Comparison of Adyghe etiquette with religion. Adyghe etiquette: nemys men
Adyghe khabze for the Circassians is, perhaps, more than a religion, more than a whole philosophical system of views on the world around us. Adyghe khabze for an Adyghe is his way of life, his way of thinking. Adyghe khabze is the behavior of an Adyghe from his birth to his departure to another world. He observed it everywhere and everywhere. He was born with this unwritten law and it carried him to the grave. The complexity of the phenomenon of Adyghe khabze lies in the fact that it permeated and permeates, to a certain extent, the entire Adyghe life, being present at all levels of consciousness and behavior of people of all ages, generations, of both sexes, regardless of the social status of each. The complexity of the Adyghe khabze phenomenon also lies in the fact that this set of laws regulated every action of any person in any situation, be it in everyday life or in war. “Detailing” all human actions, it, as a set of unwritten laws of the Adygs (Circassians), acts in many ways both as a general teaching and to the question: “What is Adyghe khabze?” It’s difficult to answer definitively. Adyghe khabze was formed as an expression of the mentality of the Adyghe (Circassian) since the ancient period of its history and always adapted to new socio-economic and political conditions. It can be assumed that this etiquette, in the understanding in which we imagine and know it, was finally formed under feudalism. It was in feudal Circassia that it took shape most fully and the most complete understanding of its principles and elements was obtained from this period. Therefore, in order to understand the phenomenon of Adyghe Khabze, the mentality of its bearers - the Adygs (Circassians), it is necessary to have a clear understanding of feudalism in general and Adyghe in particular. Thus, the Adyghe khabze not only regulated the behavior of each person, but also penetrated into the system of public institutions, the method of production, the social system, types of military organization, the principles of relations between the Adyghe (Circassian) society and other peoples, etc. Adyge khabze regulated the attitude even towards slaves, enemies and prisoners of war. We examined many aspects and principles of the Adyge khabze in the previous sections of this work. In particular, we tried to show the system of education of the younger generation according to the Adyghe Khabze, which took place in the life of the Adygs for many centuries. We also showed such important components of Adyghe etiquette as hospitality, kunachestvo, atalychestvo, blood feud, etc. The system of relationships between representatives of various social strata of society, the institutions of representative power, how they functioned, or more precisely, how they were regulated through the Adyghe khabze , was also discussed above. Adyghe khabze and the mentality of the Adyghe (Circassian) are inseparable. The first formed the second. To understand the phenomenon of Adyghe khabze, one must understand the mentality of the bearer of this etiquette, and vice versa, in order to understand the mentality of the Adyghe, one must have a clear understanding of this etiquette, the social conditions of its emergence and functioning. In other words, the Adyghe khabze and the mentality of the Adygs (Circassians) are in a close dialectical relationship. Many authors, including foreign travelers and scientists, have written about Adyghe etiquette. But they all touched only on certain aspects of this problem. Among the local authors, B. Kh. Bgazhnokov most fully examined this little-studied area of the traditional culture of the Adygs (Circassians) in his work “Adyghe Etiquette,” published in 1978. Without going into a detailed retelling of this work, we point out that it is practically the first attempt to comprehend this complex but surprisingly interesting topic. The author mainly studied the principles of communication between people according to Adyghe etiquette, which is one of the most important elements of Adyghe khabze. In our opinion, B. Kh. Bgazhnokov rightly noted that etiquette is, first of all, the core, the organizing center of the traditional everyday culture of communication. Usually this is understood as a form of behavior, treatment, rules of courtesy accepted in any society 2. Thus, the etiquette of any people, i.e. ethnoetiquette, does not exist outside of time and space. Therefore, it changes depending on changes in the socio-economic and political conditions of life of each ethnic group. In this regard, the content of etiquette and its place in the social life of a particular community are determined by the specific historical conditions of the development of the ethnic group. E. Durkheim noted that in societies of a segmental type, that is, closed ones, little subject to outside influence, the norms of etiquette almost entirely, down to the details, determine the form of behavior: “The way a person should eat, dress in each circumstance, gestures, which he must pronounce are determined with precision 3. As mentioned above, Adyghe etiquette originated and developed in ancient times. It has its roots in the era of the tribal system. Many principles of Adyghe etiquette took place already in the era of the creation of the Nart epic, in the plots of which they can be traced to one degree or another. Adyghe etiquette is the creation of the entire people. Therefore, it is closely connected with its history, or rather, it is “dissolved” in its history, it is its history. It is no coincidence that in Adyghe etiquette there are traces of every era of this history, starting from the period of matriarchy to the present. In this regard, we can give examples from the Nart epic, which reflected both the matriarchal and patriarchal periods of the history of the Circassians and their refraction in Circassian etiquette. It is in the Nart epic that one can trace the path of formation and development of Adyghe etiquette, for it was created and developed in the period from the clan system to the advent of feudalism. It was at the stage of feudalism that Adyghe etiquette was finally formed in the form in which we know it and in which Europeans recognized it. The chivalrous, respectful attitude towards women according to Adyghe etiquette was developed among the Adyghe people back in the era of the Narts. This is eloquently evidenced by many Nart legends, where a woman is at the center of events and the object of universal respect. In the Nart epic, for example, the “mother of the Narts” - Satanei - often appears. She is a majestic matriarchal figure. It is significant that the creators of the epic doomed all their heroes to physical death, and endowed Satan with immortality. In this regard, one can agree with V.I. Abaev, who believes that one can think of the Narts without any of the heroes, even the most important ones, but one cannot think of them without Satan. She is the personification of kindness, purity and the unquenchable fire of love for the hearth, for neighbors 4. This applies primarily to the earlier stage of the formation of the Nart epic, when a woman acts in all matters of social life as the main character. Likewise, in other Nart legends dedicated to Adiyukh, Dahanago, Malechipkh, the features of matriarchy (maternal-tribal organization) are easily traced, traces of which are imprinted in the Adyghe khabze in relation to women. In a word, the actual deification of a woman, she is sacred, inviolable, her word is the law for everyone. These traditions of Adyghe etiquette are rooted in the matriarchal-tribal system of the Adyghe people and their ancestors. All this left a certain imprint on the etiquette of this ethnic group. In Nart legends, women were endowed with incredible physical strength both in relation to men and in relation to nature. This suggests that women occupied a special place in the life of the people. This is how this power of a woman is shown in the Nart epic using the example of one of its heroines - Malechipkh (Melechypkh'u - "daughter of Malech." - K.U.) in the legend "How Malechipkh got married": Malechipkh to the great river Says the following words: "Listen, Psyzh 5 is full-flowing, Psyzh is cold, stormy, Proud, free, Open your waves Before the messenger of sorrow! At that same moment, the smooth surface of the river was divided into seven channels, And the horse walked on the seven-colored stones without fear 6. Thus, these lines from the Nart epic indicate that a woman played a major role in the life of the Circassians, like other peoples of the world at the stage of matriarchy, and this was reflected in their culture. However, it should be noted that the main core of the Nart epic belongs to the second period of human history, namely patriarchy. And this also left its mark on Adyghe etiquette. The cult of a man, especially an older member of a family, clan, surname, community - thamada - is always present in the Nart epic. It is also noteworthy that this epic clearly traces the process of transition of society from matriarchy to patriarchy, when a man begins to occupy the main place in the life of society. This is evident from the work of the Khasy of the Narts, where women were not invited at all, and this is also evident from many Nart legends of later periods in the history of the Narts. The legend about the battle between Sosruko and the powerful and omnipotent Totresh reflected the patriarchal attitude towards women. For example, about how, after the defeat, Sosruko, returning home, when asked by his mother Sataney: “What new did you see on the way on the khas?”, he replies: “A woman doesn’t ask about the khas, they don’t go to a woman for advice, who goes , he's not a man!" 7. And in another Nart legend about Sosruko, he opposes the Nart custom of killing old people when they reached old age and became physically helpless people. The point is that upon reaching old age, such a sledge was given a “last feast.” After such a feast, he was put in a wicker basket and thrown off a cliff. The Adygs called such a mountain “zhygyebg”, literally: “the mountain where they mourned the old people.” - K.U.). In the rejection of this vicious custom of the Narts, we see what respect they began to show not only to the old man, but also to the old woman, that the cult of the elder, respectful attitude towards him occupy a special place in Adyghe etiquette. Here is a description in the legend “How Badynoko introduced a new custom in the Nart Country” of the moment of abandoning the custom of killing old people. The Narts had an old, but bad custom. When a man became so decrepit that he could no longer pull a sword out of its sheath with three fingers, could not sit on a horse without someone else’s help, could not pull a bow to shoot game, he did not have the strength to put leggings on his feet to hold a rake in his hands to fold a shock of hay, he no longer had the strength not to doze off, guarding the herd - they put this decrepit old man in a wicker basket and carried him out of the village. They were carried out and raised to the top of the Mountain of Old Age. Large stone wheels were attached to a wicker basket and the basket was launched over a cliff into the abyss. According to the custom of the Narts, Badynoko was supposed to throw his father into the abyss after the “last feast,” but he took pity on him and hid him in a cave and kept him there. In turn, Badyn, the father, gave his son smart advice on how to get the Narts out of various extreme situations, and thanks to these advice from the old wise man, the Narts were saved from hunger and devastation. And when the Narts learned that it was thanks to the elder’s advice that they were saved, they decided: to abolish the old custom, for it is bad, not to take decrepit old people to the top of the Mountain of Old Age, not to throw them into the abyss along the road of death, but to cherish their old age and obey their wise ones advice. Thus, Badynoko introduced a new custom in the Nart Country, and the old people lived from then on until the very end of their lives, instructing the Narts with wisdom and blessing Badynoko 8. We cited this excerpt from the Nart legend, trying to show how the psychology of the ancient Narts changed in relation to the elder generation, how the ancient ancestors of the Circassians developed the cult of the elder, a respectful attitude towards him, which is to this day an integral part of the Circassian etiquette. The pinnacle of the highest respect for elders according to Adyghe etiquette is the institution of Thamadism. We have already talked about Thamadism and there is no need to repeat what has been said, but it should be noted that the figure of Thamada is always present in the Nart epic. Without his participation and the decisive word, not a single issue was discussed, be it a domestic issue, or public affairs. The Khasa of the Narts was carried out under his direct participation and leadership. The thamada was specially invited to the khasa; his word was decisive. All this left a certain imprint on his place in Adyghe etiquette, which he occupies in it to this day. Many other aspects of Adyghe etiquette also go back to ancient times, which we have many confirmations of in the Nart epic. In this regard, we find many examples on the issues of the institutions of hospitality, kunachestvo, equestrianism, the system of educating the younger generation, respectful attitude not only towards representatives of the older generation, but also towards the younger, etc. This is what is said, for example, in the Nart legend “How Badynoko was born" in confirmation of the fact that from ancient times among the Circassians, the guest was a sacred person and was surrounded by great attention from the owner of the house: "After some time, Sosruko again came to that family together with one sledge rider. He was invited to the house, waited he did not last long - and, as was customary, the hostess entered the room allotted to him, carrying a horn with maramazh 9 in her hands, and with her a kan-girl 10. In the morning, when it began to get light, Shabatyn returned. As soon as he entered the house, they told him: “Sosruko is visiting us.” “Bring me to me, don’t keep me in the kunatskaya,” he said and ordered Sosruko to be called to him." can be clearly seen in the oldest monument of the spiritual culture of the Adyghe people. This all indicates that the emergence of Adyghe etiquette and Adyghe folk culture in general and its development into modern culture has come a long way. Indeed, the path to modern Adyghe etiquette was extremely difficult and lengthy. It is in many ways goes back not only to the Nart epic, but also to mythology, although it is impossible to draw a clear boundary between them. Therefore, in our opinion, Yu. M. Tkhagazitov rightly notes that “the relationship between myth-epic-etiquette makes it possible to clarify the uniqueness of the essence and form of the immanent development of traditional links of Adyghe culture. At historically successive stages of development of the Circassians, their spiritual exploration of the world, the myth-epic-etiquette relationship, as a component of dynamic integrity, represents the basis for the continuity of various types of artistic consciousness." 12. In other words, before the formation of Circassian etiquette, myth primarily took place in the life of its bearer and epic. Therefore, etiquette during its formation could not rely on them and they left a certain imprint on it. Myth-epic-etiquette act as a structural integrity. But myth, as is known, arises in the earliest stages of human development, i.e. then when a person stands out from the biological world and becomes a biosocial being. Genetically and typologically, in a synchronous and diachronic aspect, myth is correlated with rite, ritual. And archaic ritual is also important because it synthesizes archaic myth and etiquette in its own way, since ritual does not only “captures” the myth, but it undoubtedly embodies the original properties of etiquette, including Adyghe. Myth, ritual, epic, etiquette are in an organic connection, they interact with each other and interpenetrate. Adyghe etiquette subsequently rationalized the myth, epic 13. Based on this, we can conclude that Adyghe etiquette in its formation and development went through three main stages or stages: myth, epic and etiquette itself. One of the main postulates of Adyghe etiquette is the traditional everyday culture of communication, the communicative behavior of each person, regardless of his age and social status. This process can be divided into the following stages: 1) uncertainty; 2) regulation; 3) generalizations. The stage of uncertainty refers to the earliest period of human history, when people had not yet come to the point of establishing and strictly recording communication standards associated with various interaction situations. At this stage of human history, only possible ways to standardize interaction are being “groped”, and this process was mostly spontaneous, of little conscious nature. The second stage marks the formation and approval of a wide network of rules of communicative behavior in all typical social situations. Moreover, these rules of behavior are excessively detailed and specific. This is, in fact, the stage of formation of etiquette as a whole. It covers the period of human history starting with the tribal system and continues to feudalism, where the formation of etiquette is completed. The decomposition of feudal society marks the beginning of the third stage of development of Adyghe etiquette, which is also experiencing modern times. 14 Thus, as mentioned above, etiquette has its roots in mythology and the heroic epic. And myth is organically connected with ritual, and they often appear together. Myth is the verbal expression of ritual. From ritual and myth, a custom, a system of communications, and, consequently, the principles of interclan communication are born. These norms of human behavior are determined by the mentality of the ethnic group, natural conditions and the level of development of productive forces. “Prominent thinkers of the 17th-18th centuries Bodin, Montesquieu and Herder, in accordance with the scientific level of their era, proposed,” wrote L. N. Gumilev, “all manifestations of human activity, including culture, psychological makeup, form of government, etc. . are determined by the nature of the countries inhabited by different peoples"15. Therefore, Adyghe etiquette, as the culture of the people, is closely connected with nature, with the habitat of the Adyghe ethnic group. We tried to consider the relationship between nature and ethnicity in more detail above in another section of this work. Thus, Adyghe etiquette has come a long way in its formation and development, as have the people themselves - its bearer and creator. As mentioned above, there is no sphere of human life that is not affected by Adyghe etiquette, where all human actions are not regulated by it. To understand the phenomenon of this etiquette, it is necessary to dwell on certain aspects of people’s activities and behavior and how they are regulated by Adyghe etiquette. It is after this that one can imagine a clear picture of this unique phenomenon, which delighted many foreign scientists and travelers who visited the Country of the Circassians and became better acquainted with it. European authors compared the Adyghe khabze with the “Frankish”, knightly, etiquette of the times of the first kings of Germany and France. “Their behavior (Circassians - K.U.) is similar to the Frankish: they are polite and, when greeting, take off their hats; women receive strangers with cordiality; to eat they sit down in Frankish style at table 16,” wrote Xaverio Glavani in his “Description Circassia", compiled back in 1724. And the Englishman J. Bell, who lived among the Circassians for three years (1837-1839), spoke about Adyghe etiquette as follows: "From everything that I have seen, I look at the Circassians in mass , as the most naturally polite people that I have ever known or about which I have ever read" 17. And the correspondent of the London Times newspaper J. Longworth, who also carefully studied the life and customs of the Circassians, wrote that "neither in what other country in the world is the behavior of people not so calm and dignified? beauty, hard work, etc. The famous geologist, naturalist and archaeologist Frederic Dubois de Montpereir wrote the following about the Circassians back in the last century: “If I dared to judge the ways of God, I would say that Providence wished to revive and renew others degraded races, mixing them with the beautiful Circassian race; but should we judge the actions of the higher mind! " 19. This list of statements by foreign authors about the Circassians who visited their country could be continued. As mentioned above, it is difficult to give an unambiguous definition of Adyghe etiquette, but we will try to explain what it is essence and specificity. First of all, it should be noted that the Adyghe khabze arose in ancient times, is rooted in the era of matriarchy, tribal, classless system. In this regard, we tried to prove this using the example of the Nart heroic epic, where many elements and principles of Adyghe etiquette have place. Secondly, Adyghe etiquette “invades" all spheres of human life and society. It has developed a detailed system for educating the younger generation. Thirdly, Adyghe etiquette has developed in detail a system of interpersonal communication not only between members of the same family, but also with strangers. Here this system is so detailed that etiquette requires special forms and rules in this communication from greeting to farewell. This communication system regulates the rules of behavior of any person both in everyday life and in public places. Fourthly, according to Adyghe etiquette, in interpersonal communication a special place is given to the tolerance of each person. Therefore, this character trait is cultivated in every person from an early age. To comply with all the requirements of Adyghe etiquette means to have Adyghe, i.e., humanity. Adyghe etiquette presupposes, first of all, to see in a person the person himself, to respect his personality, even if he is his enemy. In this regard, it is appropriate to refer to one of the most important principles of Adyghe (Circassian) hospitality, according to which the owner of the house has no right to refuse to accept any person as a guest, even if there is blood enmity between them. It is assumed that it was Adyghe etiquette that became one of the main barriers in strengthening the position of religion among the Adyghe ethnic group. It's no secret that among the Circassians, religion has never played such an important role in life as it was and is the case among other peoples, including the mountaineers of the Caucasus. The fact is that Adyghe etiquette solved almost all the problems of religion and performed social functions in the life of society more than religion. The demands of religion “dissolved” in the Adyge khabze, because it is broader than religion in covering the problems of society. Nevertheless, it should be noted that if we compare the most important requirements and principles of the Adyghe Khabze and religion, we find a lot in common. Thus, Adyghe khabze is not only an unwritten set of laws of the Adyghe ethnic group, but also a unique religion. Adyghe etiquette sometimes turns out to be stronger than religious consciousness, so she could not displace it from the life of the Adyghe ethnic group. But this phenomenon still requires special scientific research. To understand the essence and specifics of the Adyghe Khabze, it is not enough to just know it; to understand them, you must be born an Adyghe and live among the Adygs. To understand the essence of the Adyghe Khabze, you need to know the spirit of the Adyghe (Circassian). It is through the Adyghe Khabze that his spirit is formed. Adyghe khabze and the Adyghe mentality are inextricably linked with each other. The mentality of the Adygs (Circassians) is not only formed through the Adyghe khabze, but it also manifests itself through him. Thus, Adyghe khabze is a special way of seeing the world around us. This is a special type of human behavior. This is a special form of interpersonal relationships. This is his life force. Despite the most unimaginable forms and methods of influence on the Adyghe khabze for thousands of years, it was modernized taking into account changes in the socio-economic and political conditions of life of the Adygs (Circassians), and it still continues to have a significant impact on the life of society. In those families where from time immemorial Adyghe khabze was the norm of their life, a method of raising children, a guideline for nurturing a respectful attitude towards the individual, this etiquette is still alive and performs the same functions that it performed hundreds of years ago, but with some “amendments”, made by time, especially the era of turbulent and controversial events of the 20th century. Thus, the Adyghe etiquette, and the Adyghe (Circassian) culture in general, was deeply imprinted by the social system, which changed over the entire centuries-old history of this ethnic group. And the social structure of each ethnic group largely depends on its habitat, on its landscape. In such eternal unity were all the peoples who are now living and have disappeared over the centuries-old history of mankind. The Adyghe (Circassian) people, being in close harmony with the nature of the Caucasus, developed through the Adyghe Khabze, their spirit and their mentality were developed. Apparently, this is why the great German thinker of the last century, Hegel, not by chance noted that “only in the Caucasian race does the spirit come to absolute unity with itself - only here does the spirit enter into complete opposition to the conditions of natural existence, comprehend itself in its absolute independence, break out of constant oscillation back and forth, from one extreme to the other, achieves self-determination, self-development and thereby realizes world history." 20. It was in organic unity with the nature of the Caucasus that the Circassians (Circassians), like other indigenous peoples, created their way of life, their image thinking, your stereotypes of behavior. The standards of thinking of the people, including artistic ones, have always corresponded to the socio-economic and political conditions of their life. If we proceed from this situation, then the Circassians, long before the Mongol invasion, back in the 4th century, experienced a period of feudalism. Thus, the period from the 4th to the 19th centuries. was a period of not only the further development of feudalism, but it was also a period when the Adyghe khabze - the basic unwritten law of life - was modernized. This was a period when many of its principles and provisions began to more and more clearly protect the interests of princes and nobles. Moreover, it was precisely the period of the origin and development of feudal relations that was accompanied by the process of isolating a new etiquette from the general Adyghe etiquette - noble etiquette (uerk khabze). Therefore, uerk khabze arose along with the process of the emergence of princes and nobles in Adyghe society. Just as they had their own special social and political status, in contrast to the working peasantry, the Adyghe feudal lords created for themselves their own special etiquette, their own special culture, which was generally based on general Adyghe etiquette. Academician P. S. Pallas characterized the Adyghe feudal lords as follows: “This is a family of knights who support among themselves and in relation to their subjects a real feudal system, similar to the one that the German knighthood introduced earlier in Prussia and Livonia.” 21. Adyghe princes and nobles are not the same that they created their own new etiquette, different from the common Adyghe one, they simply created their own standards of behavior on its basis, their own forms and methods of observing all its requirements and principles. Uerk khabze, one might assume, gave more detail to the Adyghe khabze. All of its most important requirements were observed more scrupulously, more “visibly”, with their own specific methods and methods. We can trace this difference between simple peasants and feudal lords in observing Adyghe khabze everywhere. Let's take, for example, the same dance etiquette of the Circassians, which is an integral part of the general Circassian etiquette. And many of its elements were observed primarily by princes and nobles. For example, one of the traditional social institutions of the Circassians (Circassians), horse riding, was their only occupation. “Raids for the purpose of obtaining slaves, livestock, and property are, in terms of their significance in social life, in the spiritual atmosphere of feudal Circassia,” writes B. Bgazhnokov, “one of the most remarkable pages of its history. It is no coincidence that in the pantheon of Adyghe pagan deities, the patron of equestrianism and riders is ZekIuetkhe ("zekIue" - campaign, raid; "Te - God)" 22. As for another, no less significant traditional institution - atalychestvo, which occupied a prominent place in the life of the Adygs (Circassians), in the Adyghe khabze, it was actually an institution of feudal lords , that is, first of all, the children of princes and nobles were brought up through him, that is, they were given to be raised by the atalyk. The lifestyle of the Adyghe (Circassian) feudal lords, their culture, were a role model for all other highlanders of the Caucasus. Many feudal lords of Abkhazia and Chechnya , Dagestan, Ossetia and all the other highlanders with great willingness gave their children to be raised by the Adyghe workks (nobles) - atalyks. First of all, they knew what place the Adyghe khabze occupied in the life of Circassia and what positive functions it performed in the education of a full-fledged, highly moral, physically healthy young generation. In a word, they knew that a khabze, brought up in the traditions of the Adyghe, could always survive in any extreme situations, for this person was distinguished by such qualities as endurance and politeness, courage and bravery, tolerance and honesty, kindness and intransigence to injustice, etc. D. Adyghe Khabze attached great importance to the development in man of a reasonable ability of judgment and an aesthetic sense of beauty, a sense of proportion and justice in matters both civil and private. For a more complete understanding of the essence and specifics of uerq habze (noble etiquette), it is necessary to refer to some of its requirements and principles. There are special concepts in this etiquette, such as uerk kafe (noble dance), uerk khyel (noble character), uerk shytesyke (noble riding method), etc. The fact that it was uerk khabze (noble etiquette) that more scrupulously, scrupulously observed all the requirements of the Adyghe khabze, on the basis of which it arose, can be observed in the example of the dance etiquette of the nobles. According to this etiquette, partners were supposed to dance more sedately, without sudden movements, more solemnly. In general, according to general Adyghe dance etiquette, the dancer was strictly forbidden to do anything that could humiliate the girl. For example, touching her during a dance was not allowed, any sharp gestures, jokes, etc. were prohibited. These requirements were observed especially strictly during werk kafe (noble dance). In addition, girls were also prohibited from making sudden movements when dancing. She had to behave modestly, at the same time solemnly, her body had to be motionless during the dance and move smoothly. She had no right to raise her hands above her waist; her hand movements also had to be smooth and as if caressing someone. She should only occasionally look directly into her partner's eyes while dancing. The noblewoman went out into the circle to dance on stilts, then she calmly took off the wooden stilts and danced. Until the girl put on these stilts and took her place, her partner was obliged to stand in front of her, respectfully stretching out his arms at his sides. Then, having bowed, he retreated a few steps back, backing away, and, turning his right shoulder to the girl, returned to his place. During almost the entire dance, the nobleman stood on his fingers and, like an eagle, soared over the girl 23. Moreover, an arrogant glance in the direction of the girl was not allowed; on the contrary, the partner looked in her direction solemnly and affectionately, as if admiring the grace of her movements, beauty, protecting her . In all cases, the initiative to stop dancing and leave the circle belonged to the girl. It was considered bad form to dance for a long time with the same girl and often go out in a circle to dance, i.e., a gentleman's order in dancing was observed. Thus, in noble dance, all the requirements of noble etiquette were observed extremely strictly and scrupulously, and cases of deviation from these norms were strictly condemned. And when simple peasants and other representatives of the lower strata of society danced with some deviations from these norms of dance etiquette, they were not judged so strictly and tried not to pay much attention to these “defects,” i.e., their dance corresponded to their general culture, which was rougher, more down-to-earth. The emphatically detailed observance of all norms of noble etiquette by its bearers can be seen in the example of table etiquette. We touched upon this issue a little in another section in connection with Thamadism, with the cult of Thamada. But it should be noted that it was at the table that the Adyghe did not so much eat as he showed his culture, his intellect. The Adyghe feast as a whole is the Adyghe khabze in miniature, this is the Adyghe philosophy, this is the place where the Adyghe (Circassian) shows his mentality. First of all, it should be noted that the Circassians (Circassians) always ate very moderately, high in calories, and the food was very varied. Many foreign authors spoke about reasonable nutrition and the number of varied dishes served to guests. Being present at the Adyghe table is not only interesting, but also extremely difficult, because, according to many authoritative authors, Adyghe table etiquette is one of the most difficult in the whole world. Here, each person is assigned a certain place, even indoors or in the courtyard, where dozens or even hundreds of guests are present. Guests are seated primarily depending on their age and degree of relationship with the owner of the house. The most honorable place of the feast is given to the thamada, where he remains until the end. Food is also served in the same order in which the guests were seated. And the most difficult thing in serving guests is serving dishes, especially parts of a poultry, lamb or cattle carcass. The fact is that not every share could be given to any person, but certain shares had to be given depending on the age and degree of kinship of the guests. There were even, and in many ways this is still observed, strict requirements regarding the order in which dishes are served. We give these examples not to describe all the rules, but to note that they were most scrupulously observed according to noble etiquette. Moreover, according to the norms of this etiquette, the consumption of tripe by nobles and princes was strictly prohibited. Their use of it was considered a humiliation, and this part was always handed over to peasants and slaves. They were so strict about such things, and they didn’t even eat the middle of a watermelon, comparing it to tripe. This is how, at least, many old-timers of Kabarda explained the strangeness with the watermelon on the part of the nobles and princes. But in general, the most important feature, the core of uerq khabze (noble etiquette) was that it was entirely similar to medieval knighthood. In general, Circassians have always taught their children to be moderate in everything. The content of the concept of “excessiveness” went beyond the bounds of good manners. This applies to moderation in food, laconicism in speech, restraint in expressing emotions and even in choosing the color of clothing, etc. It is appropriate to recall here the common Japanese expression “Everything in excess is ugly.” The hardships and various difficulties of life were known from an early age, including to the children of princes and nobles. It was the latter who were brought up in the spirit of endurance, able to endure hunger and cold, for their way of life consisted of constant military campaigns and raids. Subsequently, these qualities in them helped them out more than once. 24. Many foreign authors drew attention to the great restraint of the Circassians (Circassians) in food. For example, Jacques-Victor-Edouard Thebout de Marigny, who was in “the country of Circassia” at the beginning of the 19th century, wrote that they teach a child the art of leading a raid, dexterity in theft and the ability to endure hunger and fatigue (emphasis added by us. - K .U.). He pointed out that such education reminds us of the heroic times of Greece and it enjoyed such recognition that the Tatar khans of antiquity sent their children to Circassia to learn atalyks. During their travels or raids against their neighbors, a small amount of sour dough is enough for them for the whole day (probably meaning khyetyk - a flatbread made from corn flour - K.U.). They keep this food, which was called “komil” (“guemyle” - provisions - K.U.), in a leather bag strapped to the saddle 25. It should be especially emphasized that the Circassians (Circassians) were very strict about the consumption of alcoholic beverages. It was in this that they were very moderate, and it was considered a great disgrace for the entire clan and village if anyone appeared in public in a drunken state. The princes and nobles were especially strict in this regard, who had to be ready at any second to mount a horse and go on a campaign or stand up to defend their father’s hearth. Giovani Lucca - Italian monk of the Dominican Order, author of a description of the Crimean Tatars, Nogais, Circassians, Abkhazians and Georgians, back in the 17th century. wrote that at feasts the young are not offered to drink until the latter commit some clever theft or some important murder. In this case we are talking about young nobles and princes, for whom raids and theft are their main occupation. He further pointed out that the most common drink among this people is water boiled with honey and a small amount of millet (makhsyme - K.U.). This drink is as hop-forward as wine. However, the Circassians do not indulge much in drunkenness 26. Another European author Edmond Spencer wrote the following: “Tempered in what we call deprivation, from infancy and practicing abstinence to a high degree, which is considered (in Circassia - K.U.) a virtue, they endure all the vicissitudes of war not only without complaining, but with cheerfulness 27. There is almost not a single principle of Adyghe Khabze, according to which noble etiquette would not try to stand out, but it is absolutely certain that the basis of all Uerk Khabze lies precisely Adyghe Khabze, and in this In terms of rights, B. Bgazhnokov claims that “the difference between the etiquette of the higher and lower classes was barely perceptible” 28. Simply, as was said above, representatives of the upper classes - princes and nobles - had the opportunity and sought to comply with all the requirements of the Adyghe khabze in full and in more detail, scrupulously. Actually, it was the wealthy segments of the population who had the opportunity to adhere to this etiquette. Both etiquettes do not exclude, but rather complement each other, noble etiquette grows out of the general Adyghe etiquette, which has its roots in the era of the clan system. And Uerk Khabze was formed under the conditions of feudalism, at the stage of its developed relations, when the class of nobles with all the political, social and cultural characteristics was finally formed. Thus, noble etiquette is the culture of class. Therefore, this culture corresponded to the status of nobles in society. Princes and nobles tried so hard to stand out from the general mass of the population in their etiquette that they even had their own special language. L. Ya. Lyulye writes that “the princes and nobles in Kabarda have a special dialect, which they hide from the common people. Precisely, there was a distorted dialect among the Circassians, which not everyone knew. It was called “shakobze,” that is, the hunting language " 29. But the key, most important principle of Uerk Khabze is chivalric morality. The spirit of nobility and belligerence occupy a dominant place in noble etiquette. The desire of the Adyghe princes and nobles for glory through their courage and bravery during the war is the main incentive to life. Therefore, according to Adyghe etiquette, cowardice and cowardice were most despised according to Uerk Khabze. JaguakIue (folk singers) dedicated their condemning and mocking songs to the knight, convicted of cowardice, and such “heroes” could not wash away the shame until the end of their lives. Moreover, his children, his entire family, were despised by society and tried not to take them with him to war or raids. There were even cases when, as a sign of general contempt, such a coward was put on a special dress (kerabge jane) - a coward's shirt. Sh. Nogmov also drew attention to the peculiar punishment of a coward according to Adyghe etiquette. He, in particular, noted that “the Adykh were famous for their bravery and selfless courage. Those caught in cowardice were brought out before the meeting in an ugly felt cap for shame and a fine was imposed, which was determined by the price of a pair of oxen. Bravery gives rise to love of fame; self-confidence gives a person an independent character "30. Also, E. Spencer pointed to an example of their desperate valor: Russian officers assured that the Circassian warrior never gives up, fighting to the last breath, even with an army of enemies, only when he becomes weak from wounds, then only he can surrender to mercy winner. To all this courage we can add that they possess the same amount of cunning, dexterity, that it is absolutely impossible to outwit them: the enemy can never calculate their movements. He also noted that there are no words to adequately describe the swiftness of the Circassian charge; the bravest European troops would have found it absolutely terrifying. Moreover, this Englishman pointed out that the Circassians were the best partisans in the world 31. There is an assumption that it was the Circassians, or rather their ancient ancestors, who began to be one of the first in the history of wars to use the partisan form of fighting the enemy. If we consider that the Circassians have always been the object of aggression by various tribes, and that the history of the Circassians is, first of all, war, the defense of their territory from external enemies, then it is not difficult to believe in this version. Their method of waging guerrilla warfare was described by many authors and they all noted that the Circassians had no equal in such methods of warfare. The enemy could not reveal the combat tactics of the Circassians, because “appearing as if from underground, they are now in one place, then in another, and even crawl like a snake in the grass and surprise the sentry on duty at the gates of the fortress; in a word , every tree, cliff and bush serves as an ambush for the Circassian 32. The spirit of freedom, self-esteem and glory - this is the main meaning of the life of the Adyghe (Circassian). For this, he could say goodbye to his life without hesitation, and this feature of the Adyghe (Circassian) spirit was emphasized by many European authors, even those who were their sworn enemies and fought with them. A Circassian, if he went to war, had to either win or die on the battlefield as a hero. In this regard, it would be interesting, in our opinion, to pay attention to the memoirs of one of the participants in the Russian-Caucasian War, N.I. Lorer, a Decembrist exiled to the Caucasus along with many other Russian officers who took part in the events of 1825 on Senate Square. “Once we were at Raevsky’s tent,” recalled Lorer, “when they brought to him the mountain prince 33, who had come to ask for the return of the bodies of the killed highlanders. When the Russian general asked the Circassian prince to hand over to them J. Bell, an Englishman who helped the highlanders in their struggle and offered a lot of silver. Then the prince answered with dignity through the interpreter that they could not hand over the Englishman Bell. He explained this by saying that he was a friend of the Circassians and a guest. “And we, like you, have scoundrels who can be bought, but “We, princes, nobles, will always remain honest, and you don’t have enough gold and silver to tempt us from the path of honor,” the Circassian prince answered with dignity.” 34. After such an answer, Raevsky felt awkward, and he ordered the bodies of his compatriots to be handed over to the prince. , lying in a pile like firewood. At the same time, Lorer noticed one oddity in the behavior of those mountaineers who loaded the corpses of Circassian warriors. He noticed, in particular, that the mountaineers took away only the bodies of those killed by bullets. The fact is that, according to the ancient custom of the Circassians, they considered death by bayonet unworthy. The Circassian did not have the moral right to lose in an equal battle, and since a bullet could kill anyone, even the bravest warrior, such a one was forgiven. Laurer also recalled that he noticed red woolen laces on the hands of some of the corpses, and it was explained to him that this custom was always observed when going to war. Women and girls gave their husbands and lovers this amulet with the wish to win or die, similar to the slogan “With a shield or on a shield,” as in ancient Greece or as in knightly Europe of the 14th century, ladies decorated the defenders of feudal castles with scarves 35. In these memoirs of a Russian officer it is not difficult to capture the spirit of patriotism, heroism of the Circassian prince and nobleman, Circassians in general. It is the Adyghe Khabze who assumes such behavior in war. Adyghe etiquette, including uerk khabze, also prescribes outwardly calm enduring of suffering, extreme modesty and politeness, which in external terms reaches the point of absurdity. As for the respectful and majestic attitude towards a woman, in this regard, Adyghe khabze is closer to the etiquette of Western European medieval knights 36. According to the Adyghe Khabze, especially according to noble etiquette, a person must be extremely modest and generous. Stinginess and arrogance were considered one of the main vices of a true Circassian. Therefore, princes and nobles dressed more modestly and also lived in modest dwellings. Sh. Nogmov wrote about this feature of the character of the Adyghe (Circassian) princes and nobles. The owners treat the workers and people simply, without pride or arrogance. The strongest and richest owner lives in the same hut as the last Wark. If a wark sees a good dress, hat or other thing on the owner and wants to have this thing, then the owner has no right to refuse him this 37. Any prince or nobleman (wark) could give any person whatever he liked, with the exception of a horse and weapons . It was very difficult to part with them, if such a thing happened in their lives. Generosity and courage are the best way for the Circassians to gain fame. This is the opinion of many authors. According to Adyghe etiquette, including Uerk Khabze, self-praise in a person’s character was strictly condemned. Whatever heroism the Circassian performed, he should not have boasted about it; the Circassian never spoke about his exploits. Many authors who knew the Circassian spirit well noted that he was distinguished by great restraint, including in spreading his good and brave deeds. Khan-Girey in “Notes on Circassia” noted that the Circassians consider talkativeness indecent and, in their opinion, they should listen more and speak less. Talking about one's exploits, ascribing praise to oneself, in any form, is considered the greatest vice among the Circassians. No less than that, in their opinion, praising a person in his eyes is vile hypocrisy. According to noble etiquette, it was strictly condemned to utter indecent or abusive words. Khan-Girey draws attention to this and writes that the princes and nobles revered uttering swear words as an act worthy of contempt, which gave birth to the Circassian saying: “A true nobleman is not akin to swear words.” 38. At the same time, remaining restrained in everything, the Circassian did not recognize no obstacles in protecting the honor and dignity of your lord, venerable elder, guest, kunak or woman. At the same time, a Circassian, especially a prince or nobleman, outwardly had to look calm and unperturbed, even if he found himself in the most extreme situations. A Circassian, according to etiquette, should in no case outwardly show his anger, indignation, suffering, etc. Khan-Girey also noted that the Circassian observed all rituals of politeness according to noble etiquette, even in relation to his enemy. It is worthy of note that all these rituals of politeness are observed even when brothers or princes and nobles hate each other, even when they are open enemies, but if they happen to meet in a place where the laws of decency keep their weapons inactive , for example, in the house of a prince or nobleman, in the presence of women, at congresses of the nobility and similar cases, where decency prohibits drawing weapons, and the enemies themselves remain within the boundaries of politeness and even often provide each other with different services, which is called noble (that is, noble) hostility or enmity; but then these enemies are the most ferocious bloodsuckers where they can freely draw their weapons, and even more so their politeness does them honor, and the people have great respect for them for this. And indeed, a person alien to politeness and the concept of decency, can he become associated with the duty of community 39. It was and is still considered indecent according to the Adyghe Khabze to show any noticeable curiosity on any issue that concerns the affairs of another person. For example, according to Adyghe etiquette, it is indecent to ask a person who has asked to go somewhere with him about the direction and purpose of the trip. Hence the popular saying: “AdygeIlyr dyzdekIuer dene zhiIeu schIeupschIerkym, zyschIeupschIer dapscheshch dyshchezher zhiIeu arash” (A real Circassian does not ask where to go, but only asks when we are going). Here, first of all, we are talking about the character of the prince, the nobleman. For example, as B. Bgazhnokov noted, it is known that every knight, without requiring any explanation, had to follow the person who called him, and especially the lord. The same author in his work quotes F. Tornau: “This is the custom of the Circassians: friends provide a service that sometimes requires blood, without asking or even trying to guess what it is.” 40. The most important norm of morality according to Uerk Khabze, in general according to Adyghe Etiquette was not to divulge the secrets of another person, especially relatives, friends, neighbors, etc., under any circumstances. Therefore, a common saying among the nobles was: “Uerk zasherkym” (Uerk does not divulge secrets). Complying with this standard of noble etiquette was considered the most important duty of every honest person, which was also fair in relation to Adyghe men of other classes. The interest of the feudal nobility in strict adherence to this rule gave rise to the Circassians (Circassians) who, at that time, imposed a rather severe punishment for those who violated the law. In the old days, Circassians burned through the hat of someone who revealed someone else’s secret, which is why it became a habit to say: “His hat is see-through” when they wanted to reproach someone for not keeping a secret. Observing politeness in addressing each other, which is one of the main requirements of Adyghe etiquette, begins with a greeting. Like the table or dance etiquette of the Circassians, greetings and farewells occupy a special place in the Circassian khabze, including noble etiquette. The forms of greeting among the Circassians are very diverse, depending on the place, time and situation in which people meet, in the morning and afternoon, at work, at a wedding or just on the road, on foot or on horseback, etc. The Circassians have developed a whole system of greetings, and each of them reflects the content of the situation in which the meeting takes place. There is a whole philosophy here. Moreover, even the greeting formula is not the same in all work situations. For example, a traveler greeted a plowman or sower with the words: “Bov the apostle!” (May you have abundance!); people engaged in harvesting or mowing were greeted with “Shhoshh upshchiy!” (Without grief, without trouble, you can eat what you have collected!); The shepherd is greeted with the words: “Bokhu apshchiy!” (Multiply your flock!), etc. In such greetings they answered with the words: “Upseu apshchiy!” or "Ui Iuehu fIy irikIue!" The word "upshchy" is not translated literally, but it means "good", "good", "well-being". If you met a person who got back on his feet after recovery, they greeted him with the words: “Laape mahue kyuuhezhiezh!” (May your step be happy again!) 41. Many authors, including Khan-Girey, Tebu de Marigny, noted that the Circassians greeted unfamiliar but highly respected people, guests and women by placing their right hand on their headdress. The initiative to be the first to greet the other belonged to the younger one. He had to be the first to greet the elder verbally, but the right to give his hand first belonged to the older person. Among the Circassians, both men and women, it is not customary to kiss when greeting. Here is what Khan-Girey wrote about greetings among the Circassians: “Greetings consist of the fact that the one who is meeting or visiting a guest, either older in age or in nobility of origin, greets him, saying: “Wishing a good arrival,” and raising his right hand to his head and after that, after some time, they ask him about his health with the same sign of greeting. It should be noted that these movements are made with the hand easily and without haste. In general, according to indigenous customs, Circassians do not make mixed and strange body movements when greeting, as is the case with other Asian peoples."42 It should be noted that the younger ones do not enter into conversation after the greeting; the younger one, when the older one shakes hands with him, greets both hands, as if supporting his right forearm with his left hand. With this gesture, he shows his special respect for this person. Men hug when they have not seen each other for a long time, or if they are close friends or relatives. As for greeting people of different sexes, the right to first submit the hand belongs to a woman. By the way, in general, women of many nations, including the North Caucasus, do not have the right to shake hands. For example, Chechens, Tajiks, etc. impose a ban on shaking hands between people of the opposite sex. A man and a woman hug only if if they are close relatives. Men, even if they are just fellow villagers, or if a stranger meets another, or a group of people, on the road, they greet each other with words like “Fieokhus apshchy!” (Be with good fortune!). In this case, the passerby should be the first to greet, and they will answer him politely. Khan-Girey noted that in general, “observance of politeness in behavior is an indispensable duty of every Circassian. Not only princes and nobles, who are strictly subordinate to the law of decency, but even the common people among themselves follow this wonderful rule, which ennobles a person”43. Exactly the same standards of decency were and are currently observed in many respects among the Circassians (Circassians) according to the Adyge khabze and when saying goodbye to a person or a group of people to each other, and here there are special rules. One of the main points in this ceremony, in our opinion, was and is that the Circassian never expressed his dissatisfaction with the reception of the owner of the house. There were special techniques for expressing his dissatisfaction with the person with whom he was visiting. For example, in this case, the guest turned his horse’s tail towards the owner’s house and sat on it, and if he was pleased with the reception, then on the contrary, he pointed the horse’s head towards the house and sat down, and then rode off, saying goodbye and thanking the owner for the warm welcome. N. Danilevsky in his work “The Caucasus and its Mountain Residents” in the middle of the 19th century. noted that the Circassians “love politeness, modesty, respect for rank; every abusive word (especially the name thief) has consequences: severity of remark, threat and the fight itself, for which neither place nor time is assigned; where rivals meet for the first time after a quarrel, there is also a place for a duel, often ending in murder" 44. These standards of decency were strictly observed primarily by princes and nobles. They were the passionate guardians of these strict rules of politeness. Noble etiquette, in general Adyghe khabze, assumed, as was said above, that even blood enemies respect each other’s dignity. For example, if they met and an inevitable duel was expected, then, according to werk habze, each suggested that the enemy be the first to strike or shoot. The following rules were observed: “You are older, and therefore the right to strike first is yours”; “I was the first to volunteer for a duel; therefore, now you start first”; “You are a guest in our region, strike first,” etc. “Considering the moral side of the Circassians in general,” wrote Khan-Girey, “we find in them high, noble, truly knightly ideas; we find in their deeds magnanimous actions worthy of praise.” 45. It was the Adyghe khabze, especially the uekrk khabze, that was an expression of an ideal way of thinking, highly moral, noble and courageous deeds. Especially extremely high demands were placed on a person in his actions and actions according to the moral code of Uerq Khabze. This confirms many proverbs and sayings. Here are some of them: “Uerk bgy zadesch” (Chivalry is an impregnable rock); “Uerkyyge degezeigue kIykhishch” (Chivalry is a long (difficult) climb), etc. 46. Princes and nobles not only created their own noble etiquette, entirely based on the principles of Adyghe khabze, and scrupulously observed all the norms of uerk down to the smallest detail khabze, but they also strictly ensured that their blood remained pure. It was strictly forbidden, according to uerq habze (noble etiquette), to marry a representative of the lower classes. E. Spencer wrote that perhaps no people want more than the Circassians to preserve their family pure and untainted, especially their princes. Therefore, when choosing a wife, more attention is paid to the beauty of forms and figures than to education. Indeed, a Circassian of true Adyghe breed rarely takes a wife among the people of any tribe of the Caucasus who do not have the same pedigree as himself 47. Princes and nobles, although they had no knowledge of modern genetics or any other branch of science, from centuries-old practitioners knew that everything about what a person would be was contained in the blood. They in many ways intuitively felt that a person of ignoble class, a person of plebeian origin, would always have both a plebeian way of thinking and a way of life. They knew that a person of such origin, no matter what circumstances were created for him, would never become highly moral or noble. In the soul of a person of lower origin, negative principles, the spirit of destruction, the spirit of envy, the spirit of hatred towards other people will always remain, no matter how outwardly he pretends. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the Circassians (Circassians), mainly of noble origin, still have a saying “Khyetsybanem i pIem khyetsybane kokIezh” (In place of a rose hip, a rose hip always grows). It is akin to the Russian proverb: “The apple never falls far from the tree.” One of the distinctive character traits of the Adyghe (Circassian) is the spirit of belligerence, the spirit of courage. It is this trait that is cultivated in a person from an early age. Especially the entire system of raising the children of princes and nobles was built on developing these qualities. And this was noted by many authors, including foreigners. “The Circassian nobly represents in the Caucasus,” O. de Gelle pointed out, “the last remnants of that knightly and warlike spirit that shed so much brilliance on the peoples of the Middle Ages 48. Most authors who were interested in the phenomenon of Adyghe (Circassian) courage, military valor, and devotion once this word, nobility, indicate that it is the complex and deeply thought-out system of education, which is created on the basis of Adyghe khabze, that is its basis.Typologically, Adyghe khabze is similar to the etiquette of eastern peoples: Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Japanese - and with the etiquette of medieval knights of Western Europe. There is a lot in common especially between uerk habze and traditional Japanese etiquette "Bushido". As is known, Japanese bushido etiquette developed in the era of feudalism as the etiquette of the military aristocracy, the etiquette of the numerous class of knights - samurai. Both bushido and uerk habze (noble etiquette of the Circassians ) presuppose unquestioning loyalty to one's duty.According to both of these etiquettes, a person should never think about the problems of life and death. But he always saw before him the standard of the highest virtue and considered it his duty to imitate it. The way of life was entirely subordinated to this. The Adyghe princes and nobles professed the principles of bravery, bravery, contempt for death, defense of their freedom, dignity, and their main occupation was wars and raids. Taking advantage of personal integrity and relying on the strength of their armed vassals - the Warks, they made raids their main occupation and one of the main sources of replenishing their income. They attacked neighboring peoples, even fellow tribesmen, including Cossack villages, and stole herds of horses, herds of cattle, even people. At the same time, the princes generously shared the looted property with their nobles, with whom they carried out these raids. In this regard, the Adyghe educator A.-G. Keshev noted that “it was not self-interest or bloodthirstiness, but the thirst for exploits and the undying love for independence and freedom in the hearts of the people that animated the Circassians in the long struggle for their political existence.” 49. The cult of courageous strength and feat, consecrated by the morality of uerq khabze, in general adyghe khabze , combined with an ascetic lifestyle and harsh simplicity of life. The Adygs (Circassians), including princes and nobles, actually did not care about luxury. They always built modest dwellings and dressed simply. But they attached exceptional importance to weapons and their horse. The Adyghe feudal lord never parted with them and devoted most of his time to them when he was at home and free from raids and wars. The Adygs were urged to observe moderation in everything. Their whole life was subordinated to this - food, housing, clothing, education, etc. G.-Yu. Klaproth wrote that “the occupation of noble people is usually hunting and military exercises; they often undertake campaigns, heading for several days into the forests and mountains, where their only food is a little millet, which they take with them. Such a lifestyle and freedom have for there is so much attractiveness to them that they do not want to change it for anything and would willingly give up everything in order to be able to return back to their present situation." 50. N. F. Dubrovin wrote the following: "... but it was not just the thirst for prey that motivated the Circassian to robbery and robbery: fame forced him to engage in predation. The desire to gain fame, to become a brave horseman (knight), to become famous for his prowess, not only in one particular one, but in the whole society, in the valleys and in the mountains, constituted his goal, his desire and at the same time the best reward of enduring labors. In many cases, the Circassian took up arms, did not know rest, despised the dangers during predation and battle in order only to become the hero of a song, the subject of epics and a long story at the hearth of the poor saklya, and this was not easy to achieve given the innate modesty of the Circassians and the absence of boasting and self-praise. Circassian knew that, glorified as a poet-improviser, he would not die in posterity, that the glory of his name and deeds would survive even the gravest granite." 51. This way of life of the feudal lords, where war was the main thing, required enormous strain of spiritual and physical strength. Therefore, they were hardy, tolerant, modest and restrained. For them, entirely for the Adygs (Circassians), a glorious name was incorruptible, enduring, valuable (more precisely, priceless) in itself, it is not bought or sold; a glorious name surpasses any material reward. Adyg always had a competitive spirit, and this brought him closer to nature, to the game. These qualities were developed through many competitions, children's and national national games. A distinctive character trait of the Adyghe feudal lords is the spirit of insubordination, the spirit of glory. And if you trace the history of the Circassians, then it is a fierce struggle between parties, princely families, which sometimes reached open armed clashes, and almost continuous discord and wars between them, each of which put their independence above the general interests of the Circassians. Unlike many peoples, the Circassians (Circassians) are the people of a civil community, but not a state community in the proper sense of the word. And what is absolutely striking in the history of the Circassians is the fact that this talented and not devoid of high intelligence people calmly destroyed themselves over the centuries. Their spirit of competition was not aimed at creative search, not only at creation, but often at destruction. It is for this reason that the Circassians (Circassians), after their ancestors - the Sindo-Meotian tribes, did not have a centralized powerful statehood. In the endless disputes between the Adyghe princely families, we see only a destabilizing factor. The princes did not recognize any authorities. Everyone acted at their own discretion. And the general population was obedient in this regard. Thus, the Circassians (Circassians), unfortunately, were not pragmatists and prudent only for themselves. They failed to respond to the challenge of history - they did not create, or rather, did not recreate their statehood after the Ancient Syndica. The Adygs were held together not by the autocrat, but by the people. All this was left with a certain imprint by Uerk Khabze, through which the spirit of the Adyghe (Circassian) was brought up, including the spirit of insubordination, the spirit of competition, which did not always have positive consequences in the fate of the entire people. The peculiarity of the Adyghe spirit, the spirit of love of freedom, brought up according to the Adyghe khabze, was one of the reasons that the Adygs did not create a centralized state. It was the psychological factor that played a negative role in this matter. Here is what the famous domestic political scientist G.K. Dakhunov writes about this: “The psychological factor, despite its apparent lightness, also has a serious impact on the formation of the state, which is associated with the way of life of the nation... The freedom-loving nature of the Caucasian peoples also made it difficult for them to form them government agencies." If this statement is true in relation to all Caucasian peoples, then it is doubly true in relation to the Circassians, especially princes and nobles. In this regard, G.K. Dakhunov notes that it was the psychological characteristics of the character of this people, arising from their way of life, that became an insurmountable obstacle to the unification of the Adyghe tribes and the creation of a centralized state by them. Among these character traits of the Circassians (Circassians), noted by almost all researchers, in the first place is an indomitable thirst for independence, a love of freedom that sometimes reaches the point of absurdity, and a constant desire for individual glory and personal achievement. Hence the ignoring of any discipline and organization 52. N. Dubrovin also noted that “... the highly developed independence of communities and the aristocratic element, who did not want to give up their age-old advantages, prevented the merging of the Circassians into one whole. The people, accustomed to unbridled freedom, could not bear imperious tone of the murtazaks sent with orders from the people's assembly! 53 True, here, in addition to the psychological factor, economic, geographical, demographic and other conditions are also necessary to create a centralized state. But it should be recognized that along with this Adyghe khabze in the creation and preservation high morality of the Adyghe ethnic group made an unprecedented revolution in the history of world culture. Adyghe khabze not only created the spirit of the Adyghe, but also preserved the spiritual energy of the people. This etiquette has always been an example of imitation and a subject of admiration for many peoples. It is not for nothing that the peoples neighboring the Adygs (Circassians) if they want to praise a person, they say that he is “noble, like a Circassian”; “he, like a Circassian, sits on a horse”; “he is brave, like a Circassian,” etc. Therefore, Adyghe etiquette occupies a special place in the general Caucasian culture. In this regard, aboutRespect 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).
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: Konova N.F.
teacher of Adyghe literature
MBOU Secondary School No. 16 in Tula
Maykop district.
Tulsky village
year 2014.
Introduction.
Scenario for a literary lounge.
Target. Tasks.
Equipment.
Reflection.
The meaning of the word "etiquette".
Proverbs and sayings are small genres of folklore.
Proverbs and sayings about human mental abilities.
Intrafamily etiquette.
Honoring elders.
Adyghe hospitality.
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."
Excerpt from the film “Adyghe Khabze”. Song "My village"
Labor education. A sense of community. Shihaf.
Poems by K. Zhanet “Kambulet”, H. Beretar “Apple Tree”, “The Adyghe have this custom”.
Chivalrous attitude towards women.
Re-enactment of the Adyghe custom “Stop a fight.”
Dance “Meeting at the Spring”.
The poem by K. Janet “That’s what they say in Adygea” and the song by Anzor Zhudov.
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 secondary 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:
to form among students the concept of “Adyghe khabze”;
trace the elements of Adyghe etiquette in proverbs, sayings, and the lyrics of Adyghe poets, draw students’ attention to their meaning in everyday life;
promote the development of high moral personality traits in students;
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... (hachesh) 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.
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
History of Adyghe literature in 2 volumes. Adyghe Republican Institute of Humanitarian Research. – Maykop, 1999.
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.
Nepso M.S. Adyghe artistic culture. 1st year of study. – Maykop: 2000
Nepso M.S. Adyghe artistic culture. 2nd year of study. – Maykop: 1997
Treasures of the culture of Adygea. Ed. Tarunova A.M. Series “Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation” issue 9, 2007;
Savv R.H. The wisdom of Adyghe etiquette. Maykop: 1995;
Z.U. Blagoz. Pearls of folk wisdom. Adyghe proverbs and sayings in the Adyghe and Russian languages. Maykop: 1992;.
Audio recording “That’s what they say in Adygea” performed by Anzor Zhudov.
Video film "Adyge khabze".
http:// aheku. org- site of current materials of the Circassian world “Adyge Heku”.
ru.wikipedia.org - electronic encyclopedia "Wikipedia" .
www. PROSHOLU. ru- about School ru - a free school network (club of teachers of the Adyghe language and literature).
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.
Plan - class notes in 6th grade.
Conducted by a teacher of the highest qualification category
Municipal educational institution secondary school No. 1 s.p. Naughty
Nafedzova Lyudmila Vladimirovna.
2010-
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.
- The peoples united by the common self-name “Adyghe” are Kabardians, Adygheians, Circassians. Common origin, territory, language, customs, traditions. The reasons for today's territorial division.
- Preservation of a single Adyghe culture.
- Adygs abroad.
- 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 will 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:
Adygs ( Circassians), self-name of the Adyghe ) - a people divided in Russia intoAdyghe people, Kabardians, Circassians And Shapsugov. Total population in Russia (750,000~ people according to the 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 speakCircassian language, included in Abkhaz-Adyghe language groupand having 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 for the CircassiansKarachay-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) KCR- these are Circassian subethnic groupsBesleneyevtsy And Kabardians; V Adygea And Krasnodar region — Abadzehi, bzhedugi, Kemirgoyevites, Shapsugi, Kabardians, V CBD — Kabardians.
2nd student:
Origin
Ancestors of the Circassians ( zihi, kerkets, Meotiansetc.) are known in the northeasternBlack Sea regionfrom the 2nd millennium BC e. In different eras, among different peoples, the Circassians had many names. Lived in the 15th century. onCaucasusthe Genoese Georgy Interiano wrote in his memoirs “The Life of the Zekes Called Cherkasy” thatZihamithey are called in Greek and Latin,Tatars And Turksthey are called Cherkasy, and in their own dialect their name is Circassians. In (ancient) Russian sources they were known under the nameKasogov(long-time neighbors of the Circassians,Ossetiansstill called Kabarda and Circassiakæsæg, and themselves, respectivelykæsgon,). IN XIIIV. Mongolian name spreads Circassians. IN XIV— centuries part of the Circassians occupied lands in the surrounding areaPyatigoryewhen after ruinGolden Horde troops Tamerlane, they are joined by another wave of Adyghe tribes from the west, becoming the ethnic basisKabardians. IN XVIIIV. Some Kabardians moved to the river basinBolshoi Zelenchuk And Maly Zelenchuk, where it formed the basis Circassians KCR. Thus, at different times the Circassians inhabited most of the territoryWestern Caucasus- Circassia (modernKrasnodar regionsouth of the Kuban River,Kabardino-Balkarian, Karachay-Cherkessia 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 folkloreoccupy the main placeNart legends (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 cleaningcorn, 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 ( hokhy).
Musical instruments: bowed chiclepschyn, plucked apeshin, windkamyl, or bzhami, wooden ratchetphaapshina. From the 2nd half. 19th century spread widelyharmonic. Traditional musical folklore has been preserved largely thanks to wandering musiciansjaguaklo 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 “someone else’s house”, with the 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 Adyghe 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'm sure you will learn a lot of interesting things.
