Circassian History
From ancient warriors to a global diaspora, the Circassians' enduring spirit transcends centuries of history and hardship.
Introduction
Circassians, also called Cherkess or Adyghe (Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: Adygekher), are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and a nation; native to the historical country-region of Circassia in the North Caucasus.
As a consequence of the Circassian genocide perpetrated by the Russian Empire in the 19th century during the Russo-Circassian War, most Circassians were exiled from their homeland in Circassia to modern-day Turkey and the rest of the Middle East, where most of them are today.
In the early 1990s, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization estimated that there are as many as 3.7 million Circassians in diaspora in over 50 countries.
Circassians have a rich cultural heritage that includes unique traditions, music, dance, and attire. Their traditional music involves the use of instruments such as the shichepshin (a stringed instrument), the pshina (a flute), and the Circassian accordion. The traditional Circassian dance is characterized by its elegance and the striking attire worn by the dancers. Men wear coats with cartridge belts and woolen hats, while women dress in ornate, long dresses with tight sleeves.
Our Language
Circassians mainly speak the Circassian languages, two mutually intelligible languages of the Northwest Caucasian language family, namely Adyghe (West Circassian) and Kabardian (East Adyghe). Adyghe is based on Temirgoy (Chemirgoy) dialect, while Kabardian is based on the dialect of the same name.
Circassians also speak Russian, Turkish, English, Arabic, and Hebrew in large numbers, having been exiled by Russia to lands of the Ottoman Empire, where the majority of them live today, and some to neighboring Persia, to which they came primarily through mass deportations by the Safavids and Qajars or, to a lesser extent, as muhajirs in the 19th century.
Our Flag
The national flag of the Circassians, the Circassian flag consists of a green field charged with 12 gold stars and, in the center, three crossed arrows. The stars represent the 12 historical Circassian provinces: the Abzakh, the Besleney, the Bzhedugh, the Hatuqway, the Kabardians, the Mamkhegh, the Natukhaj, the Shapsugh, the Chemirgoy, the Ubykh, the Yegeruqway and the Zhaney.
Diaspora
Much of Adyghe culture was disrupted after the conquest of their homeland by Russia in 1864. The Circassian people were subjected to ethnic cleansing and mass exile mainly to the Ottoman Empire, and to a lesser extent Qajar Iran and the Balkans.
This increased the number of Circassians in the region and even created several entirely new Circassian communities in the states that got created after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. However, Adyghe have also lived outside the Caucasus region since the Middle Ages. They were particularly well represented in Turkey and Egypt.
Recommended Books
To deepen your understanding of Circassian history and culture, here’s a curated list of books and scholarly articles. This selection aims to provide a comprehensive overview from ancient times to the modern diaspora.
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Circassia: Born to Be Free
Adel Bashqawi
Many Circassian people have been living in diaspora for more than 150 years. They were forcefully driven out of their homeland by a combination of military and political methods.
In this book, author Adel Bashqawi explains the origins, details and outcomes of the Russian-Circassian war and how it was directly responsible for the current situation of Circassians. He discusses the crimes and human rights violations committed against Circassians.
The author sheds light on the evolution of the political situation of Circassians in the homeland and in diaspora until the current day, including the various Circassian political bodies.
The author also deals with the issue of the Circassian identity and possible legal methods that Circassians can utilize to regain their rights.
This book will teach Circassians, young and old, about their history and the history of their homeland. It is a must read for anyone who is interested in the Circassian issue and for anyone who cares about human rights.
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The Circassian Genocide
Walter Richmond
Circassia was a small independent nation on the northeastern shore of the Black Sea. For no reason other than ethnic hatred, over the course of hundreds of raids the Russians drove the Circassians from their homeland and deported them to the Ottoman Empire. At least 600,000 people lost their lives to massacre, starvation, and the elements while hundreds of thousands more were forced to leave their homeland. By 1864, three-fourths of the population was annihilated, and the Circassians had become one of the first stateless peoples in modern history.
Using rare archival materials, Walter Richmond chronicles the history of the war, describes in detail the final genocidal campaign, and follows the Circassians in diaspora through five generations as they struggle to survive and return home. He places the periods of acute genocide, 1821–1822 and 1863–1864, in the larger context of centuries of tension between the two nations and updates the story to the present day as the Circassian community works to gain international recognition of the genocide as the region prepares for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the site of the Russians’ final victory.
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The Circassians: A Handbook
Amjad Jaimoukha
The Circassians have a long history forged in the crucible of their homeland in the mountains and valleys of the Northwest Caucasus. Of the many peoples of the Caucasus, they are notable for their wide and vociferous diaspora, particularly in Turkey and the Middle East. After living for many centuries in comparative obscurity under the shadow of Russia, the Circassians staged a minor comeback after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
As was the case with other regions in the Caucasus, this rebirth into nationhood was swiftly stifled, yet today's Circassian territories have been rediscovered as a cultural and political focus for Circassians globally. This book provides an in-depth description by an insider' of the ancient beliefs, customs and traditions of a remarkable people - offering insights into a fascinating world, much of which has until now remained unknown. This complex universe is unlocked in the hope of spurring more interest in the unique culture of the Circassians.