Monograph

 

Circassian Religion and Beliefs

A Descriptive Account

 

Amjad Jaimoukha

 

From the cradle to the grave, the Circassian native creed (фIэщхъуныгъэ), intertwined with the code of conduct, Adige Xabze (адыгэ хабзэ), dictated the way an individual behaved, formed his system of values, and certainly influenced the way he conceived the world. Religion and customs and traditions were the dual formers of the Circassian outlook on life and they meshed perfectly together. Rejecting one of these intimately associated components would have entailed forsaking the other, and ultimately compromising the essence of Circassianness (адыгагъэ). Nevertheless, religion and customs and traditions were two different entities. Considering the Adige Xabze as the traditional religion of the Circassians is a common mistake made even by the Circassians themselves. Whereas ancient religion regulated the spiritual and ritual domains, the Xabze regulated the day-to-day aspects of a Circassian’s life... Read more in the attached pdf and Microsoft Word files.

 

Circassian Religion.pdf Circassian Religion.pdf
Size : 5278 Kb
Type : pdf
Circassian Religion.doc Circassian Religion.doc
Size : 5567 Kb
Type : doc

 

 

Audio files of chants featured in the monograph: 

 

The following file contains three chants:

 ‘Swift White Horse…’ («Тэпырагъошъы пкIэгъуала...»)

‘We are escorting Hantsegwashe…’ («Хьанцэгуащэр зэтэщэра...»)

‘Oh Elijah, my grey-eyed laddie!’ («О Елэмэ, си шъэо нашъухъо!»)

SmallpoxSong.mp3 SmallpoxSong.mp3
Size : 3469 Kb
Type : mp3

 

‘Lord Mezithe’ («ПЩЫМЭЗЫТХЬЭ»)

SongLordMezithe.wma SongLordMezithe.wma
Size : 3040 Kb
Type : wma

 

 ‘The Song of St. George’ («ДАУЩДЖЭРДЖИЙ И УЭРЭД»)

HymnToStGeorge2.wma HymnToStGeorge2.wma
Size : 5725 Kb
Type : wma
 
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