Respect for elders
One of the wonderful customs of the Chechens is respect for elders. And first of all - a respectful attitude and care for parents.
In the vast majority of Chechen families, an atmosphere of great attention and care for the elders is created. If they do not live with one of the sons, then, for example, the best of the products are constantly brought to the parents' house.
In rural areas, as a rule, a separate house was set up in the yard for the elderly. This has been going on for centuries and is done in order not to embarrass them, not to create any inconvenience for them.
In the morning, a good daughter-in-law, first of all, start their household work on half of the old people. And only after that does everything else.
Not only the son, daughter, but also other family members, including grandchildren, take care of the elderly. Children call their grandfather “wokkha dada” (big father), and most often their grandmother is “mama” (nana), that is, “mother”. The sisters of the father and mother are called "dets", the elder brother of the father is called "vokha vash" (elder brother), and the smaller ones are called "zhima vash" (younger brother). As a rule, parents, as well as grandfather, grandmother, younger brothers and sisters, out of respect, do not call the first-born by his real name, but give some kind of affectionate name.
Not getting up when old people appear or sitting down without their insistent invitation is regarded as a great lack of education, as a violation of custom.
Children can sometimes disobey, not fulfill the request of their father, mother, and the latter, at worst, will forgive them. But it is considered completely unacceptable if they disobey their grandfather, grandmother, other older relatives or neighbors.
Drinking alcohol in the presence of parents, uncles, aunts, not to mention other older relatives, is completely unacceptable. It is also impossible to allow yourself to talk with parents, in general with elders, in an elevated tone, to behave unleashed.
Relationships in the family
Chechen families, as a rule, have many children. Moreover, in the village, several brothers live with their families in the same yard. And here there is a system of norms and rules of relationships that has developed over the centuries.
As a rule, conflict situations, quarrels of women, children, any other misunderstandings are resolved by the elders in the yard, a man and a woman. The mother of children, if they have been offended, should never complain to her husband.
In extreme cases, she can tell any relative of her husband about it. In general, it is considered a rule of good taste not to pay attention to children's grievances, quarrels, tears.
It often happens that children with their requests, problems turn to one of the uncles. And it rarely happens that their request is not granted. He can refuse something to his child, infringe on the interests of his children, but very serious reasons are needed for him to refuse the same to the children of his brothers and sisters.
Finally, it should be noted that there are duties of the younger to the elders, but also of the latter to the youth. At the same time, the main role is to create and maintain an atmosphere of harmony and mutual understanding in the families of sons. And the vast majority of them do everything to strengthen family ties.
First of all, old people are required to be correct in their relationship with their daughter-in-law. This is especially true for the father-in-law. Drinking alcohol, swearing, breaking the uniform adopted in the Vainakh family in the presence of a daughter-in-law or daughters is considered indecent. He always tries to be very delicate in his attitude towards the wives of his sons.
wedding ceremony
The Chechen wedding, like other folk rituals, includes a wide variety of elements: singing, dancing, music, pantomime and words. All this creates a whole, beautiful spectacle.
On the way to the bride and back, the wedding cortege has fun, the accordion plays, when they return, they shoot from guns, and earlier horsemen showed their skills in shooting, fencing and horse riding.
When the wedding procession leaves, relatives and fellow villagers of the bride can detain it with a cloak or drag it across the street with a rope and take a ransom. A ransom is also taken when the bride is taken out of her parental home.
The bride is brought (nuskal) to the groom's house, where she, dressed in a wedding suit, is in a place of honor - as a rule, on the opposite corner from the entrance, by the window, behind a special wedding curtain.
The bride is then given the child (usually a first-born son) of honorary relatives in her arms, with the wish that the bride only has sons. After caressing the boy, the bride gives him a gift or money.
When the bride enters the house, a broom and a felt carpet (istanga) are placed at the threshold, which the bride must carefully remove from the road and put money on this place. If the bride is stupid, she will step over him, and if she is smart, she will get him out of the way. Previously, a cloak was thrown at the feet of the bride.
After these ceremonies, the wedding begins, relatives and fellow villagers of the groom come. Chechens come to everyone.
The manager and toastmaster at the wedding is an elected general - "inarla". The wedding is accompanied by dances, accordionists, drummers or zurna players are invited.
There is also a ritual - “show the bride”, when the wedding manager, sitting at the table, announces a fundraiser for the newlyweds, naming the names of those present who brought gifts or money.
After the end of the wedding, the bride is taken to the water, sometimes accompanied by music, dancing, they throw “chepilgash” - a cake stuffed with cottage cheese into the water, shoot at them, after which the bride, having taken water, returns home. On this evening, marriage is registered - “makhbar”, in which the trusted father of the bride and the groom participate. Usually, the representative of the wife is a mullah, who, on behalf of the father, gives consent to the marriage of his daughter (sister, niece). The next day, the bride becomes the young mistress of the house. During the wedding and taking the bride to the water, the groom is absent, often spending this time with friends in fun.
Weddings among the Chechens, as a rule, were played after the harvest or before the sowing campaign.
The Vainakhs are very sensitive and responsive to other people's grief and misfortune. If a person has died in a village or district, then it is the duty of all fellow villagers to visit this house, express condolences, provide moral support, and, if necessary, provide material assistance. In particular, funerals require a lot of trouble. But for Chechens, these chores are completely taken over by relatives, neighbors, or even just fellow villagers. If there is grief in the neighbor's house, then all the neighbors open the gates wide open, thereby making it clear that the neighbor's grief is his grief. All this removes the weight of the misfortune that has piled on, eases the grief of a person.
If a person leaves the village for some time, upon arrival he is necessarily informed about certain events, including misfortunes. And of course, he goes to this house to express his condolences.
At a meeting, every Chechen will first ask: “How are you at home? Is everyone alive and well? When parting, it is considered good manners to ask: “Do you need my help?”.
Family ties
It should be noted that the Chechens attached great importance in the past, and still attaches great importance to family ties. Their preservation and active influence is facilitated by the fact that among them positive qualities, a person’s actions are evaluated not only as the personal qualities of a given person, but are often considered as a consequence of his belonging to a given family, related group. If a person has committed some act that, from the point of view of the Vainakh ethics, deserves encouragement or censure, then not only he is credited or blamed, but his closest relatives are attributed. Therefore, a person tries not to disgrace his relatives, not to do anything that would make the latter through his fault, as the Chechens say, “blacken their faces”, “lower their heads”. When a man or woman performs a plausible deed, they say: "Nothing else could be expected from the people of this family." Or: "It would be a shame for the son (daughter) of such a father to do otherwise."
In this regard, one cannot fail to mention such a socio-psychological phenomenon, which is still quite widespread among Chechens, as “yakh”. In Russian, this word can be translated as "healthy rivalry."
If they say about a person that he does not have "yah", then this is a sure sign that he has lost authority among the people of his circle. When it comes to a male representative, then such a characteristic is tantamount to calling him “not a man”. And vice versa, to say about a Chechen that he has a highly developed “yakh” means to express the highest praise to him.
Parents, elders in Chechen families, try in a variety of ways to instill a sense of “yah” in a person.
When Chechens are preparing to be drafted into the army, their father, uncle, and grandfather talk to them the day before. They give instructions as follows: “You must have yah. In no case should you be worse than your comrades. Do not offend the weak, whoever he may be, and do not offend yourself. For the vast majority of them, they mean a lot, they are a guide in their actions, in all behavior.
It should be said that collectivism, mutual assistance, support among Chechens are especially manifested outside the republic, in the national environment.
It should also be noted that the Chechens as a serious insult, the use of obscene language in dealing with him. They say about such a person: "This is an ignoble person."
The anger of a Chechen is especially strong if a woman appears in the foul language: a mother, a sister, or another close relative. This is due to the fact that it is considered a heavy shame if a woman, especially a mother, a sister, allowed herself liberties in relations with an outside man. In the republic, although rarely, there were cases of the murder of a woman for free behavior.
Collective Mutual Aid
For the highlanders, a form of collectivism was mutual labor assistance. One of the types of such mutual labor assistance is “belkhi”. This custom has its roots in ancient times and is a product of the harsh living conditions of the highlander. After all, it was often necessary to bind with one rope in order to mow grass on an almost sheer slope of a mountain; it was impossible to act alone even where it was necessary to win back scarce plots for crops from the mountains. Any grief, misfortune, loss of a breadwinner - and the village had to take care of the victims. The men who remained in the village did not sit down for a meal until part of it was taken to a neighboring house, where there are small children, but there is no male breadwinner.
It often happens that an elderly person begins to do something about the housework. Soon one, second, third of those who live in the neighborhood or on the same street turned out to be near him. It turns out that the work begun by him is continued and completed by these assistants.
A young man, when meeting with a familiar elder, must definitely stop, find out about his health, ask if help is needed.
Hospitality
Such a custom as hospitality organically fits into the system of ethics of interpersonal relations.
“The Chechen will give the last shirt to the guest,” recalls one of the guests who visited the Chechens.
The main ritual of hospitality among the Chechens, of course, is bread and salt (siskal), so each family saved something for the guest.
When the guest is fed and drunk, a bed is prepared for him in the best room. There were times when the host's daughter or daughter-in-law helped the guest take off their boots and outerwear.
One of the laws of the host who received the guest is the protection of his life, honor, property, sometimes at the risk of his own life. Even if the guest shows himself relative freedom, the host should treat him condescendingly and patiently.
The ancient custom of hospitality has always been followed. And they showed it to any kind person, regardless of his nationality. In the 1930s, when famine broke out in Ukraine, people dispersed all over the country in search of bread.
Many Ukrainians ended up in Chechnya at that time. Then many Chechen families gave shelter to hungry, naked children. Ukrainian children grew up together with their Chechen peers, shared a meager piece of bread, the warmth of the hearth. And to this day, in Grozny, in the surrounding villages, seven migrants of that time lived. Many of them became numb. They have grown together with this land, its people, customs, traditions, national culture, that they began to consider all this their own and did not want to leave their native places.
They are convinced that the guest and hospitality is "berkat", that is, well-being.
Another feature of the Chechens is connected with hospitality. This is a very friendly and open character. When greeting, they open their arms, draw closer heart to heart, thereby expressing the purity of thoughts, cordiality and sincerity in relation to a person.
Attitude towards a woman
Speaking about the customs and traditions of the Chechens, it is impossible to get around the issue of attitude towards women. It is known that the position of a woman in society, the attitude towards her has always been an important criterion of moral progress.
A woman - a mother has earned the respect of all peoples, and among the Chechens she is placed in a special status position. As soon as the same bloodline touched the hem of any woman, the weapon was immediately hidden, since he was under her protection, and when he touched his lips to his chest, he automatically became a son. As soon as the children took out the mirror to the chopping ones, the fight stopped right there.
The greatest disgrace was considered disrespect for the mother and her relatives. For a son-in-law, honoring his wife's relatives - "tuna" was considered such a beneficence that God sends him to paradise without judgment.
The mother woman is the owner of the fire, while the father man is only the master of the house. The most terrible curse is the wish that the fire in your house goes out.
According to the status of reverence, a Chechen woman is divided into three categories: “zheroi” is now perceived as a divorced woman, a widow, and initially it is a woman who recognized a man, and the third category is “mekhkari”, now these are girls, and initially they are born first. If with the first and third groups liberties on the part of men are not allowed, then with respect to the second they are not only permissible, but also obligatory. Society turned a blind eye to the liberty of this category.
A respectful attitude towards a woman is evidenced, for example, by such a custom as greeting a woman while standing. If an elderly woman passes, it is the duty of any person, regardless of age, to stand up and say hello first. In a situation where two bloodlines converged not for life, but for death, as soon as a woman removed a scarf from her head and threw it between them, the duel stopped. Or another custom associated with the fact that a woman follows a man. Our official ideology treated this phenomenon as a relic. But among the peoples of the Caucasus, this custom has a different meaning in its genesis. It is connected with the fact that movement along mountain paths, where various kinds of dangers could await the highlander, forced him to observe the named order of movement in order to take care of the female companion.
Finally, Chechens, like other peoples, have always attached great importance to a woman as the keeper of the hearth. A huge role was assigned to her in the education of the younger generation at all stages of the history of this ethnic group. It is the woman who has one of the most important merits in the preservation of any ethnic group. In fact, the North Caucasus has known many peoples over its centuries-old history: Scythians, Sarmatians, Khazars, Polovtsians. But they are not, they are gone from the face of the earth. And the Vainakhs, like other ancient peoples of the Caucasus, survived. And there are many reasons for this. Among them is the great merit of the Vainakh woman.
These are some of the social and ethnic aspects of the customs and traditions of the Chechens - the most ancient people of the Caucasus.
D. D. Mezhidov, I. Yu. Aleroev
| 26.11.2014 | 14:00
The North Caucasus is famous for its ethnic diversity and rich traditions in the culture of the mountain peoples of Russia. Of course, there are Caucasian customs that are typical for the inhabitants of the whole region, but, meanwhile, each people of the North Caucasus is unique and has its own special traditions and culture. Unfortunately, after the war in Chechnya, many have an erroneous idea of Chechen culture, or even are not familiar with it at all.
Chechens are a people of about one and a half million people, most of them living in the North Caucasus. It is generally accepted that the basis of the Chechen people is 156 types, which gradually expanded, in addition, new ones emerged from them. And today, when a young man is asked “where is he from?”, Chechens always name the aul from which the clan of his family comes. So, in Grozny it is impossible to meet a Chechen who will answer such a question “I am from Grozny”.
Hierarchy played an important role in the early development of Chechen society. So, only the higher types had the right to build a tower, while the lower ones, as a rule, aliens, did not have such permission. Different Chechen tribes have different traditions, but there are rituals that unite the entire Chechen people and their difficult history.
The tragic pages of the history of this people date back not only to the Chechen wars of the twentieth century and the Caucasian war of the second half of the nineteenth century. In February 1944, more than half a million Chechens were completely deported from their places of permanent residence to Central Asia. The turning point for the people was 1957, when the Soviet government allowed the Chechens to return to their homes after thirteen years of exile. As part of the policy of the Soviet government, the people were prevented from returning to the mountains, thereby seeking to encourage the Chechens to move away from their rituals and customs.
However, the Chechen people have largely managed to preserve their traditions and culture, passing it on to the younger generation. So, today one of the main traditions of Chechen society is the preservation of family etiquette and honorable respect for guests.
So, even in poor families, the owners always keep cakes with butter and cheese for a guest who may suddenly come to their house. It is noteworthy that the Chechen people are characterized by the manifestation of hospitality to any kind person, regardless of his national, religious and ideological affiliation. Many sayings, legends, parables among Chechens are dedicated to the sacred duty of hospitality. Chechens say: “Wherever a guest does not come, grace does not come either”, “A guest in the house is joy” ... One of the basic rules of Chechen hospitality is to protect the life, honor and property of the guest, even if this is associated with a risk to life. The guest does not have to offer a reception fee, but he can give gifts to the children.
The Chechens have always followed the custom of hospitality, and they do not forget about it today. So, in modern families, as before, guests are always offered special guest food - boiled meat with dumplings - zhizhig galnysh.
Photo source: website "Vkusnye Notes"
Historically, dumplings were prepared from corn flour with the addition of a glass of hot water; in modern times, housewives are increasingly preparing a dish from wheat dough, for the formation of which one should already add a glass of cold water. Particular attention is paid to the quality of the broth in which the meat is cooked - it is in it that dumplings fashioned from dough are then boiled. Chechen housewives say that the taste of dumplings depends on the broth. Dumplings should be cooked silently, "so that they do not disperse." Separately, a special sauce is prepared for the dish - from onion or garlic. So, today in the city of hostesses, onions are cut into rings and fried in ghee or sunflower oil, depending on taste preferences.
According to Chechen traditions, only a woman should cook every day and on holidays. Only at funerals, mostly men cook, which is due to the absence of Chechen women in the main part of the ceremony. In traditional Chechen families, a woman always takes food after the head of the family, in modern ones, everyone often dine at the same table, but the tribute to the head of the family is invariably present.
Wedding traditions have been preserved in Chechen families, as well as the attitude towards the son's wife in the new family. So, the daughter-in-law still expresses great respect for her husband's parents, calling them only "dada" and "nana" - father and mother.
Despite the fact that Ramzan Kadyrov abolished the historically obsolete law of "bride theft", the groom's role in the wedding ceremony is still insignificant. The code of the Chechens even says that "the groom should never be present at his wedding." As a rule, he is always nearby, sitting in the next room.
An interesting Chechen custom that has survived to this day is called “untying the tongue of the bride.” According to Chechen tradition, the bride did not have the right to talk in her husband's house without receiving special ritual permission to do so. In modern Chechen families, this ceremony, as a rule, takes place already on the wedding day. So, at the beginning of the ceremony, the father-in-law asks the bride about the weather, trying to talk her, then, having failed, he asks to bring her a glass of water. When the girl fulfills the order of her husband's father and returns to the guests with a glass in her hands, the father-in-law begins to inquire in surprise why she brought him a glass. After the silence of the betrothed son, the senior guests drink from the mug, putting money on the tray with the mug and “talking” to the bride. Only after this ceremony, the bride gets the full right to talk in her husband's family.
However, this tradition does not at all mean a belittled position of a woman in Chechen families. On the contrary, according to Chechen customs, it is strongly recommended not to enter into a marriage between a man and a woman without mutual consent, as this may affect the mental and physical development of their children. According to a number of historians, this is precisely why bride kidnapping is not, and never has been, a truly Chechen custom.
An old Chechen legend beautifully illustrates the observance of these commandments. “When a girl was brought to the groom’s house, who agreed to marriage in order to fulfill the will of her father and brothers, although she loved another, the young man caught sadness in the girl’s eyes, began to inquire until he found out the reasons. And when the girl told about her great, like a starry sky, love, he did not touch her with a finger. He took her out of the house, and with it the love from his heart, and on a dark night he brought the yearning lover to the house. And since then the young men have become friends, ready to give their lives for each other. Because life is in our hands, and love is from God…”
Earlier, according to tradition, a young man and a girl met at the spring, because in the view of the Chechen people, the spring was given to people from the creator. Meeting at the source, lovers proclaimed the desire that their relationship be as pure as its waters. According to Chechen customs, a girl and a young man could not be on a date together. A man who flocked at a distance from his beloved was accompanied by a friend, a girl by a friend. The meeting always took place before dark, but in the afternoon, when the girl, having shown herself obedient and industrious, received permission from her mother to go to the spring. The girls always came to the meeting place after the boys. It is not customary among the Chechen people for girls to be the first on a date even today.
It is worth noting that today, like two hundred years ago, a Chechen reacts very sharply to obscene language against a woman, perceiving it as an insult. This is due to the fact that the biggest shame is if a woman from the family allowed herself any kind of relationship with an outside man. Even today in the Chechen Republic there are rare cases of lynching of women for free behavior. Women who lost their honor were killed and are being killed. However, the reason for such a harsh punishment lies primarily in the fact that the Chechens attach particular importance to heredity through the female line. A Chechen has the right to take a wife of any nationality, although he is condemned by relatives and fellow villagers, but it is very rare for a Chechen woman to marry a foreigner.
We also note that among the Chechen traditions that have survived to this day, there is an obligatory ability of a woman to sew. So, for a wedding, young Chechen women inevitably receive a sewing machine as a dowry.
Among other traditions revered by the Chechen people for centuries, it should be notedspecial attention to the patient. A sick person is always visited by all friends and acquaintances, supporting him financially and morally, regardless of the age of the sick person. It is indecent to come to the sick with empty hands. Next to the sick Chechens do not talk about ailments, on the contrary, they try to make him laugh. During the illness of a Chechen, his relatives and friends manage his affairs, and in the countryside they harvest and chop wood.
According to Chechen customs, a man should have such qualities as: taciturnity, slowness, restraint, caution in statements and in people's assessments. It is restraint that is the main feature of a Chechen man. According to custom, he will not even smile at his wife in front of strangers and will not take a child in his arms in front of acquaintances.
Another distinguishing feature of the Chechens is attentiveness when meeting. First of all, every Chechen will ask: “How are you at home? Is everyone healthy? When parting, and today it is considered good manners to ask: “Do you need my help?” It is especially important to offer help to an elderly and simply older person.
Of course, the wars of the late twentieth century had a huge impact on the culture of the modern Chechen. So, in Chechnya, a whole generation of young people grew up, for whom real ammunition served as toys, and wartime tragedies gave rise to senseless bravado. Many children were never able to complete their school education. The problem of migration from villages to big cities is also difficult.
Today the Chechen government has shown itself capable of solving these problems. It not only rebuilt cities and villages, organized jobs and sports clubs, opened additional schools, but also supports programs about the culture of the Chechen people and the study of the native language of the Chechens. So, in October of this year, a new Chechen-Russian dictionary was published, the author of which is Doctor of Philology Professor Zulay Khamidova. In addition to the fact that the book contains over 20 thousand purely Chechen words, the dictionary contains a lot of useful material and transcriptions of words. This is especially important, because in the Chechen language the same word has several meanings and is read with different intonation. The cost of the dictionary is about one and a half thousand rubles (1,500 rubles).
The Chechens carefully keep the memory of their musicians. The song performed by Belukhadzhi Didigov, dedicated to the legendary abrek Zelimkhan from the village of Kharachoy, is widely known among Chechens.
In the best way, the traditions of the Chechen people are reflected by the word "nokhchalla", which, in an approximate translation into Russian, means "to be a Chechen Chechen" or "Chechenness". This word includes a set of rules of ethics, customs, traditions accepted in the Chechen society, is a kind of code of honor. So, nokhchalla is the ability to build one's relationships with people without demonstrating one's superiority in any way, even being in a privileged position. Nokhchalla is a special reverence for a woman and the rejection of any coercion. A Chechen from an early age was brought up as a defender, a warrior. The most ancient type of Chechen greeting, which has survived to this day, is “Come free!”
Thus, despite the difficult history, the Chechen people managed to preserve their traditions and culture. Of course, the course of time has made its own adjustments, but the customs of family upbringing, hospitality, and respect for women still dominate among Chechens. And that means that time changes everything for the better, testing the people for the strength of moral principles and confirming the Chechen proverb: "he who does not keep up with the times risks falling under its wheel."
The article was prepared within the framework of the project of the Scientific Society of Caucasian Studies "Ethno-cultural diversity of Russia as a factor in the formation of a common civic identity", carried out with the support of the All-Russian public organization Society "Knowledge"
Caucasians prepare carefully for marriage, since the creation of a young family, the continuation of the family is considered a particularly important event in the life path of everyone. The ancient traditions of the Chechen wedding are also present in modern marriage. This great holiday is shrouded in original rituals, colorful elements of Caucasian culture. The girl marries, and the man marries strictly with the consent of the parents of both families.
Features of the wedding traditions of the Chechen people
According to the traditions of the Chechen wedding, the name of the future bride is carefully checked on the maternal and paternal lines of three generations in order to avoid possible incest. In addition, the bride is evaluated, taking into account the wealth of her relatives, the reviews of neighbors and acquaintances. The groom must accumulate a decent amount of money, since his family will treat all the guests invited to the wedding, a lot of money will be required for matchmaking and ransom of the bride.
Matchmaking among Chechens takes place in a peculiar way. Even during the acquaintance, the guy who liked the girl, as an intermediary, passed her a candy as a sign of interest, attention to her. The girl "reciprocated" - gave the man two handkerchiefs. Such courtship was repeated two more times, after which the young man learned from the girl the final decision regarding the creation of an alliance between them. The last word was for the father of the Chechen.
Ransom of the bride and bride price
There is an erroneous opinion that the bridegroom literally “buys” the bride from her parents. In fact, this is a psychological step, the essence of which is to show one's worth, generosity. By ransom, the Chechens showed their gratitude to the bride's parents for their daughter, extolling the essence of a person over material values. The sum of the kalym is said by the mullah. But the relatives of the young man always give more money, demonstrating their good intentions, a positive attitude towards the bride and her family. Kalym is usually given to the bride as the first capital to start a married life.
Rite of "Chokhi"
On the eve of dressing the bride in a wedding dress, a ritual bathing was held. The bath was fumigated with fragrant herbs, and infusions of medicinal herbs were added to the water. On the clean and fresh skin of the girl, symbolic drawings were applied - stripes on the back and arms. Then they performed the rite of "Chokhi". The relatives of the newlywed's aunts and friends pinned a new needle to the hem of the wedding dress from the evil eye and evil forces. Beans, an ear of corn, apricot or peach pits were secretly hidden to the bride's dowry. This action was a wish for the girl to become a mother of many children.
The newlywed was given a beautiful handkerchief, inside of which a silver ruble and a ribbon were wrapped. The bride kept these gifts, along with a needle on the hem of her dress, all her life as an expensive relic. Further ransom was carried out by the young friends of the groom. Fun, ringing laughter, eloquent arguments from both sides (the bride and groom) about who the newlywed belongs to, reigned in the courtyard of the young woman. The hero of the occasion collected a dowry, then the wedding cortege headed to the house of her betrothed. The guests went home, leaving only relatives of the young woman who had come from afar.
The arrival of the mullah for marriage
The rite of marriage according to the Koran is performed by a mullah, a representative of the Muslim clergy, first in the house of the newlywed, then at the groom's. All strangers left the dwelling, except for the bride herself, the best man and two already married women. The ritual was performed from the evil eye, leaving only the above listed participants in the room in the room. The best man led the young woman around the hearth three times, then tore the iron chain or rope. This rite symbolized the daughter's break with her family.
Mulla performed the same procedure in the bride's room, where two men were present. It did not matter who testified in front of the groom - young guys or married men. The task of the mullah is to have time to perform the rite of marriage between the groom and his betrothed, until the wedding cortege with the bride arrives at the house of a young man. After the ceremony, in both families it was believed that the young were already married.
wedding train
A wedding procession is being prepared in the groom's courtyard, the purpose of which is to bring the newlywed to her future home. The wedding train is formed from a large number of cars. The first and most attractive car is for the bride. The wisest old men, the sister of the betrothed, a Muslim priest (mullah) are going on the road. The wedding train quickly rushes to the bride's house, with each driver trying to overtake his neighbor on the road. Such “races” are stopped by the first car for the bride, slowing down to avoid accidents.
The guests of the bride and relatives are looking forward to the groom's wedding cortege. And when the "train" has already arrived, the guests get to know each other. Everywhere reigns fun, laughter. The bride's parents treat the arriving guests with various delicacies. Then begins the symbolic "matchmaking" and zaohalol - Chechen dances. After some time, the procession takes the bride, the wedding train takes the bride to the house of the upcoming holiday. There, the bride is shown the corner where she will stand until the end of the wedding celebration.
Tradition “Rug with a broom”
Upon the arrival of the wedding train, the bride will have another test - a rug with a broom. The newlywed, to the joyful exclamations, congratulations of the guests, goes out onto the carpet to the mother-in-law's house. In front of her are a broom and a small rug. Her task is not to miss these "gifts", showing her thriftiness, to take them aside. Chechen women on the part of the betrothed shower the young woman with money, sweets, present the mother-in-law with a spoonful of butter and honey, and then give the daughter-in-law a taste.
The custom of "Mott bastar" - "untying the tongue"
With the onset of evening, the bride is involved in the ancient rite of "untying the tongue." There is always a mother-in-law, adult men. The newlywed presents a bowl of water to the elder of the wedding. To his question, is it possible to drink, the young woman replies: “Drink.” But before that, the young guys laugh, entertain the bride, trying to get her to talk. The girl must endure not to utter a word. The groom, after hearing “drink,” also tries to talk to his wife. The bride "unties her tongue" only after the groom gives her money. According to tradition, she transfers this amount to her mother-in-law.
Tradition - taking the daughter-in-law to the water
A young Chechen daughter-in-law, after a noisy wedding celebration, had to enter the groom's family according to a special ceremony. Already a married woman in a cheerful environment of youth was taken to the nearest reservoir. The daughter-in-law carried a large jug, and had to draw water after the ritual. The day before, they baked a cake inside with a needle that was on the hem of the bride's dress during the wedding. This cake was thrown into a pond, then shot at the culinary product. All cheerful and happy with water in a jug returned to the village.
Tradition and rules of the Chechen wedding feast
The wedding event is celebrated by Chechens for two or three days, regardless of the weather - in the yard. The bridegroom these days is with his friend. The bride, according to the tradition of the Chechen wedding, must stand at the celebration, never sitting down. Near her is only a friend who was allowed to eat. Inal-tamada, respected people of the village sat at the most honorable place of the wedding table. Girls sat on one side of them, men on the other, and by age. Children and teenagers stood at the festive table.
After congratulations to the parents of the young, dancing began. Everyone attended the wedding. The dance floor was divided into two parts - men and women danced separately in semicircles. The dance toastmaster led the dances, organized pairs of dancers. The bride stood modestly and silently in the corner. A few hours later, the mother-in-law opened the veil to her daughter-in-law. Later, the young woman was presented with gifts, then sent home to the groom.
Chechens are considered the most ancient people of the world, the inhabitants of the Caucasus. According to archaeologists, at the dawn of human civilization, the Caucasus was the center in which human culture was born.
Those whom we used to call Chechens appeared in the 18th century in the North Caucasus due to the separation of several ancient families. They passed through the Argun Gorge along the Main Range of the Caucasus and settled in the mountainous part of the modern republic.
The Chechen people have centuries-old traditions, a national language, an ancient and original culture. The history of this people can serve as an example of building relationships and cooperation with different nationalities and their neighbors.
Culture and life of the Chechen people
Since the III century, the Caucasus has been a place where the paths of civilizations of farmers and nomads crossed, the cultures of different ancient civilizations of Europe, Asia and the Mediterranean came into contact. This was reflected in mythology, oral folk art and culture.
Unfortunately, the recording of the Chechen folk epic began rather late. This is due to the armed conflicts that shook this country. As a result, huge layers of folk art - pagan mythology, the Nart epic - were irretrievably lost. The creative energy of the people was swallowed up by the war.
A sad contribution was made by the policy pursued by the leader of the Caucasian highlanders - Imam Shamil. He saw democratic, popular culture as a threat to his rule. For more than 25 years of his tenure in power in Chechnya, the following were banned: folk music and dances, art, mythology, observance of national rituals and traditions. Only religious chants were allowed. All this had a negative impact on the creativity and culture of the people. But Chechen identity cannot be killed.
Traditions and customs of the Chechen people
Part of the daily life of Chechens is the observance of traditions that have been passed down by previous generations. They have been building up over the centuries. Some are written in the code, but there are also unwritten rules, which, nevertheless, remain important for everyone in whom Chechen blood flows.
hospitality rules
The roots of this good tradition originate in the mists of time. Most families lived in difficult, difficult places. They always provided the traveler with shelter and food. A person, familiar or not, needs it - he received it without unnecessary questions. This is done in all families. The theme of hospitality runs like a red line throughout the folk epic.
Custom associated with the guest. If he liked the thing in the host home, then this thing should be presented to him.
And more about hospitality. With guests, the host takes a position closer to the door, saying that the guest is important here.
The owner sits at the table until the last guest. It is indecent to interrupt the meal first.
If a neighbor or relative, albeit a distant one, comes in, then young men and younger family members will serve them. Women should not show themselves to guests.
Man and woman
Many may have the opinion that women's rights are violated in Chechnya. But this is not so - a mother who has raised a worthy son has an equal voice in decision-making.
When a woman enters the room, the men who are there stand up.
Special ceremonies and decorum must be performed for the guest who has arrived.
When a man and a woman walk side by side, the woman should be one step behind. A man must be the first to accept danger.
The wife of a young husband first feeds his parents, and only then her husband.
If there is a relationship between a guy and a girl, even if it is very distant, the relationship between them is not approved, but this is not a gross violation of tradition.
Family
If the son reached for a cigarette and the father finds out about it, he should make a suggestion through his mother about the harm and inadmissibility of this, and he himself should immediately give up this habit.
In a quarrel or fight between children, parents must first scold their child, and only then figure out who is right and who is wrong.
A grave insult for a man if someone touches his hat. This is tantamount to a publicly received slap in the face.
The younger must always let the elder pass, let him go first. At the same time, he must say hello politely and respectfully.
It is extremely tactless to interrupt the elder or start a conversation without his request or permission.
I read somewhere here a topic about what a girl should know if she wants to marry a Chechen. I want to write my own version, because I am one!)
Let's start with the fact that the Chechens have a woman in great honor and respect, she has a special social status. A woman is healthier - the mistress of the fire / hearth, a man is only the owner of the house. Women are welcomed standing up, especially the elderly. It is the greatest shame for a Chechen not to honor his mother and her relatives. In Chechnya, they don’t let a woman go ahead, she must go behind, enter only after a man. The tradition of letting a woman go forward appeared in the days of food people, a man was a prey, so the weight of his life was heavier, but if there was a predator in the cave, he attacked the woman first. Chechens, on the contrary, the man should be the first to take the danger. I'll tell you about how a woman should dress, not any mini-skirts in Chechnya! no tight-fitting trousers, necklines, transparent blouses, T-shirts. Shoulders should be closed, legs too, at least knee-deep. When you come to your husband's family, you must respect his parents, do not argue with them. Now you wake up in the family, his mother can help you, but is not obliged. Chechens are very clean, there should always be order in the house. You should not show affection for your husband in front of his relatives, no hugs, little people, shooting eyes, behave modestly. It is desirable for you to learn the language, because by this you show that you respect its traditions. his mentality. But this is a plus for you too, you can often get into such situations when everyone speaks Chechen, and you don’t understand anything, at first it seemed to me that everyone was discussing me during conversations .... and besides, personally it would be humiliating for me not to know the language of my children, but who cares. Accept the fact that your children will be Muslims. Chechens are more happy with the birth of a son than a daughter, because the son is the successor of the family. Chechens are also very hospitable people, do not be surprised if there are always guests in your house. If you go to visit, then you should immediately offer your help to the hostess, but do not impose yourself, if you said no, then sit quietly. Also, be prepared for attacks from the female part of your husband’s relatives, they can show you their displeasure openly , or they can quietly plot on you. Chechen women do not like when they marry Russians, and this is not because they are all so evil and nasty, but because the wars that took place in Chechnya claimed many lives. At the moment, there are 20% more women in Chechnya. Well, it turns out that they already have few guys, and we are still here, we are taking away someone's potential groom!) In general, everything suits me. I am a housewife, I work at home, my husband does not let me go to a normal job, but I don’t want to, I’ve done all the housework and do what you want for your pleasure. ) I look at the life of my sisters and understand that I am very lucky. All my sisters have fights and scandals at home, either my husband came drunk, or he didn’t come at all, or he doesn’t give money, or something else!) And I have the complete opposite, we don’t swear, we don’t scandal, my husband doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke .He never raised his hand to me. Every day I only hear that I am the best, the most beautiful, that I am his gift from above. In general, I live like in a fairy tale!) The main thing is to understand their whole mentality, to accept their adats ... I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for anything for the sake of my beloved, especially in this case, to the detriment of myself, I don’t do anything.