Adyghe (Circassian) Knight

Shapsugs (self-designation: Adyghe: Шапсыгъ-адыгэ ; Arabic: الشابسوغ‎; Russian: шапсуги) are a people/tribe of the Adyghe branch, who are currently living in Tuapsinsky District (Tuapse) of Krasnodar Krai, Lazarevsky City District of Sochi, and in the Republic of Adygea in Russia. These areas are a small part of historical Circassia, in addition to diaspora (Amman, Naour, Marj Al-hamam, Wadi Al Seer) Jordan, Turkey, Israel (Kfar Kama), Syria, Europe, United States of America. The first Circassians to settle in Amman were from the Shapsug tribe and as a result the Shapsoug neighborhood considered the oldest neighborhood in the Capital Amman and was the down town of it,^[1] however later other Circassians from the Kabardian, Abadzekh and Bzadoug tribes also came to Amman.

The Shapsugs speak a dialect of the Adyghe language.^[2] According to some indirect data, there were over four thousand Shapsugs in Russia in 1926, but the Shapsug people were not enumerated as a separate group in Russian Censuses until 2002, when the population was recorded at 3,231. however; the Shapsugs who live in the Republic of Adyghea (mainly in District of Takhtamukaysky and District of Teuchezksky) were enumerated as an Adyghe instead of Shapsug, because the Adyghe/Circassians nation considered the Umbrella for all Adyghe Tribes.

There is an excellent approach among the Adyghe in Circassia from different tribes to use only the Name Circassians (Adyghe) (Adyghe: Тыадыг ыкIи тычеркес ); in Census 2010 in Russia; to reflect and revive the unity of the Adyghe Nation (Adyghes in Republic of Adyghea , Kabardians in Kabardino-Balkaria, Cherkess (Adyghe: Шэрджэс) in Karachay–Cherkessia, and the Shapsoug in the southern part of Krasnodar Krai. plus a small Adyghe groups in Stavropol Krai and North Ossetia. and the approach is widely supported in the Caucasus and among the Circassians in Diaspora.

In District of Takhtamukaysky a reservoir which was built in 1952 was named on the Shapsug tribe (Russian: Шапсугское водохранилище) since the area was inhabited by the Shapsug tribe for thousands of years, and considered part of historical Shapsugia which was part of historical Circassia.

Shapsugs are primarily Sunni Muslims.^[3]

The Shapsugs used to make up one of the biggest groups of the Black Sea Adyghe (причерноморские адыги; today's Adyghe people). They inhabited the region between the Dzhubga (in Adyghe: Жьыбгъэ means "Winds" or "The Valley of Winds") River and Shakhe Rivers (the so called Maly Shapsug, or Little Shapsug) and high-altitude mountainous areas of the northern slopes of the Caucasus Range along the Antkhir, Abin, Afips, Bakan, Ships and other rivers (Bolshoy Shapsug, or Greater Shapsug).

History[link]

An Adyghe strike on a Russian Military Fort which built over a Shapsugian village that aim to free the Circassian Coast from the occupiers in 1840 during the Circassians Resistance.

Historically the Shapsyghs/Shapsighs/Shapsyghs controlled the ports of Dzhubga (Adyghe: Жьыбгъэ) and Tuapse to mountain Gorges, and they consisted of 5 aristocratic families and 81 (Adyghe: Фэкъул1) free clans and classified as an Adyghe Democratic tribe,^[4][5] and were known to have supported the Adyghe in their struggle against the Crimean Khanate. During the Caucasian War, they were one of the most stubborn enemies of Imperial Russia, joining Shamil's alliance (which would last until 1859). In late 1860, a Majlis was assembled, which would unite the Shapsyghs, Ubykhs, and Natuqais and considered (Adyghe: Шъачэ) Sochi the last capital of the Circassians resistance. In 1864, a major part of the Shapsyghs and other Adyghes moved to the Ottoman Empire due to the Russian army occupation of th^[6] e region (Circassia), beside the regular tsars policy during the era of the Russian Empire to cleanse the Circassian coast from Circassians (mainly physically then by expelling the remaining to the Ottoman Empire.^[7] After the end of Caucasian War (during the period of 1864-1870) almost a major part of the Shapsugs, who lived on the territory of Shapsugia, were either killed in the Circassian Genocide or expelled to the Ottoman Empire (see Muhajir). In the Ottoman Empire the Shapsugs were partially assimilated or blended into the Cherkess community. Some 3,000 Shapsyghs remained in the Caucasus.^[8] The Shapsugs as an Adyghe tribe always appreciate and honor their immortals (hero’s and fighters) who sacrifice their selves to keep Circassia independent in the battles and war with the Russian Empire during the Circassians resistance ; by elegies such as the elegy of the Shapsugs (Adyghe: Шапсыгъэ л1ыхъужъхэм ягъыбз )^[9]

In 1924, the Bolsheviks established the Shapsygh National Raion . In 1990, the first congress of the Shapsyhg people took place, where they would adopt a declaration on the reinstatement of the Shapsygh National Rayon. On June 12, 1992, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation passed a resolution on the establishment of the Shapsygh National Raion.

Culture[link]

The traditional Shapsug culture had much in common with the Adyghe culture. The Shapsugs were engaged in agriculture, cattle- and horse breeding, gardening, viticulture and bee keeping. In pre-Islamic times, the Shapsugs worshiped gods common among all the Adyghe peoples – Shible (god of thunder and lightning), Sozeresh (Adyghe: Созереш) (god of fertility), Yemish or Yemij (god of war), Akhin and Khakustash (protectors of cattle breeding), Tlepsh (god of blacksmithing),Keshkogwasaha (Adyghe: Хышхогуащэ) (god of the black sea),etc. The Shapsugs used to perform the Hantse Guashe (Adyghe: Хьэнцэ гуащэ) ceremony of rain calling during droughts by carrying a dressed doll through the aul and then drowning it in the river, and never getting it out before raining.^[10]

The Shapsugs Neighborhood in Amman (Jordan)

The Shapsugs village Kfar Kama in (Israel)

Some of the Shapsugs families that live in Jordan[link]

Kosho (Adyghe: Кушъу/Кушу), Pshedatok (Adyghe: Пшыдатукъ), Shhalakhwa (Adyghe: Шхьэлахъуэ), Psekenop (Adyghe: Псыкынуп), Jan (Adyghe: джан), T’harkakhwa (Adyghe: Тхьэркъахъуэ), Kwiej (Adyghe: къуеж), Hadagha (Adyghe: Хьэдагъэ) , Meesha (Adyghe: Мишэ), Hatough (Adyghe: Хьэтогъ) ,Naghoj (Adyghe: Нэгъуж), Tamokh (Adyghe: Тамохъ), Khorma (Adyghe: Хъурмэ), Bghana (Adyghe: Бгъанэ) which changed in Jordan to Hakouz - Хэкужъ - after their 15th great Grandfather Хэкужъ born in 1337 in Tuapse }}) , and this family considered the biggest Shapsug family in Jordan.

Shapsug families that live in Israel Kfar Kama[link]

The Kfar Kama families[link]

Abrag (Adyghe: Абрэгь), Ashmuz/Achmuzh (Adyghe: Ацумыжъ), Bghana (Adyghe: Бгъанэ known as Hakouz -Хэкужъ -in Jordan after their 15th great grandfather), Bat (Adyghe: Бат), Blanghaps (Adyghe: БлэнгъэпсI), Batwash (Adyghe: БэтIыуашъ), Zazi/Zazy (Adyghe: Зази), Kobla (Adyghe: Коблэ), Qal (Adyghe: Къал), Qatizh (Adyghe: Къэтыжъ), Lauz (Adyghe: ЛъыIужъ), Libai/Labai(Adyghe: ЛIыпый), Nago (Adyghe: Наго), Nash (Adyghe: Наш), Napso (Adyghe: Нэпсэу), Tghozh (Adyghe: Тгъуыжъ), Thawcho (Adyghe: Тхьэухъо), Warkhezh (Adyghe: Уэркъыжъ) known today as Garkhad/Ghorkozh (Adyghe: ГъоркIожъ), Hazal (Adyghe: Хъэзэл), Hadish (Adyghe: Хьэдищ), Hako/Hakho (Adyghe: Хьэхъу), Shobash (Adyghe: Шубаш), Shamsi (Adyghe: Цуэмцуэ), Choshha/Shoshha (Adyghe: Цушъхьэ), Showgan (Adyghe: Шэугьэн), Shaga (Adyghe: Шъуагьэ), Sagas/Shagash (Adyghe: Шъэгьашъ). In the past there was also Shhalakhwa (Adyghe: Шхьэлахъуэ).

Other families that live in Kfar Kama[link]

Abzah (Adyghe: Абзах), Boshnakh (Adyghe: Бущнакъ), Bazdug/Bzhedug (Adyghe: Бжъэдыгъу), Natcho/Natkho (Adyghe: Натхъо), Hatukai (Adyghe: Хьэтыкъуай), Tsai/Chai (Adyghe: Цэй), Shapsugh (Adyghe: Шапсыгъ).

Notable people[link]

• Tir-i-Mujgan Ottoman Kadın Sultan
• Karzeg Sait Bey (1887–1920) [2]
• Çerkes Ethem, from Bghane -Бгъанэ ( Хэкужъ ) family a great Adyghe Shapsugh leader in Turkey
• Hazret Sovmen
• Kyzbech Tuguzhoko
• Bibras Natkho

See also[link]

• Kfar Kama Adyghe dialect
• Hakuchi Adyghe dialect

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site of shapsugs (Russian/Adyghe)
• Uniting all Adygs, Adyghe world wide Network adigafreinds.com
• Journal of a residence in Circassia during the years 1837, 1838, and 1839 - Bell, James Stanislaus (English)

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Aslan Tlebzu (Adyghe: Аслъан ЛIыбзэу, Russian: Аслан Тлебзу), born 24 February 1981, Teuchezhsk, Adygea, USSR; is a Russian Adyghe folk musician.^[1]

After graduation at the Art Institute of the Adyghe State University in Maykop, he performed as an accordionist with the Adygean State Folk Song Ensemble – Islamey.^[1] He is one of today's best-known Circassian folk musicians.^[1]

See also[link]

• Aidamir Mugu
• Music of Adygea

References[link]