Budennovsk n’ Stuff

Sorry I haven’t written in a awhile, things have been pretty busy around here. Studying at a Russian university is great because one half of your time is spent studying and going to class, while the other part is spent on singing, dancing and participating in performances for the faculty. Some of you maybe thinking that this is a waste of time, but to tell you the truth I really enjoy being apart of these performances. Being involved with my faculty during my first year here and now this year has given me many opportunities to practice Russian, learn more about my peers, experience Russian and Caucasian cultures firsthand and in the process, let my peers learn more about me and American culture. When traveling and studying in another country, you are an ambassador, and the best ambassadors learn by doing. Experience is everything. The best ambassadors also look at all things with an open mind and are willing to participate in cultural actives.

My first year here, I volunteered and or was elected to do be involved in a performances. I remember my first concourse. I performed the song “Sittin’ On the Dock,” by Otis Redding at the “Student Vision Concert.” It was a lot of fun and it was a very good why to know people and also put our “name on the map.” This year has been very special. On the 15th of October, the city administration and the Ministry of Culture in Pyatigorsk, hosted a reading of poems for Mikhail Lermontov in honor the 200th anniversary of his birth. Lermontov is one of the most beloved poetics of Russia and he spent so much of his time in both Pyatigorsk and the North Caucasus. I was asked by faculty if I wanted to read a poem. I agree to, as it was on honor for me to read a poem by Lermontov on his birthday.

The Ministry of Culture held these readings in the city library, an old building built in Soviet style architecture. It has big, old red Soviet star on the front, all wrapped up in olive branches, a hammer and sickle and has Lenin’s face on the background. It is an interesting contrast between the old Soviet Era, and the surroundings which are classical buildings from the 1830’s, the era in which Lermontov wrote some is his best works. I came there with a few of my Russian peers. We represented our faculty within a competitive setting. High and college students from Pyatigorsk and the surrounding towns were there reciting poems. I was paired with international students studying at another university, as to make it fair when judging. My peers where from Morocco, Ghana, South Africa and Uganda. The Moroccan guy played on the guitar and sang his poem. It was pretty cool. I performed the poem “Caucasus,” a 15 verse poem describing the beauty the Caucasus region.

“Хотя я судьбой на заре моих дней,
О южные горы, отторгнут от вас,
Чтоб вечно их помнить, там надо быть раз.
Как сладкую песню отчизны моей,
Люблю я Кавказ.
В младенческих летах я мать потерял.
Но мнилось, что в розовый вечера час
Та степь повторяла мне памятный глас.
За это люблю я вершины тех скал,
Люблю я Кавказ.
Я счастлив был с вами, ущелия гор;
Пять лет пронеслось: всё тоскую по вас.
Там видел я пару божественных глаз;
И сердце лепечет, воспомня тот взор:
Люблю я Кавказ.”

In English:

“I have fate in the early days of my life,
On the southern mountains, cut off from you,
To always remember them, there must be time.
How the sweet song of my homeland,
I love the Caucasus.
In my infant years, I have lost my mother.
But it seemed that the pink evening hour
She repeated to me the steppe memorable voice.
For that I love the top of the cliffs,
I love the Caucasus.
I was happy with you, rocks of the mountains;
Five years flashed by: all miss you.
There I saw a pair of eyes of the divine;
And my heart murmurs, memories in the eyes:
I love the Caucasus.”

I had a of fun practicing for it and reciting it. I choose this poem because I love this region, its peoples and the complex history it has. My reading of the poem went really well. We were given medals for our readings, and they were presented by the Minister of Culture, a really cool moment. The faculty advisor who come to supervise us was very happy and proud of us. Moments like this really help better and cement relationships between people. If people hear and see through your actions that you want to be involved, they’ll invite you to events and treat you like one of their own. Being involved breaks down barriers and at times like these, the most positive things can be, the better things are.

The following Saturday, we had a faculty presentation. This one happens in October and is for incoming students who have an interest in the faculty. They get a tour of the university and learn about the different programs they can register for. It is sort of like “New Students Days” at Hastings. Anyway, the current students are required to present a few songs and dances as well as descriptions of the various parts of the faculty by the students. These are student organized with faculty serving as guides to help the process along. As serves to purposes. One, so that the incoming “freshmen” get the “students” point of view about classes and student life. Two, so that the junior year students get leadership experience for organizing and leading the events. I asked to if I wanted to present another poem or song. I decided to sing the Russian (technically a Caucasian song) song. “This is the Caucasus.” It goes like this.

“Говорят, на Кавказе живёт дикий народ,
Говорят, горцы носят папахи круглый год,
Говорят многожёнство у них до сих пор
И живут, говорят сотни лет дети гор.
А ещё говорят, что джигит не джигит,
Если он как трусливый шакал от врага побежит
А ещё говорят, что храбрец только тот,
Кто сумеет хоть чем-то у публики вызвать восторг.

Да, да, да, да, да- это Кавказ!
Да, да, да, да, да- горный пейзаж!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- солнечный край!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- вот он где рай!

Говорят, горцы любят шхивет, любят халву
И ещё они любят шашлык, любят чуду.
Говорят, без лезгинки Кавказ не Кавказ!
А танцуют они, говорят просто класс!
А ещё говорят ,что народ этот прост,
Он не любит хвалебных речей и пустых громких слов
А ещё говорят, что любовь к старикам
На Кавказе так свято как учит священный Коран.

Да, да, да, да, да- это Кавказ!
Да, да, да, да, да- горный пейзаж!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- солнечный край!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- вот он где рай!

Говорят, что крадут на Кавказе невест
И за кражу невест не берут под арест
Говорят, что друзей там умеют ценить
Там без дружбы большой очень трудно прожить
А ещё говорят гордый горный Кавказ
Славен местом своим кто бывал там хоть раз
А ещё хорошо говорят там у нас
Эти горы и море не могут не радовать глаз.

Да, да, да, да, да- это Кавказ!
Да, да, да, да, да- горный пейзаж!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- солнечный край!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- вот он где рай!

Да, да, да, да, да- это Кавказ!
Да, да, да, да, да- горный пейзаж!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- солнечный край!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- вот он где рай!

Да, да, да, да, да- это Кавказ!
Да, да, да, да, да- горный пейзаж!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- солнечный край!
Вай, вай, вай, вай, вай- вот он где рай!”

In English:

They say in the Caucasus live wild people,
They say Highlanders wear hats all year round,
They say that they have Polygamy still
And they say they live, hundreds of years these children of the mountains.
And they say that they are horseman,
And they say cowardly jackals run from them
And they say that only the brave,
Will be able to give the people thrills.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, this is the Caucasus!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, the mountain landscape!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- it’s a sunny land!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- this is paradise!

They say Highlanders love “shivet”, like “halva”
And they love “shashlik,” such a miracle.
They say without “lezginka” the Caucasus is not the Caucasus!
And when they dance, it’s simply classy!
And they say that these people are simple,
As they do not like eulogies and empty high-sounding words
And they say to love the elderly
In the Caucasus, so piously is taught the Holy Koran.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, this is the Caucasus!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, the mountain landscape!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- it’s sunny land!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- this is paradise!

It is said that the Caucasians steal brides
And for theft of brides do not take into custody
They say that the friends there know how to appreciate
Without great friendship it’s very difficult to live
And they say the proud mountain Caucasus
Slaven his place who have been there at least once
And very well-spoken are we
These mountains and the sea can not fail to please the eye.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, this is the Caucasus!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, the mountain landscape!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- it’s sunny land!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- this is paradise!

Yes, yes, yes, yes, this is the Caucasus!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, the mountain landscape!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- sunny land!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- there he is paradise!

Yes, yes, yes, yes, this is the Caucasus!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, the mountain landscape!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- it’s sunny land!
Vai, vai, vai, vai, vai- this is paradise!”

I sang with song because it describes the culture that I have come to know and love over the last three years (though to be clear, I don’t approve of bride sealing). I practiced the song and also danced lezginka during the instrumental section after the third chorus. My teachers and the the students were impressed and decided to that I should dance with a partner to make the song more lively. One of the girls in my faculty, a young women of Chechen hertiage named Ayzan, was asked to dance with me. She was honored to dance with me as was I to dance with her as lezginka danced between a man and a woman is a very personal action, done with honor and respect. Lezginka is a way to impress one’s self through physical movement as each nation in the Caucasus has their own style of lezginka. As an example, Kabardians dance gracefully, like an eagle (the man) and a swan (the woman), whereas the Chechens dance aggressively and strong. I loved learning how to dance with a partner, to honor centuries of tradition. For me, it was another one of those wonderful cultural experiences in which you can’t learn from a book or film, you just have to do it. The song and dance went over very well with the students and faculty. I wore my papakha that I bought from Dombai as well as my Adige t-shirt. I must say that I fit the part very well. I’m now called the “American Cherkess” by members of my faculty, a fitting name. Alina even mistook my for a Caucasian man when we were in the shop together. A funny moment. It means I’m blending in well.

Besides the fun at the concerts, classes have been going alright. I starting to finally get these verbs of motion down, all sixteen of them, with all their prefixes and suffixes. Dorm life is still the same hustle and bustle that it always is. I usually have class, then I work on my homework and then hang with friends in the evenings. The 21st of October was a great day as it was the special day of the “Back to the Future, Part Two” date from the time machine, the one and only day in all of time that we all can celebrate this awesome moment in cinema history. Alina, Vika, and I celebrated together by watching “Part Two.” It was another moment of cross-cultural bonding, Vika commenting things like this “bring people together.”

Outside of classes and the faculty, I also had several opportunities to socialize and practice Russian. One of my new friends from this year had her 20th birthday last Thursday. Anna is a very bright young woman. I’m amazing at her talent for languages. She speaks English, Turkish, German and she also knows bits of Kabardian, as her boyfriend is a member of this fascinating ethnic group (I must say that I am biased in this regard). She and I also share a bond in that we are both interested in the Adige culture (in which includes Kabardians). I’ve learn a lot from our exchanges of knowledge and observations concerning the larger Adige culture. She (like myself), embraces many of the cultural traditions of the region and we celebrated her birthday in Caucasian fashion by raising our drinking and giving toasts. I have become knowledgable in the process of toast making from the many celebrations that I have attended. Toasting isn’t just about to health, it is to family, to honor, to friendship, to the most sincere parts of one’s character. Needless to say, we had a great time celebrating Anna’s birthday with her. Thanks you Anna for your friendship.

Earlier that same evening, we had English Club. This year so far has been very well. We have had a great turn out at the least three events and I’m always happy teach students new words, phrase and concepts in English. Connie, Martin and I had the opportunity to led the group discussion that week. We got together and decided to discuss slang terms in both British and American English. We came up with around 30 plus words between the three of us and the diversity of terms was great. We started with the rules that nights lesson and games, breaking the students (around 40) into five groups. In these groups, we led them in a game of 20 questions. It was so fun to see and hear the students take a stab at guessing a word. We then talked about the slang terms in detail, giving examples and definitions. We finally had the students compete between the groups by preforming skits, each team getting a point for each slang term that they used correctly. We all had such a great time.

The last highlight of the week was last Sunday, I had the opportunity to visit the city of Budennovsk. This town is a two and a half hour bus ride north from Pyatigorsk. I was inviting to visit by a good friend Tanya, an intelligent and outspoken young woman whom I befriended my first year here. It was so nice to see her in a setting outside of the University. In her hometown, such a treat. The bus ride was to Budennovsk was good. The weather could have been better, but I can’t complain about the rain, as I change it and its good for the earth. Traveling north up into Stavropol Krai was a great experience in of it’s self. You really see the change in topography when traveling throughout the Caucasus. Northern Stavropol has gentle, rolling hills that give way to birch forests and wheat fields. It is a very Romantic scene, something out of a Tolstoy novel. The colors that fall can bring about are really something to see here. The birch trees were fantastic yellows and the grasses in between the wheat fields were reds, greys, browns and yellows, making for a delightful array of colors. I left Pyatigorsk in the early afternoon and arrived at Budennovsk around 4ish, it was raining when I arrived. I met Tanya at the bus station where she picked me up and we starting to chat and walk to see the various monuments in the city. The was founded in 1799 by a group of Armenian settlers from Derbent (an ancient city in Dagestan). Budennovsk was previously, named “Svyatoy Krest,” literally meaning “Holy Cross.” The Armenians were one of the first ethnic groups to adopt Christianity (during the 3rd century) making the Armenian Apostolic Church one of the oldest. There is a beautiful monument to the event, an arch made of stone, with both Russian and Armenian letters written within the rock.

Another notable place is the hospital in Budennovsk. The Budyonnovsk hospital hostage crisis took place from June 14th to the 19th of 1995, when a group of 80 to 200 (the estimate) Chechen separatists led by Shamil Basavev attacked the city and held people hostage in the local hospital. The incident resulted in a ceasefire between the Russian government and Chechen rebels, and peace talks (which later failed) between Russia and the Chechens. Basayev’s men crossed into Stavropol Krai concealed in a column of military trucks. At about noon of 14th of June they stormed the main police station and the city hall, where they raised Chechen flags over government offices. After several hours, in the face of Russian reinforcements, the Chechens retreated to the residential district and regrouped in the city hospital. There they took between 1,500 and 1,800 people (some estimates reaching as high as 2,000 or even 2,500) hostage, most of them civilians (including about 150 children and a number of women with newborn infants). 130 people were either killed or wounded at the end of the ordeal. Tanya and I visited the memorial sites which have been erected around the hospital. It is very sobering to see the faces and names of the victims. There is also a memorial chapel near the hospital.

After seeing the monuments in the city, we headed over to Tanya’s home. I was very flattered to hear from her that the majority of her family were there to meet with me. I was the first American that was to enter their home and it was a great moment for all of us. Tanya lives with her parents and aunt (her father’s sister). Met them all when we arrived. Such happy and bubbly people, with a vigor for life and a passion for family. I entered their home and was quickly shown to the dinner table, which was filled with food and drink. Tanya’s home has a wonderful mix of flavor and culture. Both of her parents are of Armenian descent, but they were also raised in Azerbaijan, moved to Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. This was a interesting fact for me and it was a pleasure to listen to their stories of life during that era. We also talked about our respective nations, Tanya’s father was very interested in my home and my families standards of living. I was very happy that my Russian vocabulary is suited for this subject. As we talked, Tanya’s uncle (her father’s elder brother) come and sat down, giving more perspective to the conversation. As we talked, Tanya, her mother and her aunt settled the last details to the meal and we began to start the feast with the a toast from Tanya’s father. The meal was massive. We had Azeri Qutab (a dish made with an herb filling and thinly rolled dough that is cooked briefly on a convex griddle), grape leaf dolma (similar to the Greek dolma, filled with minced meat and rice), Khorovat (basically Armenian BBQ), Azeri plov (made with dried plums, dates, and apricots), Shekerbura (an Azeri dessert made with ground walnuts and sugar), and both Azeri and Armenian variants of pakhlava. We ate so much, drunk and toasted to everything and anything, a talked at the table for a long while. I had such a wonderful time, though by the end of the night, my brain was slowing shutting down after speaking in Russian for whole evening. I was also impressed by Tanya’s fathers (as well as his elder brother’s) knowledge in languages, as he spoke Armenian, Azeri, Russian and a dialect of Tatar. Truly amazing.

After this huge dinner (I had a massive “food baby”), Tanya and I went to a new bar that had opened up in the city with her friends from high school. It was a good place to hang and the beer was nice and cold. Tanya’s friends were a nice mix of people, all crazy characters. We talked all night long, finishing at 12 in the morning. It was a very good time to experience a new city, with a good friend. Well, Halloween is tomorrow and a new weekend is on the way. Cheers to all of you both in the States and oversees and have both a Happy Halloween and All Souls Day this Saturday and Sunday.

Dombai

This week as another excited and fun filled seven days. The first highlight was finally meeting up with my dear friends Alina and Vika. It was so good to see them after a year apart. I’m a very lucky person to have such friends who stay in contact and make the time to chat, especially over a distant of 7,000 miles and a nine hour time difference. Cheers to you both. We have already begun new adventures, going to cafes and walking around the Pyatigorsk. I love hearing about their time working on the ship. They have a lot of interesting stories to tell.

Another highlight was going back to Mount Dombai. I’ve been waiting for this trip since I first arrived, excited with anticipation. I when to this place I first year and it was just as good, and ever better then this time around. Making new memories at an old place is just as satisfying as making memories in new places. Dombai is one of those locations never loses its sense of adventure, exoticness and appeal. As many of you know, the mountains have never been an important part of my life, as I’ve lived in regions that are “flat” by comparison. After living in the Caucasus for a year, I finally understood Taylor’s (as well as other peoples) love for them. I love living in the foothills and being able to drive 3 hours south and be amongst ancient and grand national formations of rock, steppe, and mountain. The views in the Northwest Caucasus are just amazing. Canyons and cliff faces are a common thing along with the mountains and the Greater Caucasus range never disappoints. I loved comparing the differences in snow, heat and weather on this trip to my first time at Dombai. There was less snow, but it was bitter cold. We took a bus to Dombai (a four and a half hour drive), the trip being funding by our faculty. It was so good to have my teachers join us on the excursion. A huge thank you (Спасибо вам) to Irina Fedotova and Nina Orlova for being us to Dombai and for taking very good care of us all. It is very much appreciated.

Dombai or Dombai-Ulgen is a 4,046 meters (13,274 feet) high mountain of the Greater Caucasus and is the highest point of the region of Abkhazia and Karachey-Cherkessia. It is located right on the border between Russia and Georgia. According to legend, the Karachey people (a Caucasian ethnic group of Turkish origins) lived in these highlands since the time of creation. There are two specific myths that I know of concerning this mountain from this culture. The first myth was told to me by Aleksandra Sidorenko during my first visit to Dombai.

“The Karachey people in distant history were ruled by powerful chieftains. These chieftains had to prove their worth to the people to whom they served and they did this by means of competitions that tested their endurance, strength and will. In the time before the Russians came (before the Caucasus Wars of the 18th and 19th centuries), there roamed across the Caucasus the great highland bison (it is a fact that during this period in history the Greater Caucasus region and the Nogay steppe, were filled with hundreds of thousands of Eurasian bison, a cousin of the bison of North America, suffering a similar fate, being hunted to near extinction; according to Natural Geographic only 400 some remain in the wild today). The various chieftains decided to hold a challenge. The strongest leader, would be able to hunt one of these bison on the crags and slopes of the mountains. The strongest of these men, cased and killed a bison on the highest peak of mount Dombai, meaning in the Karachey language ‘dead bison.’ The chieftain then carried dead animal over his shoulders and walked back down the mountain, sharing the kill with his people.”

The second legend is one collected by scholar David Hunt, author of the book, “Legends of the Caucasus.” In one of the many tales in this tome, he describes the Karachey legend of preventing the end of the world. In this myth, the sun loses its powerful energy, no longer warming the earth. The people’s crops started to fail and the world became unbearably cold. In an effort to save his people, a young Karachey man with the help of many of his fellow villagers, built a giant bow and shot a flaming arrow at the sun from the peak of Dombai in the hope of rekindling the suns fire. They were successful and all returned to normal.

Dombai wins you over immediately after you see it from the top. The snow-capped peaks appear at eye level and you feel so small, but also like a king. These peaks are covered in snow all year round. Dombai is just one of several mountains (or peaks) that are apart of the chain of the Greater Caucasus. Exotic names of different mountain peaks surround you. Teberda (“God’s Gift”), Dzhuguturlyuchat (“Goats Pasture”), and Amanauz (Tiger’s Claw) are just a few of the larger peaks. There is a gorge that is known from its avalanches called Alibek and it also is home to both a glacier (of the same name) and a lake locally known as Turie which has numerous waterfalls and caverns.

Alibek Glacier and Mount Teberda or “God’s Gift.”

The sharp peak to the right is Mount Amanauz (Tiger Claw) and to the left is Mount Dzhuguturlyuchat (Goat Path).

We saw most of these spectacular places from the summit of Musa Achitara, a mountain across from Dombai. We took a cable car up to the first stage, a small ledge, big enough for a few buildings and a small market where tourism can buy things, see a camel or yak and take photos of the mountains at a moderate altitude. After a few photos and rounding up of huge group (it was like herding cats), we took ski-lifts up to the summit. From the top of Musa Achitara you can see anything. At this point you’re at an altitude where is very hard to breathe and during this trip it was very, very cold. I remember during my the first time on Musa Achitara, it was cold, but a moderate cold. William and I took photos with our shirts off, making “firepower poses.” I kept with tradition on this second trip and I think took better photos, but it was cold. The wind up there was brutal and it seemed think the chill went through to ones core in little time. Needless to say, I proved that American’s have “warmed blood” on top of the highest point in Karachey-Cherkessia.

As is the custom I had shots of the Abkhazian liquor called Chacha at 13,000 feet. We just had three as opposed to the six that Maddie and I have last year. Diogo, Nuri and I drank, decided on the better of the three we had and I bought a bottle of it. Chacha has a very high alcohol content but, it is very smooth on the throat, making it a very nice drink indeed. I’m surprised it didn’t go to our heads at that altitude, but I felt in warm my body on our walk to the cafe. The cafe when went to is right in the summit, making it easy to access if one gets hungry when touring Musa Achitara. From the widows you can see the glaciers and the mountains, making it a great spot to enjoy the scenery and eat some tradition Karachey cuisine. For our first course we ordered Lagman, a soup with boiled potatoes, carrots and beef, mixed with sour cream, some paprika and fresh dill. It was a wonderful started to warm our cold bodies. We also mulled wine as a starter, another great way to warm ones bones. For our next course we had Khichiney, a pie-like food, baked with either meat or cheese. My favorite is the cheese variant and we gorged on this Karachey specialty, adding sour cream and dill (everything is better with sour cream and dill). I like sour cream so much with things here that I rarely call it by the English word anymore because it lacks the connotation that the Russian word, сметана (smatona) has.

Lagman

Chacha

Khichiney

Naturally I took a lot of photos of the mountains and was very happy to have returned to this amazing place. We then headed back down to the town of Dombai. On the way, I bought a magnet of a photo are Nuri, Martin, Nina Orlova and I on the ski-lift ride up. It says “Dombai, October 10th, 2015.” A great keepsake from the trip. After descending from the mountains, we had the opportunity to tour the town. I was determined to get a papakha on this trip and after many attempts of finding one that would fit my tiny skull, I finally found a fluffy, white papakha of the Cherkess fashion. I was so excited to buy it as I had wanted one for the last two years and what surprised me was it was only 1000 rubles, an equivalent of $19. One of the many benefits of not going during the tourist season. This hat is perfect as it fits my head just right and is warm, but breathes. I was so surprised of how well it fit and how comfortable it was. Papakha are very common in all the Caucasus, from Eastern Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, the highlands of Georgia (particularly in the Pshavi, Khevi and Mtiuleti regions), and throughout the North Caucasus regions. In all these cultures, a man’s hat is considered a very important part of his identity, to the point where blood maybe spilled if an offerer removes the man’s hat without consent. Traditionally, warriors collected the papakha of the enemies they had slain in battle as prizes, a Caucasian variant of “counting coup.” It is also a sign of respect if a man removes his papakha upon meeting someone. My papakha is made form the wool of an aborted lamb, the softest type and the “cleanest” in regards to color. To celebrate my purchase, I danced lezginka in the streets, catching the eye of not only my group mates, but also of the Karachey and Cherkess women who were selling goods in the market. “My, what a beautiful papakha you have there young man.”

I had a very good time, both personally and culturally. I love seeing, learning and participating in different cultural activities and it is the best way to practice one’s language skills. The best time is that I feel very comfortable in the Caucasus because I love the mixing of cultures. The traditions here fascinate me and now that it is my second year, I’m not only learn but activity taking part in the traditional norms. People love it when you love their ways and their symbols. It lets them know you care and are truly interested, which intern, breaks down cultural barriers and opens dialogue. All it takes is an open-mind and a willingness to learn. I love this region of the world for its complexity, diversity and ancient traditions which are still very active in modern society.

Well until next time, целую и пока.

Well until next time, целую и пока.

Grozny

So, yesterday as a major highlight in my second year in Russia. I finally went to Grozny. I had wanted to go there during my first time in country, but I never got around to going. Now, will much miscommunication and several “we’re going… and now we’re not going” moments, we did it. We had a huge group, Hesham, Nuri, Patricia, Emma, Diogo, Jeanne, Connie, Milana, Alex, Kheda and myself. I was happy that Kheda was joining us for the trip. I had knew her from my first year at Pyatigorsk and she was one of the first Chechens that I met there. She is a native to Grozny so having someone who knows the city well was a bonus and her company is always a joy. We all got up at around 6 in the morning met outside of the obshaga at 7. After waiting for a cab to pick us up, we headed to the bus station in the far side of town. We took a “marshoot” to Grozny, basically a vent that can fit 10 or 12 people. We paid 500 rubles (about $7.60) each for the journey there, which is a 4 and half hour drive at 90 kph (60 mph).

Our drive there as uneventful. We talked a little with one another, stopped at a rest station once on the way. I occasionally pointed out a geographic or historical site that we passed on the way. Most of the drive is through the whole of Kabardino-Balkaria, a region as some of you my already know is near and dear to me (Circassia forever). As we crossed the Terek River, I informed our group that we we’re officially in the North Caucasus, Diogo looking at me with disappointment as I said that historically Pyatigorsk is more like the “front range of the Caucasus.” When you cross this river, the feel of the place changes. The culture and ethnic groups the farther south you go, become less and less Russian, more Caucasian and Muslim (specifically Sunni Muslim). Kabardino-Balkaria has a 57% Sunni Muslim majority and Chechnya is one of the most ethnically homogeneous regions in the North Caucasus with 95% Chechen according to the last census in 2010.

Now I know what some of you maybe thinking, “isn’t Chechnya very dangerous?” or “don’t you feel unsafe when traveling there?” “want about all the kidnapping?…” Yes it is true that kidnappings have and do happen and that at several points in time Chechnya was a battlefield, but the statements by the media and the U.S. government for that matter are greatly exaggerated. On the State Departments website, they describe the whole of the North Cacausus as a “war torn region, which is extremely dangers and not recommended for travel.” Hmm this sounds like Baltimore or Ferguson… Anyway, I feel very safe traveling here. As long as you speak the language, don’t draw attention to yourself and respect the cultural norms, you blend right in. Unless of course you’re Diogo (I’ll explain later on in the blog). Traveling anywhere is no more or less dangerous then the next spot.

As we drove into Ingushetia, I saw the tops of the Caucasian foothills or the Vainakh, a small mountain chain that covers most of Ingushetia and into Chechnya. The Vainakhs were the name for the ancient natives of the Caucasus. Notably, according to Leonti Mroveli (a Georgian chronicler from the 11th century), the legendary forefather of the Vainakhs was called “Kavkas,” hence the name Kavkasians (Caucasian) one of the ethnicons seen in the ancient Georgian written sources, signifying the ancestors of the Chechens and the Ingush (brother nations who are similar in character, but nonetheless are unique and their own in custom and language). For many centuries this land has been fought again and again, the Chechens suffering the most from this constant combat. This intern has given them the deserved reputation of being skilled warriors. Tolstoy describes the Chechens in his novel “Cossacks” as men with “red hair, dark skin and the marks of the mosulmen” (of Muslims, perhaps referring hena tattoos on the hands and face). Of the Chechens I’ve encountered on my travels I have seen them come in all shades of skin and hair color, with lower cheek bones then most Russians, indicating a lack of Mongoloid descent. The invasions by the Mongols (in the 13th century), the Persians (the 15th century) and by the Ottoman Turks (the 18th century, Tsar Peter the Great had visions for expanding southward, starting a of and on conflict with not only the Chechens, but other various Caucasian groups. The “Terek Line” (a fortification along the Terek River) was then set in place and during the middle of the 19th century, the fort of Grozny was established in 1818 by the Russian General Aleksey Petrovich Ermolov. The conflict was further placed into legend by the valiant efforts of Imam Shamil and Chechen/Avar highlanders fighting the Russian juggernaut. During the Second World War, Chechens were persecuted as undesirables and as Nazi calibrators, Stalin ordering their departing to Central Asia (modern day Kazakstan). Later on, Chechens were allowed to relocate to what is now the Autonomous Republic of Chechnya, their historic homeland. This system of administration has given the Chechen people and their authorities (notably current Chechen President Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov) more autonomy within their own lands, a topic which was heavy disputed during the first and second Chechen Wars (1994-1996, 1999-2007). During the heavy fighting in both these wars, Grozny was devastated and much of the city has been rebuilt, starting in 2008.

We arrived in Grozny on the cities 197th birthday. People were all about preparing for the celebrations that evening. We were only planning to stay for the afternoon and early evening so we didn’t see the festivities. It was very warm that day as well, 82 degrees and we all were thinking it was going to be cool and cloudy. Good weather for photos though. As we walked to find another marshoot to drive down in the city center, one of us become the star of the group, the most foreigner in all of Grozny. Diogo was “ambush” by a group of Chechens who wanted a photo with their first black man. It is common in Russia for people to react in this way, as Russian don’t see people of color often. However, this was a little ridiculous as it seemed that on our trip, a Chechen or a group of Chechens, wanted a photo. It all honestly it was very funny or everyone, including Diogo, who took it very graciously. People driving their cars would honk their horns and waved at us as they drove by. Smiles were all around, and we thought the atmosphere of Grozny was that of friendliness and respect and the Chechen people are not the “boogiemen” that they have been made out to be.

One photo of many taken with Diogo that day.

Next we visited the Akhmad Kadyrov Mosque. I was so excited to see it’s four minarets was we walked closer to it. It is my first mosque visit outside of the U.S. (to be clear, I’ve visited the Mosques in Maikop and Nalchik, but I never went inside). As we walked towards the Mosque, call to pray begin, calling us to visit (a guess that Allah willed it). The Akhmad Kadyrov Mosque is located near Grozny’s center. It is rumored to be the largest mosque in Russia and is officially known as “The Heart of Chechnya.” The mosque is named after Chechnya’s first President Akhmad Kadyrov (father of the current President) who commissioned its construction The mosque is designed with a set of 62-meter (203 foot)-tall minarets which are based on the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. In October of 2008, the mosque was officially opened in a ceremony in which current Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, spoke about Chechnya’s future and unity with Russia. (then serving) Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attended the event, to help show symbolism of a united Chechnya and Russia. The mosque, can hold ten thousand Muslims praying at a time. This means that the statement of mosque being the largest in Russia is not true, as the Makhachkala Grand Mosque in Makhachkala, Dagestan has space for 15,000 to 17,000 worshipers.The mosque contains one of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) relics, a 1400-year-old bowl. It was amazing to see the place and to have the opportunity to go inside. Upon entering a Mosque men take their shoes off on the left side of the building and women take their shoes off and put on longer dresses and hijab before entering. If praying in the Mosque, one must wash their face, fore-arms, hands and feet before entering. They are shoes racks to places ones shoes and bags before entering. We arrived during the seconded call to pray and entered very quietly in respect for the many people who were still praying. It was a good way to watch the traditions and various prayer positions in action. Hesham was guiding we non-Muslims on some of the traditions, and way they were done. Islamic architecture very beautiful and ornately done, the calligraphy replacing images of places or people. The scale of the interior is impressive, the dome of the mosque high into the air, with stain-glass widows. The female members of our group had to stand on the second floor as according to Islamic tradition so, the boys stayed on the ground level and the girls headed for the stairs. Kheda there to help the other girls put on the hijab and showed them where to go. I’m so glad she come with us on the trip, as well as having Hesham there to help explain the rituals. I have read a lot of material on the subject of Islam, but experience is key to truly understanding. I think that if more people did excursions like these, we’ed had less issues in regards to religious intolerance. Jews, Christians and Muslims are all people of the book. We share the same old testament stories handed down to us through the Tora and later on both the Bible and the Koran.

Kheda then led us to the a little cafe near he Mosque. We were all very hungry and I was looking forward to eating something. We decided to have Chechen national dishes as opposed to the shashlik and Kheda was very happy to show us this part of her culture. We first started with Djepelgesh, a pastry-like dish filled with a thin layer of cheese, served with a beef broth and garlic sauce. It reminded me a lot of Karachey Khychiny in the thinness and shape. It was very good. Next for our main course we had Galnesh with beef. Galnesh is like Chechen pasta, similar in texture to German spaetzle. It was boiled in water with salt and like the Djepelgesh, one dips it the broth and garlic sauce. The beef was the size of an American steak, though boiled as opposed to grilled. Diogo and I were the only ones to finish all the food on our plates, Emma, Alex and Jeanne stopping about 3 quarters in. I really enjoyed this meal as it was something different, traditional and very filling. It hit the spot just right.

We then spent the rest of the day walking around the city, taking more photos with Chechens. I stopped and had tea at the Grand Gallery, a huge shopped center in Grozny. I bought a magnet of the Mosque as is my custom when visiting a new place. I also get a passage of from the Koran written on an animal hide that is framed. I’ve noticed that in many of my Caucasus friends homes there are these frames on the walls or doors, which are passages of good luck, welcoming the guest into the home or blessing them for enter the dwelling. Hesham helped me find a nice one, after skimming it. He’ll translate the enter text for me soon. I also got one of the famous Akhmet t-shirts from one of the smaller markets. I had to get one of these because the President of Chechnya wears these shirts in all of his PR videos, working out, boxing etc. All in all we had a very good visit.

Моя любимая Кавказ, “My Lovely Caucasus”

Well, it has been another eventful week. Classes are going smoothy, but everyday Emma, Diogo, Jeanne, and I feel very tried. Speaking in another language with complex grammar is a taxing process at best. Don’t get me wrong, if we hated it, we wouldn’t be doing it and I feel like I make process everyday, in every class and in everyday conservation. In grammar, we are learning how to say “to go into” and “go out of things” using the prefixes, “пре” (pre) and “от” (ott). Things are clicking ever so slowly and I’m not looking forward to future tense, but it is a concept that I want to learn and quickly. It has been difficult to say “я сделаю это” (ya sdelayyu eto), or “I will do this” and not use the right form when saying it. Our other classes are going well. I love to read and present topics, such as capital cities, and regions of our countries because I get to share American culture, history, geography etc. with people from other nations. I also loving learning new info about my peers countries and their cultures. I’ve learned so much more about France and Brazil from my friends in class, then from reading about it them in books or journals. I get so much practice by talking outside of class. There is a wonderful spot outside of the International Affairs Department that has several bunches to sit on. I sat in the sun and chatted with Anna, and several of her peers. This is very good, as I can speak, get corrected on grammar and learn more about them.

I hope the warm, sunny weather stays with us for a little longer. Fall was officially arrived in the Caucasus, with warm days and cold nights. The “campus plague” has also had its way with many people here. I was one of the first victims, suffering from a head cold and fever that lasted three days. Thankfully I recovered well, but others have had stomach issues, both of my roommates getting ill and throwing up all over (cleaned up by yours truly, as I’m a wonderful person). I hope the viruses go away soon. Diogo and Nuri say I have a “iron stomach” as I drink the water straight from the tap with no issues. The Russians are already starting to gear their cloths to winter fashions, and the little kids are wearing winter hats and gloves as the Russians have (for good reason) a fear getting ill. Drinking black tea, will become more important as the weather gets colder and I’m looking forward to the colder weather as the night life in the city explodes because more people what to stay inside, drink another glass of vodka or tea and avoid the cold. When the middle October rolls around, it will start to get wet and cold, which is the worst weather to go out in and the best to get sick in. I should go down to the market and buy more dried apricots, oranges and dates to keep the vit. C up.

My life outside of class has been exciting and eventful as well. We (the foreign students) have our parties in the kitchen on the 3rd floor and they are never dull. We bring food, drinks and music with us and drink/dance the night away. Beer is never far away, as it’s tasty, cheap and makes us happy. Listing to Hesham’s music has gotten me into Egyptian/Arabic techno tunes as the beat and the lyrics sound fantastic. It is also amazing to sing “The Circle of Life” from the “Lion King” in English, French, Russian and Spanish. Truly a moment that united all of humanity for 4 minutes. I’ve gotten a reputation of being one of the “dancers” of the group and I’m asked to dance lezginka every other song, and I swear to Allah it is going to kill my toes (one must dance on their tip-toes when dancing lezginka). The other day I had a few drinks with a Kabardinian guy. I was requested to dance and he said that I danced better that many of his buddies. I feel like I’m getting this “Caucasus” thing down pat, though I had a great teacher, (Elberd, брат он). It also helps that I love this region and its peoples, especially Kabardinians. As Anna says, “Ian’s American Adige (the Adige Nation), wei wei (an expression of endearment based on a Adige song).” I’m hoping to return to Nalchik soon and do all the “Kabardinian things” that I can. I feel like the Russian poet Lermontov, as I’m a foreigner living in the Caucasus, who loves and is fascinated by the exotic, oriental traits of the Caucasus peoples and the ancient history of their culture and relationship with both the Russian and Ottoman Empires.

When I visit a historical site, I’m frozen in that moment, thinking about the people who may have stepped here a hundred or a thousand years before in this region. One of my favorite moments from this week as going back up to the top of Mount Malshuk with Connie, Kristof and Jeanne. As I breathed the air and looked at the world around me, I was flooded with thoughts of the “gorsty” or highlanders of the Caucasus, making their lives among these mountains. Seeing and living in the region that you study, is very important as it puts things in historical and geographical perspective. The view was just as beautiful as I remembered it, and I know each time I go up, it will be just as beautiful or even more so. That night was also the night of that “super moon” everyone was raving about on Facebook and on the other news sources so it was pretty cool to be 930 some meets up in the air and see the moon in all its glory. I was also very happy to see the excitement for my friends when they came up there, reliving the memories of my first time on Malshuk. It gets dark at around 6 here, so it was good to see Pyatigorsk, light up from on top of the mountain.

I had the time to walk down to “Broadway Yulitsa (street),” one of my favorite places in Pyatigorsk as it is the shopping and restaurant district. That day I had joined Connie on an excursion to the market and to find a book shop. When visited a few places and come across a small book shop called “Cнег Издательство,” or “Snow Publishing.” There I found a collection of Lermontov’s sort poems in a red, leather book for 500 rubles ($7). It’s wonderful, the perfect souvenir from Pyatigorsk. I also like to collect magnets from the places that I visit and I bought a magnet with the Caucasus hero, Imam Shamil. He is likely the best known and celebrated Caucasian Imam and military commander in the whole of the Caucasus for his efforts in fighting the Russian Empire during the Caucasus Wars of the mid-19th century. He was Imam of the first Caucasus Emirate of Chechnya and Dagestan. I’ve read a few books in both Russian literature and Western scholarly work on this man and his story is one of by fame and infamy, triumph and tragedy, a figure in history who is both hated and loved.

I also paid my respects at “Площадь Героев,” or “Heroes Square.” Most Russian cities with have a place or memorial that is dedicated specifically to the fallen soldiers of the Seconded World War, or was the Russian’s say “the Great Patriotic War.” Over a million Russians gave their lives to protect their nation and help stop the threat of Nazism. Every Russian family was affected by the war. There in Heroes Square there is an “eternal flame” with a Soviet star, symbolizing the life lost, both known and unknown. There is also a wall with names of the dead who are from Pyatigorsk, a long list. Every time I go, I pray for the dead, read the names on wall and if I can, I also lay flowers at the memorial. I do this in honor of these men and women or sacrificed for the Motherland and who were our alliances in one of the most costly conflicts in human history. I’d do the same in America, France and Britain at memorials to the First and Second World Wars, but here in Russia it has a much deeper meaning. The Second World War, defined the Russians as a people and it is close to them, even 70 years after the conflict. I’m looking forward to seeing the celebrations for the 9th of May, Victory Day.

On Tuesday, we went to a concert at the Lermontov Gallery, a huge indoor concert hall, with a bright blue exterior (it reminds of Saint Petersburg) and red widows. We gathered as a group (the international students) and headed over to the Gallery which is on Artist’s Street, the oldest part of the city, and listened to traditional Russian folk songs and watched traditional dancing. It was so nice to see professionals presenting their culture in this environment. This was my first time at the Gallery so, I was happy to attend the event. All and all, a very good and busy week.

Well friends and neighbors, I’ll write to you soon.

Целую и пока.