Circassians

Adyghe

Flag of the Republic of Adygea
Regions with significant populations
Russia (Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Krasnodar Krai), Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, USA, Israel
Languages
Adyghe, Russian, Turkish, Arabic
Religion
Predominantly Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Circassians

The Adyghe or Adygs (Template:Lang-ady) are a people of the northwest Caucasus region, principally inhabiting the Republic of Adygea (24.2%) (a federal subject of Russia) and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (11.3%) (where they are called "Cherkess"). Shapsugsky National District, an autonomous district founded for Shapsigh (or Shapsugh) tribe living on the Black Sea coast was abolished in 1943. Kabardin of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic (55.3%) (along with Besleney tribe) who speak the Kabardian language are often conceived as the eastern branch of Adyghe.

While Adyghe is the name this people apply to themselves, in the West they are often known as the Circassians, a term which can also apply to a broader group of peoples in the North Caucasus. Their language is also referred to as Adyghe or Adygeyan. Besleney speak a dialect of Kabardian.

History

The Adyghe first emerged as a coherent entity somewhere around the 10th century, although references to them exist much earlier. They were never politically united, a fact which reduced their influence in the area and their ability to withstand periodic invasions from groups like the Mongols, Avars, Pechenegs, Huns, and Khazars.

This lack of unity eventually cost the Adyghe their independence, as they were slowly conquered by Russia in a series of wars and campaigns in the late 18th and early to mid-19th centuries. During this period, the Adyghe plight achieved a certain celebrity status in the West, but pledges of assistance were never fulfilled. After the Crimean War, Russia turned her attention to the Caucasus in earnest, starting with the peoples of Chechnya and Dagestan. In 1859, the Russians had finished defeating Imam Shamil in the eastern Caucasus, and turned their attention westward, finally subjugating the Adyghe in 1864.

Like other ethnic minorities under Russian rule, the Adyghe were subjected to policies of mass resettlement. Collectivization under the communists also took its toll.

Culture

Circassian girl

Adyghe society prior to the Russian invasion was highly stratified. While a few tribes in the mountainous regions of Adygeya were fairly egalitarian, most were broken into strict castes. The highest was the caste of the "princes", followed by a caste of lesser nobility, and then commoners, serfs, and slaves. In the decades before Russian rule, two tribes overthrew their traditional rulers and set up democratic processes, but this social experiment was cut short by the end of Adyghe independence.

Today most Adyghe speak Russian and/or the original Adyghe language, a member of the Northwest Caucasian (Circassian) language family. Both languages are written with the Cyrillic alphabet.

The primary religion among modern Adyghe is Sunni Islam following the Hanafi school. Like other North Caucasian peoples, they had adhered to their traditional polytheism ("paganism") and had also been partly Christianized from the early Middle Ages onwards as a result of Byzantine and Georgian influence, but by the 18th century, Islam spreading from the Ottoman Empire had been established as the dominant religion.

The main Adyghe tribes are: Abzekh, Adamey, Bzhedugh;Hakuch, Hatukuay, Kabardey, Kemirgoy, Makhosh; Natekuay, Shapsigh(Shapsugh); Zhane, Yegerikuay, Besleney. Most Adyghe living in Caucasia are Bzhedugh, Kabarday and Kemirgoy, while the majority in diaspora are Abzekh and Shapsigh (Shapsugh). Standard Adyghe language is based on Kemirgoy dialect.

Adyghe Xabze

Adyghe Xabze is the epitomy of Circassian culture and tradtion. It is their code of honour and is based on mutual respect and above all requires responsibility, discipline and self-control. Adyghe Xabze functions as the Circassian unwritten law yet was highly regulated and adhered to in the past. The Code requires that all Circassians are taught courage, reliability and generosity. Greed, desire for possessions, wealth and ostentation are considered disgraceful ("Haynape") by the Xabze code.

File:Circassian Cheese.jpg

The Circassian Chesse is a unique cheese that is well known in Russia and Worldwide

In accordance with Xabze, hospitality was and is particularly pronounced among the Circassians. A guest is not only a guest of the host family, but equally a guest of the whole village and clan. Even enemies are regarded as guests if they enter the home and being hospitable to them as one would with any other guest is a sacred duty.

Circassians consider the host to be like a slave to the guest in that the host is expected to tend to the guest's every need and want. A guest must never be permitted to labour in any way, this is considered a major disgrace on the host.

Every Circassian arises when someone enters the room, providing a place for the person entering and allowing the newcomer to speak before everyone else during the conversation. In the presence of elders and women respectful conversation and conduct is essential. Disputes are stopped in the presence of women and domestic disputes are never continued in the presence of guests. A woman can request disputing families to reconcile and they must comply with her request. A key figure in Circassian culture is the person known as the "Thamade", who is often an elder but also the person who carries the responsibility for functions like weddings or circumcision parties. This person must always comply with all the rules of Xabze in all areas of his life.

Circassian Xabze is well known amongst their neighbouring communities.

The diaspora

Adyghe have lived outside the Caucasus region since the Middle Ages. They formed a tradition of joining foreign armies, including those of Persia, Rome, Byzantium, and the Golden Horde. They were particularly well represented in the Mamluks of Turkey and Egypt. In fact, the Burji dynasty which ruled Egypt from 1382 to 1517 was founded by Adyghe Mamluks.

Much of Adyghe culture was disrupted after their conquest by Russia in 1864. This led to a diaspora of the peoples of the northwest Caucasus, known as Muhajirism, mostly to various parts of the Ottoman Empire.

The largest Adyghe diaspora community today is in Turkey, especially in Samsun, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, and Düzce.

Significant communities live in Jordan, Iraq, Syria (in Beer ajam and many other villages), Lebanon, Egypt, Israel (in the villages of Kfar Kama and Rehaniya - for more information see Circassians in Israel), Libya, and Macedonia. A number of Adyghe were introduced to Bulgaria in 1864-1865 but most fled after it became separate from the Ottoman Empire in 1878.

A great number of Adyghe people have also immigrated to the United States and settled in (Upstate New York, California, and New Jersey).

The small community from Kosovo expatriated to Adygea in 1998.

Genetics

In the recent study: "Worldwide Human Relationships Inferred from Genome-Wide Patterns of Variation (2008)", geneticists using more than 650,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) samples from the Human Genome Diversity Panel, found that the Adygei (Adyghe) population has mixed lineages from European, Central and South Asian populations."

Adyghe (Circassian) tribes

• Abazekh
• Adamey (Adaley)
• Besleney
• Bzhedugh
• Chemgwi, earlier Kemirgoy (Temirgoy, a Russified version)
• Hakuchi (sub-group of the Shapsugh)
• Hatuqway
• Jilax'steney (Eastern Kabardians)
• Kabarday
• Makhosh (Mex'wesh)
• Mamxegh
• Natukhay
• Shapsugh
• Yegerkway

See also

• Abaza
• Abkhaz
• Ubykh

References

• Journal of a residence in Circassia during the years 1837, 1838, and 1839 - Bell, James Stanislaus (English)
• Amjad Jaimoukha, The Circassians: A Handbook, New York: Palgrave, 2001; London: Routledge Curzon, 2001. ISBN 0-312-23994-7
• Jaimoukha, Amjad, Circassian Culture and Folklore: Hospitality Traditions, Cuisine, Festivals & Music (Kabardian, Cherkess, Adigean, Shapsugh & Diaspora), Bennett and Bloom, 2010.

External links

• Adige Diaspora Of Turkey
• Adyga.org - Main Internet Forum of adyga people
• Circassian World: Historical Publications and Articles on History and Culture
• Abridging Circassian World: articles, music scores, top links
• Map of the Diaspora
• Uniting all Adygs, Adyghe world wide network adigafreinds.com
• The Circassian Art official website