The Chamalals or Chamalins belong to the Andean peoples and live in the Chechen Republic and Dagestan. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 3,438 Chamalals in the USSR, in 1967 - 4,000 people. According to the 2010 census, only 24 residents of Russia called themselves Chamalals. 18 of them live in cities, and 6 live in rural areas.
Religion and traditions
Chamalals are Sunni Muslims, that is, followers of the most numerous movement in Islam. Sunnis place special emphasis on following the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (his actions and sayings), on loyalty to tradition, on the participation of the community in choosing its head, the caliph. Among the Chamalians there are also those who preach Shafiism. To make a legal decision, the Shafiites use the Koran, the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, and the opinion of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.
Some Chamalals believed in mountain spirits. The people practiced witchcraft, fortune telling, rituals of calling rain and sun, and magic.
Chamalin crafts
The Chamalals were traditionally engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding. They grew wheat, barley, and corn. Gardening, beekeeping, and viticulture were developed. The people produced felt, wove rugs, made copper dishes and wooden utensils. Nowadays, Chamalals are still engaged in livestock farming, farming and gardening (they grow apple trees, pears, plums, and apricots).
Traditional clothing
The clothing of the Chamalals differed little from the traditional clothing of other Caucasian peoples. Women wore shirts, dark dresses belted with a long brightly colored belt, trousers, and sheepskin coats. They put a chukhta on their heads - a cap covering the head with a hair bag sewn to it. And over the chukta they wore a scarf made of homespun cloth.
Traditional men's clothing consisted of pants, a shirt, a Circassian coat, a beshmet, sheepskin coats, jackets, and a felt burka. The men wore a conical-shaped sheepskin hat on their heads.
Language and folk art
The Chamalin language belongs to the Andean subgroup of the Nakh-Dagestan language family. It is divided into two dialects: Gakvarinsky, which includes the dialects of the villages of Upper and Lower Gakvari, Agvali, Tsumada, Richaganih, Gadyri, Kvankhi, and Gigatlinsky - in the villages of Gigatl and Gigatl-Urukh.
It is important that the Chamalals created a rich song folklore. The songs are sung in the Avar language, and the main musical instruments are the zurna (a type of pipe), the pandur (a string instrument with strings made from animal intestines) and the tambourine.
Zurna Photo: Great Russian Encyclopedia
Traditional home
Each Chamalin settlement was surrounded by watchtowers. The village, as a rule, had 5-12 blocks. Each quarter had its own mosque, and in the center of the village there was a Friday mosque (juma). The village elder was chosen from among the influential tukhums. Tukhums are associations, a union of types that are not related to each other by blood, but have united to jointly solve common problems.
The houses of the Chamalins were stone, one-, two- and three-story. The roofs of the houses are made of adobe, but recently they have begun to be made of slate or roofing iron.
Chamalin cuisine
The traditional dish of the Chamalins is khinkal with meat and garlic. Pieces of dough cooked in meat broth are served with broth, boiled meat and sauce.
However, khinkal should not be confused with Georgian khinkali, which is a different type of dish.
Chamalalas eat mostly unleavened bread.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF RUSSIA
Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution
Higher professional education
"Volga Region State Social and Humanitarian Academy"
Department of History and Theory of World Culture
Family and family life of the peoples of the Caucasus
Completed by: 3rd year student
Full-time education
specialty Culturology
Tokarev Dmitry Dmitrievich
Checked by: Doctor of Historical Sciences,
Professor Head Department of History and
theories of world culture
Yagafova Ekaterina Andreevna
Introduction
The Caucasus - one of the most interesting regions of the globe - has long attracted the attention of travelers, scientists, and missionaries. We find the first mentions of the ancestors of the peoples of the Caucasus in Greek and Roman authors of the 6th century BC - 1st century BC, who described the social life and economic activities of the peoples. The character and morals of the mountaineers can be explained by the primitive state in which these people were until recently; and as we would say briefly: most of the current inhabitants of the Caucasus are only the remnants of peoples who died or settled, who once managed to escape in these mountains.
Despite the difference in languages, centuries-old neighborhood and joint struggle against foreign invaders for their independence brought these peoples together into one friendly family.
Without a comprehensive study and knowledge of these customs and traditions, it is difficult to understand the national character and psychology of the people. Without this, it is impossible to solve such a problem as the implementation of the connection of times and continuity in the spiritual development of generations, moral progress, and the formation of the historical memory of the people is impossible.
The purpose of my work is to conduct research on the family as a social institution and family life of the peoples of the Caucasus.
To do this, it is necessary to set the following tasks:
· To highlight what was the usual order of family life · To study how economic relations were distributed in the family · Find out how children were raised When conducting the research, I used the works of Johann Blaramberg, who had a penchant for research work and collected ethnographic material about the peoples of the Caucasus. Also Maxim Maksimovich Kovalevsky is a Russian scientist, historian, and an outstanding figure in the Institute of Law. As well as the works of other authors acting in the interests of my topic. Normal family life As always in a patrilocal marriage settlement, the head of the family was the eldest man. At the head of a simple small family was the father of the family. In large families, it happened that after the death of the father, the eldest brother voluntarily renounced his rights in favor of the other brother. It happened (among the Circassians, Ossetians, Karachais and Balkars) that the mother became the head of a large family. The life of a family as an economic and consumer unit was largely determined by its type. In a large family, all married couples and offspring lived together: for some peoples - in different rooms of the same house, for others - in different buildings, located in the same yard. The household was run jointly under the leadership of the eldest and eldest, who were in charge of the male and female parts of the family, respectively. The division of labor among different peoples and even territorial groups had its own characteristics. For example, among the Ossetians in the lowland regions, men were busy with all types of earthwork - plowing, sowing, harvesting, even caring for the garden; They also bore the bulk of the responsibilities associated with keeping livestock; The following crafts were also a man's business: processing wood, horns, etc. Men did the most difficult work around the house, in particular preparing firewood. Women were responsible for cooking and storing food for future use, delivering water, cleaning the house and yard, sewing, repairing and washing clothes; They were rarely involved in field work, and their participation in cattle breeding was limited to milking dairy cattle and cleaning barns. In mountainous areas, women participated in threshing and harvesting, processing wool, leather, etc. The division of labor in the Adyghe and Balkar families was similar. Among the Karachays, women were more involved in cattle breeding than among other peoples, including transhumance. The division of labor between the sexes was very strict. It was considered the height of indecency for men to interfere in women's affairs, and women in men's affairs. Children, including adults, were entirely under the authority of the head of the family and had to obey unquestioningly, but also behave emphatically respectfully towards him. You weren’t supposed to argue with your father, or even speak to him first; it was forbidden to sit, dance, laugh, smoke, or appear casually dressed in ego’s presence. The mother of the family also exercised power over the children, and especially over the daughters. Among some peoples, such as the Chechens, she even had a decisive vote in marrying off her daughters. If she was the eldest of a large family, then her daughters-in-law were subordinate to her, obligated to obey and obey her in the same way as their parents. It would be a mistake to see in a patriarchal Caucasian family the arbitrariness of elders in relation to those who were considered younger. All relations were based solely on mutual respect and recognition of the individual rights of each. Indeed, neither adats nor Sharia deprived the female half of the house and younger family members of certain rights and privileges. The mother of the family was considered the mistress of the house, the manager of the female household and household supplies, and among most peoples, in particular among the Circassians, Ossetians, Balkars and Karachais, only she had the right to enter the pantry. Men were charged with caring for women and protecting them from harm; mistreating a woman, much less insulting her, was considered a disgrace. Highlander women enjoyed exclusive rights and respect, love and reverence, were a symbol of kindness and tenderness, and guardians of the family and hearth. Food, table manners The basis of the diet of the peoples of the Caucasus is meat and dairy products. From milk they obtained butter, sour cream, cheese, and cottage cheese. Bread occupied a large place in the diet of the mountaineers. It was baked from barley, millet, wheat, and corn flour. Meat was consumed mostly boiled, usually with corn bread or porridge with seasoning. After boiled meat, broth was always served. A traditional intoxicating non-alcoholic drink is buza. Compote of fresh and dry fruits has taken a strong place in the diet of the peoples of the North Caucasus. Currently, the range of everyday food is expanding due to new dishes borrowed from neighboring peoples. The table is a sacred place. It is not customary to mention dogs, donkeys, reptiles or any animals. Grandfather and grandson, father and son, uncle and nephew, father-in-law and son-in-law, and siblings (if there was a significant age difference between them) did not sit at the same table. If guests come outside of the holiday, then the owner of the house, regardless of age, sits down with the guests at the table. You cannot come to the feast already obviously drunk. You cannot leave the feast without notifying your elders. Smoking at the table is a sign of disrespect for others. If you can’t bear it, you can always (after three toasts) take time off from your elders and go out for a smoke. On the occasion of national holidays, fish and chicken are not served. All meat must be made from lamb or beef. During official holidays there should be no pork on the table. Hospitality Many archaic customs that influenced the characteristics of social life and existed in the 19th century are characteristic of the highlanders. This was, in particular, the custom of hospitality. “Happiness comes with a guest,” say the Kabardians. The best of what is in the house is reserved for the guest. For example, among the Abkhazians, “every family tries to save at least something for unexpected guests. So, in the old days, thrifty housewives hid it. . . wheat flour, cheese, sweets, fruits, bottled vodka... and chickens walked in the yard, jealously guarded from their relatives.” Before the arrival of a guest and in his honor, some kind of domestic animal or bird was always slaughtered. The Circassians, like a number of other peoples, had “the custom of sowing part of the field for guests and keeping a certain number of heads of cattle especially for them.” Related to this is the idea, also widespread, that in any household there is a “guest’s share” that rightfully belongs to him. The guest “has his share in my house and brings abundance into the house,” said the Georgian mountaineers. Each highlander had a special room for guests (the so-called kunatskaya.) The guest house was also a kind of club, where young people gathered, music and dances were performed, news was exchanged, etc. For some Adyghe nobles and princes, the table in the kunatskaya was constantly set in anticipation of a random guest, and the dishes were changed three times a day, regardless of whether guests came or No. The Kabardians kept a tray of meat and cheese in the kunatskaya, and it was called “the food of the one who comes.” According to the Abkhazians, what is hidden from the guest belongs to the devil Compliance with the laws of hospitality was considered one of the most important duties of a person; children absorbed hospitality with their mother’s milk as an immutable law of life. Lawbreakers were punished. For example, in Ossetia, for this they threw people with their hands and feet tied into the river from a high cliff. When the duties of hospitality collided with the obligations of blood feud, preference was given to the former. There are known cases when the persecuted person found salvation in the house of his blood relative, for violation of the sacred laws of hospitality was considered a greater sin than failure to fulfill the custom of blood feud. Among the mountaineers, a guest is considered an inviolable person. A complete stranger could also take advantage of the hospitality. It was not customary to inquire where the guest was coming from or where he was going, or how long he intended to stay in the house. In the living rooms of representatives of the upper classes there was everything necessary for guests. The doors to this room were never closed. A guest who arrived unnoticed by the owners could leave the horse at the hitching post, enter and remain in this room until the owner became aware of his presence. If the arrival of the guest was known to the owners in advance, then they went out to meet him. The younger members of the family helped the guest get off the horse, and the older owner took the guest to the living room. If there were women among those who arrived, then women also came out to meet them. They were taken to the women's half of the house. Hospitality in the North Caucasus was the most stable and widespread custom. The custom of hospitality was based on well-known universal categories of morality, which made it very popular far beyond the borders of the Caucasus. Anyone could stay as a guest in any city dwelling, where he was received with great cordiality. The mountaineers, even the poorest, were always glad to see a guest, believing that good things came with him. Raising children The family was formed on the basis of marriage and gave rise to new marriages. One of the main purposes of marriage was children. In peasant life, the number of working hands and care for parents in old age depended on the presence of children, and especially sons. With the advent of children, the father's social position also strengthened. “There are no children - there is no life in the family,” the Circassians said. All the peoples of the North Caucasus attached great importance to the upbringing of children, boys and girls alike. The upbringing of a real mountaineer or mountain woman required comprehensive physical, labor, moral, and aesthetic development. Of the moral qualities instilled in children, special importance was attached to a sense of duty and family solidarity, discipline and politeness, and the creation of male dignity and female honor. A person of good reputation could not be imagined without knowledge of customs and rules of etiquette. In addition to a thorough knowledge of the norms of relationships between older and younger relatives, the teenager had to thoroughly understand the rules of behavior in public places. He had to remember that every adult resident of the village had the right to ask him for a favor and could not be refused. He needed to know that he couldn’t talk to adults first, overtake him, or cross his path. You must walk or ride a horse slightly behind an adult, and when meeting him you must dismount and let him pass while standing. The teenager also had to perfectly study the laws of hospitality and its etiquette. Atalychestvo After the child was named, the atalyk went with gifts to the parents of his future pupil. The latter were not supposed to visit their child and interfere with his upbringing in the new home. A boy usually grew up in an atalyk's house until he came of age, a girl - until marriage. Atalik fed, clothed and raised his pet for free, caring for him even more than his children. After the child reached one year, a celebration was held to show him off to the residents of the village or town who had given him gifts. And after some time, they organized a holiday in honor of the first step, identifying the pupil’s inclinations, placing various objects nearby - from books to weapons - and observing what attracted him most. From this they concluded who he would be when he grew up. The main responsibility of the teacher was to train his named son to be a good warrior, therefore, from the age of six, the child was taught shooting, horse riding and wrestling, taught to endure hunger, cold, heat and fatigue. The pupil was also taught eloquence and the ability to reason sensibly, which was supposed to help him gain due weight at public meetings. From an early age, girls were introduced to the rules of etiquette, taught the skills of housekeeping, knitting, cooking, and were taught gold and silver embroidery and other handicrafts. Raising the girl was the responsibility of the atalyk's wife. At the end of the period of education, the atalyk gave the pupil ceremonial clothes, a horse, weapons and solemnly returned him to his home in the presence of relatives. The girl was returned home with the same solemnity. The pupil’s family organized big celebrations for this occasion, presented the atalyk and his family with expensive gifts (weapons, horses, cattle, land, etc.) Until his death, Atalyk enjoyed great respect from the entire family of his pupil, and he was accepted as one of the family members. Kinship by atalism was considered closer than blood. Conclusion family Caucasus atalychestvo life The life of the family was subject to the harmonious laws of life of the mountaineers. The eldest took care of material well-being and food, the others helped him in this, unquestioningly carrying out orders. Therefore, the time was occupied with work and raising children. Of course, most of it was occupied by household and agricultural work. In the minds of the people, this way of life was consolidated for centuries, processed, discarded everything unnecessary and took shape in a more suitable form. A certain amount of time in the normal course of family life was occupied by raising children. It was necessary to instill in them a sense of duty and family solidarity, discipline and politeness, the creation of male dignity and female honor. Hospitality in a Caucasian family is considered almost the most important rite. Caucasians still follow the ancient custom of hospitality today. There are many sayings, parables and legends dedicated to this wonderful custom. Old people in the Caucasus like to say: “Where a guest does not come, grace does not come.” This is the traditional family life of the peoples of the Caucasus. It is important to continue research into the internal way of life of peoples friendly to us. References 1. Blalambert I., Caucasian manuscript. URL:<#"justify">4.Chomaev K.I. Pre-revolutionary features of the ethnic psychology of the mountain peoples of the North Caucasus 1972.P.147
The Caucasus is a region where several dozen representatives of various nationalities live. Thanks to their mixing, today it is possible to get an approximate picture of the life and traditions of the Caucasian peoples as a whole.
Basic family traditions
Family customs in the Caucasus are respected by everyone - both old people and young people. The head of the family is, naturally, a man. The eldest member of the family has great authority - absolutely everyone is obliged to listen to grandfathers and it is strictly forbidden to contradict them. In general, Caucasians generally believe that if you honor and respect your elders at a young age, your life will be happy and successful. At the same time, many believe that showing such respect is the secret to the longevity of the inhabitants of the Caucasus. It is worth noting that in houses where people of different blood relationships live together, the rooms are located in such a way that they do not meet each other. Even by accident, a daughter-in-law and father-in-law, for example, cannot collide in a home. If an elder or a representative of the fair sex is present nearby, the man should modestly stand aside.
Traditional hospitality
Everyone knows how hospitable the peoples of the Caucasus are. Even if some random traveler wanders into the house, in most cases he will be offered food and shelter for the night. For guests expected in Caucasian families, either a separate house or a room must be prepared in advance. Guests are treated with due respect and protected if difficult relationships arise with other family members. At the holiday, the head of the family takes the leading place in the center of the table.
Facts about marriages in the Caucasus
Surprisingly, for girls, the appointment of a betrothed occurs at a very young age - at 9 years old. A young man gets married when he turns 15 years old. The marriage ceremony is secured by a special contract, before signing which the bride and groom never see each other in their lives. After the conclusion of the marriage contract, the wedding celebration itself begins. Many people know that wedding festivities in the Caucasus last not just one day, but much longer. A huge number of guests are invited. After marriage, absolutely all household chores fall on the wife. A man is obliged to keep his family wealthy, to work and feed his wife. If a couple gets engaged without having their own home, the husband must rebuild it as quickly as possible.
Development of the culture of the peoples of the Caucasus in the 16th and first half of the 17th centuries. took place in the difficult conditions of long and difficult wars.
A patriotic theme prevailed in Georgian literature of this time. It is heard in the works of the lyric poet Tsar Teimuraz, who dedicated the poem “Ketevatshani” to a description of the death of his mother Ketevana in Persian captivity.
In the second half of the 17th century. poet Joseph Saakadze wrote the poem “Didmouraviani” (Book of the Great Mourav) about the Georgians’ struggle for independence. Historical events were reflected in chronicle records, which were later included in the collection of Georgian chronicles “Kartlis Tskhovreba” (Life of Kartli).
Shota Rustaveli's poem “The Knight in the Skin of a Tiger” was rewritten and illustrated with miniatures. Its wide distribution contributed to the formation of progressive social thought and poetic creativity.
Various forms of folklore continued to exist among the people: songs, legends, fairy tales, and proverbs. The architecture is characterized by ensembles of fortifications. These are the Ananur Castle in the valley of the Aragva River, the Gori Fortress, Atskur Castle, etc.
The architecture of domed baths, caravanserais, and feudal palaces was influenced by Iranian influence. Peasant dwellings preserved centuries-old traditions.
Fresco paintings of churches made in the 16th-17th centuries are quite numerous, but are distinguished by dry writing and poor color. Since there were not enough local artists, Russian icon painters who worked in Georgia in the first half of the 17th century were invited for restoration work.
The secular poetry of Armenia of this period is closely connected with folk songwriting. In the 16th century created by the poet Grigor Akhtamartsi, who was also a miniaturist, as well as the famous folk singer Kuchak.
At the end of the 16th century, in the midst of devastating wars, monk Simeon Aparantsi wrote a historical poem about the past of Armenia, where he pursued the idea of restoring an independent Armenian state. The work of Arakel of Tabriz “Book of Stories” provides valuable information on the history of Armenia in the first 60 years of the 17th century.
A remarkable phenomenon in the cultural life of the Armenian people in the 16th-17th centuries. there was the emergence and development of printing in the Armenian language. The first Armenian printing houses arose in Italy in the 16th century; in 1639, a printing house was founded in New Julfa (an Armenian colony near Isfahan).
Painting developed mainly in the form of book miniatures, partly portraits and wall paintings. In the 17th century The Armenian artist Minas was famous.
An outstanding place in the history of literature and social and philosophical thought of Azerbaijan in the 16th century. belongs to the poet Fiyauli, who lived most of his life in Baghdad. His works had a great influence on the development of the Azerbaijani literary language and Azerbaijani poetry.
The largest literary work of Fuzuli is the poem “Leyli and Majnun”. Some of his poems have a strong anti-feudal tendency.
The traditions of Fuzuli in poetry were continued in the 17th century by the poet Masikhi.
In the folk art of Azerbaijan in the 16th-17th centuries. The genre of heroic-romantic poems, performed by folk singers - ashugs, was widespread. The poem “Asli and Kerem” glorified the love of an Azerbaijani youth for an Armenian girl.
The poem “Kor-oglu” about the struggle of the Azerbaijani people against the conquerors and local feudal lords was especially popular. The famous ashug of the 16th century. was Gurbani.
In the field of architecture, such buildings are known as the “Murad Gate” in Baku, a number of buildings in Ganja - a mosque, baths, a caravanserai. These buildings continue the tradition of portal-dome structures, characteristic of both Azerbaijan and Western Asia.
In the cities and villages of Azerbaijan, artistic crafts were widespread - the production of fabrics and carpets, glazed ceramics, and various metal products.
The peoples who lived in the high mountain parts of the Main Caucasus Range and in the foothills of the North Caucasus knew almost no writing.
Oral folk art was widely developed. Historical legends have preserved the memory of the events of the 16th-17th centuries.
Ritual songs reflected the pagan ideas held among the Caucasian mountaineers.
In the mountainous regions of the Caucasus, stone construction was developed. By the XVI-XVII centuries. The construction of military towers will be carried out in Svayeti, Khevsureti and Ingusheti.
By this time, the architecture of multi-tiered mountain villages had developed, closely related to the conditions of the area.
The types of applied art common in the Caucasus were varied - stone carving, used on the facades of residential buildings, wood carving, artistic metal processing.
