Self-name - Adyghe. Indigenous population of Kabardino-Balkaria. They also live in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories and North Ossetia. The number in Russia is 386 thousand people (1989), including more than 300 thousand in Kabardino-Balkaria. They belong to the intermediate between the Caucasian and Pontic anthropological type of the Balkan-Caucasian race of the large Caucasoid race.

Language

They speak the Kabardino-Circassian language of the Abkhaz-Adyghe group of the North Caucasian family. Writing based on the Russian alphabet. The Russian language is also widespread.

Religion

Believing Sunni Muslims, Mozdok Kabardians are mostly Orthodox Christians.

Story

The ancestors of the Kabardians, as well as other Adyghe peoples (modern Adyghe and Circassians), were the aboriginal population of the North and North-Western Caucasus. They are known in the I - VI centuries. as zihi, in the XIII - XIX centuries. like Circassians. In the middle of the 1st millennium, part of the Circassians were driven back by the Huns beyond the Kuban. In the XIII - XV centuries. there was a reverse movement in the Central Ciscaucasia, culminating in the formation of the Kabardian people and the formation of Kabarda as an independent political unit. In 1557, Kabarda voluntarily joined Russia. The social system of the XVI - XVIII centuries. - feudalism, the council of feudal lords elected the supreme prince of the wali. Survival archaic forms of public authority were preserved: popular meetings, secret men's unions. From the second half of the XIX century. under the influence of Russian culture, the pace of socio-economic development increases, and a national intelligentsia appears.

The processes of ethnic consolidation of the Kabardians intensified with the receipt of autonomy in Soviet times. In 1921, the Kabardian Autonomous Okrug was formed as part of the RSFSR, and in 1936, the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (now the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic).

Ethnography

The traditional occupations of the Kabardians are arable farming and distant pastoralism, mainly horse breeding (the Kabardian breed has gained worldwide fame). Trades and crafts are developed: men's blacksmithing, weapons, jewelry, women's fulling, felt, gold embroidery. Traditional sewing motifs are stylized elements of the animal and plant world, horn-shaped curls are characteristic.

The layout of settlements until the middle of the XIX century. cumulus, then street. The princes, nobles and wealthy peasants, in addition to a residential building, built a house (yard) for guests - kunatskaya.

The dwelling is turluch, rectangular in shape, with a gable or four-slope thatched roof. Cob and stone buildings, roofs made of iron and tiles appeared in the second half of the 19th century. The dwelling is divided into several rooms with separate entrances - according to the number of segments of a large family.

Traditional men's costume - a Circassian coat with a stacked silver belt and a dagger, a papakha, morocco boots with leggings; upper - cloak, sheepskin coat, hood. Traditional women's clothing - harem pants, a tunic-shaped shirt, a long toe-length oar dress on top, silver and gold belts and bibs, a cap embroidered with gold, and morocco boots.

Traditional food - boiled and fried lamb, beef, turkey, chicken, broths from them, sour milk, cottage cheese. Dried and smoked lamb is widespread, from which shish kebab is made. Meat dishes are served with pasta (cooked millet porridge). Drink - makhsima is made from millet flour with malt.

Arabic kinship system. In the sphere of spiritual culture, a special place is occupied by Adyghe Khabze - a set of traditional norms and rules of behavior and behavior (etiquette). Traditional games and spectacles were of a paramilitary nature (shooting at moving and stationary targets, shooting at a target at a gallop, wrestling of riders for a sheepskin, fighting horsemen and footmen armed with sticks, etc.). Folklore is rich: the Nart epic, historical and heroic songs, etc.

Sources:

• The peoples of the world. Historical and ethnographic reference book. - M., 1988.

Kabardians (self-name - Adyga) - one of the "titular" peoples of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Modern Kabardians, Adyghes, Circassians belong to the Adygs. Adygs are an autochthonous people of the Caucasus. Since the Middle Ages, they have been known in the historical literature under the name "Circassians".

Adygs are an ancient people. In the past, they had cultural and historical ties with Circumpontia, the peoples of Asia Minor and the Middle East. How the ethnos of the Adygs formed in the Bronze Age, when they became the founders of the "Maikop Culture". In ancient sources they appear as Meots. This ethnic group also included several tribes: Sinds, Akhei, Kerkets, Zikhkhs. Already in the first millennium BC. The Meotians had economic and cultural ties with the Cimmerians and Greek cities. Such cooperation with the peoples developed at that time led to the formation of the state of Sindika. In the second half of the first millennium AD. the unification of the Adyghe tribes was completed - the Confederation of Zikhkhs was formed with the capital Nikopsis. In the early Middle Ages, the Circassians called themselves "Zikhkhs".

In Arabic, Russian, Persian historical documents of the 10th-12th centuries, the Adygs are also called "kasogs" ("kashaks").

By the middle of the 9th century, the Zihkh confederation (it is also called the "state of Prince Inal") collapsed. A new unification of the Adyghe tribes took place after the defeat of the Khazars by Russian troops. In the X - XI centuries. it annexed the Tmutarakan principality, where the Zikhkh archbishopric was located.

By the 12th century, the Tmutarakan principality joined Byzantium. During this period, the separation of the Adyghe tribes begins, the direct result of which is the beginning of the formation of the Kabardian sub-ethnos in the central part of the North Caucasus. In the 13th century, the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars significantly changed the ethno-political picture of the North Caucasus. Since that time, as mentioned above, the term "Circassian" appears - the common name of all the Adyghe tribes.

XII - XIV centuries - the era of the emergence in the Central Caucasus of a new powerful association of Adyghe tribes, the territory of which from the XV century began to be called "Keberdei" ("Kabarda"), and the people living in it, Kabardians. The economic and political heyday of Kabarda falls on the 16th-17th centuries, when public institutions were firmly established - the supreme prince, the khase (council), and the courts. It was during this period that Kabarda began to stand out from other national-territorial formations of the North Caucasus with a high standard of living of the population and its original culture.

In 1557, Russia and Kabarda entered into a military-political alliance. The formation of this alliance was facilitated by the extradition of the daughter of the Supreme Prince of Kabarda, Temryuk Idarov, Guashanya (Maria) to the Russian Tsar Ivan IV. Kabardian princes began to travel to Moscow to serve the sovereign. Their names entered the history of Russia as the powerful princes of Cherkasy, who played an outstanding role in strengthening the Russian state.

In the first half of the 18th century, there were serious conflicts and disputes over the right to own Kabarda between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. According to the Belgrade Peace Treaty of 1739, Kabarda was recognized as an independent state, but since the 60s, Russia has embarked on the path of a colonial policy towards the Caucasus. The first blow was dealt to Kabarda, and it lost its independence in the initial stage (1763 - 1822) of the Caucasian War. The war ended on May 21, 1864 with the conquest of Western Circassia by the tsarist troops. After the end of the war, most of the Circassians, including the Kabardians, moved to the Ottoman Empire.

In 1921, the Kabardians gained their statehood in the form of autonomy - the Kabardian Autonomous Region was formed as part of the RSFSR. In 1922, Balkaria joined it, in 1936 it became a republic - the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, since 1992 it was renamed the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

Kabardians are Sunni Muslims by religion, with the exception of Orthodox Kabardians living in the city of Mozdok and a number of adjacent settlements.

August 21st, 2012

I returned from the Caucasus. We started in Teberda - this is Karachay-Cherkessia, and the Baskan Gorge is Kabardino-Balkaria. We were returning from the Baskan Gorge with a rather interesting driver - a horseman named Murat. Murat is a Balkar. He told interesting things about the Balkars and other inhabitants of the mountains.

“The Balkars are the indigenous people of the Caucasus. When the plague crossed into the Baskan Gorge, the head of a large family, Karacha, gathered his people and left through the passes. This is how the Karachays turned out. And so we are one people. Traditions alone, faith, language. Our language is Turkish. So we understand, for example, the Nogais who live in Pyatigorsk. Our alphabet is similar to Russian, but it has the letter Kg (something between g and k).
Circassians - they lived on the Black Sea coast, robbed ships, and then they were forced out, and they came to the mountains, where the Karachays lived. The Cheres are a very warlike people. And the Kabardians are gypsies, from India, from those parts, they also came to the mountains where the Balkars lived. There are now more of them in Karardino-Balkaria than Balkars, about 8 times more. And they occupy all government positions. And their language is not Turkic, we do not understand each other.”

And a little Wikipedia about Kabardians and Balkars.
Balkarians (Karach-Balk. taulula - literally: "highlanders") - Turkic-speaking people North Caucasus indigenous peopleKabardino-Balkaria inhabiting mainly gorges and foothillsCentral Caucasus along the river valleys Malka, Baksan, Chegem, Cherek and their tributaries. In fact, the Balkars are one with Karatsaev people divided administratively into two parts. Karachays - indigenous people Karachay-Cherkessia, inhabiting mainly its mountainous and foothill regions along the river valleysKuban, Teberda, Malka, Dzheguta, Zelenchuk, Bolshaya Laba and their tributaries.
They belong to the Caucasian anthropological type of a large Caucasian race. Balkar (Karachai) people formed in the territory Central Caucasus as a result of a long historical development of three fundamental ethnic components:
a) the descendants of the most ancient autochthonous-Caucasian population of the Copper-Stone, Bronze and Early Iron Ages of the 4th-1st millennium BC. e. (especially tribes Koban culture);
b) Alans-Ases (II-I centuries BC - XIII century AD);
in) Bulgars (I millennium AD) and Polovtsy-Kipchaks.
They speak Karachay-Balkar language Turkic family of languages.

Kabardians and Cheres belong to the group of Circassians. Adygs (or Circassians ) - the common name of a single people in Russia and abroad, divided into Kabardians, Circassians, Ubykhs, Adyghes and Shapsugs. In 1 thousand BC. e. on the east coast Black Sea settledMeotian tribes who are the direct ancestors of the modern Adygs.
Kabardians speakKabardino-Circassian language(adygebze), referring to Abkhaz-Adyghe groups e Caucasian languages. Until the middle of the 19th century, writing did not exist, since not a single reliable written source was found. March 14th 1936 for writing used Cyrillic.

A few more dialogues with Murat about the peoples of the Caucasus:
- And who are you? Khokhols?
- We are Ukrainians, speaking respectfully, it is better not to use the word “crest”
- What do you mean, I didn’t mean to offend you, I love all peoples, except for the Kabardians.
- Do you have friends - Kabardians?
- There are several. But mostly, they are not good people. For example, there will be a construction site. One and the same project, owner, foreman. But one building is being built by the Kabardians, the other by the Balkars. You can’t even buy a brick from a Balkar, but from a Kabardian you can even buy a whole construction site.
- Balkarians are so honest?
- Not the right word, rather obligatory, respect the deed.

And a few more wonderful quotes from Murat:
About seat belts. “Dzhigit does not fasten himself to a horse. Only when entering the territory of the Russian Federation. I'll tell you when you need to bond, girls"
About a slowly moving car “Oh, you are an eagle! .... Room!”
About working as a lifeguard on Elbrus, about bad weather and about his wife “It will do!”))
And of course, it will be difficult to forget the serpentines of the Baksan Gorge, the speed of about a hundred, two phones in both hands and a car driven by elbows.
And also the translation of the song from Balkar - “Oh, Elbrus, you have a white cloak and you attract clouds to you.” That's what you can not argue with, so it's with this))

And one lovely quote from a very nervous driver with whom we were driving to Teberda:
“When a woman rules, there will be no order!”

Faces of Russia. "Living Together, Being Different"

The Faces of Russia multimedia project has existed since 2006, telling about Russian civilization, the most important feature of which is the ability to live together, remaining different - this motto is especially relevant for the countries of the entire post-Soviet space. From 2006 to 2012, as part of the project, we created 60 documentaries about representatives of various Russian ethnic groups. Also, 2 cycles of radio programs "Music and songs of the peoples of Russia" were created - more than 40 programs. Illustrated almanacs have been released to support the first series of films. Now we are halfway to creating a unique multimedia encyclopedia of the peoples of our country, a picture that will allow the inhabitants of Russia to recognize themselves and leave a picture of what they were like for posterity.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Faces of Russia". Kabardians. "Milky Way", 2006

General information

KABARD'INTS, Adyghe (self-name), people in Russia (numbering 386 thousand people), the indigenous population of Kabardino-Balkaria (about 364 thousand people). They also live in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories and North Ossetia. The total number within the former USSR is about 391 thousand people. They also live in many countries of Southeast Asia, Western Europe and North America. They speak the Kabardino-Circassian language of the Abkhaz-Adyghe group of the North Caucasian family. Writing based on the Russian alphabet. Believers are Sunni Muslims, Mozdok Kabardians are mostly Orthodox Christians.

According to the 2002 population census, the number of Kabardians living in Russia is 520 thousand people. Number in Russia according to the 2010 census. - 516 thousand 826 people.

Together with the Adyghes and Circassians, they constitute the ethnic community of the Adyghes. The ancestors of the Kabardians, like other Adyghe peoples, were the aboriginal population of the North and North-Western Caucasus. They are known in the 1st-6th centuries as Zikhs, in the 13th-19th centuries as Circassians. In the middle of the 1st millennium, part of the Circassians were driven back by the Huns beyond the Kuban. In the 13th-15th centuries, a reverse movement was observed in the Central Ciscaucasia, culminating in the formation of Kabarda - an independent political unit and the formation of the Kabardian people. In 1557, the supreme prince of Kabarda, Temryuk, asked the Russian Tsar Ivan IV to take him under his hand; in 1774, according to the Kyuchuk-Kainarji agreement with Turkey, Kabarda was ceded to Russia.

In the 16-18 centuries, there was a tributary dependence of a part of neighboring Ossetians, Chechens, Ingush, Balkars, Karachays, Abazins from Kabardian princes. Archaic forms of power were preserved: popular meetings, secret men's unions.

In 1921, the Kabardian Autonomous Okrug was formed as part of the RSFSR; in 1922, the united Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Okrug was formed; in 1936 it was transformed into the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. From 1944 to 1957, when the Balkars were forcibly deported, the republic existed as the Kabardian ASSR. In 1957 the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was restored. In January 1991, the Supreme Council of Kabardino-Balkaria adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty and proclaimed the Kabardino-Balkarian SSR, since March 1992 the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. An important role in the national movement is played by the Congress of the Kabardian People (created in 1991).

Traditional occupations are arable farming and transhumance cattle breeding, mainly horse breeding (the Kabardian breed has gained worldwide fame). Trades and crafts are developed: men's - blacksmithing, weapons, jewelry, women's - fulling, felt, gold embroidery.

The layout of the settlements until the middle of the 19th century was cumulus, then street. The princes, nobles and wealthy peasants, in addition to a residential building, built a house (yard) for guests - kunatskaya. The dwelling is turluch, rectangular in shape, with a gable or four-slope thatched roof. Cob and stone buildings, iron roofs and tiles appeared in the second half of the 19th century.

Traditional men's costume - a Circassian coat with a stacked silver belt and a dagger, a papakha, morocco boots with leggings; upper - cloak, sheepskin coat, hood. Traditional women's clothing - harem pants, a tunic-shaped shirt, a long toe-length oar dress on top, silver and gold belts and bibs, a cap embroidered with gold, and morocco boots.

Traditional food - boiled and fried lamb, beef, turkey, chicken, broths from them, sour milk, cottage cheese. Dried and smoked lamb is widespread, from which barbecue is made. Meat dishes are served with pasta (cooked millet porridge). Drink - makhsima is made from millet flour with malt.

At least until the 19th century, the extended family prevailed. Then the small family became widespread, but its way of life remained patriarchal. The power of the father of the family, the subordination of the younger elders and women to men are reflected in etiquette, including avoidance between spouses, parents and children, each of the spouses and older relatives of the other. There was a neighborhood-community and family-patronymic organization with family exogamy, neighborly and kindred mutual assistance. By the 19th century blood feud had been largely supplanted by compositions. Atalism was widespread in the upper classes. Hospitality, which had a ritualized, even sacralized character, was highly valued, as well as kunachestvo.

Modern life is increasingly urbanized, but it retains many traditional features. Food preferences and many national dishes are preserved. Basically, the rules of etiquette are preserved, especially in relations between older and younger, men and women, at a feast.

Much attention was paid to Adyghe Khabze - a set of customary law, moral precepts and rules of etiquette. Many elements of the Adyghe Khabze, along with such elements of material culture well adapted to military life as men's clothing, saddlery, horse riding, etc., widely spread among neighboring peoples.

In the spiritual culture, starting from the 15th century, the influence of Islam increased, which more and more supplanted pagan and Christian beliefs. Traditional games and spectacles were of a paramilitary nature: shooting at fixed and moving targets, shooting at a gallop, riders fighting for a sheepskin, fighting horsemen and footmen armed with sticks. Folklore is rich: the Nart epic, historical and heroic songs, etc. Traditional pictorial motifs are stylized elements of the animal and plant world, horn-shaped curls are characteristic.

The Kabardians, like other Adyghe peoples, have a strong desire for ethnic self-assertion and cultural revival. The "Khasa" ("People's Assembly") society was created. Connections with the same-named societies of Circassians and Adyghes have been established. The World Circassian Association was established. There is a noticeable desire to restore the Islamic worldview and cult, the everyday prescriptions of Islam.

B.H. Bgazhnokov, Ya.S. Smirnova

Essays

Respect Above All

Among Kabardians, it is considered impolite to disturb the elderly and elders with their requests, distracting them from high and eternal thoughts. According to the norms of Kabardian etiquette, it is not customary to call out to an elder, therefore there is no speech formula that would serve these purposes. To address young people, well-established phrases are used, which in translation sound like “my boy”, “my girl”, “my beauty ". There is also the form "good guy" - something like a synonym for the Russian expression "good fellow." When addressing older people (strangers, non-natives, strangers), Kabardians can say: “Di ane” - “Our mother”, “Di ade” - “Our father”. Grandchildren turn to grandparents "Nane", "Dade". There are also more polite forms: “Shi nane dahe”, “Shi nane dyshche”, “Shi nane gupse” (“My nana is beautiful”, “My golden nana”, “My nana, which is the soul of my heart”). Etiquette provides for such tenderness in addressing people of any age in order to cultivate culture, a friendly and respectful attitude towards people. In the Kabardian language, there are no such usual farewell formulas for Russians as “Goodbye!”, “See you!”, “See you tomorrow! ", "Goodbye!". In similar cases, the Kabardians say: "God willing, we'll meet again, see you." Kabardians speak the Kabardian-Circassian language, which belongs to the Abkhaz-Adyghe group of Iberian-Caucasian languages. There are four main dialects of this language: Bolshaya Kabarda, Mozdok, Besleney and Kuban. Writing in the Kabardino-Circassian language was created after 1917, initially on the basis of the Latin alphabet, and since 1936 on the basis of the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. The Kabardian language has an abundance of consonants. There are only three vowels - "a", "e", "s".

All the wisdom of life in Adyghe Khabze

According to the 2002 census, the number of Kabardians living in Russia is 520 thousand people. Including in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic - almost 499 thousand.

Kabardians belong to the indigenous population of Kabardino-Balkaria, but they also live in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories and in North Ossetia. Their total number within the former USSR is about 391 thousand people. Believers are predominantly Sunni Muslims, but Kabardians from Mozdok are mostly Orthodox Christians.

Together with the Adyghes and Circassians, the Kabardians constitute the ethnic community of the Adygs. The ancestors of the Kabardians, like other Adyghe peoples, were the aboriginal population of the North and North-Western Caucasus. They appear in the 1st-6th centuries as Zikhs, in the 13th-19th centuries as Circassians. In the middle of the 1st millennium, part of the Circassians were driven back by the Huns beyond the Kuban. In the XIII-XV centuries, a reverse movement was observed in the Central Ciscaucasia. It ended with the formation of Kabarda - an independent political unit and the formation of the Kabardian people. In 1557, the Supreme Prince of Kabarda, Temryuk, asked the Russian Tsar Ivan IV to take him under his hand. In 1774, according to the Kyuchuk-Kainarji agreement with Turkey, Kabarda was ceded to Russia. In the XVI-XVIII centuries, there was a tributary dependence of part of the neighboring Ossetians, Chechens, Ingush, Balkars, Karachays, Abazins from the Kabardian princes. Archaic forms of power were preserved: popular meetings, secret men's unions.

In 1921, the Kabardian Autonomous Okrug was formed as part of the RSFSR, since 1922 - the united Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Okrug, in 1936 it was transformed into the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1944, the Balkars were forcibly deported to Central Asia. The word "Balkarian" disappeared from the name of the republic. In 1957, the former name was restored. In January 1991, the Supreme Soviet of Kabardino-Balkaria adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty and proclaimed the Kabardino-Balkarian SSR. Since March 1992 - the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. An important role in the national movement is played by the Congress of the Kabardian People (created in 1991).

The traditional occupations of the Kabardians are arable farming and pasture cattle breeding, mainly horse breeding. The Kabardian breed of horses has gained worldwide fame. Trades and crafts are developed.

The layout of the settlements until the middle of the 19th century was cumulus, then street. The princes, nobles and wealthy peasants, in addition to a residential building, built a house (yard) for guests - kunatskaya. The dwelling of the Kabardians is rectangular in shape, with a gable or four-slope thatched roof. Stone buildings, iron roofs and tiles appeared in the second half of the 19th century.

The traditional men's costume is a Circassian coat with a stacked silver belt and a dagger, a papakha, and morocco boots with leggings. Outerwear - cloak, sheepskin coat, hood. The traditional women's costume includes: harem pants, a tunic-shaped shirt, a long toe-length swing dress on top, silver and gold belts, bibs, a cap embroidered with gold, morocco dudes. Traditional food is boiled and fried lamb, beef, turkey, chicken, broths from them, sour milk, cottage cheese.

Until the 19th century, the Kabardians were dominated by a large family. Then a small family became widespread, but its way of life remained patriarchal, which means: the power of the father of the family, the subordination of the younger members of the family to the elders, women to men. There was also a neighborhood-community and family-patronymic organization with family exogamy, neighborly and kindred mutual assistance. By the 19th century, blood feud had largely been supplanted by composition (ransom, remuneration in favor of the victim). In the upper classes, atalism was widespread (the upbringing of children of the highest nobility in special families - outside the home). Hospitality, which had a ritualized, even sacralized character, as well as kunachestvo was and is still highly valued. Many elements of the Adyghe Khabze, along with such elements of material culture well adapted to military life as men's clothing, saddlery, horse riding, widely spread among neighboring peoples.

Since the 15th century, the influence of Islam has been increasing in the spiritual culture of the Kabardians, so pagan and Christian beliefs are practically being replaced. The traditional games and spectacles of the Kabardians are paramilitary in nature: shooting at stationary and moving targets, shooting at a gallop, horsemen fighting for a sheepskin, fighting horsemen and footmen armed with sticks. Folklore is rich: the Nart epic, historical and heroic songs, fairy tales, proverbs. Traditional pictorial motifs are stylized elements of the animal and plant world, horn-shaped curls are characteristic.

The Kabardians, like other Adyghe peoples, have a strong desire for ethnic self-affirmation and cultural revival. The society "Khasa" ("People's Assembly") was created. Relations with the same-named societies of Circassians and Adyghes have been established. The World Circassian Association was established. There is a noticeable desire to restore the Islamic worldview and cult, the everyday prescriptions of Islam. Modern life is urbanizing, but many traditional features are retained in it. The rules of etiquette are also imperishable, especially in relations between older and younger, men and women. And also everything that is included in the concept of "feast". This is also sacred, eternal.

A wound from a saber heals, from a tongue, no.

The proverbs of the Kabardians (and the Circassians in general) are witty, varied, not without audacity and paradox, which, of course, is valuable. He’s a master on the tongue, but as a matter of fact, he’s left-handed. It’s better to give everything away than to bargain. Whoever has many guests, his children do not starve. eyes, she asked for eyebrows. The disease comes through the eye of a cleaver, and leaves through the eye of a needle. A stupid motley loves. Who does not flatter, he does not deceive. Regarding the last proverb, we can say that we can’t think of a better argument in defense of monogamy.

(self-name), people in Russia (numbering 386 thousand people), the indigenous population of Kabardino-Balkaria (about 364 thousand people). They also live in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories and North Ossetia. The total number within the former USSR is about 391 thousand people. They also live in many countries of Southeast Asia, Western Europe and North America. They speak the Kabardino-Circassian language of the Abkhaz-Adyghe group of the North Caucasian family. Writing based on the Russian alphabet. Believers are Sunni Muslims, Mozdok Kabardians are mostly Orthodox Christians.

Together with the Adyghes and Circassians, they constitute the ethnic community of the Adyghes. The ancestors of the Kabardians, like other Adyghe peoples, were the aboriginal population of the North and North-Western Caucasus. They are known in the I-VI centuries. as zihi, in the XIII-XIX centuries. like Circassians. In the middle of the 1st millennium, part of the Circassians were driven back by the Huns beyond the Kuban. In the XIII-XV centuries. there was a reverse movement to the Central Ciscaucasia, culminating in the formation of Kabarda - an independent political unit and the formation of the Kabardian people. In 1557, the supreme prince of Kabarda, Temryuk, asked the Russian Tsar Ivan IV to take him under his hand; in 1774, according to the Kyuchuk-Kainarji agreement with Turkey, Kabarda was ceded to Russia.

In the XVI-XVIII centuries. there was a tributary dependence of part of the neighboring Ossetians, Chechens, Ingush, Balkars, Karachays, Abazins from the Kabardian princes. Archaic forms of power were preserved: popular meetings, secret men's unions.

In 1921, the Kabardian Autonomous Okrug was formed as part of the RSFSR; in 1922, the united Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Okrug was formed; in 1936 it was transformed into the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. From 1944 to 1957, when the Balkars were forcibly deported, the republic existed as the Kabardian ASSR. In 1957 the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was restored. In January 1991, the Supreme Council of Kabardino-Balkaria adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty and proclaimed the Kabardino-Balkarian SSR, since March 1992 the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. An important role in the national movement is played by the Congress of the Kabardian People (created in 1991).

Traditional occupations are arable farming and transhumance cattle breeding, mainly horse breeding (the Kabardian breed has gained worldwide fame). Trades and crafts are developed: men's - blacksmithing, weapons, jewelry, women's - fulling, felt, gold embroidery.

The layout of the settlements until the middle of the 19th century was cumulus, then street. The princes, nobles and wealthy peasants, in addition to a residential building, built a house (yard) for guests - kunatskaya. The dwelling is turluch, rectangular in shape, with a gable or four-slope thatched roof. Cob and stone buildings, roofs made of iron and tiles appeared in the second half of the 19th century.

Traditional men's costume - a Circassian coat with a stacked silver belt and a dagger, a papakha, morocco boots with leggings; upper - cloak, sheepskin coat, hood. Traditional women's clothing - harem pants, a tunic-shaped shirt, a long toe-length oar dress on top, silver and gold belts and bibs, a cap embroidered with gold, and morocco boots.

Traditional food - boiled and fried lamb, beef, turkey, chicken, broths from them, sour milk, cottage cheese. Dried and smoked lamb is widespread, from which barbecue is made. Meat dishes are served with pasta (cooked millet porridge). Drink - makhsima is made from millet flour with malt.

At least until the 19th century, the extended family prevailed. Then the small family became widespread, but its way of life remained patriarchal. The power of the father of the family, the subordination of the younger elders and women to men are reflected in etiquette, including avoidance between spouses, parents and children, each of the spouses and older relatives of the other. There was a neighborhood-community and family-patronymic organization with family exogamy, neighborly and kindred mutual assistance. By the 19th century blood feud had been largely supplanted by compositions. Atalism was widespread in the upper classes. Hospitality, which had a ritualized, even sacralized character, was highly valued, as well as kunachestvo.

Modern life is increasingly urbanized, but it retains many traditional features. Food preferences and many national dishes are preserved. Basically, the rules of etiquette are preserved, especially in relations between older and younger, men and women, at a feast.

Much attention was paid to Adyghe Khabze - a set of customary law, moral precepts and rules of etiquette. Many elements of the Adyghe Khabze, along with such elements of material culture well adapted to military life as men's clothing, methods of saddle riding, horse riding, etc., were widely spread among neighboring peoples.

In the spiritual culture, starting from the 15th century, the influence of Islam increased, which more and more supplanted pagan and Christian beliefs. Traditional games and spectacles were of a paramilitary nature: shooting at fixed and moving targets, shooting at a gallop, riders fighting for a sheepskin, fighting horsemen and footmen armed with sticks. Folklore is rich: the Nart epic, historical and heroic songs, etc. Traditional pictorial motifs are stylized elements of the animal and plant world, horn-shaped curls are characteristic.

The Kabardians, like other Adyghe peoples, have a strong desire for ethnic self-assertion and cultural revival. The "Khasa" ("People's Assembly") society was created. Connections with the same-named societies of Circassians and Adyghes have been established. The World Circassian Association was established. There is a noticeable desire to restore the Islamic worldview and cult, the everyday prescriptions of Islam.

B. Kh. Bgazhnokov, Ya. S. Smirnova

Peoples and religions of the world. Encyclopedia. M., 2000, p. 207-208.