“About 40 manufacturers of national blade products from Moscow, Stavropol Territory, Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria” take part in the festival...
CHERKESSK, February 23. /TASS/. Master gunsmiths from four regions of Russia presented the Karachay-Balkar knife at the festival of national blades in Karachay-Cherkessia (KCR), which takes place on Defender of the Fatherland Day in the resort village of Dombay. The festival's organizing committee reported this to TASS on Friday.
“About 40 manufacturers of national blade products from Moscow, Stavropol Territory, Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria are participating in the “Bichak” (knife) festival. Here you can see different types of Karachay-Balkarian knives made of damask steel, Damascus and alloy steel.”, - said the agency's interlocutor.
Master from Kabardino-Balkaria Mukhadin Karchaev, who has been making knives for about 25 years, brought to the festival all the main varieties of the Karachay-Balkarian knife - “Dzhan Kezlik” (a small knife that men wore on their belts from an early age until old age), the main bull, most often used on the farm, and a large cutting knife.
“The main feature of the national Karachay-Balkar knife is its functionality and simplicity. It is intended for household needs, is very easy to use and is deservedly in demand among many peoples”, - Karchaev told TASS. The master also makes folding and tourist knives, souvenir daggers and checkers.
History of Bichak
Varieties of the traditional knife of the peoples of the North Caucasus go back to the times of the ancestors of the Karachais and related Balkars. The shape and design of the whip, reminiscent of Scandinavian and Mongolian knives, remained unchanged for many centuries. The blade of this knife is straight, about 140 mm long and about 25 mm wide.
Now blades are made from modern carbon and alloy steels, as well as from Damascus and damask steel. The whip has no guard, and wood or the horn of a ram or aurochs is used for the handle; often the handle is decorated with gold or silver. Modern versions of the bichak are produced at the Kizlyar plant in the city of the same name in Dagestan, and are also made by folk craftsmen of Balkaria and Karachay.
- Zukhra, congratulations on your victory in the “Voice of the Caucasus” competition. Tell me how you got there?
My appearance at the competition was completely accidental. I saw an announcement on social networks and was eager to take part. I would like to note the fact that I did not pursue the goal of winning the competition or asserting myself, I simply had a purely professional interest.
- How long have you been making music?
I have been engaged in creative activities for 12 years. Since then, I have already managed to graduate from the College of Culture and Arts in Kabardino-Balkaria, after which I entered the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music. I am currently a 3rd year student.
- Who writes the words to your songs?
While studying in college, there were often cases when the muse visited me from time to time, and the words just flowed from my pen, but when I entered the academy, the muse slowly began to leave me. I attribute this to the fact that there is no time to dream.
- Who noticed the makings of a future singer in you?
The predisposition to singing was revealed in me back at school by the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Galina Taukenova, who was my first teacher and, in fact, my second mother. I started performing at the age of 10 at various events. In addition to studying at college, I attended pop vocal lessons and completed seven piano classes, and also went to national dances. In general, as a child I did not have a single free minute, which I am very happy about now and for which I am at the same time grateful to my parents.
- What are your priorities in music today?
Lately I have been giving particular preference to operatic works. This is due to the fact that I devote a lot of time to studying, but this does not stop me from taking part in classical vocal concerts.
- How did your parents react to your choice?
Sometimes in life it is difficult to achieve recognition and understanding from your parents, not to mention the listening audience. But I can say with confidence that I managed to get the approval of my parents, and I consider second place in the “Voice of the Caucasus” competition to be my personal success and recognition from the audience. There was not a single moment when I lacked the attention of my parents; they are always there and support me, for which I am grateful to them.
- Tell me why you dedicated your victory to Kabardino-Balkaria.
Because Kabardino-Balkaria is my homeland. That's not all. I also want my republic not to forget its talents and be proud of our every victory.
- How do you feel when you realize that you are in the top three?
People say: “The main thing is not victory, the main thing is participation.” Previously, I have not experienced as much joy and excitement mixed together as I experienced in this competition. There were many interesting and talented guys around, from communicating with whom I received nothing but pleasure.
- What kind of relationship do you have with the participants of the “Voice of the Caucasus-2013” competition?
The atmosphere that reigned at the competition was more reminiscent of a family environment, where there was not even a hint of rivalry. Everyone cheered for each other, many even became friends during the competition. I am glad that I took part in such a bright event, where I was able to meet very nice, kind and talented people. I love being surrounded by professionals in their field.
- What are your plans for the future?
Now the most important thing is to finish my studies, after which I want to go to Italy, where I could realize my dream - to be able to sing in the world's best opera houses.
Marina Dzamykhova
Kabardian Sati Casanova, who is criticized in the Caucasus for her overly sexual image, again found herself in the center, she said. At a press conference in Nalchik, she publicly insulted disabled children. True, she later apologized. But no one believed in the sincerity of the pop star’s repentance!
How honorary titles are “given” in the Caucasus
Frankly, about the existence of such a singer as Sati Casanova, the sophisticated viewer has long forgotten. In 2002, she was a participant in the TV project “Star Factory”, then became a member of the pop trio “Factory”, which she left in 2010 and began a solo career. She tried to work in different fields: as a fashion model, TV presenter, and even as a popularizer of yoga and vegetarianism. Needless to say, Casanova is an orientally beautiful girl, she participated in dozens of candid photo shoots. For this, in her native Kabardino-Balkaria, the conservative part of society constantly criticized her for her wild lifestyle, which in no way fits with the traditional image of a Muslim girl.
However, despite such criticism, in October 2009 Aslan Tkhakushinov awarded Sati Casanova the title “Honored Artist of Adygea” (this happened at the concert of the group “Factory” on the central square of Maykop, dedicated to Republic Day). And exactly a year later, on the eve of the celebration of Statehood Day of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, and the then head of the republic Arsen Kanokov awarded Sati Casanova the title “Honored Artist of Kabardino-Balkaria.”
After the singer left the Factory group, in June 2012, she received another state title: Rashid Temrezov on the eve of the Day of Karachay-Cherkessia, he “bestowed” Casanova with the third “deserved” title. The curtsy is beautiful, but has the most distant relation to the real creative achievements of the pop singer.
To popularize the culture of Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia (Circassians live in all these three regions, and Casanova is a Circassian), the singer did absolutely nothing. Except that she sang a few songs in her native language.
150 thousand disgraced
The example of Sati Casanova, however, demonstrates how easily in the North Caucasus honorary titles are given to random people with dubious merits. On September 11, the singer came to Nalchik for the charity concert “Peace”, which was also attended by other eminent natives of Kabardino-Balkaria - singers Dima Bilan, Katya Lel And Charim Nakhushev.
The concert was preceded by a press conference at which Sati Casanova presented her charity foundation “Culture and Life”. She said that she created the foundation together with a group of like-minded people four years ago, but it really began to work only this year.
When one of the local journalists asked Sati Casanova if she planned for her foundation to support disabled children. The singer replied verbatim the following: “This foundation does not deal with sick, oblique, crooked, God forgive me, children. My point is that we are developing social and creative initiatives.”
A video with these words from Casanova appeared on YouTube a few days later and literally blew up social networks (the video was viewed by more than 160 thousand people). The singer received a huge amount of criticism and outright curses. Most of all, of course, from her native Kabardino-Balkaria, and indeed from the regions of the North Caucasus.
Casanova remained silent for a couple of days, and then recorded a video message to her fans, which she posted on Instagram. She apologized for her words about disabled children: “Without thinking, wording it incorrectly, she blurted out what she said.”
From love to hate... one "blunder"
Sati Casanova also came up with, as it seems to her, a plausible explanation: they say, she formulates her thoughts in the Kabardian language, but speaks Russian. Well, you have to think of this!
Naturally, such “apologies” convinced few people of their sincerity. And a stream of angry accusations of cynicism, tyranny, callousness continued to pour out on Sati Casanova...
Then the “star” on her Instagram gave a very lengthy response to her ill-wishers. “I will not allow my human and feminine dignity to be trampled upon. I am bitter and ashamed for the people, and above all, for my fellow countrymen, who kick someone who has stumbled. And especially for the Caucasian men who poured out threats and curses. I feel pain for everyone who found great joy and benefit in this public lynching,” writes Sati Casanova. But is she really ashamed?!
…Publicist Evgeniy Dodolev, commenting on this situation, formulated the capacious concept of the “Sati Casanova effect”: far from the capital, in front of provincial journalists, a big “star” always says what he sincerely thinks. He thinks that no one will know about this. And then - bam! - and becomes a YouTube star. Of course, in any Western country, Sati Casanova, after the abominations she said at the press conference, would not have been invited to any public event. And in a good way, they would have stripped him of all his titles. But, alas, in Russia such “stars” will continue to remain afloat...
Why was the mufti offended?
Bloggers (including North Caucasian ones) and a video clip released by a 29-year-old Tatar performer are discussing Koko Rezeda Ganiulina. She herself comes from Tatarstan, and sang a song in the Tatar language - it’s called “Zhanym” (“Beloved”). In her video, Ganiulina not only sings, but also dances a belly dance in a revealing outfit.
Moreover, against the backdrop of the oldest White Mosque in the republic in the city of Bolgar, sacred to Russian Muslims. Naturally, the appearance of the clip was sharply condemned by Muslims on social networks, including the Mufti of Tatarstan Kamil-hazrat Samigullin and Kazan imam Seyjagfar Lutfullin. The most conservative believers even demanded... the execution of the singer, who, in their opinion, had violated the norms of Islam.
The singer herself, naturally, responded to the rapidly swelling scandal by giving several interviews. According to her, she had long dreamed of filming a video clip against the backdrop of the White Mosque. But, they say, if I had known about such a negative reaction, I would have asked permission from the clergy in advance.
“It’s not my fault that the dance costume looks this way and not otherwise! I didn’t want to just show my belly button. These are Arabic dances. And the costumes were made according to Arabic designs. I sing in Tatar, but the song has a lot of Middle Eastern themes,” says the Tatar singer.
According to her, 90% of viewers liked the video clip, but the singer publicly apologized to the remaining 10%, whom the video clip could have offended. However, Rezeda Ganiulina deleted the scandalous video “Zhanym” from her personal page on the VKontakte social network (however, by that time it had been reposted on many other pages).
The Investigative Department of Tatarstan also responded to the situation in a unique way, where a pre-investigation check was launched. “The woman’s actions may contain signs of a crime under Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Violation of the right to freedom of conscience and religion”),” said the senior department assistant Andrey Sheptytsky.
So, it is quite possible that the Kazan singer will face very real criminal prosecution. Ganiulina herself promised to reshoot the video so that the White Mosque would not be in its new version. But she does not intend to completely abandon her dance and song creativity (which, according to her, promotes both Tatar and Arab culture).
