for modern people. In addition, Islamic ideology in the Adyghe national environment is often perceived as competitive with the national-traditional one. National leaders (the so-called Khabzists), in Adyghe society there is a rather intense discussion between the followers of Khabze and Islam, sometimes having very dramatic consequences. Thus, the chairman of the Cherkessk television studio I.Kh. Gashokov notes that “Circassians do not need Islam.” In this regard, the opinion of B.Kh. is interesting. Bgazhnokova that adygagye granted to people by Allah so that those who observe the laws adygagye reward with paradise. At the same time, young supporters of Adyghe Khabze do not associate it with Islam, considering it an independent moral and ethical system, returning the Circassians to their original religion - monotheism with the veneration of the One God Thya. According to one of the young leaders of the Circassian national movement, “Khabzism will win among the Circassian environment. Because Khabze is part and main identifier of Circassian self-determination. Another thing is that some perceive Khabze as a certain philosophical ethical norm, complementing, for example, Islam, while others perceive it as a religious-philosophical ethical, complete ideology."

The results of surveys testify to the relationship between Sharia and Adyghe Khabze. Thus, a survey conducted among Circassians living in Adygea 2 showed that “40% of respondents believe that the norms of Islam and Circassianism basically coincide, and another 6% - that they coincide completely. Only 14% of respondents believe that the traditional normative cultural system of the Circassians is more important, and about 8% of respondents considered that “Islam is superior to traditional culture.. The majority of respondents (56%) indicated that for them the norms of the Circassian khabze are preferable. About 30% considered that Adyghe Khabze is compatible with Sharia. However, 6% believe that Sharia is preferable” 3.

What principles of Adyghe ethics and etiquette were reflected in the character traits that our respondents named as positive? Honor, humanity, courage - these are some of the most frequently cited positive qualities by respondents. It is interesting that they are perceived as a positive absolute, a standard; negative antonym pairs were not named for them. Those. a modern Adyghe cannot even admit that a representative of his people lacks honor, humanity and courage; these qualities have no antonyms.

The main character traits of the Circassians

Table 7

• 1 Excerpt from an interview.
• 2 http://valerytishkov.ru/engine/documents/document2040.doc access date 03.14.16)
• 3 http://valerytishkov.ru/engine/documents/document2040.doc access date 03/14/16)

Respect for elders, fortitude (strength of spirit), intransigence, adherence to principles, directness/steadiness/inflexibility (for men); courage, bravery, bravery; preservation of traditions/loyalty to traditions/observance of customs/respect for customs/striving to comply with adats/loyalty to one’s culture; hospitality; decency, morality; Patience was cited by our respondents as an absolute positive quality. As in the responses of respondents of other ethnic groups, the responses of the Circassians reflected a positive autostereotype; Very few negative character traits were named.

Researchers note that the older generation of Circassians observes the basic norms of Adyghe Khabze: respect for elders, respect for parents, modesty. The customs of avoidance are also partially preserved: for example, among the Adyghe people, the husband does not meet with his wife’s relatives; It is not customary to caress or, on the contrary, punish children in the presence of older relatives. However, young people are more susceptible to globalization and are guided in their behavior by the Western model.

In a psychological context, it is also important to note the fact that traditional ethics, according to the Circassians themselves, is a culture of shame: public opinion keeps a person from doing bad things. “Adygheism rests on courage, honor, shame”; “If a person has no modesty and shame, then, consequently, there is no Circassianism in him” - the opinions of the Circassians themselves.

Thus, the norms of traditional ethics and etiquette, along with the norms of Islam, as well as traditions and customs, regulate the sociotypical behavior of representatives of the North Caucasian ethnic groups. Often these legal and ethical systems are complementary; in certain cases they come into conflict. In order to clarify the nature of the relationship between the various systems regulating the sociotypical behavior of our respondents, we asked them the following question: “ What do you think should, first of all, regulate your behavior at the present time? (arrange the numbers from 1 to 5 in order of increasing importance: 1 is the least important, 5 is the most important):

• Sharia laws;
• National laws;
• National customs and traditions;
• Standards of national ethics;
• The norms and requirements of a type/type 1 (type 2).

The answers to this question can be seen in table No. 8.

Table 8

Distribution of answers to the question “What should, first of all, regulate your behavior at the present time” (average values ​​​​in points are presented)

• 1 The modern Ingush teip is a consanguineous association in which the principles of exogamy are observed, i.e. prohibition on marriage with representatives of one's teip.
• 2 Chechen type - “this is not a classical clan, but a brotherhood is an association of related and unrelated (social) groups united by common social, economic interests and mythological kinship.” According to Natasv S.A. Type as a form of social organization // Chechens / resp. rsd. L.T. Solovyova, V.A. Tishkov, Z.I. Khasbulatova; Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology named after. N.N. Miklouho-Maclay RAS; Comprehensive Research Institute named after. H.I. Ibragimov RAS. - M.: Nauka, 2012. P. 288-289.

The answers to the question clearly reflected polyjuridism, which emerged as a mechanism for regulating social behavior in the North Caucasus. Polyjuridism (legal pluralism) is a legal situation where the norms of customary law (adat), Sharia law and the system of modern Russian legislation operate in parallel 1 . The specificity of the social life of the North Caucasian peoples is such that different legal systems complement each other. The facts of legal pluralism are not a unique feature of the modern Russian Caucasus; they are present to one degree or another in Japan, the USA, Switzerland, and France. For the peoples of the world who profess Islam, this situation is also quite common.

Table 8 shows that the scores were distributed differently in different groups of respondents. The Ingush and representatives of the Karachay-Balkar ethnic group prefer to follow Sharia laws. The highest scores for preference for traditions were given by Chechens, Circassians and Ingush. The Circassians and Balkars are more oriented towards their clan. In these societies, the concept of clan is associated not only with the concept of kinship, but with gentility, which stems from class differences that have historically developed in the societies of the North-West Caucasus. High statistical significance of differences was found in the preference for Sharia laws (p = 0.000) and national laws (p = 0.003) between the Circassians and Ingush, in the preference for traditions and customs between Karachais and Chechens (p = 0.01), Balkars and Chechens (p = 0.009), according to the norms and requirements of their type/clan between Balkars and Chechens (p=0.001), Circassians and Chechens (p=0.000), Circassians and Ingush (p=0.003).

Rank structure of regulators of respondents’ behavior

Table 9

A detailed analysis of behavior regulators made it possible to build a rank structure of sociotypical behavior regulators (see Table 9). Sharia laws came first among the Ingush and representatives of the Karachay-Balkar ethnic group, while traditions and customs came first among the Circassians and Chechens. It is noteworthy that among the Circassians, Sharia law was in last place, which indicates, as shown above, the low level of religiosity of the Circassian society. The most important regulators of social behavior for the Circassians, along with traditions and customs, are the norms of the Circassian ethics of Adyghe Khabze. Among the Vainakhs, Karachais and Balkars, religious and traditional social norms are closely intertwined into a single whole.

So, the research conducted, aimed at studying the main sources of spiritual and moral education in the cultures of the North Caucasus, showed that the main sources of spiritual and moral education in the cultures of the North Caucasus are Islam and traditional moral codes - ethnic ethical systems that reflect the values ​​of culture, its moral ideals. Moral norms and values ​​reflected in national folklore and literature were, until recently, of an unwritten nature. Currently, the moral codes of the peoples of the Caucasus are reflected in relevant publications prepared by scientists based on an in-depth analysis of ethical norms and values, folklore and literature.

The spiritual and moral education of the majority of the peoples of the North Caucasus is built on a religious basis and is based on the moral and value norms of Islam. At the same time, there are features of the relationship between folk ethical codes and the religious system of Islam; Thus, in particular in Adyghe society, some adherents of Adyghe ethics deny its connection with Islam, considering it an independent philosophical and ethical teaching of Khabze, part of which is the traditional religion of the Circassians - monotheism with a coherent system of veneration of the One God Thya 1. In the ethical systems of other peoples (Chechens, Ingush, Karachais and Balkars), the ethical system is based on the norms of Islam and is closely connected with them.

Respect manifests itself in a certain type of behavior, transforming from a virtual form into an actual one. Therefore, the concept of a respectful or etiquette course of action is introduced - nemyskIe g'enshchIa zekIuekIe. To find out what its specifics are, it is necessary to answer two questions: 1) how and 2) who in particular is obliged to honor (respect) Adyghe etiquette?

The first question is related to ideas about the general mood (or tone) of etiquette behavior, about the nature or ethical significance of the means and methods of communication corresponding to this mood. Experience shows that in this sense, such attitudes and parameters of communication as benevolence, modesty and tolerance, and artistry have the greatest social significance.

To answer the second of the questions posed, it is necessary to identify the circle of people who deserve the greatest attention and respect. First of all, these are elders (by age and rank), women, guests, relatives, children and, finally, Ego - the subject of etiquette actions. Adyghe etiquette obliges one to be respectful and respectful with everyone, but first of all with the six categories of persons named here. These are the most significant figures against the general background of etiquette thinking and behavior.

Thus, Adyghe etiquette is based on nine constructive principles, of which the first three are technological, and the other six are personifying:

Each principle gives rise to many standard means and techniques of respectful behavior in specific life situations and situations. These are thousands, tens of thousands of units; It is not for nothing that Adyghe etiquette is considered one of the most complex and detailed, along with Chinese, Japanese, and English etiquette. The better a person knows the rules of Adyghe politeness, the more chances he has to be known as a morally full-fledged person, a person in whom there is nemys. But it's not only that. One who knows but does not comply with various points of etiquette is considered to lack respect. Nemys and adygag'e are a system of morally reasoned actions and deeds.

The Adyghe language itself acquires important symbolic and style-forming significance. It is required that speech standards for expressing respect be clothed in a close, understandable and, most of all, adapted form of the native language - Adygebze. In the system of Adyghe ethics, this is not just a native language, but above all a courtly, morally meaningful and impressive language. The statement Adygebze kyzzhiIasch - “He spoke to me in the Adyghe language” means that the person was communicated with in a friendly, warm, and exquisitely polite manner. And on the contrary, when they say: Adygebze kIeryphyshtep - “You won’t get the Adyghe language from him,” they mean an ill-bred person, devoid of Adyghe roots.

To accurately implement the principles and norms of Adyghe etiquette, it is necessary to have a perfect command of the native language, to know all its subtleties, especially words and figures of speech expressing respect.

Much attention is also paid to the ability to choose the most advantageous and impressive standards of communication, to ensure that the manner of fulfilling the prescribed standards is bright, expressive, and artistic. This contributed to the formation of an unusually refined style of behavior, to which everyday writers of Circassia invariably drew attention. For example, the Englishman J. Bell, who lived among the Circassians for three years (1837-1839), wrote: “From everything that I saw, I look at the Circassians for the most part as the most polite people by nature, which I when -knew or about which one has ever read” (Bell 1840: 59). The correspondent of the London newspaper "The Times" J. Longworth stayed in Circassia for about a year during the same period and left similar reviews, cf.: "In no other country in the world is the behavior of people so calm and dignified" (Longwort 1940: 240) . It was repeatedly emphasized that in this manner there was no shadow of bad acting or falsehood, that every movement was natural, organic. The remarkable Russian ethnologist L. Ya. Lyulye explained the “secret” of such art by the presence among the Circassians “of some kind of instinct that gives them an appearance of nobility and decency in their behavior” (Lyulye 1859: 34). And the Polish officer T. Lapinsky, who fought in the ranks of the Circassian army for about four years, called the Circassian people “one of the most beautiful and naturally most intelligent peoples” (Lapinsky 1995: 87).

Modern researchers speak in the same spirit about Adyghe etiquette, applying to it the epithet “comme il faut”, that is, decent, subtle, corresponding to the rules of secular decency (Abaev 1949: 88), “courtly” - exquisitely polite, courteous (Naloev 1978: 69 ) etc. And in fact, Circassians can be distinguished from the crowd - by their gait, by the manner of standing, sitting, talking, gesticulating, looking, eating, dressing, even being silent. For all occasions there are specific, ethically and aesthetically significant rules and restrictions. But there are also recommendations of a general nature, remarkable in terms of the production itself, for example: Ptse meuzy fedeu shhe, ine meuzy fedeu p'e, plaako meuz fedeu kio - "Eat as if your teeth hurt, look as if your eyes hurt, walk like that “It’s like your legs hurt”; Tsyzem fedeu zekIo, chetyum fedeu zygyaz - “Walk like a squirrel, turn like a cat.” This is how girls were usually instructed, whose manners were supposed to be distinguished by special grace, and in this connection I recall a number of other similar statements. For example, comparing a beautiful gait with the gait of a tired dog or the recommendation to “look like a blind woman and walk like a deaf one” - Nash’um fedeu p’e, degum fedeu zekIo.

The peculiarity of artistic behavior also lies in the fact that the rules of mutual behavior are carried out using some additional - bright and colorful techniques. In such cases, a person spends more time, effort, and money, and this in itself is perceived as a manifestation of special respect for others. This means that a person values ​​and honors other people, takes into account their opinions and at the same time values ​​and respects himself. In a word, he is not indifferent to the impression he makes on others. In such cases, the ethical value of social actions is enriched by aesthetic value, which in general is one of the most characteristic features of etiquette behavior.

Of course, there is an element of play in all this. In addition, spectacular words, movements, and gestures can be used to disguise a completely unfavorable mood. But it does not follow from this that there is a huge distance between ethics and etiquette. Usually, simple courtesy, which involves only knowledge of manners, is transformed into true politeness and becomes an internal condition of activity. Being an expression of moral and ethical ideas and attitudes, etiquette maintains the necessary level of benevolence in society, having a reverse positive effect on morality. Ultimately, everything depends on the moral state of society. Therefore, a crisis or decline in morality inevitably entails a crisis in etiquette. This was pointed out by the Russian ethnologist S. M. Shirokogorov: “To people devoid of morality,” he writes, “words of conviction to respect the personality of another person and external manifestations of respect for it may seem naive and meaningless, but for people who recognize the concept of morality, even words beliefs and external manifestations of respect for an individual are full of deep meaning and influence, since they are only part of a whole system of thinking" (Shirokogorov 1919: 51).

Plan - class notes for class 7 "B".

Lesson topic: “Basic concepts of Adyghe etiquette.”

The purpose of the lesson : to acquaint students with the basic concepts of Adyghe etiquette, with the emergence and formation of these etiquette norms, and to introduce them to a single Adyghe culture.

Lesson plan.

1. Peoples united by the common self-name “Adyghe” - Kabardians, Adygheians, Circassians. Common origin, territory, language, customs, traditions. The reasons for today's territorial division.

2. Preservation of a single Adyghe culture.

3.Adygs abroad.

4. The concepts of “Adyge khabze”, “Adyge nemys”, “Adygage”, Adyghe behavior and others.

Equipment.

Disc “Norms of Adyghe Etiquette”.

Computer with projector.

During the classes.

Teacher . Dear Guys! Today we have an unusual lesson. We will get to know our ancestors. You probably have a question - “Aren’t we familiar with them?” Anticipating your question, I’ll answer – not really. Maybe you know who the Circassians are, but you probably don’t know that some of them live abroad, you don’t know about their culture and traditions. You will also learn about such a concept as “Adyghe etiquette”. But first I would like to listen to your messages taken from dictionaries about the Circassians.

(In advance, the teacher distributed short reports to students about the Circassians, their origin, and culture).

Students read their messages.

1 student:

Ady?gi (Circassians), self-name Adyge) are a people divided in Russia into Adygeis, Kabardians, Circassians and Shapsugs. Total number in Russia (750,000~ people according to the 2002 census). They also live in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, European countries, the USA, and other countries of Western Asia. The Circassian diaspora numbers, according to various estimates, from 5 to 7 million people. They speak the Circassian language, which is part of the Abkhaz-Adyghe language group and has two literary dialects - western (Adyghe) and eastern (Kabardino-Circassian).

In Soviet times, the Circassian (Adyghe) people, having a single self-name (Adyghe) and speaking the same language (Adygebze), were artificially divided into four peoples - “Kabardians”, “Adygheans”, “Shapsugs” and Circassians. The name “Circassians” remained only with the Circassians of Karachay-Cherkessia.

The Circassians never received unified autonomy, finding themselves in their homeland in six subjects of the Federation (Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Krasnodar Territory, North Ossetia, Stavropol Territory). In three of them (Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia) Circassians are “titular” peoples.

Circassians (Adygs) of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic are the Circassian subethnic groups of Besleneyevtsy and Kabardians; in Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory - Abadzekhs, Bzhedugs, Kemirgoyevts, Shapsugs, Kabardians, in the KBR - Kabardians.

2nd student:

Origin

The ancestors of the Circassians (Zikhs, Kerkets, Meots, etc.) are known in the northeastern Black Sea region from the 2nd millennium BC. e. In different eras, among different peoples, the Circassians had many names. Lived in the 15th century. in the Caucasus, the Genoese Georgy Interiano, in his memoirs “The Life of the Ziks, Called Cherkassy,” wrote that they are called Zikhs in Greek and Latin, the Tatars and Turks call them Cherkasy, and in their own dialect their name is Adyghes. In (ancient) Russian sources they were known under the name Kasogs (the long-time neighbors of the Circassians, the Ossetians, still call Kabarda and Circassia kæsæg, and themselves, respectively, kæsgon,). In the 13th century The Mongolian name Circassians spreads. In the XIV-XV centuries. part of the Circassians occupied lands in the vicinity of Pyatigorye, when, after the destruction of the Golden Horde by the troops of Tamerlane, another wave of Circassian tribes joined them from the west, becoming the ethnic basis of the Kabardians. In the 18th century Some of the Kabardians moved to the basin of the Bolshoy Zelenchuk and Maly Zelenchuk rivers, where they formed the basis of the Circassians of the KCR. Thus, at different times the Circassians inhabited most of the territory of the Western Caucasus - Circassia (the modern Krasnodar region south of the Kuban River, the Kabardino-Balkarian, Karachay-Cherkess Republics and Adygea).

In addition to Russia, the Circassians also live in many countries around the world, mainly in the Near and Middle East, where they are usually called Circassians and include groups of Abazins, Abkhazians, Ossetians, Chechens and other people from the Caucasus. Abroad, the Circassians are settled in compact groups: in Turkey, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. The total number of Circassians is estimated at more than a million people, of which over 750 thousand people are in Russia. The Adygs speak the Adyghe and Kabardino-Circassian languages ​​and profess Sunni Islam.

3rd student:

Culture

In folklore, the main place is occupied by Nart tales (nart pshinatl), heroic and historical songs, lament songs about heroes (gybze). The variety of work songs is due to different forms of farming (songs of plowmen, mowers, ox drivers during threshing, wool carders, songs during weeding and cleaning corn, arobic, mill, blacksmith, shepherd's songs and tunes).

Ritual folklore includes songs of appeal to the patrons of the forest; rain making songs; New Year's greeting songs; ritual tunes accompanying the search for someone who drowned or died in an avalanche; songs of appeal to the thunder deity accompanying the funeral of a lightning victim; family songs (wedding songs, lullabies, rocking songs for decrepit old people), healing songs (plot songs for smallpox, for wounds); songs of good wishes (khokha).

Musical instruments: bow shiklepschin, plucked apeshin, wind kamyl, or bzhami, wooden rattle pkhaapshina. From the 2nd half. 19th century harmonics spread widely. Traditional musical folklore has been preserved largely thanks to the traveling musicians dzheguaklo gybzau, especially popular among the Adyghe people.

Teacher's word:

Dear Guys! Today I will introduce you to such a concept as “Adyghe khabze”. It is considered one of the most basic signs of Adyghe ethnic identity. But those who translate Adyghe khabze as ordinary Adyghe law greatly narrow not only its semantic meaning, but also its spiritual and moral principles. In a broad sense, Adyghe khabze represented a whole spectrum of social norms in all areas of life activity without exception, starting from the simplest everyday rules and ending with mandatory principles of legal regulation. This is a set of usually unwritten legal norms, rules of behavior, moral provisions that define the necessary positive qualities of an individual in Adyghe society. It is difficult to talk about Adyghe Khabze in words. You have to feel it. This is evidenced by the proverb: “Khabzer bzegupek1e zerakhyerkyim” (lit.: habze is not worn on the tip of the tongue, i.e. they do not talk about it, they observe it).

The Adyghe khabze took shape over many centuries, and, because of this, naturally retained traces of various historical formations: primitiveness, early class society, military-feudal life, etc. This, apparently, explains such a wide range of social and moral problems of relationships covered Adyghe Khabze. And it’s hard to even say what’s most important about it: either the variety of rules and laws regulating a person’s actions in society, or a psychologically precisely verified version of behavior for a given situation, or the naturalness of the manner of behavior, or the masterful observance by simple Circassians of these subtleties .

An integral part of the Adyghe khabze were the Adygag'e or Adyghe nemys, which together determined such important moral categories as honor, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, shame, the ability to behave in society, sensitivity, attentiveness, respect for elders, for persons of the opposite sex, etc. .d. When they talk about any of these human qualities, it’s as if everything is clear. Take, for example, respect for elders. What was it like? In the Adyghe Khabze system, respect is, first of all, an attentive attitude towards another, the ability to put oneself in his place, and the manifestation of one’s best qualities in relation to him. Outwardly, respect for elders was manifested in the following. When two Circassians walked or rode on horseback, the elder was always on the right. If there were three of them, then he was supposed to be in the middle, the youngest occupied the right side of him, and the middle one occupied the left. They sat down at the table in the same way. The elder walking in front was never called out. They caught up with him and, standing on the left and saying hello, asked him what they wanted to ask. The elder was never interrupted in conversation. When he appeared, everyone everywhere and always stood up. They stood up not only in honor of the elder, but also in honor of guests, women, neighbors, strangers, not only at home, but also with strangers, in the field, in the hayfield, etc., not only when they were sitting on the ground, but also when they were on horseback (rising in stirrups or dismounting). Sons and daughters, who had already become parents, did not sit in the presence of their father; there was nothing to talk about lying with him. In this regard, one legend is interesting. As is known, in the past, the children of the Circassian nobility were raised in a “strange house”, with an atalyk, and they grew up from birth to adulthood, without seeing their parents.

One such pupil was seriously wounded. Before his death, he asked to be shown his own father at least once. The latter was informed about this, and he came to the house where his dying son lay. Adyghe khabze, as already said, did not allow him to sit or lie with his father. Therefore, the wounded man, with the help of others, got out of bed and met his father, as he should have, standing. He stood, his friends supported him, and his father sat and looked at his dying son. But this did not last long. The father stood up and said: “I haven’t seen enough of my unfortunate son, but I still have to leave, because it’s hard for him to stand, and he doesn’t dare lie down in front of me.” The father left, and the son immediately fell and died. This is probably cruel in our modern understanding, but such were the demands of the Adyghe Khabze, such was the concept of honor. And when it comes to honor and dignity, the Circassians say: “Napem i pe pser ihue,” which roughly means: “honor is more valuable than life.” When the elder sat down or dismounted from his horse, the young people took his horse by the bridle and by the right stirrup. It is noteworthy that the elder could do the same if a young man sat on the horse. In this case, seniority was recognized by the one who mounted the horse.

If the younger ones were absent, they would definitely ask the older one for leave. When returning, the first thing they did was visit the elder. It was also a sign of good manners when relatives and neighbors simply came to the elder and inquired about his health, told him the news, and asked for advice. The elder did not cross the road, especially women. West German ethnographer A. Landmann, who spent a lot of time studying the life and everyday life of the Turkish Adygs (Circassians), gives such an interesting example. A father took his adult daughter to Ankara for the first time. They got off the bus. The father, thinking that his daughter was following him, got lost in the crowd, and the daughter, letting all the elders pass, fell behind him. And when the father, discovering that his daughter was not with him, returned, he found her in the same place where they got off the bus.

Not a single solemn event took place without an elder, without a toastmaster. At the same time, the wedding and the wedding table were not only a place where they played, danced, ate, and got drunk. It was a kind of school where the elder taught the youth and all those present the customs and traditions of the people. According to customs, the eldest, just before the start of the celebrations, asked everyone to be prudent, restrained, so as not to darken the joy of the family having a wedding, to “forget for a while enmity, if enmity existed between any of those present.” And, naturally, its violation was condemned by everyone. Thus, respect for the elder was based not on the strength of his power, but on his authority, on his justice, courtesy, restraint, resourcefulness, on how well he knows the Adyge khabze. It is impossible to list all the signs of attention through which respect for an elder was shown. Women and young people did not pronounce his name, they did not talk about his wife, husband and children in front of him, they did not allow themselves to speak freely in his presence, not to mention obscene expressions. At the table no one started eating before the toastmaster. However, they stopped eating a little later. This also applied to the guest, to let him eat without embarrassment.

If an old person did some work, young people (acquaintances or strangers) were obliged to help him. Lonely old people, women, and weak people were always taken in by relatives and neighbors. They were looked after, monitored, and were not left alone in the room at night. All this required Adyghe khabze from the Adygs. Proverbs speak about the meaning of khabze: “He who thinks khabze is servility deprives himself of half of what he deserves,” “The fate of a khabze who does not know the Adyghe is a shame,” “He who does not know khabze behaves disgracefully.”

Seniority was determined mainly by age. The eldest was always superior among brothers and friends. However, during campaigns, equestrianism, and field work, seniority depended not only on years lived, but also on the ability to organize people, on courage, bravery, knowledge of the matter, etc. As you can see, respect for elders was one of the main components of the Adyghe khabze, and the latter was an integral part of the self-awareness of all Adygs. There are a lot of such stable phraseological units in combination with the concept “Adyghe” in the Adyghe language: Adyghe nemys (Adyghe dignity, politeness, reputation, shame), Adyghe nape (Adyghe conscience, honor), Adyghe psal’e (Adyghe word), etc. The same is observed in the field of material culture: Adyghe une (Adyghe house), Adyghe fasche (Adyghe national costume), Adyghe zhyegu (Adyghe hearth). There are a lot of them. Moreover, Adyghe une (Adyghe house) means not only a structure, housing, but hospitality, friendliness, convenience, etc., just as Adyghe fasche (Adyghe costume) is understood not only as a utilitarian part of the culture of life support, but also as beauty , grace, etc.

Dear Guys! In one lesson it is impossible to cover the entire set of rules of Adyghe etiquette. But during our class hours we will continue to get acquainted and familiarize ourselves with these rules. Now let's watch a film about the norms of Adyghe etiquette. At home, ask your grandparents to tell you what “Adyghe khabze” is. I am sure that you will learn a lot of interesting things.

Adyge nemys and Adyge khabze establish strictly defined standards of behavior both in relation to the hosts, all family members, and the guest himself. From the arrival of the guest in the owner’s yard at the hitching post until his farewell, everything was described in detail: how to greet the guest, how to invite him into the house, into the kunatskaya, how to show him to the room and seat him, what place to offer him at the table, what topics to talk about in front of a guest, what questions are permissible to ask him, how to entertain him (amuse him, entertain him) after the feast, how to take him for a night's rest, who and how cares for his clothes, his horse (bulls), etc.

All this was aimed at making the guest comfortable/pleasant and interesting in the hosts’ home. At the same time, the person worked hard not in order to prove himself, but in order to express through his actions the best traditional qualities of the people. For when the customs of our ancestors were violated or not performed well, public opinion was merciless. It was considered an indelible shame for oneself, family, and family members to refuse to receive a guest or to fail to defend his honor. Such a Circassian compromised his entire family and even his entire village. A family that found itself unable to fulfill its duty of hospitality was subjected to ridicule, condemnation, and ignored by neighbors and acquaintances; it was not recommended to enter into family relations with it. The thought of what the guests would say about her upon returning home haunted and guided the owner. Day and night he fussed around the guest, tried to be with him constantly, only leaving him for a short time to find out whether the visitors’ horses were fed. Everything was done out of the belief that he was fulfilling the covenant of the fathers and the duty of hospitality. And at the same time, an important role was played by the fact, generally accepted among the people, that the respect of the owner of the family and the family itself depended on how often guests visited it.

Hospitality is a social custom, to varying degrees, characteristic of all peoples. The Circassians perceived this custom as one of the greatest human virtues, which was noted by all foreign scientists who have ever visited the country of the Circassians. In particular, Giorgio Interiano, already known to the reader, noted in the 15th century that the Circassians “have a custom of hospitality and to receive everyone with the greatest cordiality.” Giovanni Lucca wrote about the Circassians in the 17th century that “there is no kinder or more hospitable people in the world who accept foreigners.” “Hospitality,” K. F. Stahl noted two centuries later, “is one of the most important virtues of the Circassians...” “The memory of former hospitality has been preserved in legends... Despite all the disasters and political upheavals, this virtue has not weakened to this day.” ,” wrote Sh. Nogmov in the first half of the 19th century. However, this was the case for the time being. Hospitality, like all other components of the traditional everyday culture of the Circassians, with changes in the socio-economic conditions of life of the people, was transformed little by little, adapting to new conditions. But more on that later. In the meantime, let’s continue our story about the hospitality of the Circassians, which in the past attracted the kind attention of scientists and writers.

Gardanov V.K. writes: “The right of a complete stranger to stay as a guest in any house and the unconditional obligation of the owner to provide him with the most cordial welcome and provide everything he needs - this is what primarily characterized the custom of hospitality among the Circassians.”

“In Circassia,” noted Khan-Girey, “a traveler, tormented by hunger, thirst and fatigue, finds hospitable shelter everywhere: the owner of the house where he is staying welcomes him cordially and, not knowing him at all, makes every possible effort to calm him down.” , without even asking who he is, where he’s coming from or why, delivers everything he needs.”

“Hospitality was developed among the Circassians to the widest extent and constituted one of the most important virtues of this people,” wrote Dubrovin. “The guest was a sacred person for the owner, who was obliged to treat him, protect him from insults and was ready to sacrifice his life for him, even if he were a criminal or his blood enemy.” And further: “...Every traveling Circassian stopped where night overtook him, but he preferred to stay with a friend, and, moreover, a person who would not be too burdensome to treat the visitor.

The owner, hearing from afar about the guest's arrival, hurried to meet him and held the stirrup as he dismounted from his horse. In the eyes of every Circassian, there were no such actions or services that could humiliate the owner in front of the guest, no matter how great the difference in their social status. As soon as the guest got off his horse, the owner first of all took off his gun and led him into the kunatskaya, indicating a place there, lined with carpets and pillows, in the most honorable corner of the room. Here they removed all other weapons from the visitor, which they used to hang in the kunatskaya or take to the owner’s house. The last circumstance had a double meaning among the Circassians: either that the owner, out of friendship, took upon himself full responsibility for the safety of the guest in his house, or that, not knowing him, he did not really trust him.

Having sat down in a place of honor, the visitor, as is usual among the Circassians, spent some time in deep silence. The host and the guest, if they were strangers, examined each other with great attention. After remaining silent for several moments, the visitor inquired about the health of the owner, but considered it indecent to ask about his wife and children. On the other hand, the Circassians considered it a violation of the rules of hospitality to bombard the guest with questions: where he came from, where he was going and why; the guest, if he wished, could remain completely incognito. The owner asked him about his health only if the visitor was familiar to him, otherwise he asked this question no earlier than the guest announced his name. In the period of time, before dinner, it was considered indecent to leave a guest alone, and therefore the host’s neighbors came to him one after another with greetings. The initiative for every business came from the guest. He began a conversation and asked those present to sit down, they at first refused, considering it indecent to sit in the presence of a guest, but then the older ones gave in to the second request and sat down, and the younger ones stood around the room. During the conversation, according to custom, the guest addressed himself exclusively to respectable persons or elders, and little by little the conversation became general. The public interests of the country, internal events, information about peace or war, the exploits of some prince, the arrival of ships on the Circassian shores and other subjects worthy of attention formed the content of the conversation and were the only source from which all Circassian news and information were drawn.

The most subtle decency was observed in the conversation, giving the Circassians an appearance of nobility or decency when communicating with each other. The appearance of servants or the owner's sons, or his neighbors with a washstand and basin for washing their hands, served as a sign that dinner was ready. After washing, small tables with three legs were brought into the Kunak room. These tables are known among the Circassians under the name ane (Iene).

The Circassians were always extremely moderate in food: they ate little and rarely, especially during campaigns and movements. “Sadness of the stomach,” says the proverb, “is easily forgotten, but not soon - only heartache.” The food was served clean and tidy. The Circassians ate milk with wooden spoons, drank beef broth or broth from wooden cups, and ate everything else with their hands. The ram slaughtered for the guest was boiled in a cauldron entirely, with the exception of the head, legs and liver, and, surrounded by these accessories, seasoned with brine, it was served on one of the tables. The next dish also consisted of boiled lamb, cut into pieces, between which there was a stone cup with spikes - sour milk, seasoned with garlic, pepper, salt; The natives dipped lamb into this brine. Then, in order and dignity, came chetlibzh - chicken seasoned with onions, peppers, and butter; they put pasta on the table... For Chetlibzhe - again sour milk, with pieces of boiled lamb's head, cheesecakes with cottage cheese, cottage cheese pies, pilaf, shish kebab, fried lamb with honey, loose millet with sour cream, sweet pies. At the end of dinner, a cauldron of very tasty soup was brought, which was poured into wooden cups with ears and served to the guests. Wine, beer, buza or arak and, finally, kumiss were part of every dinner. The number of dishes, depending on the importance of the guest and the state of the host, was sometimes quite significant. So, in 1827, the Natukhai elder Deshenoko-Temirok, treating the English seraskir Hassan Pasha who visited him, served him one hundred and twenty dishes at dinner. They sat down to dinner according to dignity and significance; summers played a very important role in this matter. Summer in the Circassian community was always placed above any rank; a young man of the highest origin was obliged to stand in front of each old man, without asking his name and showing respect to his gray hair, to give him a place of honor, which was of very great importance in the reception of the Circassians.

When the eldest stopped eating, everyone sitting at the same table with him also stopped eating, and the table was passed on to secondary visitors, and passed on from them until it was completely empty, because the Circassian did not save for another day what was once prepared. and served. What the guests did not eat was taken out of the kunak room and distributed in the courtyard to a crowd of children and onlookers who came running to each such treat. After dinner, they swept and brought the washbasin again, and this time they served a small piece of soap on a special plate. Having wished the guest peace, everyone left, except the owner, who remained there until the guest asked him to calm down as well.

The visitor fell asleep with full confidence that his horses were fed; that they were given bedding, or that they graze under the supervision of a shepherd specially appointed this time... that the mistress of the house would get up early, before dawn, in order to have time to prepare a wide variety of dishes and treat the visitor as best as possible... Upon departure, the owner and guest drank shesibzh - a jammed bowl. The guest went out into the courtyard; his horses and his retinue were saddled and led out of the stable; Each of the horses was held by a special person and given the stirrup. If the guest came from afar, then he was given even greater honor: then the owner, not content with saying goodbye in the house, also mounted his horse, saw him off for several miles and returned home only after several long persuasion and requests from the guest.”

To create the greatest comfort and peace for the guest, the Circassians had a special guest house - kheshchIeshch (literally: a place for a guest), known in translated literature as kunatskaya. KheshIesh was built in the most convenient place of the estate, i.e., away from the owners’ home, closer to the gate. There was always a stable or hitching post next to the guest house. If the guest arrived on a horse, then he did not have to worry about him. The owners will do everything that is necessary: ​​they will unsaddle the horse, feed and water it, take it to a fenced pasture, and in bad weather they will keep it in a special room. In the Adyghe family, it was customary to save all the best for guests. So the kunatskaya - heshchIeshch was the most comfortable room, furnished with the best part of the owners’ property. Here, tables were required - tripods, called “Iene” by the Circassians, a bed with a set of clean bed linen, carpets, mats. And weapons and musical instruments were hung on the walls. So, the eldest greeted the guest, the younger ones took care of the horse or bulls with the cart, the women did household chores. If the guest turned out to be older, the owner took the left side, accompanying him to the kunatskaya. Inviting a guest to the house, the owner indicated the direction with his right hand and, walking slightly ahead, walked as if sideways. At the very entrance, the owner slowed down, letting the guest go forward. And the guest had to enter with his right foot, thereby symbolizing the bringing of happiness to this house. If there were women among the arriving guests, then to meet them, along with men, women also came out and greeted each other with a three-time hug: first on the right shoulder, then on the left, and ending with the right shoulder. I wonder why the hug greeting started from the right shoulder and ended with the right? Is this a coincidence? It turns out not. Let us remember the meaning in Adyghe etiquette attached to the words - right - left, denoting opposite sides in the language: izh - right side, semegu - left side. It has long been established that among the Circassians the right side is considered more respected, honorable, and comfortable. Based on this, the place of the senior “ZhiantIe” was determined. The guest is seated to the right of the senior owner of the house or his representative - one of the elders of the family. If two people walk (or ride) together, then according to Adyghe etiquette, the eldest of them should stand on the right, and the youngest on the left, half a length behind the eldest. Taking a place next to (on the same level) with an elder when walking or riding a horse was considered immodesty, even bragging, and being ahead of an elder by at least half a length was a sign of poor upbringing. In this case, in addition to the prestige of the right side, there is also the prestige of the one in front (“Yapem it”). Thus, with such an order on the journey, it is considered that the eldest is given full honor and respect if the youngest stands on the left and is somewhat behind. Women, regardless of their age, were placed on the right side, thereby emphasizing respect for them.

You should only accept something from an elder or pass it on to him with your right hand. Extending your left hand to an elder was considered a sign of disrespect for the elder, and therefore bad upbringing. When entering a house, they cross the threshold of the house with their right foot (this supposedly brings happiness). And if someone crosses the threshold of a house with their left foot, this is equated to an unfriendly attitude towards this house, towards the people living in this house. Therefore, the ritual “uneishe” (bringing the bride into the house) among other traditional ritual requirements (laying fresh lamb skin on the threshold, showering the bride with nuts, grains (millet, beans), coins, sweets - “kyepkhykh”, anointing the bride’s lips with honey and cream oil - “IurytsIel”, to shoot at the hearth pipe (at the moment the bride crosses the threshold) ensures that the young woman must cross the threshold with her right foot.

During holidays and ceremonial dinners, the right half of the head of small cattle, slaughtered for this occasion, is placed on the table in front of the eldest (themade). The left half is not only not placed on the table, but it is even forbidden to take it out of the house. Wishing someone good luck in a certain matter, they say to him: Iuekhum Ie izh t'em ukhuischI (lit.: so that God turns to the matter with his right hand). Also, wanting to emphasize someone’s inability to work, their inability to work, the Circassians say: “Ar Iuekhum huesemegusch.”

By the way, the left leg is also related to Adyghe etiquette. To this day, there is an Adyghe custom, according to which the rider - the messenger of grief (shchyhyekIue shu) dismounts so that he stands on the ground with his left foot first. Therefore, the expression “semegumkIe kyskhuepsykhasch” (dismounted with his left foot) means: “He came to me with a message about the death of someone.” The mounted messenger of grief was recognized on the road by the way he held the reins with his right hand and the whip with his left. Dismounting is considered the norm when the rider first removes his right leg from the stirrup, moves it from the right side of the horse to the left (while the left leg remains in the stirrup) and stands on the ground with his right leg first, then releases his left leg from the stirrup and stands to the left of the horse. .

The messenger of grief dismounts on the right side of the horse and first places his left foot on the ground. During normal riding, the reins are held with the left hand and the whip with the right. The preference for the right side among the Circassians extended to various beliefs. So, they believed that if the right palm itches (Iegu izhyr sheme), an increase is expected, you will receive money, a gift, and if the left palm itches (Ie semegur sheme), then loss, expenses, damage are expected. If the right side of the face itches or the right eye twitches (NekIu izhyr shkheme, e napshchIe izhyr khel'etme), this foreshadowed joyful events. If the left side of the face itches or the left eye twitches (nekIu semegur sheme, e napshchIe semegur heletme), then tears and grief cannot be avoided. If the right ear is ringing (thekIume izhyr vuume), you will hear good news, and if the left ear is ringing (thekIume semegur vuume), bad news, unpleasant news, etc. are expected.

Even children were taught in the old days to put on their right foot first, then their left, and they started taking off their shoes from the left foot.

The Circassians, noticing that the child was becoming left-handed, warned him several times. If verbal warnings were ineffective, they would hit him on the left hand when he extended his left hand instead of his right hand. If this did not help, they wounded one of the fingers of the left hand with a knife, not very deeply, and tied his left hand and kept it like that until the child got used to taking objects with his right hand and eating with his right hand. Thus, his right hand was gradually accustomed to more active work.

The symbolic perception of the Circassians of the words right - left is reflected in their religious views. So, they argued that, according to the Koran, every person has an angel sitting on his right shoulder and recording all his good deeds, and another angel sits on his left shoulder and recording all his bad deeds, so that at the Last Judgment he can weigh everything that he has done. The bad will be put on one side of the scale, and the good on the other. If the good outweighs, you will go to heaven; if the bad outweighs, you will go to hell, etc. The placement of good deeds on the right side, and evil ones on the left, found in Jewish, Christian, Muslim and other religions, goes back to the most ancient cosmogony, which recognized in a world of eternally opposite, warring principles of good and evil and reflects the dualistic idea of ​​ancient people about the universe.

Adyge nemys prescribed special rules for tactful behavior of both hosts and guests during the meeting and greeting. They provided for the order of greetings, taking into account age and gender. The person walking was the first to say hello. Greeted the older male. With women: greeted after men. They shook hands, with palms, not fingertips. It was considered a sign of bad manners or poor upbringing to look closely into the eyes of the person greeting. (“And ner irishchIu, and nem shIeplyhyu.”) It was supposed to lower your eyes slightly and only raise them from time to time when talking with a guest or an older person. When close acquaintances met, emphasizing their affection for each other, everyone shook the hand extended for greeting with both hands and did not take their hands away for some time. All this was accompanied by appropriate speech etiquette formulas such as: Uuzinsham! FIehous! Salam! Is he fed up? Are you full? (“Hello!”, “Welcome!”, “Salaam!”, “How are you living (thanks to God)?”, “How are you living?”, “How are you?”), etc. An unfamiliar guest was greeted with a shake of the right hand . Moreover, the strength of the squeeze was also specified. It was recommended to shake the hand of a stranger (guest) moderately, moderately. Not shaking the outstretched hand at all, but lightly touching it, was regarded as some kind of undesirable sign. Putting all your strength into a handshake was also considered indecent. The same situation with a hug (hug), with the expression of your emotions about the meeting. In posture, in gait, in posture, in gestures, there had to be a constant sense of proportion corresponding to age, gender, height, and build. The arriving guest was shown a variety of signs of attention and respect. So, having escorted him to the house, they helped him take off his outer clothing and weapons and seated him in a place of honor. If he wanted, he could remain completely incognito, and asking who he was, where he was from and where he was going was considered indecent. The guest could be questioned only after three days. And then the owner did not allow himself to touch upon topics that were unpleasant to the guest or ask ambiguous questions. During the conversation, they did not interrupt, did not ask again, did not ask clarifying questions, did not argue with them, even if they were wrong or were mistaken in something. The guest had to be able to listen carefully and interestedly. It was not allowed to speak in an unknown language in front of a guest. It is no coincidence that the Englishman James Bell wrote: “From everything that I have seen, I look at the Circassians en masse as the most naturally polite people that I have ever known or about which I have ever read.” The ability of the hosts to conduct a conversation, keep the guest occupied, as well as the ability on the part of the guest to adequately support the conversation that had begun and continue it was considered good manners of behavior.

In the house where the guest is staying, peace and order should reign: in the presence of guests, they did not clean the room, did not sweep, did not fuss. Treats in honor of the guest were prepared so that it was unnoticed by him. In the house they spoke calmly, without nervousness or bickering, they tried to walk more quietly and not stomp their feet. Supervision was organized over the children so that they did not indulge in unnecessary pranks. The best bed, the best food, the best place at the table is for the guest. The family's daughters-in-law, and if they were not present, the younger daughters helped the guests wash and clean their clothes. Giovanni Lucca recalled that in the Adyghe house they not only cared about the cleanliness of clothes, but were also very attentive. And he exclaimed in delight: “There are no people in the world that are kinder than this or more welcoming to foreigners.” “...What kind of figure is this guest? Where did he come from and why doesn’t he sit still?” – A. Malsagov asks half-jokingly. He is inclined to believe that the custom of hospitality is capable of shouldering some socially significant burdens in the sense of mutual recognition of the peoples of the country and spiritual mutual enrichment of each other. And we share his point of view, because we are confident that mutual recognition of peoples will certainly serve their mutual enrichment, rapprochement, mutual respect and friendship, and this is a guarantee of their prosperity, peace, and harmony between them.