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Folklore: Myths and Heroes

The most ancient folk tales are about the Atzan midgets and the giant Narts. The Atzans were so small that they could walk on the stems of leaves, but they also displayed great physical power and courage. The downfall of the Atzans came when they rejected the existence of any authority, even God. They defiled their water sources, and committed other sacrileges that compelled God to destroy them by fire. The Nart epics are shared by peoples throughout the North Caucasus. The Narts were warriors who fought, hunted, feasted, and engaged in martial games. they were the hundred giant sons of the same mother, Sataney-guasha, who was known for her great beauty, perennial youth, and wisdom. Her husband became old and feeble, and was not held in esteem. The brothers had one sister named Gunda whose beauty and gentleness drove her sisters-in-law to plot to kill Gunda, for which they were punished. The Nart tales depict the mother-in-law as the victim of her scheming daughters-in-law, unlike European tales, where mothers-in-law are the most likely villains.

Religion: Origin, and Traditional Beliefs

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Christianity was brought to Abkhazia from Byzantium in the 6th century, and the Sunni sect of Islam was introduced by the Turks in the 15th and 16th centuries. Neither of these religions ever completely eroded pagan beliefs that remain very strong. Families may mark both Islamic and Christian holidays, and also conduct pagan rituals. According to the ancient Abkhazian religion, Afy rules the thunder and the weather; Shasta is the protector spirit who rules blacksmiths and the arts; Azhvepshaa is the spirit of the forest, wild animals and hunting; Aitar is the protector of domestic animals. The supreme god is Antzva, the plural form of the word for "mother." There are several sacred sites in Abkhazia where individuals and families pray to the spirits of the Abkhazian pantheon.

Major Holidays

The most important secular holidays are the celebration of the New Year (December 31-January 1), and the Old New Year (January 13-14), according to the Julian Calendar (also known as the Old Style Calendar, which was followed until Soviet government was established). This is a time for family gatherings. Another popular holiday is in the fall, after the harvest, and is called the Lykhnashta (Lykhny Meadow). This brings people from all over Abkhazia to the village of Lykhny where spectators watch breathtaking horse races and equestrian games, and explore outdoor exhibits that boast produce and crafts from dozens of Abkhazian villages. Since 1993, September 30 has been celebrated as Liberation Day, which marks the routing of Georgian armed forces from Abkhazia. There is a parade of Abkhazian military forces, dance and song festivals.

Rites of Passage

It appears as though rites of passage were never part of Abkhazian culture. People gradually move through their life cycle, from one stage or status to another. Until Soviet government was established in the 1920s, Abkhazians did not celebrate birthdays, or keep track of their chronological age. There are terms in the language that denote different stages of life, but there are not any specific ages when these stages begin and end. The terms are defined by the standard of behavior that fits a certain broad range of years in one's life.

Interpersonal Relations: Greetings, Body Language, and Customs

All relationships are guided by an ancient code of honor known in the Abkhazian language as apsuara. This code is more than a set of superficial manners, but a code of behavior dedicated by a profound concept called Abkhazian alamys, or "conscience." This etiquette is typical of peoples, who, like the Abkhazians, survived by warfare through the millennia despite the constant threats of formidable neighbors. In such cultures a high value is placed on honor befitting a true warrior. thus, Abkhazian etiquette is focused on very careful attention to showing and expecting respect.

This is reflected in the diverse forms of salutations that vary considerably, according to the age, social status, and gender of the parties interacting. The most common greeting is "Good health to you." Other salutations are "Good day," "Glad to see you," and "Welcome." An older person must be the first to greet a younger one, and a person on horseback is the first to greet someone on foot. In fact, it is necessary to raise yourself on your stirrups. It is impolite to greet someone while sitting in the saddle, just as it is quite rude to stay sitting in a chair while saying hello. There are specific salutations used depending on a person's trade and pursuits.

Gestures are also important. When men meet they make a hand-fist salute by raising the right hand. Handshakes are not obligatory, though customary among younger people. It is also necessary to ask about the person's health, affairs, and relatives. Relatives greet each other with a gentle hug and a kiss on the left shoulder above the heart. It is not customary to kiss children on the face, but on the top of their head, while placing your hand gently on the back of their neck. A common gesture of greeting for an elderly woman is to gently make a circle with her hand, which is intended as a blessing of safekeeping.

The traditions of generous hospitality are a sacred law binding on every person. All guests must be given a heartfelt welcome, even if they are enemies, and never asked why they have come or for how long. Hosts offer guests their best food that they store for just such occasions, and provide the best sleeping accommodations. Abkhazians believe that guests bring wealth and good fortune, and go to great lengths to please their company. A common saying is that "A guest brings seven pieces of good luck."

Abkhazians maintain at least a foot and a half between each other. It is inappropriate to touch one another in most circumstances other than in salutations. Shaking one's finger, or similar gestures of displeasure, and speaking in a loud voice are considered very rude behavior.

Living Conditions

The majority of Abkhazians still live in rural areas in spacious, stone or brick single family homes, with several bedrooms, a living room, dining room, and kitchen. The homestead is shared usually by three and four generations. Land is plentiful, so additional homes may be built on the same homestead to provide privacy for members of extended families. Traditionally an Abkhazian kitchen was a separate structure. Now kitchens are usually in the main house, while the old fashioned kitchen has been replaced by a larger building where dozens of guests can be served at long tables. Abkhazian households are kept neat and clean. There is usually ample space in the yard for lawns, and for growing fruits and vegetables. Increasingly, Abkhazians have settled in urban areas where they live in cramped, high-rise apartments typical of all the former Soviet republics. Apartments range from studios to three bedrooms, and often accommodate extended families. In such housing it is difficult to maintain the traditional norms of Abkhazian etiquette, which require more space to adhere to avoidance customs between certain family members. The dilapidated water and sewage system inherited from the tsarist, and then the Soviet system, causes inconveniences and sanitation problems in urban areas. Running water is available in apartments only a few hours a day in the cities, whereas in the countryside homesteads can provide their own water supplies. However, most Abkhazian city dwellers have close relatives living in the countryside where they visit regularly and thus are not completely separated from their rural heritage and traditions.

Family Life: Role of Women, Family Size, and Marriage

The average number of children is two or three. More than five children have always been rare. Perhaps it is an adaptation to past conditions of frequent warfare when it was important to be able to travel quickly and easily. Children are desired, and boys are important in the patrilineal system. But the act of having children does not validate masculinity or femininity. An Abkhazian baby does not belong to its parents but to the family as a whole; to the aunts, grandmothers, grandfathers, brothers, and sisters.

Family life, especially in rural areas, is distinguished by taboos that dictate everyday behavior in the home. for instance, couples do not show affection in public or in front of relatives, including their own children. No matter how old a man is he must not smoke or shave in his father's presence. A daughter-in-law may not speak in her father-in-law's presence, unless he has given her explicit permission, which may take many years and the event is marked by a feast. Many of these customs are dying out, but are still practiced and their legacy clearly influences behavior in contemporary family relations. In the public domain women enjoy fairly equal opportunities with men. In the home their duties are distinctly different. Men and male children do not cook or clean. However men slaughter animals and usually cook meat for feasts, and it is common for boys to serve guests. Children and women usually do not joint guests at the table, but remain standing hroughout the feast, never conversing with the guests, and ever vigilant that wine glasses and plates are kept full.

Wedding ceremonies can involve hundreds of guests who are accommodated at long tables outside the house. The groom and his senior relatives and friends come to the bride's father's house to escort her to the wedding. There they have a feast, with drinking and speech-making lasting a few hours. Then the bride rides on horseback or travels by car to the groom's household, accompanied only by her bridesmaids and a male friend or relative of her own age to see to it that her rights are protected. No one from her family attends the wedding at the groom's home, where she and the groom remain concealed from all the guests in separate quarters throughout the big feast. When guests visit the bride she must not smile or reveal any joy over her wedding. The groom may appear briefly, but he also must not exhibit any joy over the occasion. To do so would be considered immodest, especially with regard to the elders. To show how modest, self-disciplined, and traditional they are, a couple may wait a day or even longer before spending their first night together. For a long time after the wedding the couple must go to bed later than everyone else in the household and wake up earlier, so that no one sees them go into or emerge from their bedroom. Any manifestation of affection or sexual desire in the presence of others is scorned. Yet the prevalent attitude to sex is that it is good and pleasurable when it is strictly private.

Clothing: Traditional and Everyday

Abkhazians wear Western clothing. However, women maintain a few traditional restrictions in their dress in keeping with the high value placed on what they consider to be modest behavior and dress. for instance, women never wear slacks or shorts, or blouses with low necklines or straps. It is okay to wear swimming suits on the beach, but minimal body exposure is the norm everywhere else.
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Both men and women wear black clothing after the death of a close relative. Men wear black for shorter periods (a month or so) than women, who will wear a black dress, scarf, stockings, and shoes for a year and even longer. Widows may remain in black the rest of their lives. The number of women in black is so great, especially since the 1992-1993 war, that the black attire may seem to a visitor to be the national costume. On holidays and family feasts the male elders wear the traditional Cherkesska, a belted black coat with long sleeves, which falls to mid-calf, and has a row of cartridge pouches on the chest. This is worn over a plain cloth long-sleeved shirt. The Cherkesska is common to all Caucasian peoples. The traditional headdress for men is a bashlick, made of soft brown or black cloth with two long ends hanging from either side of the head to well below the shoulders. In the cold, the cloth can be wrapped around the face, and in the summer the end pieces are tied together at the back of the head. Men also wear a long felt cape called a burka to protect them from head and cold. When a shepherd or hunter sleeps in the open fields, he wraps himself in his burka. Pants are tucked into calfskin or kid boots that are so tight that they must be soaked in water and grease before being worn the first time. Women traditionally wore white pantaloons gathered at the ankles and a high-collared, long-sleeved coat of thick material, which flared out as it descended from the waist. From an early age until her wedding night a girl wore a narrow corset made of soft animal skin or strong linen to shape a narrow waist, flatten the breasts, and maintain an erect posture. Children and teenagers tend to wear stylish clothing must like their peers in any Western country.

Food

The everyday diet of all Abkhazians consists of homegrown and home-processed foods, including yogurt and cheese, abundant raw fruits and vegetables, moderate meat consumption, and even less fish, low fat, and low calories. Instead of bread they eat a cornmeal mush quite bland, and dip it and other foods into spicy sauces made with Abkhazian salt (ajika), which is a tasty mixture of ground red peppers, up to a dozen herbs, and salt. Eating habits are formed in early childhood. The diet appears to have elements thought to be associated with low risk of heart disease and cancer. These features include: low consumption of sugar and salt; a high proportion of plant products, hence fiber; moderate alcohol consumption; low calorie food intake; low fat content in general and vegetable oil in particular; a high content of vitamins and antioxidizers possessing antiatherosclerotic properties. Meals are three times a day and at regular times. the biggest meal is in the evening.

Education: Literacy, Level Achieved, and Parental Expectations

Children begin school at the age of six and graduate at seventeen. All grades are taught in the same school facility, which is called a secondary school. Some schools are named after historical or literary figures, but most are distinguished by only a number. There are very few elective courses. Schooling in the cities is at a higher level than in rural areas. Since mobility is not high, students usually go to the same school from start to finish, keeping their same homeroom classmates and teacher until they graduate. Parents supervise and help with homework regularly throughout secondary school. A very high value is placed on higher education, so parents and teachers strongly encourage students to go on with their schooling. Abkhazia has one university and several colleges.

Cultural Heritage: Music and Literature

Song, music, and dance are important to Abkhazian culture. There are joyous songs for weddings, ritual songs, cult songs, lullabies, healing songs, and work songs. There are special songs for the gathering of the lineage, for the ill, and songs celebrating the exploits of heroes. All of the arts are represented in Abkhazia. There are drama and dance companies, art museums, music schools, and theaters for the performing arts. Poetry and literature are also held in high regard.

Work

Children learn how to work around the house and on the farm before they go to school, but it is like play for them. They are not required to do anything beyond their abilities. throughout life work is treated as an integral part of everyday living. An Abkhazian saying is that "Without rest, a man cannot work; without work, the rest is not beneficial." People continue working as long as they can.

Sports

The favorite spectator sports are soccer and equestrian contests. Every school has a soccer team. Most boys in rural areas learn how to ride horses and play fast-moving ball games on horseback. Traditionally women also learned how to ride a horse, but this is not so much the case any longer. Abkhazia has had two Olympic champions, in javelin throwing and equestrian sports.

Entertainment and Recreation

Most entertainment is done informally, in small gatherings of family and friends at each other's homes. whole evenings are spent in discussions and eating around a big table filled with a variety of tasty dishes, wine, vodka, and cognac. Young and old participate. Dancing and singing are common at larger gatherings, such as weddings, which are quite frequent in the fall. Throughout the year going to the theater is also a common form of entertainment. people of all ages chat at length over coffee and snacks at outdoor cafes. Men play board games in courtyards till late at night.

Folk Art, Crafts, and Hobbies

Among the oldest crafts of the Abkhazians are basket weaving, pottery, woodwork, and metal work. The designs are simple and utilitarian, since most of the crafts were intended for use in the home. Contemporary craftsmen and artists produce a wide range of sophisticated works based on traditional motifs.

Social Problems

The economy has been practically at a standstill since the breakup of the Soviet Union and the armed conflict of 1992-1993. This has created unemployment, theft, and drug use, which are the biggest social problems. As usual, these problems are interrelated. some people without jobs and money rob their neighbors, and some men who have endured the trauma of war, where everyone lost one or more family members, turn to drugs to forget their pain.
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The legal system is too weak to combat the problems of crime and drugs. The government has problems of major proportion in rebuilding the country and eliminating social problems. Large parts of the country are devastated. In some areas of the capital city of Sukhumi there are blocks where two of every three homes and buildings are no more than crumbling walls, and hotels and public buildings were demolished by the fighting.

Nongovernmental organizations have emerged from the grassroots to deal with these problems. They focus on healing post traumatic stress syndrome, promoting conflict resolution training, and the principles of civil society.

    * Also see " Blood Revenge "

Bibliography

Sula Benet. Abkhazians: The Long-Living People of the Caucasus. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1974.

Paula Garb. Where the Old Are Young: Long Life in the Soviet Caucasus. Palo Alto, California: Ramparts Publishers, 1987.


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We would like to thank Gail Fisher, Los Angeles Times staff photographer, for allowing us to feature many of her photographs on this website.
E-Mail: pgarb@uci.edu     Telephone: (949) 824-1227     Fax: (949) 824-1544


Updated October, 1999

http://www.socsci.uci.edu/gpacs/abkhazia/culture.html