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 comprised one of the largest groups of the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
Adyghe (Причерноморские адыги). They inhabited the region between the Dzhubga (in ady, Жьыбгъэ means "Winds" or "The Valley of Winds") River and the
Shakhe Rivers (the so-called Maly Shapsug, or Little Shapsug) and high-altitude mountainous areas of the northern slopes of the
Caucasus range
The Caucasus Mountains,
: pronounced
* hy, Կովկասյան լեռներ,
: pronounced
* az, Qafqaz dağları, pronounced
* rus, Кавка́зские го́ры, Kavkázskiye góry, kɐfˈkasːkʲɪje ˈɡorɨ
* tr, Kafkas Dağla ...
along the Antkhir, Abin, Afips, Bakan, Ships, and other rivers (Bolshoy Shapsug, or Greater Shapsug).
In Russia, the remaining Shapsug population mainly live in the
Tuapsinsky District
Tuapsinsky District (russian: Туапси́нский райо́н) is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty-eight in Krasnodar Krai, Russia.Reference Information #34.01-707/13-03 As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Tu ...
(
Tuapse
Tuapse (russian: Туапсе́; ady, Тӏуапсэ ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the northeast shore of the Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik and north of Sochi. Population:
Tuapse i ...
) of
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 t ...
,
Lazarevsky City District
Lazarevsky City District (russian: Лазаревский райо́н) is one of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city district borders Tuapsinsky District in the northwest, Apsheronsky District in the nor ...
of
Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
, and in the Republic of
Adygea
The Republic of Adygea (; russian: Республика Адыгея, Respublika Adygeya, p=ɐdɨˈɡʲejə; ady, Адыгэ Республик, ''Adıgə Respublik''), also known as the Adyghe Republic, is a republic of Russia. It is situated ...
(mainly in
District of Takhtamukaysky and
District of Teuchezksky), which were a small part of historical
Circassia
Circassia (; also known as Cherkessia in some sources; ady, Адыгэ Хэку, Адыгей, lit=, translit=Adıgə Xəku, Adıgey; ; ota, چرکسستان, Çerkezistan; ) was a country and a historical region in the along the northeast ...
.
However, today the major Shapsug communities are found in Turkey, Israel (
Kfar Kama
Kfar Kama ( he, כְּפַר כַּמָא, ar, كفر كما, ) is a Circassian town located in the Lower Galilee of Israel's northern district, located along road 767, that leads from Kfar Tavor to the Kinneret. It is one of the only two Ci ...
), Jordan (
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
,
Na'our
Naour ( ar, ناعور), also called Naur, is region number 26 in the Greater Amman Municipality. It is located on the west side of the capital, and comprises 26 neighborhoods or residential areas. Naour comprises approximately 87 km2, i.e., 5.19% ...
,
Marj Al-Hamam
Marj Al-Hamam ( ar, مرج الحمام; ) is the district number 27 of Metropolitan Amman – Greater Amman Municipality (GAM); it is situated to the western part of GAM. It comprises 16 neighborhoods and population gatherings (Circassians neighb ...
,
Wadi Al-Seer
Wadi Al-Seer or Wadi as-Seer ( ar, وادي السير, meaning "Valley of the Orchards") is an area in the Greater Amman Municipality named after a prehistoric queen that ruled the area, Queen Seer. It consists of ten neighborhoods, some of whic ...
), Lebanon (
Tripoli
Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to:
Cities and other geographic units Greece
*Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...
,
Berkayel -Akkar
Berqayel or Berkayel ( ar, برقايل) is one of the largest and the most historical towns in Akkar Governorate in northern Lebanon. Berkail is about 25 km north Tripoli. Berkail is well known by its olive production and green fields. It is ...
), Iraq, Syria, Western Europe, and the United States of America. The first Circassians to settle in Amman were from the Shapsug tribe, and as a result the Shapsug's neighbourhood is considered the oldest neighbourhood in the Capital
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
and was the
down town of it; however, other Circassians from the
Kabardian,
Abadzekh
The Abzakh ( Circassian: Абдзэх, ''Abdzekh''; Russian: 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. Histo ...
, and
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 ...
tribes also settled in Amman afterwards. Today, the Shapsug are the third-most numerous Circassian tribe in the world, after the most numerous Kabardian and second-most numerous Abzakh tribes. The Shapsug are the most numerous Circassian tribe in Israel, third-most numerous in Turkey where the majority of them live, and the fifth-most numerous one in Russia. In Jordan, after the Abzakh, the Shapsug and Kabardian tribes are the most numerous Adyghe tribes.
The Shapsug speak a sub-dialect of the
Adyghe language
Adyghe ( or ; ady, Адыгабзэ, Adygabzə, ), also known as West Circassian ( ady, link=no, кӏахыбзэ, khaxybzə), is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken by the western subgroups of Circassians. It is spoken mainly in Russia, a ...
. According to some indirect data, there were over four thousand Shapsug in Russia in 1926, but the Shapsug people were not enumerated as a separate group in
Russian Census
A Russian census is a census of the population of Russia. Such a census has occurred at various irregular points in the history of Russia.
Introduced in 1897 during the Russian Empire, the census took place decennially since 2010 according to the ...
es until
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, when the population was recorded at 3,231. The Shapsug who live in the
Adyghe Republic
The Republic of Adygea (; russian: Республика Адыгея, Respublika Adygeya, p=ɐdɨˈɡʲejə; ady, Адыгэ Республик, ''Adıgə Respublik''), also known as the Adyghe Republic, is a republic of Russia. It is situated ...
were enumerated as an Adyghe in general instead of Shapsug in particular, as they are an Adyghe (Circassian) tribe, rather than a separate ethnic group.
In
District of Takhtamukaysky a reservoir which was built in 1952 was named after the Shapsug tribe (russian: Шапсугское водохранилище) since the area was inhabited by this tribe for thousands of years and was considered to be part of historical Shapsugia, a region in historical
Circassia
Circassia (; also known as Cherkessia in some sources; ady, Адыгэ Хэку, Адыгей, lit=, translit=Adıgə Xəku, Adıgey; ; ota, چرکسستان, Çerkezistan; ) was a country and a historical region in the along the northeast ...
.
History
![CircassianCoastBattle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/CircassianCoastBattle.JPG)
The Shapsug were a very large tribe that occupied extensive territories of the Black Sea coast and the
Kuban River
The Kuban; Circassian: Псыжъ, ''Psyẑ'' or Псыжь, ''Psyź'' ; abq, Къвбина, ''Q̇vbina'' ; Karachay–Balkar: Къобан, ''Qoban''; Nogai: Кобан, ''Qoban'') is a river in Russia that flows through the Western Caucas ...
. Different sources note that, prior to the Russo-Caucasian War, the number of Shapsug people was between 150,000 and 300,000 people. The Shapsug had divisions of Big and Small Shapsug land, the latter being very close to the
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 ...
tribe's land. The Shapsug took an active role in the Caucasian war. They had a reputation of invincibility and were one of the last to lay down their weapons under the pressure of tsarist troops in 1864. Some Shapsug troops fought until the 1880s. After the end of the war the overwhelming majority of the Shapsug were forcefully evicted to Turkey and elsewhere in the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
. No more than 6,000 Shapsug people remained on their native land. Presently, these Shapshug live in the territory of
Krasnodarsky Krai and make up about 20 villages. From 1924 to 1945, there was a Shapsug National District, which was abolished during the time of repressions .
Historically the Shapsug controlled the ports of Dzhubga ( ady, Жьыбгъэ) and
Tuapse
Tuapse (russian: Туапсе́; ady, Тӏуапсэ ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the northeast shore of the Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik and north of Sochi. Population:
Tuapse i ...
to the mountain gorges, and consisted of 5
aristocratic
Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'.
At the time of the word's ...
families and 81 ( ady, Фэкъул1) free clans. They were classified as one of the three
democratic Adyghe tribes. The Shapsug were known to have supported the other Adyghe tribes in their struggle against the
Crimean Khanate
The Crimean Khanate ( crh, , or ), officially the Great Horde and Desht-i Kipchak () and in old European historiography and geography known as Little Tartary ( la, Tartaria Minor), was a Crimean Tatars, Crimean Tatar state existing from 1441 to ...
. During the
Caucasian War
The Caucasian War (russian: Кавказская война; ''Kavkazskaya vojna'') or Caucasus War was a 19th century military conflict between the Russian Empire and various peoples of the North Caucasus who resisted subjugation during the R ...
, they were one of the most stubborn enemies of
Imperial Russia
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...
, joining
Shamil Shamil (Arabic: شَامِل ''shāmil'') is a lesser common masculine Arabic name. The name is usually from the adjective which have several correlated meanings from the Arabic "complete, comprehensive, universal" but could also mean "embodying, pr ...
's alliance (which would last until 1859). In late 1860, a
council
A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...
was assembled by the representatives of three Adyghe tribes (Shapsug,
Ubykh, and
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 ...
). The council considered ( ady, Шъачэ)
Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
to be the last
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
of the
Circassian resistance. In 1864, a major part of the Shapsug and other Adyghe tribes moved to the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
due to the Russian army occupation of Circassia, as a result of the tsars' regular policy to
cleanse the
Circassian coast
Russian Black Sea Coast (russian: Черноморское побережье России) formerly known before the Circassian genocide as Circassian coast ( ady, Адыгэ хы аушу; russian: Черкесское побережье) is the ...
of Circassian people (mainly physically; later by expelling the remaining population to the Ottoman Empire. Some 3,000 Shapsug remained on the Circassian coast.
The Shapsug, as an Adyghe tribe, have always appreciated and honored their "immortals" (heroes and fighters) who sacrificed their lives to keep
Circassia
Circassia (; also known as Cherkessia in some sources; ady, Адыгэ Хэку, Адыгей, lit=, translit=Adıgə Xəku, Adıgey; ; ota, چرکسستان, Çerkezistan; ) was a country and a historical region in the along the northeast ...
independent in the battles and war with the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
during the Circassian resistance; by elegies such as the Elegy of the Shapsugs ( ady, Шапсыгъэ л1ыхъужъхэм ягъыбз)
Shapsugsky National District
On 6 September 1924, the Bolsheviks established the
Shapsug National Raion ( ady, Шапсыгъэ Националнэ Район ''Šapsyġe Nacionalne Rajon'', russian: Шапсугский национальный район ''Šapsugskij nacional′nyj rajon'') as a part of the Black Sea Okrug. The district contained around 3,400 Shapsug people, and the center of the district was the coastal city of Tuapse. In the beginning of 1925, it was divided into 4 village councils: Karpovsky, Kichmai, Krasno-Aleksandrovsky, and Pseushkho. After the end of the Second World War in 1945, the Shapsug National Raion was renamed Lazarevsky District.
In 1990, the first congress of the Shapsug tribe took place, where they would adopt a declaration on the reinstatement of the Shapsug National Raion. On 12 June 1992, the Presidium of the
Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation
The Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR (russian: Верховный Совет РСФСР, ''Verkhovny Sovet RSFSR''), later Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation (russian: Верховный Совет Российской Федерации, ...
passed a resolution on the establishment of the Shapsug National Raion.
Culture
The traditional Shapsug culture had much in common with other Circassian tribes. The Shapsug were engaged in agriculture, cattle and horse breeding, horticulture,
viticulture
Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
, and
beekeeping
Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most-commonly-kept species but other honey-producing bees such as ''Melipona'' stingless bees are also kept. ...
. In pre-Islamic and pre-Christian times, the Shapsug worshiped the Circassian gods—Shible (god of thunder and lightning), Sozeresh ( ady, Созереш) (god of fertility), Yemish or Yemij (god of war), Akhin and Khakustash (protectors of cattle breeding), Tlepsh (god of
blacksmith
A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...
ing), Keshkogwasha ( ady, Хышхогуащэ) (god of the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
), etc. The Shapsug used to perform the Hantse Guashe ( ady, Хьэнцэ гуащэ) ceremony of rain calling during
drought
A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
s by carrying a dressed doll through the
aul
An aul (; ce, oil; russian: аул) is a type of fortified village or town found throughout the Caucasus mountains and Central Asia.
The word itself is of Turkic origin and simply means ''village'' in many Turkic languages. Auyl ( kk, Ауы ...
and then drowning it in the river, and never getting it out before rain had arrived.
Since the early 19th century, the Shapsug are primarily
Sunni Muslims
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
(Hanafi).
Language
The Shapsug ( ady, Шапсыгъэбзэ) is one of the mutually intelligible sub-dialects of the Adyghe language's West Adyghe dialect.
Shapsug sub-dialect
There were two major varieties of Shapsug before the exile of the Circassians. Since the Shapsug scattered around the world, each Shapsug community developed a different form of speech.
Some Shapsug families
Some of the Shapsug families in Jordan
* Kosho ( ady, Кушъу / Кушу)
* Pshedatok ( ady, Пшыдатукъ)
* Shhalakhwa ( ady, Шхьэлахъо)
* Psekenop ( ady, Псыкынуп)
* Jan ( ady, Джан)
* T’harkakhwa ( ady, Тхьэркъахъуэ)
* Kwiej ( ady, Къуеж)
* Hadagha ( ady, Хьэдагъэ)
* Meesha ( ady, Мишэ)
* Hatough ( ady, Хьэтогъ)
* Naghoj ( ady, Нэгъуж)
* Tamokh ( ady, Тамохъ)
* Khorma ( ady, Хъурмэ)
* Bghana ( ady, Бгъанэ) which changed in Jordan to Hakouz ( ady, Хэкужъ after their 15th great-grandfather Хэкужъ born in 1337 in Tuapse, and this family considered the biggest Shapsug family in Jordan.
* Natkho (Shukri) ( ady, Натхъо)
* Shawash ( ady, ШъэошIу)
* Shoupash ( ady, Шупащ)
Shapsug families in Kfar Kama, Israel
* Abrag ( ady, Абрэгь)
* Ashmuz/Achmuzh ( ady, Ачумыжъ)
* Bghana ( ady, Бгъанэ known as Hakouz -Хэкужъ -in Jordan after their 15th great grandfather)
* Bat ( ady, Бат)
* Blanghaps ( ady, БлэнгъэпсI)
* Batwash ( ady, БэтIыуашъ)
* Zazi ( ady, Зази)
* Kobla ( ady, Коблэ)
* Qal ( ady, Къалыкъу)
* Qatizh ( ady, Къэтыжъ)
* Lauz ( ady, ЛъыIужъ)
* Libai/Labai ( ady, ЛIыпый)
* Nago ( ady, Наго)
* Natkho ( ady, Натхъо)
* Nash ( ady, Наш)
* Napso ( ady, Нэпсэу)
* Thawcho ( ady, Тхьэухъо)
* Gorkhezh ( ady, ГъоркIожъ)
* Hazal ( ady, Хъэзэл)
* Hadish ( ady, Хьэдищ)
* Hako/Hakho ( ady, Хьэхъу)
* Shamsi ( ady, Чомшъо)
* Choshha/Shoshha ( ady, Чушъхьэ)
* Showgan ( ady, Шэугьэн)
* Shaga ( ady, Шъуагьэ)
* Sagas/Shagash ( ady, Шъэгьашъ)
In the past there was also Shhalakhwa ( ady, Шхьэлахъо) and Kuadzhe ( ady, Къуаджэ).
Notable people
*Tirimüjgan Kadın
ota, تیر مژکان قادین
, birth_name =
, birth_date = 16 October 1819
, birth_place = Circassia
, death_date =
, death_place = Feriye Palace, Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (present day Istanbul, Turkey)
, burial_place ...
– Mother of Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire
*Karzeg Sait Bey (1887–1920
*Çerkes Ethem
Çerkes Ethem (1886 – 21 September 1948), known in English as Ethem the Circassian, was a Circassian Ottoman guerilla leader, social bandit, efe and soldier. He initially gained fame for establishing the Kuva-yi Seyyare and putting down mu ...
*Hazret Sovmen
Hazret Medzhidovich Sovmen ( ady, Шъэумэн Хьазрэт Меджидэ ыкъор ; russian: link=no, Хазре́т Меджи́дович Совмен; born 1 May 1937) was the second president of the Republic of Adygea, Russia, havin ...
*Tuguzhuko Kyzbech
Hajji Kizbech Tughuzhuqo (sometimes misspelled as Ghuz Bek; 1777–1840; ; russian: Тугужуко Кызбэч) was a Circassians, Circassian military commander who took part in the Russo-Circassian War. Personally witnessing all of his family ...
*Suna Öz – Mother of Dr Oz
Mehmet Cengiz Öz (; born June 11, 1960), known professionally as Dr. Oz (), is an Turkish American former professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University, television presenter, author and former political candidate.
The son of Tur ...
*Bibras Natcho
Bibars Natcho ( Adyghe: Пыйпэрыс Натхъо, he, ביברס נאתכו, ; born 18 February 1988) is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Serbian club Partizan and captains the Israel national team ...
* Nili Natkho
See also
* Other Circassian tribes
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia ...
* Shapsug Adyghe sub-dialect
* Hakuchi Adyghe sub-dialect
* Murayj al-Durr
Murayj al-Durr ( ar, مرج الدر; ady, Хъосай Къуадж pronounced ''Merzhidor'', also spelled Mraij ad-Durr, Murij al-Durr) is a village in northern Syria, administratively part of the Homs Governorate, located northeast of Homs a ...
References
External links
Official site of Shapsugia (Russian/Adyghe)
Famous Circassians
Journal of a residence in Circassia during the years 1837, 1838, and 1839 - Bell, James Stanislaus (English)
{{authority control
Adygea
Circassian tribes
History of Kuban
Ethnic groups in Israel
Ethnic groups in Russia
Ethnic groups in Jordan
Ethnic groups in Turkey
Krasnodar Krai