A meeting of students with Adyghe artists was held at KBSU

As part of the action plan for holding the Year of the Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of Russia, on March 29, a meeting of students with cultural and art workers of the KBR in the Kabardian language was held at the Boiling Point of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H. M. Berbekov. The main goal of the event is to popularize the Adyghe language and preserve the Adyghe culture. The topic of the conversation was “Wedding customs and traditions of the Kabardians”. Invited speaker Timur Nakhushev — DzheguakIue (the common name for the Adyghe folk messengers, poets, storytellers.) and khetyyakIue (organizer, master of ceremonies of Adyghe ritual dances and games) with more than 10 years of experience. Timur’s profession has been considered very honorable in the Caucasus since ancient times. The dzheguakIue Institute was a significant stratum in society, the performers of this role had the status of immunity, had an unlimited right to speak on behalf of the offended and disadvantaged estates and classes of society.
“I was born in an orthodox family, where everyone spoke their native language and strictly observed folk traditions. At first, I simply suggested to my friends and relatives how to conduct their event correctly and according to customs. Then people began to apply themselves,» — Timur Nakhushev shared. The meeting was held in an informal manner. Students of different directions and courses listened with interest to Timur Nakhushev and asked questions, for example, about how the matchmaking ceremony goes, how the newlyweds should behave in the first year after the wedding. DzheguakIue told what changes the institute of the Kabardian wedding is undergoing now. For example, if in the past kalym was a prerequisite for marriage, now it is already symbolic. Often the bride’s parents themselves refuse to receive bride price, considering it an insult to their dignity. In the past, the bride’s wedding attire was the national dress. Now most often she is dressed in white European. Previously, after taking the bride from her parents’ house, she was temporarily placed in a «foreign house» — in the house of relatives or friends of the groom. Currently, she is being taken directly to the house of the groom’s parents. Many customs of «avoidance» are a thing of the past. For example, newlyweds used to not have the right to appear together in society, but now this is not respected, like many other things.

“Elements of a traditional wedding are slowly but steadily becoming obsolete in the process of reorganizing family life. We, having revived the institute of dzheguakIue, are trying to become an opposing force that will gradually, unobtrusively be able to return our traditional rites and customs,” — said Timur Nakhushev.