Shapsugs
Encyclopedia
Shapsugs 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, however later other Circassians from the Kabardian, Abadzekh
and Bzadoug tribes also came to Amman.
The Shapsugs speak a dialect of the Adyghe language
. 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 Census
es 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) ; 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 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 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.
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 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).
families and 81 free clans and classified as an Adyghe Democratic tribe, 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 Natuqai
s and considered 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 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
. 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.
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
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.
and bee keeping. In pre-Islamic times, the Shapsugs worshiped gods common among all the Adyghe peoples – Shible (god of thunder and lightning), Sozeresh (god of fertility), Yemish or Yemij (god of war), Akhin and Khakustash (protectors of cattle breeding), Tlepsh (god of blacksmithing),Keshkogwasaha (god of the black sea
),etc. The Shapsugs used to perform the Hantse Guashe ceremony of rain calling during drought
s by carrying a dressed doll through the aul
and then drowning it in the river, and never getting it out before raining.
Adyghe people
The Adyghe or Adygs , also often known as Circassians or Cherkess, are in origin a North Caucasian ethnic groupwho were displaced in the course of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the 19th century, especially after the Russian–Circassian War of 1862.Adyghe people mostly speak Adyghe and most...
branch, who are currently living in Tuapsinsky District (Tuapse
Tuapse
Tuapse is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the northeast shore of the Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik and north of Sochi. It serves as the administrative center of Tuapsinsky District, although administratively it is separate from it...
) of Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai
-External links:* **...
, Lazarevsky City District of Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
, and in the Republic of Adygea in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. These areas are a small part of historical Circassia
Circassia
Circassia was an independent mountainous country located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia and was the largest and most important country in the Caucasus. Circassia was located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea...
, in addition to diaspora (Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Naour
Naour
Naour Na’our is region number 26 in Greater Amman Municipality , located at the west side of the Capital, with 26 neighborhoods or residential concentrations. The land space of Na’our amounts to 87 KM2, i.e.5,19% of the total landscape of GAM. Its population is 100,000 inhabitants, and it is...
, Marj Al-hamam
Marj Al-hamam
Marj Al-hamam Literally "Meadow of Doves" in arabic language, is the District No. of Metropolitan Amman – Greater Amman Municipality ; it is situated to the western part of GAM. It comprises 16 neighborhoods and population gatherings ; it is 53 Km2 of space; its population counts for 50000 capita...
, Wadi Al Seer
Wadi Al Seer
Valley of the Orchads , is a municipality approximately Northwest of the Jordanian capital's centre, on the outskirts of Ammān.-Wadi'è Sér City:...
) 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
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
and was the down town
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
of it, however later other Circassians from the Kabardian, Abadzekh
Abadzekh
Abadzekhs are a people of Adyghe branch.A significant part of them live in diaspora, which are descendants of refugees from the Caucasian War with the Russian Empire. Their dominant religion is Sunni Islam...
and Bzadoug tribes also came to Amman.
The Shapsugs speak a dialect of the Adyghe language
Adyghe language
Adyghe language , also known as West Circassian , is one of the two official languages of the Republic of Adygea in the Russian Federation, the other being Russian. It is spoken by various tribes of the Adyghe people: Abzekh, Adamey, Bzhedugh; Hatukuay, Kemirgoy, Makhosh; Natekuay, Shapsigh; Zhane,...
. 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 Census
Russian Census
Russian Census may refer to:*Russian Empire Census , the only complete population census conducted in the Russian Empire*Russian Census *Russian Census , the first population census conducted in the post-Soviet Russia...
es until 2002
Russian Census (2002)
Russian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
, when the population was recorded at 3,231. however; the Shapsugs who live in the Republic of Adyghea (mainly in District of Takhtamukaysky
Takhtamukaysky District
Takhtamukaysky District is an administrative and a municipal district, one of the seven in the Republic of Adygea, Russia. It is located in the westernmost portion of the republic and borders with Krasnoarmeysky District of Krasnodar Krai and with the territory of the city of Krasnodar in the...
and District of Teuchezksky
Teuchezhsky District
Teuchezhsky District is an administrative and a municipal district , one of the seven in the Republic of Adygea, Russia. It is located in the western portion of the republic and borders with the territory of the city of Krasnodar of Krasnodar Krai, Krasnodar Reservoir, and Krasnogvardeysky...
) were enumerated as an Adyghe instead of Shapsug, because the Adyghe/Circassians nation considered the Umbrella for all Adyghe
Adyghe people
The Adyghe or Adygs , also often known as Circassians or Cherkess, are in origin a North Caucasian ethnic groupwho were displaced in the course of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the 19th century, especially after the Russian–Circassian War of 1862.Adyghe people mostly speak Adyghe and most...
Tribes.
There is an excellent approach among the Adyghe
Adyghe people
The Adyghe or Adygs , also often known as Circassians or Cherkess, are in origin a North Caucasian ethnic groupwho were displaced in the course of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the 19th century, especially after the Russian–Circassian War of 1862.Adyghe people mostly speak Adyghe and most...
in Circassia
Circassia
Circassia was an independent mountainous country located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia and was the largest and most important country in the Caucasus. Circassia was located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea...
from different tribes to use only the Name Circassians (Adyghe) ; in Census 2010 in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
; to reflect and revive the unity of the Adyghe Nation (Adyghes in Republic of Adyghea , Kabardians in Kabardino-Balkaria
Kabardino-Balkaria
The Kabardino-Balkar Republic , or Kabardino-Balkaria , is a federal subject of Russia located in the North Caucasus. Population: -Geography:The republic is situated in the North Caucasus mountains, with plains in the northern part....
, Cherkess in Karachay-Cherkessia
Karachay-Cherkessia
The Karachay-Cherkess Republic , or Karachay-Cherkessia is a federal subject of Russia . Population: -Geography:*Area: *Borders:**internal: Krasnodar Krai , Kabardino-Balkar Republic , Stavropol Krai ....
, and the Shapsoug in the southern part of Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai
-External links:* **...
. plus a small Adyghe groups in Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Stavropol. Population: -Geography:Stavropol Krai encompasses the central part of the Fore-Caucasus and most of the northern slopes of Caucasus Major...
and North Ossetia. and the approach is widely supported in the Caucasus and among the Circassians in Diaspora.
In District of Takhtamukaysky
Takhtamukaysky District
Takhtamukaysky District is an administrative and a municipal district, one of the seven in the Republic of Adygea, Russia. It is located in the westernmost portion of the republic and borders with Krasnoarmeysky District of Krasnodar Krai and with the territory of the city of Krasnodar in the...
a reservoir which was built in 1952 was named on the Shapsug tribe 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
Circassia
Circassia was an independent mountainous country located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia and was the largest and most important country in the Caucasus. Circassia was located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea...
.
Shapsugs are primarily Sunni Muslims.
The Shapsugs used to make up one of the biggest groups of the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
Adyghe (причерноморские адыги; today's Adyghe people). They inhabited the region between the Dzhubga
Dzhubga
Dzhubga is a seaside resort settlement in Tuapsinsky District of Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located west of Tuapse. Population: The name originated from the indigenous people of Dzhubga, the Shapsug, who are a subgroup of the Adyghe...
(in 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
Historically the Shapsyghs/Shapsighs/Shapsyghs controlled the ports of Dzhubga and Tuapse to mountain Gorges, and they consisted of 5 aristocraticAristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
families and 81 free clans and classified as an Adyghe Democratic tribe, and were known to have supported the Adyghe in their struggle against the Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
. During the Caucasian War
Caucasian War
The Caucasian War of 1817–1864, also known as the Russian conquest of the Caucasus was an invasion of the Caucasus by the Russian Empire which ended with the annexation of the areas of the North Caucasus to Russia...
, they were one of the most stubborn enemies of Imperial Russia, joining Shamil
Imam Shamil
Imam Shamil also spelled Shamyl, Schamil, Schamyl or Shameel was an Avar political and religious leader of the Muslim tribes of the Northern Caucasus...
's alliance (which would last until 1859). In late 1860, a Majlis
Circassians Majlis
Circassians Majlis : Was a political and resistant unity which took place in 1860 after a meeting in -currently Sochi in Russia- between the leaders of three coastal Adyghe Tribes the Circassians Majlis : Was a political and resistant unity which took place in 1860 after a meeting in -currently...
was assembled, which would unite the Shapsyghs, Ubykhs
Ubykh people
The Ubykh are a group who spoke the Northwest Caucasian Ubykh language, until other local languages displaced it and its last speaker died in 1992....
, and Natuqai
Natukhai people
Natukhai are a people of the Adyghe branch, whom are the original dwellers of the far north west of historical Circassia, and their areas historically extended from Anapa in the North to Tsemez in the south, currently Novorossiysk in the Russian Federation....
s and considered Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
the last capital of the Circassians resistance. In 1864, a major part of the Shapsyghs and other Adyghes moved to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
due to the Russian army occupation of th e region (Circassia), beside the regular tsars policy during the era of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
to cleanse the Circassian coast from Circassians (mainly physically then by expelling the remaining to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. After the end of Caucasian War
Caucasian War
The Caucasian War of 1817–1864, also known as the Russian conquest of the Caucasus was an invasion of the Caucasus by the Russian Empire which ended with the annexation of the areas of the North Caucasus to Russia...
(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
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
(see Muhajir
Muhajir (Caucasus)
Circassians, the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Caucasus were cleansed from their homeland at the end of the Caucasian War by victorious Russia, which by its manner of suppression of the Caucasus directed at the Crimean Tartars and Circassians can be credited with "inventing the strategy of...
). In the Ottoman Empire the Shapsugs were partially assimilated or blended into the Cherkess community. Some 3,000 Shapsyghs remained in the Caucasus.
The Shapsugs as an Adyghe tribe always appreciate and honor their immortals (hero’s and fighters) who sacrifice their selves to keep Circassia
Circassia
Circassia was an independent mountainous country located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia and was the largest and most important country in the Caucasus. Circassia was located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea...
independent in the battles and war with the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
during the Circassians resistance ; by elegies such as the elegy of the Shapsugs
In 1924, the Bolsheviks established the Shapsygh National Raion
Shapsugsky National District
Shapsugsky National District is a district that was established in 1924 as a national district for the Adyghe of the Black Sea tribe witin the currently subject of Krasnodar Krai in the Soviet Union currently Russia...
. 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
Supreme Soviet of Russia
The Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR , later Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation was the supreme government institution of the Russian SFSR in 1938–1990; in 1990–1993 it was a permanent parliament, elected by the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation.The Supreme Soviet of...
passed a resolution on the establishment of the Shapsygh National Raion.
Culture
The traditional Shapsug culture had much in common with the Adyghe culture. The Shapsugs were engaged in agriculture, cattle- and horse breeding, gardening, viticultureViticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and bee keeping. In pre-Islamic times, the Shapsugs worshiped gods common among all the Adyghe peoples – Shible (god of thunder and lightning), Sozeresh (god of fertility), Yemish or Yemij (god of war), Akhin and Khakustash (protectors of cattle breeding), Tlepsh (god of blacksmithing),Keshkogwasaha (god of the black sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
),etc. The Shapsugs used to perform the Hantse Guashe ceremony of rain calling during drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
s by carrying a dressed doll through the aul
Aul
An aul is a type of fortified village found throughout the Caucasus mountains, especially in Dagestan.The word itself is of Turkic origine and means simply village in many Turkic languages....
and then drowning it in the river, and never getting it out before raining.
Some of the Shapsugs families that live in Jordan
Kosho , Pshedatok , Shhalakhwa , Psekenop , Jan , T’harkakhwa , Kwiej , Hadagha , Meesha , Hatough ,Naghoj , Tamokh , Khorma , Bghana which changed in Jordan to , and this family considered the biggest Shapsug family in Jordan.Notable people
- Tir-i-Mujgan Ottoman Kadın SultanTirimüjgan SultanTîr-î-Müjgan Üçüncü Kadın Efendi was a Circassian – Armenian third spouse of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I.- Biography :...
- Karzeg Sait Bey (1887–1920) http://www.kafkas.org.tr/izbirakan/karzegzeki.html
- Çerkes EthemÇerkes EthemÇerkes Ethem was a Turkish militia leader of Circassian origin who initially gained fame for fighting against the Allied powers invading Anatolia in the aftermath of the World War I and afterwards during the Turkish War of Independence....
- Hazret SovmenHazret SovmenHazret Medzhidovich Sovmen was the second President of the Republic of Adygea, Russia, having succeeded Aslan Dzharimov at the post. Sovmen is a university professor from Maykop. Before becoming President, Hazret Sovmen had been a successful businessman , having started off as a bulldozer driver...
- Kyzbech Tuguzhoko