Circassian Culture and Folklore: Hospitality, Traditions, Cuisine, Festivals and Music (Kabardian, Cherkess, Adigean, Shapsugh and Diaspora)

Description

This is the first book in English to describe in detail the rich culture and traditions of the Circassians – comprising the Karbardians, Cherkess, Adigeans and Shapsugh. The diaspora of this North Caucasian people stems from their defeat in the catastrophic century-long Circassian-Russian War, which ended in 1864. As a result, Circassia’s population lost their time-honoured independence and huge numbers went into exile.
Circassian Culture and Folklore provides an ethno-anthropological perspective on the ancient hospitality, cuisine and attitude to life that Circassians across the world still keep alive. A taste is also given of the many holidays and festivals celebrated across the calendar, revealing their vibrant syncretism of ancient beliefs.
Sections cover the ancient Nart epics and Circassian music and musicology, complete with traditional songs and melodies divided into genres (a CD anthology is available separately). A collection of Circassian sayings and expressions with English translations plus a comprehensive bibliography are included as appendices.
THE AUTHOR: Amjad Jaimoukha’s other works include Kabardian-English Dictionary, The Circassians: A Handbook, Grammar of the Kabardian Language, The Cycles of the Nart Epic of the Circassians, Circassian Proverbs and Sayings, Circassian Bibliography, The Chechens: A Handbook, Parlons tcherkesse: Dialecte kabarde (with Michel Malherbe).

– 560 pages, 156 x 234mm, with 175 B&W illustrations, maps and sheet music
Published by Bennett & Bloom in Association with Desert Hearts, November 2010