Comparison of Adyghe etiquette with religion. Ethics and etiquette of the Circassians

Let's start with the main subject of etiquette - the man - Adyghel. What he should have looked like in terms of Adyghe nemys, Adyghe khabze, what Adyghe etiquette required of him.

First of all, we would like to remind the reader that among the Circassians, traditionally, a man was the teacher of boys, and women were engaged in raising girls. This already speaks of the serious attitude of the people towards the upbringing of the younger generation, which, unfortunately, cannot be said about our approach to upbringing, when in general everyone is involved in upbringing, but specifically no one. Can a woman develop a masculine character in a boy? Or how can one expect that a male teacher is able to shape femininity, charm, and grace in girls?! In a word, the level of education of our society (in which without a dictionary it is impossible to understand what chivalry, gallantry and simply intelligence mean, and such traits of female character as femininity, charm, modesty, bashfulness are perceived as detracting from the dignity of a real woman) testifies like nothing else to the deep crisis of domestic pedagogy. The problem touched upon can provide material for a multi-volume work. We are just going to systematize the existing ideas about the moral code of the Circassians.

We would like to note that the Adyghe tribes attached extremely important importance to appearance - neatness, smartness, slenderness of the body. The presence of fat reserves was considered a sign worthy of a plebeian, not an aristocrat. In the understanding of the Circassians, physical health meant nothing without moral health. Bodily beauty is given by God, it cannot be credited to a person. A person is first of all beautiful through his deeds and moral behavior. Therefore, a real person, a person worthy of imitation, is one who lives by his own labor, works ceaselessly to improve his body and spirit.

Adyge nemys covers all aspects of a man’s life and activities. So, according to the Adyghe nemys, a male citizen must be a patriot of his homeland, his people and with all his being be ready to serve them first of all. And as a citizen, he must have courage, fortitude, determination, resourcefulness, a sense of loyalty to duty, responsibility, and be ready for self-sacrifice.
History has preserved and conveyed to us the beauty, courage, valor of the Adyghe men, their devotion to the Motherland and constant, enduring concern for the fate of the people, whose etiquette - Adyghe nemys - has gone far beyond the borders of the creator people and attracted the attention of the cultural part of the population of Europe.

The Adyghe man - Adyghel I was responsible primarily for the fate of his people. His personal plans never came ahead of public plans. The image of the Adyghel I could not be imagined in any other way. Apparently; This explains the lexical meaning of this word. Adyghel I is an Adyghe man, a man who represents the Adygs, their typical representative. But this does not mean that every man in the Adyghe clan could be called “Adyghel”. Few deserved such a name, preserving all the best that is in the traditions of the people. The highest praise was the formula: “Nesaue adygelisch ar” - “A real Adyghe man.” The rest were called “tsIyukhukhyu” - “man”. Every tsIyukhukhyu felt like an Adygel at any age! and strove to be called that, to improve himself in knowledge and in strictly following the instructions of “Adyge nemys” in his actions.

Of particular interest is the word “Liyge” - courage. It not only denotes courage, but also indicates that this quality (heroism, endurance, perseverance, etc.) is a natural property of men. Therefore, even if a woman showed heroism, courage, endurance, or showed great intelligence, breadth of soul, it is still called lIyge, which means: she showed herself to be the best man. It's a shame for women, but there is no word in the language for a woman's feat! However, in fact, we see this in other languages ​​as well... The main distinguishing feature of women is femininity. When there were enough men in the family, women did not have to forget about femininity and take on government tasks. Their purpose was to always be beautiful, charming, to always delight the eyes of others, to be a source of pride for parents, brothers, and the love of children and husbands. Man's virtues did not adorn a woman in any way. Among the ancient Greeks, they say, even intelligence was not encouraged in women. Maybe as a joke?! Ancient Greek philosophers are credited with saying: “Women who think are as disgusting as men who wear makeup.” The Circassians have a lot in common with them. In history, there are isolated cases when a woman found herself in exceptional situations that required her endurance, fortitude, and sometimes even heroism (Lashin et al.). But science says that the lexical fund of a language does not react to accidents.

As a father, the most important indicator of an Adyghel I is what kind of children he raised, how his wife behaves, what kind of relationships they have in the family, what is the assessment of his family among people visiting his house, among neighbors (kheble - around). How does his family fit into the circle of people with the same last name, into society? (a point of pride or so-so). The classic of Adyghe Soviet literature Kerashev T.M. in his novel “The Lonely Horseman” gives us a description of one family: “...The father heard rumors about the heroic exploits of his son, performed by him at a time when his homeland was in danger. Without a doubt, the father was pleased with this news, but he did not show any sign (he did not express anything outwardly). The son, although very young, understood this and behaved correctly; it seemed to him indecent, unworthy of a man to brag about his heroic deeds to his father.

But one day, after another victory at the games, he couldn’t stand it and said that he had defeated everyone in all types of games. His father immediately made him understand: “Those who admire small heroism will never achieve big ones.” Next, Kerashev talks about the father’s nurturing behavior towards his sons: “The father of these three sons was the best example of an Adyghe man. He was not overly harsh towards them (did not show excessive cruelty), did not start frequent quarrels with them, and did not shout at them. He didn’t force anyone to do anything. When they offered something worthwhile, even though he was a father, he listened to them. But he didn’t let them look him in the eye. Without saying too much, knowing your worth, speaking intelligently” (i.e., the conversation with his sons was deeply thought through and weighed in all aspects. Therefore, his words mattered. - R. M.). The expression “didn’t let them look into his eyes” means: he didn’t allow familiarity. On the part of the sons, it was noticed: in addition to filial love, all three had deep respect for him and showed great human respect. Although the children grew up, there were no misunderstandings in the family about their upbringing.

The father, dying, bequeathed to his sons that they should know that people should mention their surname only in connection with humanity, decency and heroism (i.e., humanity, decency, heroism in the name of saving the homeland - should have become the hallmarks of his sons, who must pass them on to future generations). In the struggle for the freedom of the people, the Circassians did not know retreat; the Circassians could give their lives for their people. Talkativeness and boastfulness on the part of children were not allowed. Good manners exhibited by children in society were considered natural, self-evident, and not worthy of much praise. That's how it should be. This is not a topic for conversation with neighbors either.
A man is a husband. In this capacity, the most important thing is the attitude towards his wife, moral cleanliness, loyalty to the family, and a sense of duty to her. He is the head of the family, the defender of his wife's honor. The honor and dignity of the entire family is on his conscience and responsibility. In this capacity, he is required to have: humanity, decency, honesty, nobility, sensitivity, hard work, modesty, sincerity, truthfulness, a high culture of feelings and a culture of behavior.

Adygel I never speaks about his wife in public (does not scold, does not praise, does not provide any information about her). And she doesn’t declare her love unnecessarily. The best demonstration of feelings is his deeds, actions, and messages. And if the wife, due to poor upbringing, does not justify her husband, lets him down, humiliating herself and the family, then the husband should not raise a hand against her and curse her. A real man, in the Adyghe understanding, leaves such a wife without entering into any material or moral explanations with her.
A man is the son of his parents. In this case, the main indicator of his human qualities is the moral and material state of his parents, if they are alive. Sensitive and attentive attitude to their needs, to their state of health, daily care for them will only elevate him as a son in the eyes of others. By doing this, he will set a living example of proper attitude towards parents and his own children. This is how respect for and care for elders in the family is passed on from generation to generation. The Circassians did not have lonely and helpless old men, old women and orphans abandoned in the care of the state. Although people could not help but lose their loved ones - the law of nature is common to everyone - there were always others, loved ones, who took upon themselves further care of them. A self-respecting clan (surname) did not allow an old man or a young man bearing their surname to be thrown out onto the street, abandoned, forgotten, or given over to the care of the public. It would be a disgrace to the entire family.

The son’s personal relationship with his father was built solely on the basis of deep respect for his father, veneration for him (in no case fear, not blind obedience, as some try to imagine the origins of these relationships).

Thus, the son did not sit at the same table with his father during lunch or at a party. His place is at the youth table. The son did not raise his voice to anyone in the presence of his parents. It was indecent. He did not express his will or feelings loudly. Tact and a sense of proportion were observed in everything. The elders tell a case when a son, mortally wounded, forced himself not to groan in the presence of his father by an effort of will. Although his whole appearance indicated that his strength was running out. Showing his father restraint and fortitude, he tried to speak calmly to him. The father, realizing his son's condition, hastened to leave him. Maybe today's youth need to explain this situation. The living conditions are different, the characters are different. Surely today, in a similar situation, both father and son would behave differently. However, in order to correctly understand and sufficiently appreciate the restraint, generosity shown in the described situation by father and son towards each other, the kinship of their souls, it is necessary to know the whole logic and psychology of their moral code. To the ignorant, all this may seem callous, alienation of souls on both sides. I would still like to reveal what their generosity towards each other was. The son, firstly, demonstrated fortitude and endurance in front of his father, thereby telling his father that he was sufficiently educated, worthy of his father, that the father would not have to blush for such a son. Secondly, he knew that his father already pitied him, knowing his condition, and if he moaned, screamed or cried out for help, he would thereby hurt his father even more, and in addition would upset him with his lack of self-control. The Circassians say: “You also need to be able to die with dignity.” As for the father, his hasty departure is also explained by two reasons. The first is that while he was with his son, he, overcoming the pain, did not moan, and this was very painful.

The second is that it is unbearably difficult for a father to say goodbye to his dying son without tears, and he could not allow himself to cry in the presence of his son. This was regarded as weakness of spirit. Therefore, perhaps he left him, retired and gave zero tears. A man can be forgiven for crying in public only over the death of his own mother. In other cases, no one should see his tears. This is the male character. But this does not at all speak of his cruelty, the callousness of his soul, or anything else like that. On the contrary, Adyghe men were distinguished by sensitivity, tenderness, extraordinary gallantry combined with courage, etc. In a word, nothing human was alien to them. But they tried not to demonstrate what was considered weakness of spirit or unworthy of a man in their minds. Possessing exceptional tact, a sense of proportion, and extraordinary restraint, they knew how to do this.

The canons of “Adyghe nemys” also apply to male friendship, which is characterized by the definitions: “the strongest,” “the deepest,” “the most faithful.” If a man is unreliable in friendship, then he cannot be respected in society. A reliable friend, by the standards of those distant times, is a person as close as a brother, only not by blood, but by spirit. This is a person with whom all the joys and all the sorrows, all the difficulties, all the delights of life are shared equally. A friend will always tell the truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be. A friend will try to understand any of your moods and explain any of your actions.

For the sake of a friend, it was customary to be ready to do anything, even death. To die saving a friend is a great honor. Such friendship extended to the families of the friends, especially their sons. After the death of one of the friends, the survivor took the family of the deceased or deceased friend under his wing for the rest of his life. He paid special attention to raising his sons. “Adyge nemys” strictly regulated the relations of younger people with friends of older people, who were equated to the most respected members of the family or clan.

Today in the speech of the Circassians “kyskhueg’egyu!” - (sorry! forgive me!) is not typical of Adyghe etiquette in general, it was brought from Russian and is used mainly by young people. By the way, it should be noted that in the mouth of an Adyghe man this word does not sound quite natural and gives it not the expected effect of gallantry, but some kind of unpleasant connotation, not typical of the known character. The point is not that the Circassians did not have the courage to admit their mistakes and delusions. Apparently, this impression has a psychological explanation related to the history of etiquette. The word “kyshuegegyu!” in the verbal vocabulary of the Kabardian-Circassian language has a different purpose in communication (than the address in Russians: excuse me, tell me what time it is). It is used in situations where someone has accidentally offended someone or could have offended someone. In this case, they say: “Khyy1e kyskhueg’egyu” (“Please excuse me”). Or: “Th’em sch’ekIe kyskhueg’eg’u, ui zhag’ue sshIynu syhueyak’ym” (“For God’s sake, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I didn’t intend to offend you”). The fact that the verb “kyskhueg’egyu” is not widely popular in the speech of the Circassians is probably facilitated by the requirement of etiquette, expressed, in particular, in the form of a popular saying: “Gupsysi psalae, zypllyhyi tIys!” (Literally: Before you speak, think before you sit down, look around you). Etiquette does not approve of words and actions that have not been thoroughly thought out, it does not approve of rash actions, for which you subsequently have to blush, experience a feeling of awkwardness, shame, and the need to apologize. And if you have to make mistakes, then it is much more worthy to accept responsibility in its entirety than to apologize. Such actions by the Circassians included statements that were off-topic, off-topic, out-of-tone, out-of-time. It is also unethical to sit before an elder or in a place usually reserved in society for an elder, etc. And when you think as required, you can always unmistakably find your bearings: what to say, who to say, and whether you should voice at all. The same is true with the requirement to look around (see if there is anyone older than you). It’s not difficult to look around, but you won’t find yourself in an awkward position, you won’t cause any criticism, on the contrary, you will be known as a well-mannered, cultured person. And this, you see, is always nice. Although we must strive not to be considered a cultured person, but to be one. In a word, you need to know your place in society, your assessment. Don't be an uninvited guest anywhere. Nemys in everything: in clothes, in conversation, in gait, in posture, and in all behavior. Know where you are going, how much you are needed there, how you should behave, when and how you should leave. Once again a sense of proportion!
Special mention should be made of the requirements of Adyghe nemys in the relationship of a man to a woman. It is not known what it is, but many people think that the Circassians keep a woman in a “iron grip”, in a “black body”, that a woman in the family is dumb and powerless and is enslaved to the limit. Perhaps they were partly motivated to this opinion by the custom of the Adyghe family, according to which young women did not see or speak with the elders in their husband’s family until a certain time. But then, after the expiration of the accepted period, a festive table was set in her honor, expensive gifts were bought for her, and she became a full member of the family. Or such thoughts were suggested by the unconditional fact that in the Adyghe family the head of the family is the husband. And the wife fulfills all her duties assigned to her by nature unquestioningly. And she does not allow herself any rudeness, foul language, etc. towards her husband, like many other women. Apparently, it is necessary to explain that an Adyghe woman does not scold her husband with bad words out loud, not because she is afraid of him, but because she respects herself in her own way. She shouldn't talk to her husband like that. She believes that a woman, despite any emancipation, should by nature be feminine, charming, meek, even, if you like, weak, fragile... she never competes with her husband in strength and in everything else that should be characteristic only for a man. The Adygs say: “FIym kyimykhyr Ieym kyhyynkyym” - “What you cannot achieve with good, you cannot achieve with evil.” Unfortunately, today life presents our youth with many examples of a directly anti-etiquette nature.

Therefore, when our children watch a Russian folk tale on central television, in which an old woman, holding a ladle, attacks her husband with rude shouts, this requires an explanation consistent with Adyghe etiquette.

Everyone who has ever studied the life and way of life of the Circassians noted the greater freedom of girls before marriage. Our history does not know either the burqa or any other means of special oppression of girls and women in the family or in society. Each nation has its own culture, its own rules of behavior, its own ideas about what is decent and what is indecent. Let us remind the modern reader of a number of etiquette rules that directly indicate the exceptionally respectful attitude of men towards women that existed among the Adyghe people in the relatively recent past. First of all, it was a generally accepted phenomenon that when a woman appeared, men stood up, stopped talking and stood waiting for her to greet them. (She was the first to extend her hand to shake.)

The level of education of a man among the people was determined by his culture of attitude towards women. A well-bred man could not afford to ride up to a woman on a horse. He had to stop at a distance, dismount, approach the woman and, holding the horse by the bridle, say hello, walk her at least a few steps, and only after making sure that she did not need his help could he continue on his way. A man on foot passed by an oncoming woman, giving her the right side. This was explained by the fact that on the left side the man wore a dagger or saber; it was considered indecent to demonstrate weapons in front of a woman. Respect for a woman was so great that the most poorly educated man did not dare to defile her hearing with a rude word, or upset her feelings with unworthy behavior. And in the presence of a woman they did not swear, did not quarrel, did not smoke, did not fight. The appearance of a woman and her treatment prevented any heated arguments and duels. All misunderstandings were resolved peacefully in her honor. If a man, being pursued by someone, knowing that he would probably be killed, hid in a woman’s room, then this was a sure salvation. No one could disturb him there. But men, considering this humiliating for themselves, resorted to this only in cases of absolute hopelessness.

Adyge nemys obliged a man to carefully clean himself up before meeting a woman: it was considered indecent to go out to a woman (to a neighbor, to a friend) in a T-shirt or in a shirt unbuttoned to the collar, unshaven, unkempt, with bare feet or with flip-flops on bare feet, etc. d.

In the Kabardian-Circassian language the expression has been preserved: “Shkhher dog, pyIe shchyschIerkym” (“If the head is intact, the hat will be found”). Like any artistic aphoristic expression, it not only has a direct, autological content, but is used in a figurative meaning, which can be formulated as follows: if the main thing is there, the rest will follow. No matter how highly popular etiquette places a woman, the man was still recognized as the main person in the house, in the community, in society. Emphasizing this, customs required a man to be extremely demanding of himself. He did all the hardest work - plowed, sowed, herded and raised livestock, hunted, defended his homeland. A woman was supposed to do only household chores, with the exception of heavy ones.

Let us return, however, to the proverb “Shkhher dog, pyIe shyschIerkym” - “If the head is intact, the hat will be found.” The word “pyIe” (“hat”) in it is polysemantic and has figurative meanings. First of all, it must be said that many Caucasian peoples have a special reverence for the head, and from the head this attitude extends to the headdress. A man’s hat is singled out from all his clothing, giving it attention appropriate to the status of its owner. If the hat is removed, then it is put in its rightful place. Any disdain for the hat is a sign of disdain for the owner. Losing a cap in a game or fight is a shame. In exceptional cases, the presence of a hat is equated to the presence of its owner. The Adygs never gave a hat, like weapons.

Of course, these are just conventions, and there is no direct material expression behind them. But every nation has spiritual values, its own customs and traditions. And if they differ in some way, then one should respect the conventions of any other people. There is an interesting case in this regard. ...In the hospital room we were watching some war-themed film on TV. Suddenly there is a shot on the screen: soldiers having fun. One plays the harmonica. The general comes to them, comes out into the circle, invites one of the soldiers with the exclamation: “Eh, daring..!” - throws his hat on the floor and starts dancing. This was an appropriate artistic technique of the author of the work to emphasize the simplicity, national character of this general, his spiritual closeness to the soldiers. A question from one of those present brought us back to the difference in etiquette between the Russian and Adyghe peoples. He asked: “What does a translator from one language to another need to consider? Is it not enough to have a good knowledge of languages ​​for translation?” The frame from the film we just saw told us that to translate a work of art, in addition to a good knowledge of languages, knowledge of the customs, mores, traditions, and culture of the people into whose language the text is being translated is absolutely necessary. Another figurative meaning of the word “pyIe” is “wife”. The Circassians have a traditional wish for the newlyweds: “Ui pyIem i kher ulaagyu!” (“May you see goodness from your hat”). Apparently, this emphasizes the importance of the wife: she is also a guardian and the embodiment of a man’s dignity. The social activity of Adyghe men is reflected in a variety of ways in the speech etiquette of the Adygs, which retains a number of purely male speech formulas of greeting: for example, a traveler was greeted: “Gueguzh apshchiy” - abbreviated “GuegufI uizhie apshchi”, which meant: “May you go on a good journey!” To this the traveler responded with the formula: “Upseu apshi!” (“May you live!”).

The plowman was greeted: “Bov, up!” (Be uve, kued uve!) - means: “May you plow a lot” (and therefore live long and be healthy). Answer: “Upseu apshi!” Anyone doing any work was greeted: “IuehufIohyu apshi!” (Ui Iuehur fiy ukhyu apshi!) - means: “So that the work you do gives a good result, is crowned with success.” Answer: “Upseu upshchy!” or “Ui Guehu fIy irikIue!” - “So that goodness passes through your deeds.” Those who threshed on the current were greeted: “Hem bov apshi!”, which meant: “Let the current be full of harvest!” The answer was: “Oopsew! Ui Iuehu fIy irikIue!” Those working in the fields were greeted: “Shkhoshkh apshi!” The answer was: “Upseu, upschi!” etc. Let us explain the difficult-to-translate word “apschy.” It occurs only in combination with other words in benevolent formulas as an indicator of high style. Not being a specialist in the field of linguistics, you can only make your own timid assumptions. It seems that in this word the root - pshch - is related to the word “pshchy”, which has a whole range of meanings: prince, ruler, master, father-in-law, eldest man in the family (and historically, the original meanings, as scientists believe, were “lord” , “master”, “god”)”. Judging by these observations, we can agree that the root - pshch - originally meant a prestigious, preferred, desirable phenomenon, as written by B. Kh. Bgazhnokov, A. I. Abdokov, A. M. Gutov.
One of the most categorical requirements of “Adyge ne-mys” is the unity of word and deed for a man and for any person in general. Giving your word and not keeping it did not fit into any moral framework. Such a person was not taken seriously; they said that one could not rely on him or rely on him in difficult times. Therefore, the highest assessment of etiquette sounded like this: “Nesaue shIaleshch, AdygelIshch”, “Zy pyIemre zy khyelimre itu, zhiIam tebguetezhu.” “A real (true, well-mannered) guy, a Circassian, does not change his opinion and his morals, his word and deed agree.”

The Adyghe people belong to the Adyghe peoples. Initially, the Adyghe tribes had many other names: Zikhs, Kaskas, Kasogs, Circassians, Kerkets and Meots. Also, historical data point to other ethnonyms of the Adyghe people - Dandria, Sinds, Doskhs, Agris and others. The Adyghe sign “settler” confirms that the people belong to the Cossack society.

That is why some call the Circassians Kasogs or Khazars, as a derivative of the word “braid”. Today, many Adyghe living in the Caucasus preserve ancient customs and grow long braids.

Culture and life of the Adyghe people

In ancient times, the Circassians lived in large family settlements with more than 100 inhabitants. At the same time, one could meet very small family communities of 10 people. From time immemorial, the head of the family was the father, and in his absence all responsibilities passed to the eldest son. Women never decided on important issues and did not even have the right to sit at the same table with representatives of the stronger sex in order to taste the prepared food. At that moment, while men hunted, fought, traded, women cleaned the house, raised children, and prepared food. Young girls from an early age were trained in needlework, housekeeping and other women's responsibilities. Boys were trained in military affairs from an early age.

The dwellings of the Circassians were built from tree branches. In such buildings, a foundation was not used so that the house could be quickly built and assembled just as quickly - in war times this was simply necessary. The Circassians built a fireplace on the floor of their houses, which provided them with warmth and food. If guests came to the house, a special room was allocated for them - kunatskaya, and in wealthy communities entire houses were erected for guests.

The national clothing of the Circassians was very colorful and picturesque. Women wore floor-length dresses and harem dresses. A beautiful belt was tied at the waist, and the dress itself was decorated with various embroidery. This silhouette and style of the dress emphasized the beauty of every woman.

But the men's suit was even more colorful. Men wore a beshmet, a cherkeska - a long caftan without sleeves and with a cutout on the chest, a bashlyk, a burka and a hat. The Circassian had sockets for cartridges sewn on it. Wealthy and powerful Circassians wore white Circassians, and ordinary men wore black ones.

The national and most favorite dish of the Circassians was lamb, and there was practically no bread in the houses. People ate their own products - cheese, butter, milk and fruit.

The Adyghe people were famous for their embroidery skills. They beautifully decorated their clothes with gold threads. Many made beautiful glasses from bull horns, decorating them with silver and gold. Military science was reflected in the skill of creating saddles for horses; they were very durable and light. Also, the Adyghe people are masters of making ceramic dishes - cups, jugs and plates.

Traditions and customs of the Adyghe people

The traditions of the Circassians are connected with their way of life and their very attitude towards it. It is impossible not to talk about the wedding customs of this people. Weddings were performed exclusively according to class equality. The young prince could not marry a simple girl - only a princess.

As a rule, there was one wife, but in some families polygamy was allowed. There was one rule in both the female and male lines - the eldest should tie the knot first. The groom's friend looked for the bride, after which the groom's family paid the bride's family a bride price. Most often, horses, sheep and other animals were used as bridewealth. If an Adyg entered into a marriage, then this marriage should be eternal. Bride theft, or rather kidnapping, was quite common among the Circassians. This custom took place in a rather humorous manner, and the whole family knew about the upcoming abduction.

Another interesting Adyghe custom is atalystvo. According to this custom, parents could give their minor child to be raised by another family, and he could return to his home only after reaching adulthood. The main goal of such a custom is not education, but a friendly union between families.

Few people know about this - be sure to read

Any people living in the Caucasus are original and unique in their own way. They deeply value, support and observe many laws and traditions that have been formed over the centuries. There are special wedding rituals, funeral rules, in the Caucasus it is customary to honor elders and listen to their advice, to respect and value women. From childhood, children are instilled with the most valuable human qualities. So when receiving a guest, there is a special etiquette and order of serving food, and on ordinary days the Adygs try not only to observe the measure of food intake, but also to adhere to the national routine for eating it. We will talk about these features below.

The Circassians spent a significant part of their leisure time at a set table. A popular saying says that the time spent at the table is not included in the total volume of life and is, as it were, a vital “reserve”. The Italian traveler J. Interiano wrote: “Circassians drink to the glory of God, in the name of the saints, for the health of their parents, in honor of fallen friends, in memory of some remarkable feats, and they do this with great solemnity and reverence, as if performing a sacred rite.”

As for the traditional table etiquette of the Circassians, this is an example of one of the most complex and detailed etiquettes of this kind. A special place in it is occupied by strict standards for handling food, primarily meat, and the rules for its serving and distribution. Dishes are served to the table taking into account the status and age of those gathered: first to the eldest of the guests, then to the eldest of the hosts, and so on.

It also matters which parts, for example, lamb or chicken, are served to one or another participant in the feast. At the same time, the distribution of parts into more and less prestigious ones has regional differences. Thus, among the Circassians of Kabardino-Balkaria, the stomach is considered the most prestigious part of the chicken, in Karachay-Cherkessia - the brisket, and in Adygea - the wing. If we take lamb as an example, then the most honorable part of it is the right half of the ram's head. Kabardian historian B.Kh. Bgazhnokov cites a case when an elderly Circassian, while visiting, noticed that he was given the left side of a ram’s head, and was indignant: “I’m not a leftist, I came here on the right, bring me the right side of a ram’s head!” The unlucky owners had to slaughter another sheep, and the guests had to wait patiently until the “right” dish was brought.

Adyghe cuisine. Meal schedule.

The Adygs, like all peoples, followed a certain order of eating during the day. The daily routine was observed largely because food, as a rule, was prepared only for one meal - immediately before eating. Even in our time of refrigerators and microwave ovens, nutritionists recommend doing just that. If you needed a snack during the day, then there was always fermented milk products, Kalmyk tea, pastries, honey and nuts.

For breakfast, light, small in volume, but high-calorie food was usually served: Kalmyk tea, crumpets, fresh or fried Adyghe cheese, scrambled eggs. Lunch consisted mainly of meat dishes and poultry, which were served with chips sauce, bread, vegetables, sour milk, and fruit drinks. Meat dishes were sometimes served for dinner, but more often dairy, cereal and flour dishes, as well as sweets, honey and tea.

Nowadays, especially in cities, a standard set of tea, coffee and sandwiches is served for breakfast. Various dishes are prepared for lunch and dinner, especially national ones – infrequently. Baked goods such as slit and guubat are purchased, usually of good quality. If raw materials are available, Kalmyk tea is prepared. Fermented milk products are brought from villages and are perceived almost as delicacies. Bakhsym (buza), a light intoxicating drink made from millet or corn, has become very rare.

Based on materials from the book by R.G. Jamirze: "Adyghe cuisine. Traditions and modernity"
Book website:

UDC 39 (=352.3)

BBK 63.521 (=602)

B34

Bgazhnokov B.Kh.

Kabardino-Balkarian Institute for Humanitarian Studies

Governments of the KBR and KBSC RAS

Adyghe ethics and etiquette in the educational system

The article analyzes the current situation in ethnological Adyghe studies and in the pedagogical practice of three ethnically marked subjects of the Russian Federation - Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, the Republic of Adygea - a situation in which the philosophical basis of Adyghe ethics - Adygag and the etiquette form of implementing its main parameters Adyghe Khabze Most authors consider them alienated, isolated, and discretely. The author argues for substratum, primordiality Adygag and its derivatives Adyghe Khabze. The historical role and significance of socionormative culture in retrospect and in the ethnic perspective of the Circassians is especially emphasized.

Keywords:ethics, etiquette, Circassians, education, concept of regionalization of education, ethical rationalization of life, spiritual structure of personality.

Bgazhnokov B.Kh.

The Adyghe ethics and etiquette in educational system

In this article, an analysis is made of a situation developed in the Adyghe ethnological science and in student teaching in three ethnically marked subjects of the Russian Federation – Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia and the Republic of Adyghea – in which a philosophical basis of the Adyghe ethics – Adygag– and an etiquette form of implementation of its key parameters – the Adyghe Khabze– are considered by the majority of authors detachedly and discretely. The author reasonably approves a substratum and primordial nature of Adygag and the Adyghe Khabze derivativeness from it. The historical role and the importance of socio-normative culture in retrospection and in ethnic prospect of the Adyghes are especially emphasized.

Key words:ethics, etiquette, the adyghe people, education, the concept of the regionalization of education, ethical rationalization of mode of life, spiritual structure of an individual.

In the last 2-3 decades, the interest of scientists in the traditional moral culture of the Circassians has noticeably increased; attempts are being made to comprehend the centuries-old moral experience of the people and use it in the practice of education. This is primarily research by ethnographers, folklorists, sociologists, philosophers, and cultural experts. But there are also works written from a purely pedagogical point of view.

In the early 90s, Adyghe etiquette as a separate subject was introduced into the curriculum of many secondary (special and general education) schools. Such an initiative fit well with the concept of regionalization of education, and high hopes were placed on it. It seemed that one had only to sanction such an undertaking and the work would improve on its own, producing tangible positive results, maintaining a high level of culture in society.

Indeed, in Adygea, thanks to the initiatives of Mira Unarokova and Raya Unarokova, supported by the Government of the republic, great success has been achieved in this regard. But in Karachay-Cherkessia and especially in Kabardino-Balkaria, the experience of teaching Adyghe etiquette turned out to be generally unsuccessful, and soon almost everywhere this subject was either removed from educational practice or replaced by a surrogate called “Caucasian etiquette”, “mountain etiquette” and etc. This happened unnoticed and did not cause any objections or regrets on anyone’s part. Against the backdrop of the general crisis of national culture, the rejection of etiquette seemed quite natural and logical, the same, for example, as the massive refusal to speak and teach in the native language, which clearly emerged in the 90s.

But experience - even sad ones - is useful in any case. With sound reflection, lessons can be drawn from it, the necessary conclusions can be drawn that can allow traditional moral culture to be used rationally, with a much greater positive effect.

First of all, it should be said about the obstacles that arose in the process of determining the meaning and content of the introduced subject. It turned out that our science has not developed sufficiently clear and correct ideas about the social functions and systemic organization of Adyghe etiquette, about its place in traditional and modern value-normative culture. On the other hand, it turned out that there was no complete, systematic presentation of all the components and points of Adyghe etiquette, which greatly complicated the task of the teachers who were entrusted with teaching this subject.

Practice has shown that not only in the mass consciousness, but also in the consciousness of scientists and practicing teachers, superficial ideas about etiquette dominate, as the mechanical execution of a certain set of rules of behavior in typical social situations. How are these rules related to each other, what exactly is their content, what purpose do they serve? These and many other very important questions are most often not even asked. It is not surprising that in these conditions the conversation about etiquette comes down, roughly speaking, to how to set the table, drink and divide the head of a ram. And all this has been repeated hundreds of times in books, magazines, newspapers, radio and television programs.

At the same time, the deep spiritual, moral and humanistic foundations of etiquette are usually not taken into account and considered. In particular, we were convinced that a real, although poorly understood, obstacle to the successful use of etiquette in the practice of education and self-education was the absence of any specific concepts about the connections of etiquette with traditional Adyghe ethics or Adygheism. Moreover, until very recently, Adyghe people were completely excluded from the field of public attention and consciousness. In any case, it was not considered in the capacity in which it was actually presented in traditional moral culture: as well-coordinated principles of ethical rationalization of existence, as a system of historically established ideas about what is good and evil, justice and injustice, reasonableness and unreasonableness, decency and indecency. Meanwhile, the judgments, assessments, and attitudes developed on this basis determine the main – moral content of Adyghe etiquette. This is a system of principles and rules of behavior, which is a way of updating Adyghe in situations of everyday interaction and communication.

Unfortunately, the problem of etiquette was practically not raised in this way. And now we understand that all this did not in the least contribute to the creation of full-fledged textbooks, teaching aids and programs on the traditional moral culture of the Circassians. Most often, teachers had to compile these manuals themselves, hastily and without proper support from scientists or experienced methodologists. Under these conditions, the inclusion of Adyghe etiquette in the curriculum of secondary educational institutions practically lost all meaning and could only discredit such a useful and necessary innovation. Which is what ultimately happened.

However, in reality, everything is not as hopeless as it might seem. In recent years, certain research and methodological work has been done to create the prerequisites for overcoming these difficulties. In particular, special works devoted to the Adyghe people saw the light of day, and a real opportunity arose to organize the rich and varied moral experience of the people. It became obvious that it is ethics that is the core, the organizational center of traditional moral culture, and taking into account this circumstance, all educational practice should be built in places of compact residence of the Circassians. Only in this case will we be able, not in words, but in deeds, to follow the ideas of cultural conformity and regionalization of educational content, to promote the formation and development of humanistic pedagogy.

Traditional Adyghe ethics, called adygag'e(lit., "Adyghe"), is a system of historically established moral concepts, principles, attitudes, among which the following stand out first and most clearly: humanity, respect, rationality, courage, honor. According to established tradition, these principles should be guided in their thinking and behavior by everyone who identifies themselves with the Adyghe society and people. Subordinating the whole variety of other moral concepts and categories (modesty, sensitivity, perseverance, gratitude, tolerance, sense of proportion, etc.), the principles of Adygheism ensure coordinated action and mobilization of the centuries-old moral experience of the people in specific life situations, to solve pressing problems of individual individual, social group or society as a whole. They are the moral pillars and guidelines of human existence, effective mechanisms for the ethical rationalization of the world.

It follows from this, among other things, that the normal functioning of Adyghe ethics presupposes close interaction and mutual correspondence of all five commandments. “Interference” in one of them leads to errors in moral thinking and behavior. For example, a lack of courage can provoke actions that are contrary to honor; unreasonableness can open up access to manifestations of arrogance, rudeness, and selfishness. Due to these, as they say now, systemic connections, each moral principle carries a great semantic load, representing at the moment all ethics.

And yet, the entire pathos of Adyghe ethics is concentrated in the principle of humanity. Other commandments, while maintaining relative independence, make sense only as a means of the most complete, accurate and successful implementation of the principles of philanthropy. Deference provides an atmosphere of goodwill and mutual respect in contacts; courage organizes and mobilizes the efforts necessary to achieve moral goals; the mind is assigned the role of intellectual censorship of behavior; for honor - sensual-emotional.

The principles of Adyghe ethics are in the nature of constantly operating, universal, eternal truths. By and large, they are not bound by the conditions and circumstances of time, space, specific life situations, group and class relations.

At the same time, these are historically established and socially conditioned ideas. The development of Adyghe ethics was carried out in direct connection with the development of social relations, spiritual, moral, value-normative culture of the people. Apparently, elements and individual provisions of Adyghe arose and functioned already in antiquity, associated with the Khattian and Meotian periods of Adyghe history. But they became especially relevant and effective during the Middle Ages (in the V-XV centuries), when the processes of ethnic consolidation of the Adyghe and Adyghe-Abkhaz tribes and nationalities intensified. A unified and clearly defined system of moral values ​​was intended to become and in fact became one of the effective mechanisms for such consolidation. It is not for nothing that a word was chosen to denote national ethics, which is based on the self-name of the Adyghe (Circassian) peoples: Adygag'e, "Adyghe" - a term derived from the endoethnonym Adyghe. Ethics turned into a symbol of the spiritual unity of the Adyghe people. According to tradition going back centuries, true Adygs or Circassians - Adyghe Shchypk'e - are considered to this day only those who have sufficiently mastered the principles and guidelines of Adyghe ethics. Ethics has become a mechanism for self-recognition and self-recognition of people, a way of distinguishing themselves from other ethnocultural communities.

In the 18th century, Adygheism acquired all the features of an extensive and detailed ethical system, which was greatly facilitated by the moral philosophy of Zhabaga Kazanoko (1695-1750). It was Zhabagi who put forward the thesis about the self-worth and ethical immunity of the individual. To the question of what is more valuable than anything in the world, the philosopher’s laconic answer follows: “Man.” Another important component of Kazanoko's ethical concept: human actions and lifestyle - 1uehu. And hence the popular expression “There is no small man and no small deeds” - Ts1yhu tsyklui 1uehu tsykui shchiIekkyym.

With this formulation of the question, the value of a person is considered in direct connection with the ethical meanings of the actions that he performs, with the facts of his biography and the stages of his life path. As a result, there is a tendency to transform Adygheism into an ethics of social action and renewal, with a pronounced focus on improvement, reforming historically established connections and relations of society, on self-improvement and self-construction of the individual.

As we see, on the one hand, Adyghe ethics exists objectively, as a system of stable moral values, the quintessence of the moral experience of the people, enshrined in social memory. On the other hand, in the process of its translation and actualization, it becomes part of the inner world and mood of the individual, largely determining the features of the national Adyghe character and worldview, the specifics of skills and habits, assessments and opinions. In any case, this is the general mood and intention of traditional moral culture. Adygheism is intended to become one of the leading trends in life aspirations and general orientation of the individual. This is a morally verified state of consciousness and lifestyle, the achievement of which appears as one of the most important social responsibilities of the individual.

Recalling the need to assimilate the principles and categories of ethics, turn them into character traits, into permanent life positions and attitudes, they usually say: Adygag'e zykhefl'kh'e, fyzyklelyplyzh- “Learn the Adyghe language, be attentive to yourself.” In fact, this means that you need to take care to develop in yourself the moral qualities that Adygheism puts forward: humanity, respect, rationality, courage, honor. There is a firm belief that only in this case a person will be able to reveal his personality in an ennobled form, win the recognition and love of others, and achieve success in his personal and public life.

A person with Adygheism knows how to properly build his relationships with family members, relatives, friends, and colleagues. Adygheism is the high art of “being among people” - tslwow haeteukluh. These are skills, habits, properties that make a person smart and honest, pleasant to communicate with and successful in business.

However, experience shows that in reality not everyone and not equally meet the high ideal of Adyghe. Hence a whole range of positive and negative personality characteristics, reflecting the uneven distribution of Adyghe ethics: Adygag'e helsch- “There is an Adyghe spirit in him,” Adygagye schlagyue helkym- “There is little Adyghe spirit in him,” Adygag'e lepk khel'kym- “There is not even a small share of Adyghe in him.” This is how they usually express an opinion about the extent to which such traits as humanity, respect, rationality, courage, and honor are manifested in a person’s actions and lifestyle. Essentially, this is an assessment of not only moral, but also social reliability and usefulness of a person. It is not for nothing that Adygheism is assessed and considered in close connection with the structure of character, with the volitional properties characteristic of a given person, and the characteristics of moral thinking and behavior. It is, of course, necessary to know the commandments and all the nuances of Adyghe ethics. But the most important thing is to transform the moral qualities that correspond to these commandments into stable character traits, into leading motives for activity. The general opinion is that, ultimately, the main criterion of Adyghe is a person’s social activity, his affairs, actions, and way of life.

Thus, Adygheism has, one might say, a double meaning. Firstly, it is an ethical system that exists objectively and is included in social memory; secondly, - a component of practical consciousness, which largely determines the spiritual state, the spiritual structure of the individual and society, the degree of readiness to think and act in accordance with the principles of traditional ethics, relying on the time-tested moral experience of the people.

It should be especially noted that Adyghe ethics are perceived not only as a system of prescriptions or a social obligation, but also as a tool for self-improvement, promoting the most complete self-actualization, promoting the success and achievements of the individual. Therefore, activity aimed at mastering and “appropriating” the Adyghe language is traditionally considered to be the individual’s concern for his development - about development in his own interests. Socialization of the Adyghe people, including the most conscious secondary socialization, which usually takes place in adulthood, becomes an integral part of the “culture of oneself”, morally accentuated self-attention and self-control.

In the course of systematizing the material, the problem of distributing moral concepts and categories among the leading principles of Adyghe ethics inevitably arises. The fact is that Adyghe ethics operates with concepts, the total number of which amounts to hundreds of units, and sometimes it is very difficult to establish the full content of a particular term, its place in the Adyghe system. For example, tolerance can be regarded as a manifestation of rationality, humanity, respect, and honor. But we were convinced that, first of all, this is a manifestation of courage and therefore this is how we qualified this quality. Moreover, it was discovered that tolerance itself has a rather complex structure, consisting of at least four categories: elementary endurance - shiluh, restraint in anger - temak klyhyagye, dechykh- the ability not to judge others too harshly, categorically and the ability to forgive, be lenient, dekluate- a reaction that displays movement in the direction in which the opponent is moving - in the name of prevention conflict, maintaining mutual understanding and good relations.

The task of paramount importance is, as we see, to determine the most significant moral concepts on which each of the five leading principles of ethics relies in its impact on the world, on the thinking and behavior of people.

For example, humanity, as we have shown, is based on the following categories: khyetyr- willingness to provide a favor, to yield, to serve, thick- empathy, sympathy, empathy, compassion, Gulyte- moral attention, sensitivity, gukekl- moral memory, f1yschluh- Gratitude, psape- beneficence and reward.

In the structure and in the way of representing and demonstrating reasonableness, an important place belongs to such categories as moral understanding or discrimination - zekheshlykl, "the art of being among people" - tslwow haeteukluh, depth of mind - happy, measure or sense of proportion - marde(and the philosophy of the golden mean associated with this concept), “adult mind” - akyil belig, "settled mind" - akyil zetet etc.

In the process of studying and mastering traditional moral culture, it is necessary to reveal the fullness of the moral content of each of these and other, sometimes very complex concepts. For example, the category requires a separate and very detailed consideration psape, since it lies at the origins of the ancient religious system of the Circassians and is closely connected with ideas about the soul, about the salvation of the soul, about God's mercy, etc. In general, the close connection of Adygheism with religious ethics is obvious, and this also requires close attention of researchers. It is known that many provisions of the Bible and the Koran repeat almost word for word well-known concepts and provisions of traditional ethics. Therefore, it is advisable to study Adyghe ethics in close connection with the study of the religious ethics of Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.

It is very important that the continuation of the study of the foundations of traditional ethics should be the study and mastery of the Adyghe language etiquette – Adyghe Nemys(Adyghe schenkhabze). Adyghe etiquette is the most important tool for the objectification of historically established moral concepts and ideas, a mechanism for transforming them from a virtual form into an actual one. In fact, the internal - moral content of the rules of etiquette is, as we are convinced, the well-known ethical principles and attitudes of the Adyghe people and, above all, respect - nemys. Under the influence and control of this principle, rules of communication are created and applied that express mutual respect and recognition, aimed at creating an atmosphere of benevolence and harmony.

Unfortunately, researchers of Adyghe etiquette usually do not delve into the nuances of these connections and relationships. Hence the identification of Adyghe etiquette with the moral and legal code of Adyghe khabze, which is not entirely correct from the point of view of historicism, and at the same time very vague, unacceptable definitions of this code. For example, S.H. Mafedzev defines Adyghe khabze as “an indiscrete set of behavioral norms that accompany the Adyghe from birth to death.” Based on this clearly erroneous premise and naively believing that any element of traditional Adyghe culture to which the word khabze is applied in everyday life belongs to the code of Adyghe khabze, he includes in this code the traditions of management, magical rites and rituals, signs, children's games, methods of traditional medicine and physical training, swimming styles and much more, which have not only a direct, but most often even indirect relation to etiquette and, in general, to the normative system known as Adyghe khabze.

Summarizing what has been said, it should be emphasized that historically Adyghe khabze included two normative subsystems: customary feudal law and etiquette, which indicates the syncretism of the traditional socionormative culture of the Circassians, the close interaction and organizational unity of the legal, juridical and etiquette norms and regulations. At the same time, traditional ethics - Adygag'e, remains outside the Adyghe Khabze, although it has a significant influence on this code, on the formation and understanding of its points. Adyghe ethics is a kind of ideological basis of Adyghe khabze - a system of extremely general moral values ​​and guidelines, and not specific norms and regulations. In other words, Adyge khabze and Adygag'e are united together only at a higher taxonymic level, as components of the traditional value-normative culture of the Adygs. This allows us to understand, among other things, how erroneous are the judgments according to which Adyghe is an integral part of Adyghe khabze.

In the Adyghe cultural tradition and in the minds of the bearers of this tradition, etiquette invariably appears as a manifestation in everyday life, in everyday meetings and contacts of the moral principles and attitudes of the Adyghe people. In other words, etiquette transfers such values ​​as humanity, respect, rationality, courage, and honor into the practical plane, into the sphere of behavior and communication. But at the same time, respect comes to the fore. It is the semantic dominant of etiquette, the content, the purpose of etiquette behavior. It is not for nothing that Adyghe etiquette, as a specific normative system, receives a name among the people that corresponds to this main content - Adyghe Nemys(lit., "Adyghe respectfulness").

By the way, other peoples of the Caucasus also call Adyghe etiquette this way, for example, Balkars, Karachais, Nogais, although using the exoethnonym Adyghe - “Circassians”. Hence the term “Circassian namys”, used as part of stable evaluative statements. For example, Balkars and Karachais say: Circassian namyskha - dunyada zat zhetmez - “There is nothing in this world that can compare with Circassian etiquette (Circassian namus).” The expression used as praise is: Circassian namys etedi - “Observes Circassian etiquette (Circassian namus),” thereby emphasizing that the person is exquisitely polite, courteous, and noble. Such statements once again indicate that Adyghe etiquette was formed in interaction with neighboring peoples (Ossetians, Abazas, Balkars, Georgians, Karachais, etc.) and was the standard for these peoples.

In recent years, another name for Adyghe etiquette, proposed by me in 1990, has become more active: Adyghe Shenkhabze- "Adyghe rules of moral behavior." One should not think, however, that this is a neologism in the literal sense of the word. The term schenkhabze, however, is rare and most often found among Western Circassians in folklore texts and in materials of field ethnographic research, that is, it is not alien to the Circassian linguistic consciousness. What makes this word especially attractive is the combination of two concepts in it: schen - morality and habze - “stable, habitual, generally accepted way of action.” Essentially, this is another very capacious and precise designation of Adyghe etiquette, which can be used along with the term “Adyghe namys”. 9

Thus, in the very name of Adyghe etiquette there is a clear connection with traditional ethics and, above all, with that part of it that correlates with the ideas of mutual respect and good manners, courtesy, delicacy and ethical immunity of the individual. Adyghe etiquette (Adyghe nemys, Adyghe schenkhabze), like any other of this kind institution, was and remains a complex, detailed system of rules or norms of communication, symbolizing mutual respect and recognition. These are, in other words, ideas about the beauty and harmony of social connections and relationships enshrined in the culture of communication. Therefore, etiquette is in all cases the organizational center of the culture of communication, but in the system of common Adyghe values, it acquires even greater importance, acting in conjunction with ethics as the main theme and core of traditional culture as a whole.

Structurally, Adyghe etiquette is a normative system consisting of well-coordinated general principles, specific rules and entire institutions of communication. These are, one might say, different structural levels or “floors” of etiquette. In the teaching process, each of these levels should be considered separately, and therefore we will dwell on them in more detail.

The leading principle and semantic dominant of Adyghe etiquette is, as said, respect - nemys. However, in addition to this, a number of private, instrumental principles are put forward. According to their content and their focus, they can be divided into two groups: hierarchical and phatic.

Hierarchical principles oblige us to pay special attention and treat certain categories of persons with special respect. In this regard, the following come to the fore: 1) reverence for elders - nekhyzhym and nemys, 2) veneration of women - bzylkhugem and nemys, 3) honoring the guest - kheshlem and nemys, 4) honoring children - sabiym and nemys, 5) self-esteem - shch'el'ytezh.

An important addition to these principles are phatic principles and attitudes: 1) benevolence, 2) modesty and delicacy, 3) expressiveness and artistry. They determine the general mood, style or tone of etiquette behavior, impart goodwill, trust, significance, liveliness to the interaction of people, thereby enhancing the effect of mutual respect and recognition, friendly unity and agreement.

Complementing each other, establishing not only general guidelines, but also specific ways to actualize respectful attitude towards people, the principles of etiquette create a complex mosaic picture of mutual respect and self-respect, giving rise to a wide network of specific rules of respectful behavior. The total number of these rules is very large. These are hundreds, thousands of units. It is not for nothing that Adyghe etiquette is considered one of the most complex and detailed, along with Chinese or Japanese etiquette. Drawing attention to this, Adil-Girey Keshev wrote that knightly Adyghe etiquette was not inferior to “ten thousand Chinese ceremonies.” The typological similarity of the knightly moral code and etiquette of the Circassians is considered as an obvious fact not only with Chinese, but also with Japanese etiquette, with the code of honor of Japanese samurai - bushido.

In general, etiquette norms are quite complex cultural complexes that establish who, when, in relation to which persons can or must perform a certain communicative or communicatively significant action or movement. Means and channels of communication are normatively fixed: natural language, gestures, facial movements, costume details, structuring of time and space, things specially adapted to convey a respectful attitude, household items, oral or written messages, etc. All this should be presented in textbooks on ethics and etiquette in a detailed and systematized form.

In the same way, it is necessary to show in detail how etiquette serves recurring social situations of communication: intrafamily communication, a feast, a wedding, a funeral, a business visit, a meeting on the road, buying and selling, etc. Interaction in such situations is carried out according to a certain labeled scenario, which ensures mutual understanding, coordination and agreement on the means and methods of communication used.

Usually, within the framework of typical social situations, relatively independent subsystems or institutions of etiquette develop, which consolidate and clearly define the social roles and communicative tasks of the participants in the interaction. For example, wedding etiquette stipulates how matchmakers, parents of the bride and groom, the groom himself, his groomsman, the bride, etc. should behave. The wedding ritual, the ceremony of introducing the bride into the groom's house, the ceremony of the groom's return to his parents' house, the ceremony of introducing him to the bride's relatives, etc. are described in detail. The dates, place, procedure for holding various wedding and post-wedding celebrations, the size of the bride price, and a set of traditional gifts are established.

In accordance with well-developed etiquette scenarios, religious holidays and rituals, as well as various kinds of visits were and are being performed: to pay respects, visit the sick, express condolences, congratulate on the birth of a child, etc.

Of course, all this must be perceived and assessed from the point of view of today's realities. Certain norms of Adyghe etiquette, closely related to the past stages of historical development of culture, are not observed with feudal life and cannot be observed at all or to a sufficiently complete extent. For example, the detailed, refined equestrian etiquette is almost irrevocably a thing of the past; many elements of family, table, and wedding etiquette have lost their relevance and significance. This is a natural process and you need to understand that the task is not to revive in full all the norms of traditional etiquette; this is both impossible and unreasonable.

It should be especially said in this regard that new situations of interaction are gradually being included in the culture of the Circassians, which also require ethical rationalization and etiquette marking: New Year celebrations, birthdays, wedding anniversaries, civil registration, day of mourning for those killed in the Russian-Caucasian war, presidential inauguration, etc. It is very important to develop a unified, understandable and convenient for everyone scenario for these new forms of social interaction, consistent with the principles and guidelines of traditional ethics and etiquette.

It is necessary to constantly keep in mind that the main purpose of etiquette is to streamline relationships, facilitate contacts, and create an understandable and pleasant psychological, spiritual and moral environment and atmosphere in society, in a group, or in a specific life situation. Thus, etiquette resists disorder and chaos, ensures the continuity of social connections, relationships, practices - maintains in society the level of moral hygiene and discipline necessary for normal dynamic development. In this capacity, etiquette has functioned throughout the history of mankind, without losing any of its social significance. Therefore, we can rightfully speak of this social institution as a conquest of planetary culture and a universal heritage. As for Adyghe etiquette, then, undoubtedly, this is a significant contribution not only to all-Adyghe, all-Caucasian, but also to world culture.

Taking into account all that has been said and taking into account the special role of ethics and etiquette in the social life of Adyghe society, it is necessary to build the entire system of moral education and upbringing. The family, the school, and the entire network of cultural and educational institutions must be involved in solving this problem. But this is not enough. It is important that the problems of mastering and developing methods of ethical rationalization of the world become a priority in the cultural policy of the state. Of decisive importance is the official, including legislative, recognition and distribution of the moral ideology and politics contained in the ethics and etiquette of the Circassians. In particular, there is a long overdue need to create commissions on traditional ethics and etiquette in the parliament and under the presidents of Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, and Kabardino-Balkaria. The traditional moral culture of the Circassians, if properly understood and used, is capable of functioning with quick and tangible benefit and impact in all spheres of activity: economic, political, social. In this case, it can become the demiurge of a socio-economic miracle, not inferior to the economic miracle of Japan, Germany or China.

However, this is only an opportunity that modern Adyghe society does not take advantage of in the slightest degree and almost demonstratively refuses ethically verified ways of thinking and behavior. By the way, most of all this applies to Kabardians, to a people who are in a state of a kind of existential neurosis, when there is no feeling of completeness and deep meaning of their existence, there is not only no important and well-thought-out goals, guidelines, but even an elementary desire to reveal themselves in an ennobled form, to realize at least partially your creative potential. There is a crisis of self-empathy and, more broadly, a crisis of self-culture - a careless, permissive attitude towards one’s external and internal appearance and image, towards the present and future of the nation.

Hence, there is another very important conclusion that needs to be drawn: ethics and etiquette, as well-established, well-verified methods of ethical rationalization of life, may have noticeable differences with ethos - with the morals and habits prevailing in a particular period of history. As a result, we get a state of social connections, called in sociology reification or anomie and, as a consequence of this, an expansion of the scope of deviant, including logically and ethically inferior thinking and behavior. In modern Adyghe society, processes of this kind have gone very far. We are facing a humanitarian catastrophe, which even the catastrophe of the Russian-Caucasian war cannot compare with.

NOTES

1. 1.Arutyunov S.A. Caucasian feast as a social regulator // Odysseus. Man in history. M., 1999.
2. 2.Bgazhnokov B.Kh. Adyghe etiquette. Nalchik, 1978; Myzhey M. Adyge habzemre di zemanymre. Cherkessk, 1980; Mafedzev S.Kh. Intergenerational transmission of traditional Adyghe culture. Nalchik, 1990; Hanahu R.A., Tsvetkov O.M. Cultural and ethnic phenomenon of Adygagye. Towards the formulation of the problem//Philosophy and sociology in the Republic of Adygea. Issue 1. Maykop, 1995; Unezhev K.Kh. The phenomenon of Adyghe (Circassian) culture. Nalchik, 1997.
3. 3.Bgazhnokov B.Kh. Ethics of J. Kazanoko and the spiritual atmosphere of Kabarda in the 18th century // Zhabagy Kazanoko. Conference materials. Nalchik, 1987.
4. 4.In Kabardino-Balkaria, at the suggestion of media workers, this term is used to mean “culture”, for example: schenkhabzem and the minister - "Minister of Culture". At the same time, there was an unjustified substitution of this word for another term consonant with it - schlenkhabze, also proposed by me (See: Bgezhnokue B. Adyge khabze sch l ein//1uaschkhemakhaue, 1990, no. 2) It should be emphasized in this regard that the internal form of the word schlenkhabze(“acceptable, preferable, necessary method of action”) best suits the meaning of the word culture and modern ideas about the content of this concept. At the same time, the word shenkhabze (“norms, methods of moral behavior”) does not quite correspond to the meaning of “culture.”
5. 5.Keshev A. The character of Adyghe songs // Selected works of Adyghe educators. Nalchik, 1980. P. 125.
6. 6.Kotova I.B., Shiyanov E.N. Formation and development of humanistic pedagogy. Rostov n/d, 1997.
7. 7.Mamkhegova R.A. Decree. Op. p.7; Maf I edz S.Hy. Adyge khabze. Nalshik, 1997.n.47; Dumanov Kh.M., Ketov Yu.M. Adyghe khabze and the court in Kabarda in the second half XVII -XIX V. Nalchik, 2000. p.28;. .: Mafedzev S.Kh. Adygs. Customs, traditions (Adyge khabze). P. 9; Dumanova F.Kh. Adyge khabze // Bulletin of KBIGI, Issue 8, Nalchik, 2001, P. 106.
8. 8.Mafedzev S.Kh. Intergenerational transmission of traditional Adyghe culture. Nalchik, 1990. P. 229.
9. 9.The latest work by S.Kh. Mafedzeva is even more revealing in this regard and can serve as a good guide to completely misrepresenting the essence of Adyghe etiquette. See: Mafedzov S.Kh. Adygs. Customs, traditions (Adyge khabze). Nalchik, 2000.
10. 10.Hanahu R.A., Tsvetkov O.M. Cultural-ethnic phenomenon of Adygag'e: Towards the formulation of the problem // Philosophy and sociology in the Republic of Adygea. Issue 1. Maykop, 1995; Kaslandzia I.V. Adygag'e and apsuara: Adyghe-Abkhaz cultural and ethnic parallels // Philosophy and sociology in the Republic of Adygea. Issue 1. Maykop, 1995; Bgazhnokov B.Kh. Adyghe ethics. Nalchik, 1999.
11. 11.Shorov I.A. Ideas of moral education in Adyghe oral folk art. Rostov n/d, 1977; Aka: Adyghe folk pedagogy. Maikop, 1989; Zagazev M.T. Essays on folk pedagogy of the Circassians. Nalchik, 1996; Mamkhegova R.A. Essays on Adyghe etiquette. Nalchik, 1993; Memheg R. Lyepkym i ts l yhu bgesenum. Nalshik,

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Bgazhnokov Barasbiy Khachimovich ., Doctor of Historical Sciences, Director of the Kabardino-Balkarian Institute for Humanitarian Research of the Government of the Kabardino-Balkaria and Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences