![Circassian Islamic Flag](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Circassian_Islamic_Flag.png)
The Abzakh (
Circassian: Абдзэх, ''Abdzekh'';
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
: абадзехи; also known as Abdzakhs or Abadzekhs) are one of the twelve major
Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold
Circassian flag
The Circassian flag (or the Flag of Adygea) is the national flag of the Circassians. It consists of a green field charged with twelve gold stars, nine forming an arc resembling a bow and three horizontal, also charged with three crossed arrow ...
. Historically, they lived in the mountainous part of the modern Russian republics of
Adygea and
Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai (russian: Краснода́рский край, r=Krasnodarsky kray, p=krəsnɐˈdarskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the North Caucasus region in Southern Russia and administratively a part of ...
. Major settlements or villages were located in the river valleys
Kurdzhips
The Kurdzhips (russian: Курджипс), located in the Caucasus Mountains, is a river in the Apsheronsky District of Krasnodar region, Russia. It is a left tributary of the Belaya near Maykop. It is long, and has a drainage basin of .
The r ...
,
Psheha,
Pshish, and
Psekups.
However, today the vast majority of them live in
diaspora in Turkey — about 500,000 people, which are the descendants of those expelled from their homeland as a result of the
Russian–Circassian War
The Russo-Circassian War ( ady, Урыс-адыгэ зауэ, translit=Wurıs-adığə zawə; ; 1763–1864; also known as the Russian Invasion of Circassia) was the invasion of Circassia by Russia, starting in July 17, 1763 ( O.S) with the Ru ...
. After
Kabardians
The Kabardians ( Highland Adyghe: Къэбэрдей адыгэхэр; Lowland Adyghe: Къэбэртай адыгэхэр; russian: Кабардинцы) or Kabardinians are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of t ...
, the Abzakh are the second-largest Adyghe tribe in Turkey, other diaspora countries, and in the world in general. They are also the second-largest Adyghe tribe in Israel (after
Shapsugs), largest in Jordan, and the sixth-largest in Russia. The Abzakhs are not to be confused with the
Abkhazians or the
Abaza, yet the naming "abadz'ekh" in Circassian language means "the people who live under the Abazas", but they are different in language.
History
Before the Caucasian War, Abzakhs inhabited the northern slope of the Caucasus mountain range, near the land of the
Shapsug
The Shapsug ( ady, шапсыгъ , russian: шапсуги, tr, Şapsığlar, ar, الشابسوغ, he, שפסוגים) (also known as the Shapsugh or Shapsogh) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes. Historically, the Shapsug tribe ...
tribe. After the Caucasian war, most Abzakhs (and other tribes) were deported to the Ottoman Empire, the remaining Abzakhs were relocated to the present-day steppe
Shovgenovsky District
Shovgenovsky District (russian: Шовгеновский район, translit=Šovgenovskij rajon; ady, Шэуджэн къедзыгъо, translit=Ṩəwdjən qyedzığo) is an administrativeLaw #171 and a municipalLaw #272 district (raion), one ...
in Adygea.
Culture
The Abzakh tribe was traditionally divided into nine companies, managed by elected elders. In discussing and resolving important issues elders agreed in a general meeting. The Abzakh tribe engaged in arable farming and horticulture, and kept many animals, especially prized horses. In the mountains, the Abzakh mined copper, iron, lead, and silver.
Since the early 19th century, their dominant religion is
Sunni Islam.
Language
The Abzakh people speak a sub-dialect ( ady, Абдзахэбзэ) of the
West Adyghe dialect of the Circassian language.
Abzakh sub-dialect
Israel
About 1,123 Abzakh people live in the Rehaniya
Rehaniya ( he, רִיחָנִיָּה, ar, الريحانية, ady, Рихьаные ) is a Circassian town in northern Israel. It is one of the only two Circassian towns in Israel, the other being Kfar Kama. Located about 8 km north of ...
, in Galilee ( Northern District, Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
), where there is an Adyghe museum.
In 1958, Abzakhs (and other Adyghe tribes) of Israel were allowed to enter military service, which gave them a number of privileges. In Israel, the Abzakh are the second largest Adyghe tribe, after the Shapsug
The Shapsug ( ady, шапсыгъ , russian: шапсуги, tr, Şapsığlar, ar, الشابسوغ, he, שפסוגים) (also known as the Shapsugh or Shapsogh) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes. Historically, the Shapsug tribe ...
.
Notable people
* Hulusi Salih Pasha (1885–1939); Ottoman Grand Vizier (1920), admiral, the first Minister of Navy of the Republic of Turkey
See also
* Other Circassian tribes:
* Besleney
* Bzhedug
Bjedugh, Bzhedug or Bazdug ( ady, Бжъэдыгъу, ''Bjzədıuğ'', ; russian: Бжедуги, ) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes.
Many of them immigrated to Turkey in the 1860s, but there is still a community of Bzhedug on the l ...
* Hatuqwai
The Hatuqway ( ady, Хьатыкъуай, translit=Hatıqway; tr, Hatukay; ar, حتوقاي, links=, translit=Hatuqway; ; russian: Хатукай, translit=Khatukai) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelv ...
* Kabardian
* Mamkhegh
The Mamkhegh or Mamheg ( ady, Мамхыгъ or ; russian: Мамхеги ) were one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag.
Originally, the Mamkhegs lived in the terr ...
* Natukhai
The Natukhaj, Natuqwai or Natukhai ( ady, НатIхъуадж, Натыхъуэдж, Нэткъуадж, Нэтыхъуай, translit=Nat'xhwadj, Natıxhwədj, Nətquadj, Nətıxhway; ; ) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representi ...
* Shapsug
The Shapsug ( ady, шапсыгъ , russian: шапсуги, tr, Şapsığlar, ar, الشابسوغ, he, שפסוגים) (also known as the Shapsugh or Shapsogh) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes. Historically, the Shapsug tribe ...
* Temirgoy
Temirgoy or Chemirgoy or Kemgui ( ady, КIэмгуй, '; or , '; or , '; russian: Темиргоевцы, ') are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. They lived b ...
* Ubykh
* Yegeruqwai
The Yegeruqway (; Russian: Егерукаевцы, ''Yegerukaevtsy'') were one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. There is also a small town with a form of the sam ...
* Zhaney
The Zhaney ( ady, Жьанэ, translit=Janə; russian: Жанеевцы, translit=Žaneevcy), or Janes, were one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag.
History
The Zh ...
References
{{Reflist
Circassians
Circassian tribes
History of Kuban
Ethnic groups in Russia
Ethnic groups in Turkey
Adygea
Upper Galilee