According to chief curator of protection and conservation at the Ministry Prof Anatoli Vilkov, the Gallery stored or displayed 3 and a half thousand paintings and drawings. Upon the destruction in 95, 48 found their way to other places in Grozny and 94, to the I.E.Grabar National Art Restoration Centre in Moscow (unfortunately, many proved hopelessly beyond restoration). The rest went into illegal circulation -- often with professional thieves or armed bushwhackers who continue to bring stolen pictures to local markets or try to furtively sell them to foreigners in exchange for bucks. A federal computer database of stolen GAG art has amassed details of 650 items since its inception in 1997. Russian art experts and officers of two major security agencies, the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service, are closely tracking domestic and international catalogues and auctions for stolen Grozny art. From an auction in Vienna a couple of years ago, they recovered a Dutch still life, and from Sotheby's in London, 18th-century portraits of Count and Countess Zubov (start-priced at over 80 thousand US dollars each). A little later, Russian soldiers guarding the border with Azerbaijan seized the 19th-century panoramic painting 'The Capture of Imam Shamil' by Franz Rubo. In the Pacific port of Vladivostok, the authorities seized 'Portrait of Baron Rokasovski' by K.Makovski as it was changing hands between thieves. This brought the total number of detected and recovered Grozny paintings to five. The figure stays unchanged.
(more about chechen culture...)

Iles Tataev
The early years of Iles Tataev passed in the old village of Stary Atagi and the original harmony of Chechen foothills made him an artist of unusual genre. At a mature age he started to make sculptures out of tree burl. Though, he had made himself a name in the world of art before that. Tataev is Chechnyas first film director, who has directed and written scripts for more than 30 musical, feature and documentary films. His films have won numerous awards and diplomas at various film festivals. Until the 90s Iles Tataev, Merited Artist of Russia and the Chechen-Ingush republic, a member of the Film-Makers Union of the Soviet Union and a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, took an active part in the cultural, public and political life. He spent his free time out in the mountains, in Chernorechensky forest near Grozny, collecting branches, roots, outgrowths and excrescence, which he then used to make sculptural compositions, just for his own pleasure. But the peaceful life in Chechnya came to a halt and Tataev lost everything: his house burned down and so did his exhibition the outcome of years of laborious work. He found himself in Moscow, not as a guest of honour, or on a business trip as before, but as a refugee. But his artistic gift had survived and the nature, though a different one, was beckoning him again. His new wood sculptures were inimitable in their beauty. With the support of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov the artist was given a flat with a small studio, where he spent days and nights on end. The first big exhibition of Tataevs works opened in the State Duma Hall in June 1999. Deputies, government officials and ordinary visitors were admiring unique burl sculptures, so unusual and different: The Tenth Wave, When a Man Loses His Head, A Radar of the Planet, A Lady with a Dog, An Idea, Danko, Salvador Dali Symphony, Motherhood What Iles Tataev put on public view, - wrote the "Russian Federation Today newspaper in those days, - rightfully makes him an original sculptor, who facilitates better understanding of both the world around us and us in it. The exhibitions Visitors Book contains words of recognition from sculptor M.Shemyakin-Kardanov, poet S.Surnin, cosmonaut A.Nikholaev and many other famous people and ordinary visitors stunned by the artists talent. Academician Y.P.Velikhov wrote: .. Iles Tataevs sculptures have no analogues elsewhere in the world and his works tell us of the authors noble wish to portray the beauty and strength of nature pressed by centuries into the burl of the trees Tataev spent last summer and autumn in the woods of Karachaevo-Cherkess republic. His small studio is now packed to capacity with tree burls intricate, of many layers, twisted veins the material for future compositions. Some of them are nearly ready and strike your imagination There will be a new exhibition team work of a talented artist Tataev, and the greatest artist of all Mother Nature.
(more about famous chechens...)

Back to the flatland
In the 15th century, highland Chechens started building villages on the outskirts of the Nakh kingdom of Simsim (Simsir.) The Chechens were then locked up in fierce fighting with the Horde-backed Kumyk, Noghai and Kabardian Princes and Khans who used as their own the flatland fields and pastures the Chechens had been forced to cede to the nomads.What is known as the heroic Illi - epic legends and ballads - date back to that period. Farming and livestock breeding reach a qualitatively new level. The Chechens get to know more about metals and start manufacturing household utensils and weaponry of copper, zinc and silver, as well as iron. Village artisans work wonders. Weapons, jewelry, various kinds of household utensils are made for sale. Oral and literary sources make mention of streets and even villages populated entirely by blacksmiths, gunsmiths, makers, jewelers.Things manufactured in that period have been found all over Chechnya and Ingushetia. Remnants of potmakers' ovens, smithies and artisans' shops date to the Middle Ages. The potmaker's oven found near the village of Duba Yurt has been almost undamaged by time. It was made in the 13th, if not 11th, century. Certain cross sections of society could read and write. The Nakh tribes, larger communities and khanates maintained diplomatic correspondence with neighboring nations, like Georgia. (more about ethnos...)

Issue 16
12.08.02

Chechen diary

12 August 2002  Graduates of Chechen schools have possibilities for getting professions in virtually any sphere
This year the federal Education Ministry allocated for Chechnya over two thousand budget places in professional and technical colleges and more than 260 places in training colleges in about 50 various regions of Russia. The announcement came in a interview of the radio station Chechnya Free with the Chechen deputy minister of general and professional education Ganga Elmurzaeva. She is quoted as saying Russian colleges offer a wide range of specialization from building and medical to computer programming and culture and art spheres. While studying Chechen students will be provided with rooms in hostels, maintenance allowance and free food. Boys will be on deferment. Orphans are to be fully provided with state aid, including higher studentship and clothing. According to Ganga Elmurzaeva the most popular colleges among Chechen graduates are those preparing lawyers, financiers, economists and doctors. All these specializations are available in a list sent by the federal ministry. However, she said, graduates and their parents should attach more attention to urgent specializations in farming, the ones the republic dramatically needs zootechnics, veterinary science, engineering and transport. Nowadays virtually any profession allows a specialist in this or that sphere to earn enough. And graduates of Chechen schools are provided with favorable conditions to acquire necessary knowledge.
(more from Chechen diary)

11 August 2002  Two years saw more than 2 000 rebels return to peaceful life
Rehabilitation would be a proper name for an effort in Chechnya aimed at encouraging rebels to say farewell to arms. There are more than two thousand rebels now who have surrendered to start up a new life, said Chechnyas representative to the Federation Council Akhmar Zavgaev. He underlined that peace process in the republic goes a long way to bringing gang fighters to surrender. More than 15 hundred jobs have been created over the past two years as the system of at-home work is also being introduced, Akhmar Zavgaev said. As oil extraction, industry, agriculture, education are revving up, there is a growing demand for specialists construction workers, technicians, teachers and others. New jobs ensure that people dont take part in militant activities and cause damage to their fellow countrymen. There is no doubting things will fall back into place in Chechnya, emphasized Chechnyas representative to the Federation Council Akhmar Zavgaev.
(more from Chechen diary)

10 August 2002  New guidelines for targeted special operations in Chechnya

Targeted special operations in Chechnya will go along new guidelines from late August on. New rules were approved by a working group of representatives of Joint Command of federal troops, Chechen administration, republics interior headquarters, prosecutors office, and office of President Putins human rights envoy to Chechnya Abdul-Hakim Sultygov. He said that conduction of every such operation would have to be formalized in orders by Joint Command or other power bodies operating in Chechnya not before it is endorsed by head of civilian administration. During such operations federal troops will only block a population center while all checks will be carried out by local police. Abdul-Hakim Sultygov emphasized that new guidelines drawn up by the working group are legally binding and their enforcement will virtually signal the end of the military stage of the anti-terrorist operation in Chechnya.
(more from Chechen diary)

Chechen traditions

Modern customs and traditions
Hospitality

A legend says that the ancestor of all Chechens - Nokhchuo - was born with a piece of iron in one hand and a piece of cheese in the other. "Grace seldom rests on places unfrequented by guests," "a guest brings joy,""the longer the guest's way to your house, the more respect you owe him..." Many sayings, legends and fables focus on the sacred law of hospitality. The villagers are most hospitable. Every coutryside family has a special guest room that is always kept clean, with clean bed linen, in a word, ready for a visitor. No one makes use of this room. Even the children are forbidden to play or do anything else in this room. Every family must be ever ready to serve the guest a meal. Chechens used to set aside a special stock of food supplies for this purpose. No questions are to be asked of a guest in the first three days of his visit... He is considered a privileged member of the family. In the olden day, the daughter or daughter-in-law of the head of the family would even help him to take off his shoes and overcoat. The guest enjoys the warmest reception at meal times. A Chechen must risk his own life to protect the life, honor and property of his guest. This is one of the basic rules of Chechen hospitality. The Chechen code of conduct says guests should offer no payment to the family they stayed with. A guest may only make a present to the children of that family. The ancient rules of hospitality were obeyed regardless of circumstances. Any good man, regardless of his ethnic roots, merited a warm reception. There is a direct connection between hospitality and greetings. To greet someone, Chechens open up their arms, that is bare their heart for us to see that they neither hide mean intentions nor plan any evil. (more about traditions...) 

Religion

Kunta-Khadzhi Kishiev the Chechen Mahatma Gandhi

The nature of Kunta-Khadzhis teachings is best reflected in his sermons and instructions that were collected from accounts by murids of the Kunta-Khadzhi fraternity. The most serious of works about the life of Kunta-Khadzhi is a book by philosopher Vakhit Akaev, which is called Sheikh Kunta-Khadzhi. Life and Teaching and which came out in Grozny in 1994. The author writes: Islam that got established in Daghestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia is of specific nature, which formed under the influence of Sufism. The Sufi Order facilitated dissemination and strengthening of Islam in the North Caucasus. It got stronger in Daghestan in the 19th century, when many representatives of official Islam stopped following the Koran and Sharia and began to encroach on the rights of the poor in favour of the ruling classes. That prompted Imam Gazi-Muhammad to declare gazavat or holy war on the ruling clique of mountaineers and expansionist policy of tsarism in the North Caucasus. The Kadiri tarikat, a social movement and religious concept, known in the North Caucasus as Zikrism, emerged at the end of the Caucasian war and at the initial stage its ideology differed radically from the concept of holy war. The founder of Zikrism Sheikh Kunta-Khadzhi, a native of the Chechen village of Ilskhan-Yurt, appeared on Chechnyas political scene at a time when people, weary of continuous war with the tsarist regime, needed peace. Kunta-Khadzhis sermons calling for peace, brotherhood and support for the poor and orphans found a response among the people, driven to the point of physical extermination. Central in his sermons were the ideas of non-resistance to evil with violence, renunciation of military actions against the tsarist regime, which outnumbered mountaineers in military might, and appeals for submission. Kunta-Khadzhi was fully aware of the fact that irreconcilable resistance to the tzarist regime might result in a complete of annihilation of Chechens. It was that very circumstance that made Kunta-Khadzhi appeal to the idea of ending the bloodshed and returning to peaceful life. Zikrism ideology ran counter to the concept of holy war, or gazavat, which called for continuing the struggle till final victory. Shamil pursued Kunta-Khadzhi for his anti-gazavat ideas. The historical dispute between Shamil and Kunta-Khadzhi ended in a crush of the mountaineers centuries-old resistance to the immeasurably strong conqueror. Shamil, who had brought about the concept of gazavat or holy war, became a guest of honour of the Russian tsar and spent the rest of his life in Mecca. Kunta-Khadzhi, an advocate of submission, peace, good will and justice, was arrested with the consent of Tsar Alexander II in winter in 1864 and experienced in full what it was like to be an ordinary criminal in the jails of Novocherkassk and Ustyuzhino. St.Kunta-Khadzhi was tortured by loneliness, hunger and cold. The sheikhs letters, which never reached his family, testify to severe trials all of which he stood humbly and with dignity. In the above work Vakhid Akaev writes: Born into a poor Chechen family, on a territory conquered by the Russian Empire, he did all he could to establish spiritual brotherhood and social justice and put his whole heart into the cause. Success in combating social evil, as he saw it, could come not from the use of force, but from moral purification, elevation and mutual support among the mountaineers, the eternal search for God. The sheikhs ascetic lifestyle, his profound piety and desire to alleviate peoples sufferings drew Chechens that had suffered most in the war to his side. As for the attitude of tsarist dignitaries and the tsar himself, it was different from that to Shamil Unlike Shamil Kunta-Khadzhi was not a warrior and did not perform any feats of arms. He is a peace-maker, a saint and his deeds lie in the spiritual sphere. He recognizes one power the power of God. Hence there could be no leniency towards Kunta-Khadzhi on the part of rich and mighty. For the tsarist regime people with Kunta-Khadzhis outlook were much more dangerous than Shamil. The tsarist authorities looked on Kunta-Khadzhi as a fanatic, criminal and trouble-maker inciting people to serving God, and not the ruling classes. Hence official tsarist documents classed him as a political criminal, a fanatic, for he was seeking a righteous society calling for justice and life according to the laws of conscience and suffered to the point of self-torture feeling so keenly about peoples sins. Followers of Kunta-Khadzhi have never acknowledged his death in a belief that he went into hiding and will make a come-back, thereby recognizing him as Mahdi (the last Messiah, successor of prophet Muhammad, God bless Him). Even in the most tragic times for Chechen people Sheikh Kunta-Khadzhi relentlessly called for mutual assistance and charity. In India he would undoubtedly have been given the name of Mahatma or Teacher, and in Chechnya he is known as Evliya, which means Saint. He is not just a saint, but a saint, who suffered for new philosophy, new outlook. One is tempted to throw a bridge across the spiritual world of Kunta-Khadzhi to that of Leo Tolstoi to Mahatma Gandhi .People of different religions Chechen Kunta-Khadzhi, Russian Leo Tolsoi, Hindu Mahatma Gandhi all urged the humanity to be kind, compassionate, modest and generous. As for Kunta-Khadzhi himself, a preacher, who called for renunciation of mundane life and non-resistance to evil with violence, he was sent to life exile to the town of Ustyuzhno in the Novgorod province. He died there on May 19th,1867. Significantly, in the early 20th century printing-houses in Daghestan published collections of sayings by the Chechen saint that had been put together by his followers.
The teaching of Kunta-Khadzhi Kishiev
* If you want to love Allah love justice.Wish your neighbour what you wish yourself.Never try to be richer, higher or stronger than others.Share with the poor everything God has sent you.Beware of the envious. Let them envy your knowledge, fairness and generosity.Pray to Allah that nothing earned with someone elses blood and sweat would get attached to you. This is an insurmountable obstacle towards tarikat.
(in detail...) 

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