The Information Channel Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue 29 27.09.02 Chechen culture Traditional Folk Arts Arms FROM THE HISTORY OF CHECHEN WEAPONS There are many things that life in the mountains taught Chechens. They are excellent huntsmen, soldiers, fortification builders and armourers. The earliest Chechen arms were made of stone and wood. Sharp-pointed and round stones were catapulted by means of a sling from high fortress towers. Long-range offensive weapons included the so-called "javelin-thrower". This pure Chechen invention consisted of a pair of wild goat's sabre-shaped horns fixed on a wooden stand with leather belts or goat tendons stretched between their ends. For close combat the Chechens had clubs, leather-covered shields and chain mails. Projectile wooden weapons such as bows, arrows and spears were made of hornbeam. Growing in abundance in Caucasian forests, the hornbeam tree was considered sacred and was not allowed in construction. Young shoots were used for making arrows. Flat-shaped and feathered, they were shot from a huge, heavy two-string composite bow with horn on the belly and sinew on the back, the shaft often wrapped in leather. Shooting from such a bow at a galloping speed requred strength, sharpsight and coordination of a horseman. Chechens were expert in archery. Arrows and bows were used until the early 18th century. With the appearance of metal the Chechens became famous for their sabres, cavalry swords and daggers. A folk saying "a sabre as fierce as a bear" stems from an ancient steel-tempering technology in which bear's fat was used. The secrets of steel-tempering were strictly guarded and passed from father to son. Here is one of them: a white-hot steel plate attached to a long rope was thrown into a precipice and then lifted quickly. The friction of steel against air was said improve its quality. It took an armourer and an apprentice some two weeks to make a dagger and more than month to make a sabre. Daggers were especially popular. They were used in combat, labour, hunting and even dancing. Before the Caucasian war daggers were not very sharp. A soldier who stubbed an enemy with a dagger was considered a poor fighter. In defense Chechens were as inventive as they were virtuosos in the production of assault armory. Khalkhan - a metal bear-spear half a meter in length, with a thick wooden haft - was a specifically Chechen means of defense the object of which was to catch and break the sword of the enemy. It was also used as a support stand for a flint gun. (more... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=eng§ion=cliteratureeng&row=1) Famous Chechens Sportsmen Shamil Lakaev: Chechen karate hopeful In May 2002, Shamil Lakaev won the European kiokushinkai karate Cup in Hungary in what has become his biggest success up to date. His previous track record stands out for bronze at the 2001 European championship. 23-year-old S. Lakaev was born in Gudermes. He has been into karate for five years. His coach is Lechi Kurbanov, also from Gudermes, who is still successfuly participating in Russian and international tournaments. Back in his home town S. Lakaev coached boys from 7 to 12 years old. Now he is living and training in Moscow along with a group of other Chechen fighters sponsored by famous Chechen politician and businessman Malik Saidulaev. Welterweight Lakaev features on the undernational Russian karate team. (more about famous chechens... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=famouseng) Chechen cuisine Grain dishes Siskal-churek (serves 1) Corn flour - 168 g , Water - 100 g , Salt - 2 g Sift flour. Heat water to 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. Add water to flour. Knead and cut batter into 1.5 to 2.0 cm-thick circles of 20 to 25 cm in diameter. Bake in ungreased griddle turning over at regular intervals. Serve with kald-dyatta or to-beram and Kalmyk tea. Kald-dyatta Cottage cheese - 64 g , Melted butter - 20 g, Egg - half , Salt- 5 g Mix thoroughly salted cottage cheese and melted or unmelted butter and finely chopped boiled egg. To-beram, Cottage cheese - 40 g , Sour cream - 60 g , Salt - 5 g Mix thoroughly salted cottage cheese and sour cream. Kalmyk tea , Milk- 100 g , Green tea (pressed) - 4g , Pepper- 0.1 g , Butter- 10 g , Salt - 0.5 g , Boiled water - 100 g Put pressed green tea into boiling water. Wait till tea comes to boil. Let cool for 5 minutes, filter, add scalded milk, salt, black pepper, butter. more ... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=eng§ion=kitcheneng&row=4) Chechen diary 27 September 2002 Gudermes hosts horse races An equestrian competition in Gudermes became a true sport fest for the Chechen republic. The organization of the event involved all districts across the republic. Horse riders from Dagestan, Ingushetia, and State Duma representatives were also present. There were a lot of competitors but there were much more spectators still, an unprecedented high of nearly 8 000 people. The audience enjoyed a seesaw rivalry. One of the three races was won by an athlete from Dagestan and the other two by Chechen riders from Gudermes and Kurchaloi. Each of the winners gained a Volga car. Runner-ups had to do with television and radio sets, and other prizes. After the competition, both participants and spectators could attend a fair dedicated to the sport fest where many goods were available for free. Gudermes and republican commandant and interior troops together with federal troops, special forces units, and Federal Security Service officers ensured the security at the event. There were no incidents. According to sports and physical culture chief of the Gudermes district administration Mairbek Shapiev, the success of the races led the organizers to schedule similar competition for next year too with more riders participating. Invitations will be sent to equestrians all over Russia. (more from Chechen diary http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=diaryeng) 26 September 2002 Wrestling mat from Moscow world cup presented to Chechnya One of the mats on which participants of the 47th world Graeco-Roman wrestling championship fought will be brought to Chechnya as a present. This is what Mikhail Mamiashvili, president of the Russian Wrestling Federation and an Olympic champion said at a press conference after the world cup. Let as many Chechen boys as possible go in for a beautiful sport of wrestling. Many social-political issues can be resolved with the help of sport, he said, explaining the purpose of the charity action. His Federation, he said, takes pride in such Chechen athletes as Adlan Varaev, brothers Buvaisar and Adam Saitiev, Islam Doguchiev M. Mamiashvili pointed out that these were not only outstanding athletes, but also loyal and faithful sons of the Motherland. The Federations initiative won support from Chechnyas deputy in State Duma Aslambek Aslakhanov who used to devote himself to sambo. The 47th world Graeco-Roman wrestling championship took place in Moscow from September 19 to 22. This was the first time on record of world wrestling tournaments that Russia hosted top-flight athletes representing more than 50 countries. The mats appeared to bring luck to the Russian team. The Russians took the first place in an unofficial medal rating winning two gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Hopefully, the mat presented to Chechen startups will bring them luck as well. (more from Chechen diary http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=diaryeng) 25 September 2002 Chechen performers win applause at folk festival A delegation of the Chechen republic was awarded with a diploma for its participation in the VI Festival of arts masters of the Southern Federal District titled Peace to the Caucasus that took place from September 12 to 16 in the Kalmyk capital of Elista. The forum became the third such to attend for Chechnya on its way to integration into Russias cultural fold. The debut of the Republican dance and song ensemble led by Salambek Abuev was a huge success. Innovative repertoire, colorful costumes, and flare of the young dancers carried the public away. Thousands of people that filled out the Uralan stadium responded to their performance by standing ovation. Presidential envoy in the Southern Federal District Victor Kazantsev, Nationalities Affairs Minister Vladimir Zorin, Deputy Culture Minister Anatoly Rakhaev, and other present at the concert expressed admiration of the show by Chechen folk groups and pledged to keep concerns of Chechnyas culture and art at the focus. Cultural and historical heritage of the North Caucasian peoples was a subject of discussion at the round table alongside the festival. The Chechen delegation presented two reports. Director of the National Museum Vakha Astalov touched on the pressing issue for Chechnya of preserving cultural hallmarks and Doctor of History Sharpudin Akhmadov spoke of customs and traditions of the Chechen people. Chechnyas Culture Minister Movla Osmaev met with head of the Kalmyk government Alexander Dorjdeev, Kalmyk Culture Minister Nikolai Sandjiev and Elista mayor Radiy Burulov to discuss future joint cultural projects, namely arranging tours of Chechen performers in Kalmykia. The festival went along without a glitch on the background of warmth and hospitality shown by Kalmyk people. The next such festival will take place in Karachaevo Cherkesia. (more from Chechen diary http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=diaryeng) 24 September 2002 Chechnyas Building Construction Industry The builders profession is very popular in Chechnya. More than one thousand houses have been repaired in the past few months. Among them are many private houses. The Chechen government builds municipal houses too. 405 families have received flats in nine apartment buildings. The construction work is going on in the health and education sectors too. An emergency medical aid centre and the municipal hospital No. 10 in Pervomaiskaya Street are expected to commission in Grozny by the end of the year. The construction workers repaired the school No. 29 in Grozny for the academic year and the schools in Shalazhi, Novoe-Sharoe and Zernovodsk are ready for opening. They repaired the state statistic committee building ahead of time owing to the forthcoming census. A boost in construction has stimulated factories linked with this area. The brick making factories have started to function in Shali, Gudermes and Shakhovskaya. They meet 40 percent of the republics demand. But when the brick-making factory in Grozny is commissioned Chechnya will significantly reduce the purchasing of building materials from other Russian regions. Nevertheless, the deputy chairman of the government commission in charge of Chechnyas reconstruction Anatoly Popov believes that the rate of construction works could be much higher. At a meeting in of the representatives of design and construction organizations in Chechnya in Nadterechny districts village of Znamenskaya he noted that many builders had realized the federal programme designed to rebuild Chechnya. But several districts had used the federal resources for other purposes. The commission has stopped the financing of such contractors and the work has been handed over to the organizations that had worked effectively. (more from Chechen diary http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=diaryeng) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chechen history The history of Russian-Chechen relations The history of Russian-Chechen relations (continuation) The fourth stage The period when Chechnya was part of Russia (the second half of the 19th century) can be designated as the fourth stage in Russian-Chechen relations. During that period the tsarist regime pursues the policy of threats and bribery. Progressively-minded representatives of the tsarist administration begin to realize that violence will not resolve the problem of highlanders, and that what is needed is cultural work and modernization. In the 70s and 90s the police regime eases and a pro-Russian Chechen elite is formed. The first Russian schools for mountain people are set up and the region is gradually getting drawn into the economic system of Russian capitalism. In Grozny oil begins to be extracted and refined, a railway is being built, a national bourgeoisie and a Chechen nation is formed . It was then (during the rule of reformer Emperor Alexander II) that Chechnya brought forward its spiritual leaders : Kunta-Khadzhi, Solets-Khadzhi, Deni-Sheikh Arsanov, Bammat-Girei Mitaev, Ali Mitaev, Sugaip-Mulla and other advocates of the ideas of traditional for Chechnya Islam. The period was characterized by favourable conditions for a peaceful settlement of ethnic problems in the light of the liberalization of the Russian political system towards constitutional monarchy. The Chechen elite, despite repetitions of the policy of ethnocide against Chechens and Ingushes, tried to fit in with the Russian society thereby giving Chechen people a chance to reap the fruits of Russian culture. Significantly, Chechnya after joining Russia took an active part in almost all its wars. And that was in view of the fact that Chechens were exempt from army service. Chechen and Ingush volunteers, who took part in the Russian-Turkish (1877-1878), Russian-Japanese and Russian-German wars, won an everlasting glory. The Russian Emperor Nicholas II, assessing the performance of the Ingush and Chechen regiments during "the Brusilov breakthrough" on the Russian-German front in 1915 wrote in his telegram to the Governor-General of the Tersky region Fleisher: (in detail... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=eng§ion=historyeng&row=3) Copyright CHECHNYA FREE.RU http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=eng -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=news.media.chechnyafree http://felist.com/ mailto:ask@felist.com