Sochi Adygs ready to show their ancient culture to the whole world

These people, dancing in the rhythm of Circassian drums, are Adygs, a part of the big Circassian family, representatives of one of the oldest ethnoses of Caucasus. For centuries they met their guests with dances and songs.

Sooner than in four years at the Sochi Olympic Games they want to demonstrate their culture to the whole world.

MURAT AHEDJAK, the leader of the Adygeyan community: The question is about that Adygs-Shapsugs, for centuries residing in Sochi region, would organize a bright unforgettable show and demonstrate their rich culture. If to do this in the framework of the cultural program of the Olympic Games-2014 we will say about the history of our land to all the participants of these great sport competitions.

Murat, who also holds the post of the deputy governor of Krasnodar region, is a representative of the powerful Circassian lobby. Even being in minority in Krasnodar region, Adygeyan people according to the Constitution, has the right for preservation of the national language, traditions and identity.

Many Adygs left their Motherland in the XIX century when tsar Russia had conquering wars in Northern Caucasus; and grand-grandchildren of those Adygs who stayed, were completely assimilated.

Though Krasnodar region is often named “the land of Kuban Cossacks”, in the region over 120 nations and ethnoses live. Since the times of the Caucasian wars many things had changed; and now all these nations peacefully live with each other.

Circassians have numerous powerful Diasporas in the Near East as well as in Europe and the USA. Some public Circassian organizations from there organize meetings calling to cancel the future Winter Games for that reason that “we must not let Russia have the Sochi Olympic Games at the place of the genocide, on our ancestors’ graves”.

But the leaders of Adygs living in Russia, are not agree with that. The last archeological researches proved that on the territory of the Olympic park there were no burials.

MURAT AHEDJAK, the leader of the Adygeyan community: According to our tradition Adygs-Shapsugs buried their dead men around settlements or inside settlements but not on the slopes of the mountains where Olympic construction is on, and not in Imeretinskaya lowland where the Olympic park is being built. That is silly because till 1920s in Imeretinskaya lowland there was a great swamp.

While historical-geographical discussions are on, 2000 Adygs-Shapsugs in a little village near Sochi live their usual life. The elders discuss repairing of the local school and necessity of construction of new electric line. In the village gym boys trains judo – this village is famous with its judo champions. And at the music classes repetitions are on.

Maybe, this melody Adygs will sing at the Olympic Games-2014 meeting their guests and familiarizing them with the ancient Circassian customs.

Denis Bolotsky, RT.