As February comes to a close, I feel that the end of my time here in Pyatigork is getting closer. After February, only four more months, how could the time have pasted by so quickly. I think it is because I’ve been having so much fun and experiencing much more during my second year here. Pyatigorsk has been the best place to study Russian, at least for me, because of its location and the sense of community that the university has. I’ve been very likely to have the friends that I’ve made here both Russian and International, as well as having the resources and support the university can give. The weather has also been a very pleasant surprise, as the stereotypical cold of February as been replaced by an early spring. It was 61 degrees last Wednesday and it is predicted to be 70 this coming Wednesday. I’m shocked at this warm front, but I can’t complain, as it makes traveling around the Caucasus easier and more pleasant.
During the middle of February, the weather sea-sawed between winter and spring. It snowed then melted, and snowed again. It is remarkable to witness the changes in weather within a 50 kilometer area. Anna and I went to the city of Cherkessk, the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Karachey-Cherkessia (hopefully a recognizable name, to me regular readers). I’ve had the opportunity to travel many time to this Republic on my second time around and it is been interesting to see the similarities and differences between it and Kabardino-Balkaria. Both Republics have Circassian inhabitance, but are unique both historically and culturally. Anna is a native of Karachey-Cherkessia, living in a small mountain village. Her experiences and knowledge have been invaluable for me in order to understand this region better. Our mutual love of Circassian culture and history has created a loved bond between the both of us during the last six months. I’m very happy to count her as one of my close friends here.
Cherkessk isn’t very far away from Pyatigorsk, in fact it is about as far away from Pyatigorsk as Nalchik is, about an hour drive by marshot. The drive was a little longer this time around because it snowed that morning. It was fascinating to see the change in weather while driving through the rolling hills and trilled fields of this region, the mountains always “smiling” in the back ground. It was good to feel the warm touch of the sun on my face during our journey. It was a stark contrast from the cold and grey skies, hovering over Pyatigorsk. We arrived in Cherkessk during the mid-morning, around 11ish, so naturally we were hungry. Anna had planned ahead and took us to one of her favorite cafes in the city, which she and her father frequent. The cafe was very nice, paintings of the Caucasus Mountains and other Caucasian scenery. It was a Karachey cafe in cuisine and language. Khinchey, monti, and lagmon soup were all on the menu. We both had tea, an order of monti, khinchey with cheese and lavash. I also had lagoon soup, Anna had a cold, white soup, and glass of iyron (liquid sour cream). It was a lot of food and I am ashamed to say that I struggled, I’m not the eating machine that I once was. The food was so good, and Anna and I managed to share the last pieces of her khinchey with beat leaves, though after much pleading by her.
After our delightfully, filling meal, Anna and I took and walk around the center of the town. We worked off some of our food by walking, which was a vey good idea. We stopped by several book shops, looking for tomes on Circassian culture, language, history etc. Anna was also trying to find books in Turkish for she and Jan. I managed to fine a book by English ethnographer and naturalist, Edmond Spencer. Written in the late 1830’s, Spencer traveled much of the North Caucasus and was one of the first English writes to detail the Caucasus and it’s many peoples. Most the of text is in Russian, so it will be a good translation task, but the appendix is filled with English to Circassian (specifically Adyghe) words. It is going to be a great read, a very nice primary source. I’ve also been reading a lot more on the mythology of the Circassian Nation, and it has been a treat to see the cultural and regional uniqueness of these legends while understanding and realizing their similarities to Greek, Judeo-Christian and Muslim stories. The Circassians had their own version of the redemption of the world in the legend of Tilale. This chained hero was supposed to break from his irons chains and come into the world after the people had been stricken with famine. He then cleansed the world with the waters of the seas, and restored life to it. It is told as follows…
The Nart Legend of Tilale translated by Sanjalay A. Jaimoukha
“Because he dared to challenge God and disobey him, he had him seized and chained on top (of the Mountain).
“When it is time for the world to perish, they say that Tilale will break free of his shackles and will come down (to Earth).
“First, the world will be stricken with famine, and people will go through very trying times. Then Tilale will appear, blaring his horn, riding in his carriage full of sweetmeats and bedecked with sparkling jewellery.
“‘He who desires this, let him come to my side! he will tell the people. Then he will invoke a great blizzard, and will sweep the earth with the waters of the seas inundating the world. In this manner, he will restore life to the lost world.
“It was thus that I heard them relate the legend of Tilale.”
The legend is a mix of Caucasian, Greek, Judeo-Christian, and Muslim elements. The redemption theme is found in all these religious traditions. ‘Tilale’ is the Circassian version of the Arabic name “T’alāl;” the Adyghe version is Nesren Zchach’e. Nesren Zchach’e was the Circassian version of Prometheus. Like his Greek counterpart, the Nart hero was accused of hubris and was chained to the top of one of Mount Elbrus’ twin peaks, a vulture pecking at his heart (note in the Greek tale, the birds are eagles, eagles being a symbol of nobility in the Caucasus, the vulture was a suitable replacement). The Earth trembled, his chains knocked against one other, sending sparks as if from striking spears, making thunderous noises. His breath issued forth like uncontrollable gales. His heart-rending moans were like rumbles coming from the centre of the Earth. The hot streams coming down the lofty Mount were his tears. In the Caucasian ethos, the protagonist is released from captivity by another Nart hero. It is only upon the influence of Judeo-Christian mythology that the chained hero is transformed into a saviour of humanity. There is also a connection with the Muslim legend of al-Maseeh (or al-’A’war, “The False Messiah”) these myths, changed whenever a new religion became popular.
After having a “geek out” in the book stores, we saw a few monuments. They weren’t anything fancy, just a statue to the Dostoyevsky and to the Soviet Army, a memorial to the Great Patriotic War. Cherkess’s older districts are a very beautiful, dating by to the 1850’s. The city was originally settled in 1804 as a Russian military fort on the Kuban River, the second geographic line that sets the northwestern most border of the “historic” North Caucasus, a barrier of Russian and Cossacks on one side and Caucasian peoples on the other. Russian troops took these region from Ottoman influence after they defended an army of Batal Pasha. In honor of the victory, Russian general Ivan Ivanovich Hermannn von Fersen named the city Batalpashinskaya. The settlement was founded as a Kuban Cossack stanitsa (a Cossack village that is also a military barracks). The name Cherkessk, was officially recognized as the city’s new name in 1825 and was still a Cossack stanitsa until 1888. During the early Soviet Era, Cherkessk become the administrative center of the Karachey-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast, later becoming a Autonomous Republic in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In reality, the city is more Russian and Cossack then it is Karachey, and Circassians (Cherkess/Adyghe) are a minority of a minority, but they are very proud and are easy to find.
Anna and I really enjoyed ourselves and I’m glad I have the time and opportunity to visit this city. I also bought another piece of my cherkesska, a black kabalakhi (a hood, separate form the robes). It now completes my regalia and I’m excited to put it all together. When I retuned by to Pyatigorsk, things were uneventful at first. The 23rd of February is a holiday in Russian called “Defenders of the Fatherland,” a kind of veteran’s day for the Russians. So we had a lovely four day weekend. My friend Elberd had the opportunity to come to Pyatigorsk for his work and take the holiday weekend there, so he and I spent all of Sunday together. It was good to spend with him. We talked about each other’s families, our thoughts about the changes in Caucasian politicians (both the presidents of Chechnya and Karachey-Chekessia are on their last year in office), and of course we chatted about Kabarda and all that fun stuff. He picked me up in his car, and drove us to the city of Zheleznovodsk, a small town about 15 miles north of Pyatigorsk, on the other side of Mount Beshtau. Founded in 1810, the city was and is a sanatorium and specialized in mineral water health and baths (like many of the towns in the region). In 1841, Mikhail Lermontov spent his last day in Zheleznovodsk, from where he departed to his fatal duel on the slopes of Mount Malshuk in Pyatigorsk. Zheleznovodsk has a mosque, several markets, the sanatorium, an opera house, and a large pleasure garden that reminded me a lot of the Summer Palace at Peterhof in Saint Petersburg.
After an enjoyable afternoon of sightseeing and walking, we then headed back to Pyatigorsk to drop off our things, including my bag of freshly baked lukum, that Elberd’s mother or grandmother had made for me. I’m so thankfully to the Kotsev’s for their hospitality and kindness, bringing me in as one of their own. A few hours later, we got a gyro and then went to the pub. Our friends Vovo and Arman joined us and we started to drink beer and joke around. Elberd asked me about my thoughts concerning Syria and the situation with Turkey. We’re both happy to hear the negotiations going on among Russia, the U.S. and Assad. We both hope a cease-fire is on the way, but naturally we both have our reservations. Vova was interested in hearing about my international friends in the obshaga, so I called Diogo down to the pub and when he arrived, we really got the drinking started. It was a really enjoyable evening and I’m so glad that Elberd and I can hang when he is free. Working at the Circassian Reparations Administration in Nalchik has been successful for him and he gets to travel a lot.
Adding to the fun of last weekend, we celebrated Alina’s 21st birthday. It was so fun. Vika had arranged a lot to make it happen. Alina was ill for a part of last week and had to cancel her birthday plans, but Vika would take no for an answer. Vika, Maddie, Tolya and I, helped Alina celebrate. Tolya and Vika set up some balloons and cooked a wide assortment of Russian dishes. Maddie ordered two pizzas and I brought the majority of the beer for the nights festivities. We had a feast. Vika had arranged one of the tables in the room to be a center place for all of us to gather around. I gave the first toast to Alina, to her to, for success in her life, and to her friendship. We ate, then gave toasts, ate and gave toasts. Truly, one of my favorite things to do, spend time with good friends, eat good food, and toast to them. We laughed, talked and laughed some more. We even played spin the bottle at the party, a hilarious event indeed. I hope Alina had just as great a time as we did (I’m sure she did). We also did presents and the like, so it felt the way birthdays should.
After last weekend, things around here got a little dull. We had no classes on Monday and Tuesday because of the holiday. So, I rested on these days. It was good to have a break, but at the same time, it put me back “in holiday mode” and it would be nice to have a full set of school days. On top of this, our faculty had it’s 35th anniversary on Friday, so the last few days have been nothing be practice for the concourse. I danced lezginka again at the concourse and all the foreign students are translated a phrase from Russian to our native language and presenting it at the event. It is a simple thing, but never-the-less, we’ve had to practice for it. Practicing, again and again and on top of that, no classes. I was looking forward to telling the story of “Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox,” in Russian, but alas, I have to wait until next Thursday. We did have a good time at the concourse and it was interesting to see some of our teachers 35 years ago, when our faculty was established. Students becoming teachers, a strange, but cool moment.
Last but not least, Anna, Maddie and I went to Nalchik. I was on a missing to pick up my boots and it was wonderful to have the companion, and Anna and I always love returning for a visit. We left in yesterday in the morning and spent most of the day there. It was Maddie’s first time in Nalchik for it was a treat to tell her about some of the history behind the city and the people who call it home. We saw several of the Soviet monuments and Circassian memorials in the city, ate a huge meal at the Circassian/Turkish restaurant that Anna and I went to during our last trip, and we had a long, delightful walk in Nalchik’s park. We had a good moment talking to several Kabardian men who we encounter at a coffee stand. They were very kind and though it was interesting having foreigners in Nalchik who were well informed about the place. The mocha I had was also very good. Lunch is always I favorite part of any adventure (I dare say it is Anna’s favorite was well). The monti was so good with red pepper, how I love Turkish spices. Before we left, I picked up my boots. I’m very happy with the pair I ended up getting and their fit nicely. I just need to walk in them often, to stretch up the leather. Their knee high and for good for dancing and walk. I was surprised how comfortable they are. I wore them to dinner at Neapolitano, showing them off and beginning the stretching process. Diogo, Jeanne, Sara, Christophe, Alizee, Maddie, Vika and I went up together and it was fun to drink and talk. Christophe take some awesome photos that night (I think that maybe he should think about going pro).
Well, that’s all for now friends and neighbors. I’m so happy to have all of the elements of the cherkesska now. A huge thanks to Anna and Elberd for both their help and recommendations during this process. On a side note, I want to give my condolences to Anna and her family for the loss of her grand father. I thoughts and prayers go to you. From Russian with regards.
Pub and Politics 