Maykop – The Adyghe are an ethnic people living in the Russian Federation. A large number of the people are in Krasnodar Krai. They are the oldest indigenous group of the Northwest Caucasus known as the Circassians. However, they identify themselves as Adyghe.
History
In various historical materials, the people are known by different names; Circassians (in English) or Cherkes (in Russian, Turkish, and other Middle Eastern languages). The people had an agricultural and cattle-breeding culture and are said to have been in the region since the 10th century AD, though some records say that the Adyghe arrived earlier. During this period, the people lived in a highly stratified society. There was a caste of princes and lesser nobility, the commoners, serfs, and slaves.
The people were once a part of the Circassians until the 1920s. Though, there have been Adyghes who lived outside the Caucasus region since the middle ages. It was in 1864, during the Russian conquest, when a massive Adyghe diaspora happened. The indigenous communities moved to various locations within the Ottoman Empire. At present, there are people of Adyghe descent in Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and Turkey. There are also smaller communities in the United States.
Due to the historical diaspora, there is only a minority who remain in the ancestral homeland of the Adyghe. This area is in the Russian Federation of Kabardino Balkaria, Karachay Cherkessia, and Adygheya.
Language and Culture
The community communicates with each other using a wide array of Circassian dialects. The Adyghe language is closely related to the Kabardian in the North Caucasian language family tree. It was only in the 18th century that the language had a written form using the Arabic alphabet. This changed between 1927 and 1938 when the language used Latin letters instead.
However, it is not only through language that the people understand each other. Throughout history, as the Adyghe connects with other people across the region, they had to find ways to keep their ancestral practices alive. Many may have been lost within the historic homeland, however, the diaspora or the Adyghe did bring good results.
The people’s diaspora to various countries helped preserve the Adyghe culture and customs. Despite the movement, many people got to pass their traditions to the younger generations. Such proof of cultural preservation is evident in the Adyghean folk dances. These dances tell stories of the people’s daily life from the practices of courtship to their preparation for war. The dances preserved not just the ancient traditions but also the Adyghe history. Other creative output preserved tells stories that are predecessors to Greek mythology, which molded the Adyghe habza (“traditions”).
The habza is an essential feature in the Adyghe identity as it was established way before the people’s Islamization. Such habza reflects the various systems the Adyghe ancestors followed from laws to social etiquettes, as well as their behavior and morality.
At Present
Currently, there is a continuing effort to revive the ancient customs and even ceremonies. Traditional crafts are also being revived alongside the various Adyghean dances such as the Leperyshu and Kesho Kuang. With such efforts, continuing the culture of this ethnic minority within and beyond the region of the Russian Federation can hopefully succeed.
Photo by Anton Maksimov juvnsky on Unsplash, https://unsplash.com/@juvnsky
