The Chechens themselves call themselves Nokhchi. Some translate it as Noah's people. Representatives of this people live not only in Chechnya, but also in some regions of Dagestan, Ingushetia and Georgia. In total, there are more than one and a half million Chechens in the world.
The name "Chechen" appeared long before the revolution. But in the pre-revolutionary era and in the first decades Soviet power some other small Caucasian peoples were also often called Chechens - for example, the Ingush, Batsbi, Georgian Kists. There is an opinion that they are essentially one and the same people, individual groups which, due to historical circumstances, were isolated from each other.
How was the word "Chechen" born?
There are several versions of the origin of the word "Chechen". According to one of them, it is a Russian transliteration of the word "shashan", which was used to denote this people by the Kabardian neighbors. For the first time, it is mentioned as the “Sassan people” in the Persian chronicle of the 13th-14th centuries, authored by Rashid ad-Din, which refers to the war with the Tatar-Mongols.
According to another version, this designation comes from the name of the village of Big Chechen, where in late XVII century, Russians first encountered Chechens. As for the name of the village, it goes back to XIII century when the bet was here Mongol Khan Sechen.
Starting from the 18th century, the ethnonym "Chechens" appeared in official sources in Russian and Georgian, and later it was borrowed by other peoples. Chechnya became part of Russia on January 21, 1781.
Meanwhile, a number of researchers, in particular, A. Vagapov, believe that this ethnonym was used by the neighbors of the Chechens long before the appearance of Russians in the Caucasus.
Where did the Chechen people come from?
Early Formation History Chechen people remains hidden from us by the darkness of history. It is possible that the ancestors of the Vainakhs (this is how native speakers of Nakh languages, for example, Chechens and Ingush are called) migrated from Transcaucasia to the north of the Caucasus, but this is only a hypothesis.
Here is the version put forward by the doctor historical sciences Georgy Anchabadze:
“Chechens are the most ancient indigenous people of the Caucasus, their ruler bore the name “Kavkaz”, from which the name of the area originated. In the Georgian historiographical tradition, it is also believed that the Caucasus and his brother Lek, the ancestor of the Dagestanis, settled the then deserted territories of the North Caucasus from the mountains to the mouth of the Volga River.
There are also alternative versions. One of them says that the Vainakhs are the descendants of the Hurrian tribes who went north and settled in Georgia and the North Caucasus. This is confirmed by the similarity of languages and culture.
It is also possible that the ancestors of the Vainakhs were tigrids - a people who lived in Mesopotamia (in the region of the Tigris River). If you believe the old Chechen chronicles - Teptars, the point of departure of the Vainakh tribes was in Shemaar (Shemar), from where they settled in the North and North-East of Georgia and the North Caucasus. But, most likely, this applies only to a part of the tukhkums (Chechen communities), since there is evidence of settlement along other routes.
Most modern Caucasian scholars are inclined to believe that the Chechen nation was formed in the 16th-18th centuries as a result of the unification of the Vainakh peoples, mastering the foothills of the Caucasus. The most important unifying factor for them was Islamization, which took place in parallel with the settlement of the Caucasian lands. One way or another, it cannot be denied that the core of the Chechen ethnic group is the eastern Vainakh ethnic groups.
From the Caspian to Western Europe
Chechens did not always live in one place. Thus, their earliest tribes lived in the area that stretched from the mountains near Enderi to the Caspian Sea itself. But, since they often stole cattle and horses from the Grebensky and Don Cossacks, in 1718 they attacked them, chopped many, and drove the rest away.
After the end of the Caucasian War in 1865, about 5,000 Chechen families moved to the territory Ottoman Empire. They began to be called Muhajirs. Today their descendants represent the bulk of the Chechen diasporas in Turkey, Syria and Jordan.
In February 1944, more than half a million Chechens were deported by order of Stalin to the regions of Central Asia. On January 9, 1957, they received permission to return to their former place of residence, but a certain number of immigrants remained in their new homeland - in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
The first and second Chechen wars led to the fact that significant amount Chechens moved to countries Western Europe, Turkey and Arab countries. The Chechen diaspora has grown in Russia as well.
Chechens are the most ancient people of the Caucasus. They appeared on the territory of the North Caucasus in the 13th century as a result of the division of several ancient cities and are the largest ethnic group living in this territory. These people made their way along the Main Caucasian Range through the Argun Gorge and eventually settled in the mountainous part of the Republic of Chechnya. This people has its own centuries-old traditions and original ancient culture. In addition to the name Chechens, the people are called Chechens, Nakhche and Nokhchi.
Where live
Today, most Chechens live in the territory Russian Federation in the Chechen Republic and Ingushetia, there are Chechens in Dagestan, Stavropol Territory, Kalmykia, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Tyumen, Saratov regions, Moscow, North Ossetia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
population
As a result of the 2016 census, the number of Chechens living in the Chechen Republic amounted to 1,394,833 people. About 1,550,000 Chechens live in the world.
History
In the history of this people, several settlements took place. About 5,000 Chechen families after Caucasian War in 1865 he moved to the territory of the Ottoman Empire. This movement is called Muhajirism. Today, the bulk of the Chechen diasporas in Turkey, Jordan and Syria are represented by the descendants of those settlers.
In 1944, half a million Chechens were deported to Central Asia, in 1957 they were allowed to return to their former homes, but some Chechens remained in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
After two Chechen wars, many Chechens left their homeland and went to Arab countries, Turkey and Western Europe, regions of the Russian Federation and countries former USSR especially to Georgia.
Language
The Chechen language belongs to the Nakh branch of the Nakh-Dagestan language family, which is included in the hypothetical North Caucasian superfamily. It is distributed mainly on the territory of the Chechen Republic, in Ingushetia, Georgia, some regions of Dagestan: Khasavyurt, Kazbek, Novolak, Babayurt, Kizilyurt and other regions of Russia. Partial distribution of the language falls on Turkey, Syria and Jordan. Before the 1994 war, the number of speakers of Chechen language was 1 million people.
Since the Nakh group of languages includes the Ingush, Chechen and Batsbi languages, the Ignush and Chechens understand each other without an interpreter. These two nations are united by the concept of "Vainakh" which translates as "our people." But these peoples do not understand Batsbi, as it was strongly influenced by the Georgian language due to the Batsbi living in the gorges of Georgia.
The Chechen language has a number of subdialects and the following dialects:
- Shatoi
- Cheberloevsky
- planar
- Akkinsky (Aukhovsky)
- Sharoi
- Itum-Kalinsky
- Melkhinsky
- Kistian
- Galanchozhian
With the use of a flat dialect, the Chechen language is spoken by residents of the environs of Grozny, literature is created in it, including fiction, newspapers, magazines, Scientific research and textbooks. The works of classical world music were translated into Chechen fiction. Chechen words are difficult, but they sound very beautiful.
Writing until 1925 was based on Arabic. Then, until 1938, it developed on the basis of the Latin script, and from this year to the present, the Chechen script is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. There are many borrowings in the Chechen language, up to 700 words from Turkic languages and up to 500 from Georgian. There are many borrowings from Russian, Arabic, Ossetian, Persian and Dagestan. Gradually, foreign words appeared in the Chechen language, for example: rally, export, parliament, kitchen, dance, mouthpiece, avant-garde, taxi and broth.
Religion
Most of the Chechens profess the Shafi madhhab of Sunnism. Among the Chechens, Sufi Islam is represented by the tarikats: Nakshbandiya and Qadiriya, which are divided into religious groups called vird brotherhoods. Their total number among the Chechens is 32. The most numerous Sufi brotherhood in Chechnya is the zikrists - followers of the Chechen Kadiri sheikh Kunta-Khadji Kishiev, and small species that descended from him: Mani-sheikh, Bammat-Girey Khadzhi and Chimmirza.
Names
Chechen names include three components:
- Names borrowed from other languages, mainly through Russian.
- Originally Chechen names.
- Names borrowed from Arabic and Persian.
A large number of old names are derived from the names of birds and animals. For example, Borz is a wolf, Lecha is a falcon. There are names containing structure verb form, names in the form of independent participles, formed from adjectives and quality adjectives. For example, Dika translates as "good". There is in the Chechen language and compound names, which are composed of two words: soltan and bek. Mostly borrowed from Russian female names: Raisa, Larisa, Louise, Rosa.
It is important to remember the dialect and its differences when pronouncing and writing names, since a name pronounced differently can have different meanings, for example, Abuyazid and Abuyazit, Yusup and Yusap. In Chechen names, the stress always falls on the first syllable.
Food
Previously, the basis of the diet of the Chechen people was mainly corn porridge, shish kebab, wheat stew and homemade bread. The cuisine of this people is one of the simplest and most ancient. Lamb and poultry remain the main products for cooking, the main components of many dishes are hot spices, garlic, onions, thyme, and peppers. An important component of dishes is greens. Chechen dishes are very satisfying, nutritious and healthy. A lot of food is made from cheese, wild garlic, cottage cheese, corn, pumpkin and dried meat. Chechens love meat broths, beef, boiled meat, generally do not eat pork.
Meat is served with dumplings made from corn or wheat flour, and with garlic seasoning. One of the main positions in Chechen cuisine is occupied by flour products with various fillings from potatoes, cottage cheese, pumpkin, nettle and wild garlic. Chechens bake several types of bread:
- barley
- wheat
- corn
From cornmeal they bake siskal cakes, which they used to carry with them along with dried meat and take on the road. Such food always satisfies hunger well and saturates the body.
A life
The main occupation of the Chechens has long been cattle breeding, hunting, beekeeping and arable farming. Women were always responsible for household chores, weaving cloth, making carpets, cloaks, felt, sewing shoes and dresses.
dwelling
Chechens live in auls - villages. Because of natural conditions housing areas are different. Chechens living in the mountains have houses built of stone and are called sakli. Such sakli were also built from adobe, they can be erected in a week. Unfortunately, many had to do this when the villages were often attacked by enemies. On the plains they built mainly turluch houses, neat and bright inside. Wood, clay and straw were used for construction. The windows in the houses are unframed, but fitted with shutters to keep out the wind and cold. At the entrance there is a canopy that protects from heat and rain. The houses were heated by fireplaces. Each house has a kunatskaya, which consists of several rooms. In them, the owner spends the whole day and in the evening returns to the family. The house has a fenced yard. A special oven is being built in the yard, in which bread is baked.
During construction, it was important to take into account safety and reliability, the ability to defend if the enemy attacks. In addition, hayfields, water, arable land and pastures were to be located nearby. The Chechens took care of the land and chose places for housing construction even on the rocks.
The most common in mountain villages were one-story houses with flat roofs. Chechens also built houses with 2 floors, towers with 3 or 5 floors. The dwelling house, tower and outbuildings were collectively called estates. Depending on the relief of the mountains, the building of estates was horizontal or vertical.
Appearance
In anthropology, Chechens are a mixed type. Eye color can be from black to dark brown and from blue to light green. Hair color - from black to dark blond. The nose of Chechens is often concave and upturned. Chechens are tall and well built, women are very beautiful.
Casual wear Chechen man consists of the following elements:
- chekmen, sewn from gray or dark fabric;
- arkhaluks, or beshmets, of various colors, were worn white in summer;
- harem pants narrowed down;
- cloth leggings and chiriki (shoes without soles).
Elegant dresses trimmed with lace, Special attention drawn on weapon decorations. In bad weather, they wore a hood or cloak, which Chechen women sewed very skillfully. Shoes were mainly made from rawhide. Many wore Caucasian soft boots. The rich wore chuvyaks and black morocco boots, to which buffalo leather soles were sometimes sewn.
The main headdress of a Chechen is a cone-shaped hat, which ordinary people were made from sheepskin, and the rich - from the skins of Bukhara lamb. IN summer period wore a felt hat.
In the form of decorations, bone gaztris were sewn onto men's suits, and a belt with silver plaques was put on. The image was completed with a dagger made by local craftsmen.
Women wore:
- long shirts to the knees, blue or red;
- wide trousers, which were tied at the ankles;
- on top of the shirt they put on a long dress with wide and long sleeves;
- young women and girls wore dresses gathered at the waist with a belt made of cloth. Dresses in older women without folds and belts, wide;
- the head was covered with a scarf made of silk or wool. Elderly women wore bandages under a scarf that tightly fitted their heads and descended on their backs in the form of a bag. It was covered with braided hair. Such a headdress was also very common in Dagestan;
- women wore chuvyaks as shoes. Wealthy families wore galoshes, shoes and boots of local or urban production.
Women's clothing from a wealthy family was distinguished by sophistication and luxury. They sewed it from expensive fabrics, sheathed it with silver or gold galloons. Rich women were very fond of wearing jewelry: silver belts, bracelets and earrings.
In winter, Chechens wore a beshmet on wadding with clasps made of metal or silver. The sleeves of the clothes below the elbow were split and fastened with buttons made of simple or silver threads. Beshmet was sometimes worn in the summer.
In Soviet times, Chechens switched to urban clothes, but many men retained the traditional headdress, which they rarely parted with. Today, many men and old people wear hats, Circassians and beshmets. In Chechnya, Caucasian shirts with a standing collar are found on men.
Female the National costume survived to this day much more. And now older women wear chokhta, dresses with harem pants and homemade dudes. Young women and girls prefer city-cut dresses, but they are sewn with long sleeves and a closed collar. Shawls and shoes today are of urban production.
Character
Chechens are cheerful, impressionable and witty people, but at the same time they are distinguished by severity, deceit and suspicion. These character traits were probably developed among the people in the course of centuries of struggle. Even the enemies of the Chechens have long recognized that this nation is brave, indomitable, dexterous, hardy and calm in the fight.
Important for Chechens is the ethical code of honor of Konakhalla, which is a universal code of conduct for any man, regardless of his religion. This code reflects all the norms of morality that a believer and a worthy son of his people possess. This code is ancient and existed among the Chechens in the Alanian era.
Chechens never raise a hand against their children because they don't want them to grow up to be cowards. These people are very attached to their homeland, to which various touching songs and poems are dedicated.
Traditions
Chechens have always been known for their hospitality. Even in ancient times, they always helped travelers, gave them food and shelter. This is the way it is in every family. If a guest liked something in the house, the hosts should give it to him. With guests, the host takes a place closer to the door, thereby showing that the guest is the most important in the house. The owner must remain at the table until last guest. It is indecent to interrupt the meal first. If a relative, even a distant one, or a neighbor has entered the house, the younger members of the family and young men should serve him. Women should not show themselves to guests.
Many people think that women's rights are violated in Chechnya, but in reality this is far from the case. A woman who was able to raise a worthy son, along with other family members, has the right to vote during decision-making. When a woman enters the room, the men present must stand up. When a woman comes to visit, special ceremonies and customs are also held in her honor.
When a man and a woman walk side by side, she should be one step behind, the man is obliged to take the danger first. The young wife must first feed his parents and then himself. If there is even the most distant relationship between a girl and a guy, marriage between them is prohibited, but this is not a gross violation of traditions.
The father is always considered the head of the family, the woman looks after the household. The husband and wife do not call each other by name, but say “my wife” and “my husband”, “the one in the house”, “the mother of my children”, “the owner of this house”.
It is humiliating and insulting for a man to interfere in women's affairs. When a son brings a daughter-in-law into the house, the main obligations of the household fall on her. She should get up before everyone else, do the cleaning and go to bed last. Previously, if a woman did not want to follow the rules of the family, she could be punished or kicked out.
The daughter-in-law is brought up by the husband's mother, who is called nana. A young wife should not freely talk with her mother-in-law, show herself in front of her with her head uncovered and in an untidy appearance. Nana can shift some of her responsibilities to her older daughter-in-law. In addition to the household, the husband's mother must observe all traditions and family rituals. The oldest woman in the family has always been considered the keeper hearth.
It is very uncivilized to interrupt the elder and start a conversation without his request and permission. The younger ones should always let the elder pass, politely and respectfully greet him. It is a great insult for a man if someone touches his hat. This is tantamount to a public slap in the face. If the children have a fight, the first thing parents will scold their child and only then begin to figure out who is to blame and who is right. If the son has started smoking, the father, through the mother, should inspire him that it is very harmful and unacceptable, and give up this habit himself.
This people has a custom of avoidance, which forbids showing feelings in public. It is extended to all family members. Everyone should behave with restraint in public. The Chechens still have the cult of fire and hearth, the tradition of swearing and cursing with fire.
Many rites and rituals are associated with weapons and war. It was considered a shame and cowardice to get a sword from the scabbard in front of an enemy or offender and not use it. At 63, men reached the age of untying their belts, they could go out into the street without weapons. And to this day, the Chechens have preserved such a custom as blood feud.
A Chechen wedding consists of many rituals and traditions. The groom was forbidden to see the bride before the wedding and for some time after the celebration. Wedding Dress is both a festive outfit for girls and young women. It is sewn from bright or white silk, there is a continuous slit in front of the dress. On both sides, an ornament in the form of silver buttons of Kubachi production is sewn in the chest area. The dress is complemented by a silver belt of the Caucasian type. A white scarf is put on the head, which completely covers the head and hair of the bride. Sometimes they wear a veil over a scarf.
culture
Chechen folklore is diverse and includes genres that are characteristic of oral folk art many nations:
- everyday fairy tales, fairy tales, about animals;
- mythology;
- heroic epic;
- lyrical, labor, ritual, heroic-epic, lullaby songs;
- legends;
- puzzles;
- sayings and proverbs;
- children's folklore (riddles, tongue twisters, counting rhymes, songs);
- religious folklore (tales, songs, nazms, hadiths);
- creativity of tyulliks and zhukhurgs;
Chechen mythology, the names of deities who personified the elements of nature, have been preserved quite fragmentarily. The musical folklore of the Chechens is bright and original, they amazingly dance the national Chechen dance Nokhchi and Lezginka (Lovzar). Music is of great importance to this people. With its help, they express hatred, look to the future and remember the past. Many of the national musical instruments common today:
- dechig-pondar
- adhyokhu-pondar
- zurna
- dudka shiedag
- bagpipes
- vota drum
- tambourine
The instruments were used for ensemble and solo performance. Held on holidays joint game on different instruments.
Famous personalities
Among the Chechen people there are many prominent personalities in politics, sports, creativity, science and journalism:
Buvaysar Saitiev, 3 times Olympic champion freestyle wrestling - Movsar Mintsaev, opera singer;
- Mahmud Esambaev, People's Artist of the USSR, dance master;
- Umar Beksultanov, composer;
- Abuzar Aidamirov, poet and writer, classic of Chechen literature;
- Abdul-Khamid Khamidov, playwright, bright talent of Chechen literature;
- Katy Chokaev, linguist, professor, doctor of philological sciences;
- Raisa Akhmatova, people's poetess;
- Sherip Inal, screenwriter and film director;
- Kharcho Shukri, calligrapher;
- Salman Yandarov, surgeon, orthopedist, candidate medical sciences;
- Buvaysar Saitiev, 3-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling;
- Salman Khasimikov, 4-time freestyle wrestling champion;
- Zaurbek Baysangurov, boxer, twice European champion, world champion in light and welterweight;
- Lechi Kurbanov, European champion in Kyokushin karate.
The question of the origin of the Chechen people is still debatable. According to one version, the Chechens are the autochthonous people of the Caucasus, a more exotic version connects the appearance of the Chechen ethnic group with the Khazars.
Difficulties in etymology
The emergence of the ethnonym "Chechens" has many explanations. Some scholars suggest that this word is a transliteration of the name of the Chechen people among the Kabardians - "shashan", which may have come from the name of the village of Big Chechen. Presumably, it was there in the 17th century that the Russians first met with the Chechens. According to another hypothesis, the word "Chechen" has Nogai roots and is translated as "robber, dashing, thieving person."
The Chechens themselves call themselves "Nokhchi". This word has no less complex etymological nature. Caucasian scholar late XIX- the beginning of the 20th century, Bashir Dalgat wrote that the name "Nokhchi" can be used as a common tribal name for both the Ingush and the Chechens. However, in modern Caucasian studies, it is customary to use the term “Vainakhs” (“our people”) in the designation of the Ingush and Chechens.
IN Lately scientists pay attention to another variant of the ethnonym "Nokhchi" - "Nakhchmatians". The term is first encountered in the “Armenian Geography” of the 7th century. According to the Armenian orientalist Kerope Patkanov, the ethnonym "Nakhchmatians" is compared with the medieval ancestors of the Chechens.
ethnic diversity
Vainakh oral tradition tells that their ancestors came from beyond the mountains. Many scientists agree that the ancestors of the Caucasian peoples formed in Western Asia about 5 thousand years BC and over the next several thousand years actively migrated towards the Caucasian Isthmus, settling on the shores of the Black and Caspian Seas. Part of the settlers penetrated beyond the limits of the Caucasian Range along the Argun Gorge and settled in the mountainous part of modern Chechnya.
According to most modern Caucasian scholars, all subsequent time there was a complex process of ethnic consolidation of the Vainakh ethnos, in which neighboring peoples periodically intervened. Doctor of Philology Katy Chokaev notes that the arguments about the ethnic "purity" of the Chechens and Ingush are erroneous. According to the scientist, in their development, both peoples have done long haul, as a result of which they both absorbed the features of other ethnic groups and lost some of their features.
In the composition of modern Chechens and Ingush, ethnographers find a significant proportion of representatives of the Turkic, Dagestan, Ossetian, Georgian, Mongolian, and Russian peoples. This, in particular, is evidenced by the Chechen and Ingush languages, in which there is a significant percentage of borrowed words and grammatical forms. But we can also safely talk about the influence of the Vainakh ethnic group on neighboring peoples. For example, the orientalist Nikolai Marr wrote: “I will not hide the fact that in the highlanders of Georgia, together with them in Khevsurs, Pshavs, I see Chechen tribes that have become Georgianized.”
Ancient Caucasians
Doctor of Historical Sciences Professor Georgy Anchabadze is sure that the Chechens are the oldest of the indigenous peoples of the Caucasus. He adheres to the Georgian historiographic tradition, according to which the brothers Kavkaz and Lek laid the foundation for two peoples: the first is Chechen-Ingush, the second is Dagestan. The descendants of the brothers subsequently settled the deserted territories of the North Caucasus from the mountains to the mouth of the Volga. This opinion is largely consistent with the statement of the German scientist Friedrich Blubenbach, who wrote that the Chechens have a Caucasian anthropological type, reflecting the appearance of the very first Cro-Magnon Caucasians. Archaeological data also indicate that ancient tribes lived in the mountains of the North Caucasus as early as the Bronze Age.
The British historian Charles Rekherton, in one of his works, leaves the autochthonous Chechens and makes a bold statement that in the origins Chechen culture Hurrian and Urartian civilizations are listed. The related, albeit distant, connections between the Hurrian and modern Vainakh languages are indicated, in particular, by Russian linguist Sergei Starostin.
Ethnographer Konstantin Tumanov in his book "On the prehistoric language of Transcaucasia" suggested that the famous "Van inscriptions" - Urartian cuneiform texts - were made by the ancestors of the Vainakhs. As proof of the antiquity of the Chechen people, Tumanov cited great amount toponyms. In particular, the ethnographer noted that in the Urartu language, a protected fortified area or fortress was called "khoi". In the same sense, this word is found in the Chechen-Ingush toponymy: khoy is a village in Cheberloi, which really had a strategic significance, blocking the way to the Cheberloev basin from Dagestan.
Noah's people
Let's return to the self-name of the Chechens "Nokhchi". Some researchers see in it a direct indication of the name Old Testament patriarch Noah (in the Koran - Nuh, in the Bible - Noah). They divide the word "nokhchi" into two parts: if the first - "nokh" - means Noah, then the second - "chi" - should be translated as "people" or "people". This, in particular, was pointed out by the German linguist Adolf Dyrr, who said that the element "chi" in any word means "man". You don't have to look far for examples. In order to designate the inhabitants of a city in Russian, in many cases it is enough for us to add the ending “chi” - Muscovites, Omsk.
Are Chechens descendants of the Khazars?
The version that the Chechens are the descendants of the biblical Noah has a continuation. A number of researchers claim that the Jews of the Khazar Khaganate, whom many call the 13th tribe of Israel, did not disappear without a trace. Defeated prince of Kiev Svyatoslav Igorevich in 964 they went to the mountains of the Caucasus and there laid the foundations of the Chechen ethnos. In particular, some of the refugees after the victorious campaign of Svyatoslav were met in Georgia by the Arab traveler Ibn Khaukal.
A copy of a curious instruction from the NKVD from 1936 has been preserved in the Soviet archives. The document explained that up to 30% of Chechens secretly profess the religion of their ancestors Judaism and consider the rest of the Chechens to be low-born strangers.
It is noteworthy that Khazaria has a translation in the Chechen language - “Beautiful Country”. Magomed Muzaev, head of the Archives Department under the President and Government of the Chechen Republic, notes on this occasion: “It is quite possible that the capital of Khazaria was on our territory. We must know that Khazaria, which existed on the map for 600 years, was the most powerful state in the east of Europe.”
“Many ancient sources indicate that the Terek valley was inhabited by the Khazars. In the V-VI centuries. this country was called Barsilia, and, according to the Byzantine chroniclers Theophanes and Nicephorus, the homeland of the Khazars was located here, ”wrote the famous orientalist Lev Gumilyov.
Some Chechens are still convinced that they are descendants of the Khazar Jews. So, eyewitnesses say that during Chechen war one of the leaders of the militants, Shamil Basayev, said: "This war is revenge for the defeat of the Khazars."
A modern Russian writer - a Chechen by nationality - German Sadulaev also believes that some Chechen teips are descendants of the Khazars.
Another interesting fact: actually ancient image of a Chechen warrior, which has survived to this day, two six-pointed stars of the Israeli King David are clearly visible.
In the Chechen Republic, the dominant religion is Sunni Islam.
The process of Islamization of the Chechens knows seven stages. The first stage is associated with the Arab conquests in the North Caucasus, the Arab-Khazar wars (VIII-X centuries), the second stage is associated with the Islamized tops of the Polovtsy, under the influence of which the Nakhs were (XI-XII centuries), the third stage is associated with the influence of the Golden Horde ( XIII-XIV centuries), the fourth stage is associated with the invasion of Tamerlane (XIV century), the fifth is associated with the influence of Muslim missionaries of Dagestan, Kabarda, Turkey (XV-XVI centuries), the sixth stage is associated with the activities of Sheikh Mansur, aimed at establishing Sharia, the seventh the stage is connected with the activities of Shamil and Tashu-Khadzhi, who fought against the adats, asserting Sharia, the eighth stage is connected with the influence on the Chechens of Sheikh Kunta-Khadzhi and other Sufi teachers.
The beginning of the mass spread of Islam among the ancestors of the Chechens refers to XIV century, although there is reason to believe that Islam diffusely penetrated among the Chechens back in IX-X centuries, which is associated with the penetration of Arab commanders and missionaries into the territory of the Chechens.
In general, the spread of Islam among the Chechens is a complex, contradictory and centuries-old process of adaptation to ethno-cultural reality. Islam was spread both by violent measures - the aggressive campaigns of the Arabs, and by peaceful means - through missionary activity. In Chechnya, and in general and throughout Russia, the Sunni direction of Islam, represented by the Shafi and Hanafi madhhabs, has established itself.
On the Northeast Caucasus(Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia), Islam has the form of Sufism, functioning through the tarikats of Naqshbandiyya, Qadiriyya and Shazaliya, which had a spiritual and cultural and political influence to many peoples in the region. In the Chechen Republic, only the Nakshbandiyya and Qadiriyya tarikats are widespread, divided into religious groups - vird brotherhoods, their total number reaches thirty. The followers of Sufism in the Chechen Republic are Sunni Muslims, relying on the basic provisions of Islam, but at the same time, they follow Sufi traditions, revering their ustazes, known to them sheikhs, avliya. great place in religious activities traditionalists are given to oral prayers, rituals performed, pilgrimages to holy places, performance religious rituals- dhikrs, construction of ziyarats (movzaleys) over the graves of the dead ustazes. This centuries-old spiritual and cultural tradition in modern conditions, thanks to the activities of the President of the Chechen Republic and the muftiate, is being actively revived, reaching its climax. Islam in Chechnya, due to its centuries-old adaptation to folk culture, is characterized by liberality, tolerance for other confessional systems.
In the Chechen Republic, starting from 1992, a new teaching, unconventional for the region, began to spread - the so-called Wahhabism, which is a religious and political alternative for local Islam. The activities of the Wahhabis were of a pronounced political nature and were directed against society and the state. The radicalism and extremism of Wahhabism was determined by the transition from one socio-political system to another, the collapse of the USSR, de-ideologization, democratic reforms, and the weakness of state power.
At present, the activities of religious extremists, as well as terrorists, are being suppressed in the Chechen Republic. A rapid revival of traditional Islam began, which is manifested not only in the construction of mosques and religious schools, but also in the spiritual enlightenment of young people. Traditionalists in their daily sermons of Muslims call for unity, spiritual uplift, condemn drug addiction and many other sinful acts.
Chechens are a North Caucasian people who are the main population. However, Chechens live not only on the territory of Chechnya, they inhabit Ingushetia, Russia, Kabardino-Balkaria and other regions. Today, there are about 1.55 million Chechens in the world, most of of which lives in the Russian Federation.
Although the state is part of Russia, the Chechens speak mainly their own Chechen language, which is also the state language. If we talk about, then almost all Chechens profess Islam, representatives of other religions are rare. On an anthropological basis, the Chechens are representatives of the Caucasian type of the Caucasoid race.
The absolute majority of the population of the Chechen Republic is made up of Chechens (95.5%), Kumyks, Avars, Nogais, Ingush also live (other national minorities - Kirghiz, Tajiks also live in). Before the deportation of the Chechens and their subsequent return in the northern regions of the republic, Russians and Russian-speaking (Terek Cossacks) made up the absolute majority of the population, in the city and the Sunzha basin their number was also significant. The pre-war Russian and Russian-speaking population was forced to leave the territory of Chechnya during the reign of Dzhokhar Dudayev in 1991-1994, and a significant number died during the period of active hostilities in 1994-1996.
Arslan Ahmed Allaudin - general, twice hero of Jordan.
Abdurakhmanov, Kanti - foreman, participant in the Great Patriotic War, hero of Russia.
Uzuev, Magomed Yakhyaevich - sergeant, defender Brest Fortress, Hero of Russia (1996).
Nuradilov, Khanpasha Nuradilovich - Sergeant, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Enginoev, Duda Edievich - scout, senior sergeant, full cavalier Order of Glory.
Sheikh Mansour - a participant in the Caucasian War, national hero Chechen peoples.
Yamadayev, Ruslan Bekmirzaevich - Colonel, Hero of Russia (2004).
Yamadayev, Dzhabrail Bekmirzaevich - Lieutenant, Hero of Russia (2003).
Yamadayev, Sulim Bekmirzaevich - lieutenant colonel, Hero of Russia (2005).
Altemirov Ruslan Saidovich, military fighter pilot, colonel, deputy. commander for combat training of the Trans-Baikal Air Force District, died in 1994.
Politics:
Arsanukaev-Dyshninsky, Inaluk - General tsarist army, Grand Vizier of the North Caucasian Emirate (1919-1920)
Akhmat Abdulkhamidovich - Mufti of Chechnya, President of Chechnya (2003-2004), Hero of Russia (2004).
Kadyrov, Ramzan Akhmatovich - Chairman (2005-2007), then President of Chechnya (since 2007).
Khasbulatov, Ruslan Imranovich - scientist and publicist, chairman Supreme Council RSFSR (1991-1993).
Khadzhiev, Salambek Naibovich - Minister of the Petrochemical Industry of the USSR (1991).
Albiev, Islambek Tsilimovich - Greco-Roman wrestler, Olympic champion (2008), champion of Russia (2005) and (2008).
Buvaisa?r (Buvaisa?) Hamidovich Sayti?ev (born 1975 in Khasavyurt, USSR) is a famous Russian freestyle wrestler, six-time world champion, six-time European champion, three-time champion Olympic Games, five-time champion of Russia, seven-time champion of the Ivan Yarygin Krasnoyarsk tournament, winner of the Goodwill Games. Honored Master of Sports of Russia (1995). Chechen by nationality.
Adam Khamidovich Saytiev (December 12, 1977, Khasavyurt, Dagestan ASSR) is a Russian freestyle wrestler, a Chechen by nationality, an international master of sports (1998), Honored Master of Sports of Russia (2000).
Artur Asilbekovich Beterbiev (born 1985, Khasavyurt Dagestan, USSR) is a Russian amateur boxer, Honored Master of Sports, European Champion (2006).
Salman Khasimikov 4-time World Champion in freestyle wrestling, Champion of Europe, Champion of the USSR
Aslanbek Bisultanov - 1973 won the Cup and the individual championship of the USSR among young men in wrestling 1976 became the youngest champion of the USSR. 1977 European Champion 1977 World Champion and winner of the titles "Best Wrestler of the 1977 World Championship" and the Cup "For the shortest fight in the championship"
Zaurbek Baysangurov (born 1985 in the village of Achkhoy-Martan, USSR) is a Russian professional boxer who competes in Light Middleweight. weight category, ¦ International champion WBC (WBC) in the first middleweight, world champion according to the IBF (IBF) among juniors, Master of Sports of Russia of international class, two-time winner of the world championships, two-time European champion, three-time champion Russia among youths and youth, champion of Russia among amateurs.
Lecha Kurbanov-1997. . Oyama Karate Championship - 1st place. 1997 Khasavyurt. Open city championship dedicated to the 200th anniversary of Imam Shamil - I place. 1998 Kutaisi. International Kyokushin Karate Tournament - III place. 1998 . International Kyokushin Karate Tournament - III place. In 2000, at the International Tournament in and in 2001 at the European Championship in Hungary, he won first place in the 90 kg weight category.
Public figures
Kunta Haji - saint, pacifist, Sufi sheikh, founder of zikrism.
Akhtakhanov, Mohammed - the first Chechen doctor.
