Adyghe: religion, numbers, traditions and customs

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

Adyghe people are considered one of the most ancient in the world. Many people considered them "aristocrats of the mountains" or "French of the Caucasus". Adyghe women have always embodied the ideals of beauty, and men have been the standard of masculinity. In our article we will talk about what religion the Adyghe people have, what is the number and history of the people, what are the features of the traditions and customs of the ethnic group, and much more.

Origin of the name

Before proceeding to a detailed analysis of the religion of the Adyghes or their traditions, you should familiarize yourself with the origin of the name itself - "Adyghe". Around this word there is a large number of various disputes and myths. Of course, many of them may be fictional or exaggerated, but most are based on the real history of the people, which should not be forgotten.

The most common version of the origin of the name of this people is that in translation from the ancient language it means "childrensun", although there is no official confirmation of this theory. After the October Revolution, the lands of the Adyghes were divided into several parts, which significantly weakened the power of a single ethnic group. Today, the nationality "Adyghe" includes the following subethnoi:

• Circassians-Kabardians, who inhabited mainly Kabardino-Balkaria;
• Adyghe-Besleneyites, who were part of Karachay-Cherkessia;
• peoples who lived on the territory of Maikop and Kuban.

As you can see, a lot of ethnic groups belong to the Adyghes, each of which has its own culture. That is why, when it comes to the traditions and customs of the Adyghe people, people bring a lot of various and interesting facts. You will find a lot of detailed information on this in the following sections.

Population and place of residence

Starting from the founding of the Soviet Union, the Adyghe began to be considered a separate people, along with the Kabardians and Circassians. According to the results of the 2010 population census, about 123 thousand people live in the Russian Federation who consider themselves Adyghe. Of this number, approximately 110 thousand live on the territory of the Republic of Adygea of the same name, and the remaining 13 thousand live in the Krasnodar Territory (mainly in the coastal region of the Black Sea).

The Circassian genocide during the Great Patriotic War led to a significant migration of this people outside the Soviet Union. Today in various countries there is a very significantthe number of representatives of this ethnic group. Among the most famous states:

• Turkey - approximately 3 million people.
• Syria - about 60 thousand Adyghes.
• Jordan - 40 thousand inhabitants.
• Germany - 30 thousand people.

This was the main data on the number of Adyghes around the world. Also in the United States, Israel, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia, according to various estimates, from two to three thousand Adyghe live, although official data can differ quite a lot from reality. Despite the fact that most of the representatives of the ancient people live in Turkey, the inhabitants of the Adyghe Republic are very proud of their roots and honor the traditions and customs of their ancestors.

Appearance and character traits

Thought about what is the appearance of the Adyghe? The photo from this section will allow you to fully answer this question. Of course, today few people walk in traditional outfits, but during major holidays you can meet many men and women dressed in clothes worn by their grandfathers and grandmothers. The distinctive features of the appearance of the Adyghe include the signs described in the list below.

1. Strong athletic build in men and fairly broad shoulders.
2. Dense and straight black or dark blond hair.
3. Straight nose with fairly high bridge.
4. Slender female figure with a thin waist.
5. Fairly tall or average height.
6. Very long hair.
7. Dark eye color.

Besides, it is possible to distinguish an Adyghe by certain character traits. Each man is characterized by masculinity from an early age and a very hot temper. Girls, on the other hand, behave quite modestly and rely on men for almost everything. However, in case of danger, they can also show that they are not to be trifled with. Complexity and modesty are not about the Adyghe people.

Life and traditional activities

Historically, the customs of the Adyghe people are inextricably linked with their way of life, as people try to do the same things as their ancestors. The most common traditional occupation is agriculture and cattle breeding. Perhaps there is not a single Adyghe who does not know how to handle a plow or herd sheep. Many residents of Adygea keep chickens, geese, turkeys and ducks on their subsidiary plots. In the mountains, shepherds usually raise sheep, goats, and in some cases yaks and mules. Among agricultural crops, wheat, corn, barley and millet occupy a special place.

Viticulture is also considered one of the traditional occupations, since this people has always been famous for its high quality wines. Most of the vineyards are located near the Black Sea coast, as the local climate is considered the most favorable for growing traditional varieties. Among wine tasters, there is a rather interesting version that the famous name "Abrau-Dyurso" actually has Circassian roots - perhaps this was once the name of a mountain river or lake with the purest water.

As for crafts, they are very poorly developed among the Adyghe, although this people succeeded much better in this matter than most of their neighbors. In ancient times, almost every man knew how to process metal and forge various household items and even weapons from it. Today, blacksmithing has sunk into the past and only real masters are engaged in such an occupation, the secrets of which are passed down from generation to generation from father to son.

Practically every Adyghe woman knows the art of weaving fabrics. In general, this people has always been famous for its beautiful outfits with beautiful embroidery. Dresses and caftans with gold embroidery on a red background were especially valued. Ornaments in the form of vegetation or geometric shapes on clothes today are considered traditional and are used only on clothes that are intended for holidays and celebrations.

Religion of the Adyghes

This nation passed through three religious periods: from paganism to Christianity, from Christianity to Islam. In ancient times, the religion of the Adyghes was the worship of various gods, as well as the belief that man is one with the cosmos. People believed that the earth is round and surrounded on all sides by lakes, fields and forests.

For the Adyghes from antiquity, there were three worlds: the lower (the realm of the dead), the middle (the world of people) and the higher (the abode of deities). These three worlds were interconnected by a sacred tree, which still plays a sacred role. For example, a well-known traditionlies in the fact that at the time of the birth of a grandson, the grandfather must plant a tree in the yard, which the child will later look after.

Today, most of the Adyghe people profess Islam, although there are also Christians who appeared here only at the end of the 16th century. The period of the Caucasian wars had a negative impact on the colonial policy of the Ottoman sultans and part of the population accepted Christ as God.

As for more ancient times, Tha, the creator of the world and laws, was considered the main supreme deity. In some myths, you can also meet Perun - the god of thunder and lightning, who is very similar to the Greek Zeus. It is also impossible to imagine the religion of the Adyghes without various patron spirits that people worshiped before going hunting or before sowing the harvest.

Culture of the people

A huge role in the culture of the ethnic group is played by traditional dance, which is considered not only very ancient, but also conveys the soul of the people who perform it. The lyrical event usually involves one man, acting as an eagle, and two girls who are under his wing. The music is very modest and calm, but at the same time it is distinguished by a special pride in the people. This moment is especially noticeable when the girls begin to respond to the advances of the gentleman.

As for music and literature, the Adyghe people have always been famous for their unique writers and composers, but only in their own circles. In schools, works from Russian classics are usually studied, sothat you also have to attend extra-curricular classes on the culture of the Adyghe people.

Wedding Traditions

The most famous Adyghe traditions are their unique weddings. For example, in most cases, the bridegroom was chosen by the girl, hinting about this to the betrothed's family with a small gift. After that, negotiations began between the relatives about a future alliance and the appointment of a matchmaker: from the man’s side, relatives came to the bride’s house and stood in the place where they usually chop firewood. There were usually at least three such visits. If relatives were invited to the table for the third visit, this meant that the bride's side agreed to the union.

Also, relatives quite often went to see the groom to assess his material well-being. Such an action was mandatory so that the bride would not marry a man from a dysfunctional family. If what they saw fully suited the visitors, then the groom was obliged to give bride price, which usually consisted of livestock, the number of which was determined by the well-being of the family.

Birth traditions

Now you know a lot about how Adyghe people look like (the photos were given in the previous sections) and what kind of lifestyle they lead. However, in order to understand in more detail the peculiarities of the life of this people, it is necessary to study their traditions, the most common of which is the hanging of flags when a boy is born in the family.

Also, many Adyghethey are very wary of preparing a dowry for a baby before birth, as this is considered a bad omen. The cradle is made by the relatives of the child only after he is born. Hawthorn is always used as a building material so that the aroma of the tree soothes the baby.

As soon as the child begins to walk, all the relatives gather in the house to perform the "First Step" ceremony. The hero of the occasion is given a bunch of gifts, and his legs are tied with a satin ribbon, which is then cut. The Adyghes believe that such actions will give the baby agility and the ability to overcome all difficulties without obstacles.

Traditional Adyghe cuisine

Most of the products that the Adyghe people eat are nothing special (flour, milk and meat are used as ingredients), but this does not mean at all that the national dishes of this people are considered tasteless. For example, in everyday life, quite often people eat boiled lamb, and the broth is used to make delicious soup. Also, some dishes are prepared from poultry meat with the addition of a spicy sauce based on hot pepper and garlic.

Adyghe people usually make cottage cheese or cheese from milk, adding hard grasses, herbs and even fruits. After the Moscow Olympics in 1980, the whole world learned about the delicious Adyghe cheese, which was made in tons especially for foreign guests. This product can be found on the shelves of Russian supermarkets today. According to onefrom the legends, the god of cattle breeding Amysh told the recipe of this product to a young girl because she saved a lost herd of sheep during a storm.

As for traditional drinks, in Adygea, as mentioned earlier, winemaking is quite widespread. Almost every adult man knows how to make the real nectar of the gods from homemade grapes and has his own recipe for making this wonderful drink. In the cellars of the Adyghes one can see bottles of red and white wine, which are several decades old. However, excessive alcohol consumption is not welcome in Adygea, so compotes and fruit teas are a very good alternative to wines.

Video and conclusion

We hope our article has helped you better understand the traditions and customs of the Adyghe people. If the information provided seemed too little to you or you have any questions, we recommend that you watch a short video from which you can learn a lot of things that were not mentioned in our article.

As you can see, the way of life, culture and even faith of the Adyghe people are quite rich and varied. These people honor their traditions with great pride and live as their fathers and grandfathers bequeathed. For such an attitude to one's life, one needs a huge will and perseverance, which the Adyghe people do not hold. In addition, this people is considered one of the most ancient and proud of it.