What does Adyghe etiquette include? Adyghe people: culture, traditions and customs

UDC 39 (=352.3)

BBK 63.521 (=602)

B34

Bgazhnokov B.Kh.

Kabardino-Balkarian Institute for Humanitarian Studies

Governments of the KBR and KBSC RAS

Adyghe ethics and etiquette in the educational system

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

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

Bgazhnokov B.Kh.

The Adyghe ethics and etiquette in educational system

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NOTES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Few people know about this - be sure to read

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

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

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

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

Adyghe cuisine. Meal schedule.

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

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

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

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

Plan - class notes for class 7 "B".

Lesson topic: “Basic concepts of Adyghe etiquette.”

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

Lesson plan.

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

2. Preservation of a single Adyghe culture.

3.Adygs abroad.

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

Equipment.

Disc “Norms of Adyghe Etiquette”.

Computer with projector.

During the classes.

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

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

Students read their messages.

1 student:

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

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

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

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

2nd student:

Origin

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

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

3rd student:

Culture

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

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

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

Teacher's word:

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

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

An integral part of the Adyghe khabze were the Adygag'e or Adyghe nemys, which together determined such important moral categories as honor, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, shame, the ability to behave in society, sensitivity, attentiveness, respect for elders, for persons of the opposite sex, etc. .d. When they talk about any of these human qualities, it’s as if everything is clear. Take, for example, respect for elders. What was it like? In the Adyghe Khabze system, respect is, first of all, an attentive attitude towards another, the ability to put oneself in his place, and the manifestation of one’s best qualities in relation to him. Outwardly, respect for elders was manifested in the following. When two Circassians walked or rode on horseback, the elder was always on the right. If there were three of them, then he was supposed to be in the middle, the youngest occupied the right side of him, and the middle one occupied the left. They sat down at the table in the same way. The elder walking in front was never called out. They caught up with him and, standing on the left and saying hello, asked him what they wanted to ask. The elder was never interrupted in conversation. When he appeared, everyone everywhere and always stood up. They stood up not only in honor of the elder, but also in honor of guests, women, neighbors, strangers, not only at home, but also with strangers, in the field, in the hayfield, etc., not only when they were sitting on the ground, but also when they were on horseback (rising in stirrups or dismounting). Sons and daughters, who had already become parents, did not sit in the presence of their father; there was nothing to talk about lying with him. In this regard, one legend is interesting. As is known, in the past, the children of the Circassian nobility were raised in “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 am sure that you will learn a lot of interesting things.