Never took off my hat crossword clue 8 letters. The Caucasian papakha in the Caucasus is more than a headdress

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The papakha is a symbol of honor. Since ancient times, the Chechens have revered headdresses - both women's and men's. A Chechen's hat, a symbol of honor and dignity, is part of his costume. “If the head is intact, it should be wearing a hat”; “If you have no one to consult with, consult with your hat” - these and similar proverbs and sayings emphasize the importance and obligation of a hat for a man. With the exception of the bashlyk, hats were not removed indoors. When traveling to the city and to important, important events, as a rule, they wore a new, festive hat. Since the hat has always been one of the main items of men's clothing, young people sought to purchase beautiful, festive hats. They were very carefully preserved, wrapped in clean cloth. Knocking someone's hat off was considered an unprecedented insult. A person could take off his hat, leave it somewhere and leave for a while. And even in such cases, no one had the right to touch her, understanding that they would have to deal with her owner. If a Chechen took off his hat in a dispute or quarrel and hit it on the ground, this meant that he was ready to do anything to the end. It is known that among the Chechens, a woman who took off and threw her scarf at the feet of those fighting to the death could stop the fight. Men, on the contrary, cannot take off their hats even in such a situation. When a man asks someone for something and takes off his hat, this is considered baseness, worthy of a slave. In Chechen traditions there is only one exception to this matter: the hat can be removed only when asking for forgiveness of blood feud. Makhmud Esambaev knew well the value of a hat and in the most unusual situations forced him to take Chechen traditions and customs into account. Traveling all over the world and being accepted in the highest circles of many states, he never took off his hat in front of anyone. Mahmud never, under any circumstances, took off his world-famous hat, which he himself called the crown. Esambaev was the only deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR who sat in a fur hat at all sessions of the highest body of power of the Union. Eyewitnesses say that the head of the Supreme Council L. Brezhnev, before the start of the work of this body, looked carefully into the hall, and, seeing a familiar hat, said: “Mahmud is in place, we can begin.” M. A. Esambaev, Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist of the USSR. Sharing with readers of his book “My Dagestan” about the peculiarities of Avar etiquette and how important it is for everyone to have their own individuality, uniqueness and originality, the people’s poet of Dagestan Rasul Gamzatov emphasized: “There is a world-famous artist Mahmud Esambaev in the North Caucasus. He dances dances of different nations. But he wears and never takes off his Chechen hat. Let the motives of my poems be varied, but let them wear a mountain hat.”

Hello, dear blog readers. In the Caucasus, the saying has long been known: “If the head is intact, it should be wearing a hat.” Really, Caucasian papakha for the Caucasians themselves it is more than just a headdress. Since childhood, I remember how my grandfather very often quoted some eastern sage: “If you have no one to consult with, then ask the papakha for advice.”

Nowadays it’s quite rare to see a young man with a Caucasian hat on his head. Several decades ago, a hat personified masculinity and was a kind of symbol of honor and dignity. If a guy allowed himself to appear without a headdress, then it was considered almost an insult to all those invited.

Caucasian papakha was loved and respected by everyone. I remember when we lived in, we had a neighbor who wore a new hat every day. We were very surprised by this and one day they asked him where he got so many hats from. It turned out that he inherited 15 selected dads from his father, which he wears with pleasure. The most interesting thing is that every time he went out to sit with local elders at an impromptu godekan, he put on a new hat. When he was invited to a wedding, there was another one, but if he was at a funeral, then a third one was on his head.

Caucasian papakha - the personification of traditions and customs

Of course, Caucasian hats were not always the way we imagine them today. They received their most rapid development and distribution in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before this, they mostly wore cloth hats. By the way, it should be noted that all the hats of that time, based on the material made, can be divided into four types:

Fabric hats
Hats combining fabric and fur
Fur
Felt

Over time, fur hats almost everywhere replaced all other types of hats. The only thing that should be noted is that felt hats were widespread among the Circassians until the beginning of the 19th century. Of course, this also includes “bashlyks”, Turkish turbans, which, by the way, were later very skillfully replaced by a small white strip of fabric that was wound around a fur hat.

But all these nuances are more interesting for researchers. I won’t be mistaken if I assume that you are much more interested in finding out what place you occupied hat V. As I noted above, any self-respecting man was simply obliged to wear a hat on his head. Moreover, most often he had over a dozen of them. There was also a whole system for servicing papas. I know that they were cherished like the apple of their eye and stored in special clean materials.

I think that after watching this video, you learned a lot about how folk traditions were combined with the Caucasian papakha. For example, it was a great discovery for me when I learned that a young man threw his headdress through the window of his beloved in order to find out whether his love was reciprocated. I know that they were often used to express their feelings to a girl.

It should be noted that not everything was so romantic and beautiful. Very often there were cases when it came to bloodshed just because a man’s headdress was knocked off his head. This was considered a great insult. If a person himself took off his hat and left it somewhere, no one had the right to touch it, understanding that he would have to deal with its owner. It happened that in a quarrel a Caucasian man would take off his hat and hit it on the ground - this meant that he was ready to stand his ground until death.

As I said above, Caucasian youth have practically stopped wearing hats in recent years. Only in mountain villages can you meet guys who happily flaunt these hats. Although, many great Caucasians (such as) never parted with their hats. The great dancer called his hat “Crown” and did not take it off even when he was received in the highest echelons of power. Moreover, Esambaev, being a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, sat in a fur hat at all meetings of the highest body of power of the Soviet Union. Rumor has it that L.I. Brezhnev looked around the hall before each meeting and, seeing a familiar hat, said: “Mahmud is in place - we can begin.”

In conclusion, I want to say this: whether or not to wear a Caucasian headdress is the business of every person, but I have no doubt that we simply must know and respect its significance in the lives of our fathers and grandfathers. Caucasian papakha– this is our history, these are our legends and, perhaps, a happy future! Yes, watch another video about papakha:

Friends, it will be very interesting to discuss your views on this topic in the comments. Yes, and don't forget. There are a lot of interesting and useful articles ahead of you.

Original taken from ymorno_ru in What you need to know about papakha

For both the highlander and the Cossack, a papakha is not just a hat. This is a matter of pride and honor. The hat cannot be dropped or lost; the Cossack votes for it in the circle. You can only lose your hat along with your head.

Not just a hat
A papakha is not just a hat. Neither in the Caucasus, where she comes from, nor among the Cossacks, a papakha is considered an ordinary headdress, the purpose of which is only to keep warm. If you look at the sayings and proverbs about papakha, you can already understand a lot about its significance. In the Caucasus they say: “If the head is intact, it should be wearing a hat,” “A hat is worn not for warmth, but for honor,” “If you have no one to consult with, consult with a hat.” The Cossacks even have a saying that the two most important things for a Cossack are a saber and a hat.

In Dagestan there was also a tradition of proposing with a papakha. When a young man wanted to get married, but was afraid to do it openly, he could throw his hat out the girl’s window. If the hat did not fly back for a long time, then the young man could count on a favorable outcome.

Fun fact: The famous Lezgin composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, going to the theater, bought two tickets: one for himself, the second for his hat.

Types of hats

There are different hats. They differ both in the type of fur and in the length of the pile. Also, different regiments have different types of embroidery on the top of papakhas. Before the First World War, papakhas were most often made from bear, ram and wolf fur; these types of fur best helped soften a saber blow..
There were also ceremonial hats. For officers and servants, they were trimmed with silver braid 1.2 centimeters wide.

Since 1915, it was allowed to use gray hats. The Don, Astrakhan, Orenburg, Semirechensk, Siberian Cossack troops wore hats similar to a cone with short fur. It was possible to wear hats of any shade except white, and during the period of hostilities - black. Fur hats of bright colors were also prohibited. The sergeants, constables and cadets had a white cross-shaped braid sewn on the top of their hats, and the officers, in addition to the braid, also had a galloon sewn on the device.
Don hats - with a red top and a cross embroidered on it, symbolizing the Orthodox faith. The Kuban Cossacks have a scarlet top. The Tersky ones have blue. In the Trans-Baikal, Ussuri, Ural, Amur, Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk units they wore black hats made of lamb wool, but exclusively with long pile.

Kubanka, klobuk, trukhmenka
The word papakha itself is of Turkic origin; Vasmer’s dictionary clarifies that it is Azerbaijani. The literal translation is a hat. In Rus', the word papakha took root only in the 19th century; before that, hats of a similar cut were called hoods. During the period of the Caucasian wars, the word papakha migrated into the Russian language, but at the same time, other names derived from ethnonyms were also used in relation to the high fur hat. The Kabardinka (Kabardian papakha) later became the Kubanka (its difference from the papakha is, first of all, in height). In the Don troops, the papakha was called a trukhmenka for a long time.

Papakha with a cuff
We all know the expression: "Punch." Tumak was a wedge-shaped cap sewn to a hat, which was common among the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks in the 16th and 17th centuries. Before the battle, it was customary to insert metal plates into the cuff, which protected the Cossack from checker attacks. In the heat of battle, when it came to hand-to-hand combat, with a hat and a cuff it was quite possible to fight back and “cuff” the enemy.

Astrakhan
The most expensive and honorable hats are astrakhan hats, which are also called “Bukhara”. The word Karakul comes from the name of one of the oases located on the Zerashvan River, which flows in Uzbekistan. Karakul was the name given to the skins of lambs of the Karakul breed, taken a few days after the birth of the lamb.
General's hats were made exclusively from astrakhan fur.

The return of the hat
After the revolution, restrictions were introduced for Cossacks in wearing national clothing. Hats replaced budenovkas, but already in 1936, hats returned again as an element of clothing. Cossacks were allowed to wear low black hats. Two stripes were sewn on the cloth in the form of a cross, gold for officers, black for ordinary Cossacks. On the front of the hats, of course, was a red star.
Terek, Kuban and Don Cossacks received the right to serve in the Red Army, and Cossack troops were also present at the parade in 1937.
Since 1940, the hat became an attribute of the military uniform of the entire senior command staff of the Red Army, and after Stalin’s death, hats became fashionable among members of the Politburo.

A papakha is not just a hat. Neither in the Caucasus, where she comes from, nor among the Cossacks, a papakha is considered an ordinary headdress, the purpose of which is only to keep warm. If you look at the sayings and proverbs about papakha, you can already understand a lot about its significance. In the Caucasus they say: “If the head is intact, it should be wearing a hat,” “A hat is worn not for warmth, but for honor,” “If you have no one to consult with, consult with a hat.” The Cossacks even have a saying that the two most important things for a Cossack are a saber and a hat.

Removing your hat is allowed only in special cases. In the Caucasus - almost never. You cannot take off your hat when someone is asked for something, the only exception is when they ask for forgiveness of blood feud. The specificity of a hat is that it does not allow you to walk with your head down. It’s as if she herself is “educating” a person, forcing him “not to bend his back.”
In Dagestan there was also a tradition of proposing with a papakha. When a young man wanted to get married, but was afraid to do it openly, he could throw his hat out the girl’s window. If the hat did not fly back for a long time, then the young man could count on a favorable outcome.

Knocking your hat off your head was considered a serious insult. If, in the heat of an argument, one of the opponents threw his hat to the ground, this meant that he was ready to stand until his death. The only way to lose a hat was with your head. That is why valuables and even jewelry were often worn in hats.

Fun fact: The famous Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, going to the theater, bought two tickets: one for himself, the second for his hat.

Makhmud Esambaev was the only deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR who was allowed to sit at meetings wearing a headdress. They say that Leonid Brezhnev, looking around the hall before his speech, saw Esambaev’s hat and said: “Makhmud is in place, we can start.”

Until relatively recently, a hat was considered to be an integral accessory of proud mountaineers. In this regard, they even said that this headdress should be on the head while it is on the shoulders. Caucasians put much more content into this concept than the usual hat, even comparing it to a wise adviser. The Caucasian papakha has its own history.

Who wears a hat?

Nowadays, it is rare for any of the representatives of modern youth of the Caucasus to appear in society wearing a hat. But just a few decades before this, the Caucasian papakha was associated with courage, dignity and honor. To come with your head uncovered to a Caucasian wedding as an invitee was regarded as an insult to the guests of the celebration.

Once upon a time, the Caucasian hat was loved and respected by everyone - both old and young. It was often possible to find a whole arsenal of papas, as they say, for all occasions: for example, some for everyday wear, others for a wedding, and others for mourning. As a result, the wardrobe consisted of at least ten different hats. The wife of every true mountaineer had a pattern for a Caucasian hat.

Military headdress

In addition to horsemen, Cossacks also wore a hat. For servicemen of the Russian army, a papakha was one of the attributes of the military uniform of some branches of the military. It was different from the one worn by Caucasians - a low fur hat, inside of which there was a fabric lining. In 1913, the low Caucasian papakha became the headdress of the entire tsarist army.

In the Soviet army, according to the regulations, only colonels, generals and marshals were supposed to wear a papakha.

Customs of the Caucasian people

It would be naive to think that the Caucasian hat in the form in which everyone is accustomed to seeing it has not changed over the centuries. In fact, the peak of its development and greatest distribution occurred at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. Before this period, the heads of Caucasians were covered with fabric hats. In general, there were several types of hats, which were made from the following materials:

felt;
textile;
combination of fur and fabric.

A little-known fact is that for some time in the 18th century, both sexes wore almost identical headdresses. Cossack hat, Caucasian hat - these hats were valued and occupied an honorable place in the wardrobe of men.

Fur hats are gradually beginning to dominate, replacing other types of this item of clothing. Adygs, also known as Circassians, wore felt hats until the beginning of the 19th century. In addition, pointed hoods made of cloth were common. Turkish turbans also changed over time - now fur hats were wrapped in white narrow pieces of fabric.

The elders treated their hats with care, kept them in almost sterile conditions, and each of them was specially wrapped in clean cloth.

Traditions associated with this headdress

The customs of the peoples of the Caucasus region obliged every man to know how to wear a hat correctly and in what cases to wear one or another of them. There are many examples of the relationship between the Caucasian papakha and folk traditions:

Checking whether a girl really loves a guy: I should have tried to throw my hat out of her window. Caucasian dances also served as a way to express sincere feelings towards the fair sex.
Romance ended when someone knocked down someone else's hat. Such an act is considered offensive; it could provoke a serious incident with very unpleasant consequences for someone. The Caucasian papakha was respected, and it could not just be torn off one’s head.
A person could have forgottenly left his hat somewhere, but God forbid someone touches it!
During the argument, the temperamental Caucasian man took off his hat from his head and heatedly threw it on the ground next to him. This could only mean that the man is convinced that he is right and is ready to answer for his words!
Almost the only and very effective act that can stop the bloody battle of hot horsemen is a handkerchief of some beauty thrown at their feet.
Whatever a man asks for, nothing should force him to take off his hat. An exceptional case is to forgive blood feud.

Caucasian papakha today

The tradition of wearing a Caucasian hat has faded into oblivion over the years. Now we will have to go to some mountain village to make sure that it is not completely forgotten. Maybe you’ll be lucky to see it on the head of a local young man who decided to show it off.

And among the Soviet intelligentsia there were representatives of the Caucasian peoples who honored the traditions and customs of their fathers and grandfathers. A striking example is the Chechen Makhmud Esambaev - People's Artist of the USSR, famous choreographer, choreographer and actor. Wherever he was, even at receptions with the country's leaders, the proud Caucasian was seen wearing his crown hat. There is either a fact or a legend, allegedly General Secretary L.I. Brezhnev began a meeting of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR only after he spotted Mahmud’s hat among the delegates.

You can have different attitudes towards wearing a Caucasian hat. But, without any doubt, the following truth must remain unshakable. This headdress of peoples is closely connected with the history of proud Caucasians, the traditions and customs of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, which every contemporary should sacredly honor and respect! The Caucasian papakha in the Caucasus is more than a headdress!

For Chechens, a papakha is something more than an ordinary headdress. This is a kind of symbol of honor, pride and dignity, which can only be worn by a person who has certain qualities and is capable of action. That is why not every Chechen could wear a hat; it was necessary to match this headdress.

Get a hat from your father

A young Chechen who was just starting to shave his beard usually received a hat as a gift. It could not be worn by mother, sisters, or other women in the family, otherwise its sacred power would be lost. If for some reason the head of the family died, then the hat always remained in the family; only the sons had the right to wear it.

You can receive a hat as a gift from a stranger

This astrakhan hat is a sign of high trust and recognition - it was not given to everyone they met simply out of pity or condescension. If a Chechen decided to give his hat, then the gifted person really deserved this expensive gift through his actions. At the same time, the material from which the hat was made, as well as its cost, were completely unimportant. The very fact of donating a hat was important, because this headdress had great sacred meaning. Receiving a hat as a gift from a stranger is an extremely rare occurrence, which sometimes does happen.

Smart head and fiery heart

A hat could only be worn by a Chechen who could preserve it and protect it along with his life and good name. If a Chechen’s hat was knocked off, it was considered humiliation, and restoring honor could be through battle and litigation with a bloody outcome. That is why the Chechens fought to the end for their hat - its loss meant shame and frivolity.

If a Chechen was guarding an object and left for a while, he would take off his hat and leave it at the entrance. Touching a hat meant challenging its owner, who considered it a matter of honor to find and punish the offender.

Features of a hat

A hat is not worn for warmth or beauty - it is a kind of symbol that emphasizes the honor and dignity of a man. The hat must be taken care of and handled carefully - it is not allowed to wear a hat by those Chechens who, for no reason, disdainfully throw this headdress on the ground. If a Chechen threw his hat on the ground, then he must be ready to die on the spot for his honor.

Since ancient times, the Chechens have had a cult of headdress - both female and male.

A Chechen's hat, a symbol of honor and dignity, is part of his costume. “If the head is intact, it should be wearing a hat”; “If you have no one to consult with, consult with your hat” - these and similar proverbs and sayings emphasize the importance and obligation of a hat for a man. With the exception of the bashlyk, hats were not removed indoors.

When traveling to the city and to important, important events, as a rule, they wore a new, festive hat.
Since the hat has always been one of the main items of men's clothing, young people sought to purchase beautiful, festive hats. They were very carefully preserved, wrapped in clean cloth.

Knocking someone's hat off was considered an unprecedented insult. A person could take off his hat, leave it somewhere and leave for a while. And even in such cases, no one had the right to touch her, understanding that they would have to deal with her owner.
If a Chechen took off his hat in an argument or quarrel and hit it on the ground, this meant that he was ready to do anything to the end.

We know that a woman who took off and threw her scarf at the feet of those fighting to the death could stop the fight. Men, on the contrary, cannot take off their hats even in such a situation. When a man asks someone for something and takes off his hat, this is considered baseness, worthy of a slave. In Chechen traditions there is only one exception to this matter: the hat can only be removed when asking for blood feud.

Makhmud Esambaev, the great son of our people, a brilliant dancer, knew well the value of a papakha and in the most unusual situations forced people to take Chechen traditions and customs into account. Traveling all over the world and being accepted in the highest circles of many states, he never took off his hat in front of anyone. Mahmud never, under any circumstances, took off his world-famous hat, which he himself called the crown. Esambaev was the only deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR who sat in a fur hat at all sessions of the highest body of power of the Union. Eyewitnesses say that the head of the Supreme Council L. Brezhnev, before the start of the work of this body, looked carefully into the hall, saw a familiar hat, and said: “Mahmud is in place, we can begin.” The only person in the Soviet era who had a passport with a headdress. He was the only one in the USSR who had such a passport; Even in this, he retained the etiquette of the Chechen people - not to take off your hat to anything. They told him that if you don’t take off your headdress, then we don’t have the right to issue a passport, to which he answered briefly: In that case, I don’t need it.” This is how he responded to the higher authorities.

M.A. Esambaev, Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist of the USSR, throughout his life and work carried the high name - Chechen konakh (knight).
Sharing with readers of his book “My Dagestan” about the features of Avar etiquette and how important it is for everything and everyone to have their own individuality, uniqueness and originality, the people’s poet of Dagestan Rasul Gamzatov emphasized: “There is a world famous artist Mahmud Esambaev in the North Caucasus. He dances dances of different nations. But he wears and never takes off his Chechen hat. Let the motives of my poems be varied, but let them wear a mountain hat.”

Caucasian hats

History and traditions

For a long time, the mountaineers of the Caucasus have been wearing fur hats, which have been improved over many centuries, eventually turning into the same hats that have become widely known since the Caucasian War of the 19th century. The Cossacks, and then the regular Russian troops, immediately appreciated the irreplaceability, practicality and universal qualities of the papakha, which in mountain conditions served not only as a headdress, but also as a pillow. A papakha is an undoubted attribute of the costume of a highlander and a Cossack. Among the Caucasian highlanders, a white papakha was considered part of the ceremonial costume worn on special occasions.

Before the outbreak of World War I, hats such as papakhas were made from bear, ram and wolf fur, since the durable and tough fur helped to withstand saber blows well. To increase this effect, metal plates were placed into the wedge-shaped cap of the hat. The military had not only ordinary, but also ceremonial hats. For example, officer's ones were distinguished by the fact that they were trimmed with centimeter-long silver braid.

The Don, Astrakhan, Semirechensk and other Cossack troops wore cone-shaped hats with short-cropped fur. Beginning in 1915, it was possible to wear gray fur hats, but during combat operations only black ones could be worn. White fur hats were strictly prohibited. The sergeants and cadets had the top of their hats decorated with white braid in the shape of a cross.

The Don hats differed from the others in that they had a red top with a cross. The top of the Kuban Cossacks' papas was also red.

Currently, you can buy a Caucasian hat of any color, shape and type in the store of Caucasian souvenir and gift craftsmen “Caucasian Craftsmen”.

Types and varieties of hats

Hats can be very diverse; they are made from different types of fur and can have different pile lengths, sizes and embroidery. At first, in the mountainous regions, hats were made from fabric, felt, fur, and combinations of fabric and fur. But it is fur hats that have earned great popularity, so today it is almost impossible to find a hat made of any other material other than fur.

Types of hats existing today:

Karakulevaya. It is the most expensive and most beautiful, covered with uniform smooth, tight and dense curls. In addition, such a hat is very practical and can last for many years.
Classic. The most common type of headdress in the mountainous part of the Caucasus, this type of hat is characterized by long and thick wool, most often from lamb. This type is often called shepherd's hats.
Cossack It is also popular in the Caucasus, also common among the Terek and Kuban Cossacks, and has its own name - kubanka. The papakha can have different shapes, both short and long fur.

If you want to buy a hat in Moscow, you should get acquainted with the extensive assortment that is presented in the Caucasian Craftsmen store. There are a variety of types of dads, which are made exclusively from high-quality materials.

Papakhas also differ in the material they are made from. For example, astrakhan hats are made from astrakhan varieties such as Valek, Pulat and Antika.

Thanks to innovative technologies, the color palette of karakul is very diverse; such unusual colors as platinum, steel, gold, amber, beige, chocolate and many others are available. Astrakhan fur keeps its shape well, so hats made from it can be either ordinary or very tall.

Classic and Cossack hats can be made from:

goatskin,
sheep skin,
lamb skin.

They can be white, black and brown, with very different coat lengths. All modern models are equipped with a special cord that allows you to easily and conveniently adjust the size.

Hat hats made from lamb and sheep skin are good because they are very warm and durable. And if the skin has been pre-treated, then the hat will also be moisture resistant. Hat hats with long pile are most often made from goat skins; they can be in natural colors such as gray, brown and milky, or dyed.

You can always purchase any hat in the store of Caucasian souvenir and gift makers “Caucasian Craftsmen” by going to the website and placing an order, which couriers will deliver at a convenient time, or by visiting the store located in Moscow on Semenovskaya Square.

Fun fact: The famous Lezgin composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, going to the theater, bought two tickets: one for himself, the second for his hat.

Types of hats

Fun fact: The famous Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, going to the theater, bought two tickets: one for himself, the second for his hat.

Annotation: the genesis and evolution of the hat, its cut, methods and manner of wearing, the cult and ethical culture of the Chechens and Ingush are described.

Usually the Vainakhs have questions about when the papakha finally appeared in the everyday life of the mountaineers and how. My father Mokhmad-Khadzhi from the village. Elistanzhi told me a legend he had heard in his youth associated with this popularly revered headdress and the reason for its cult.

Once upon a time, back in the 7th century, Chechens who wished to convert to Islam went on foot to the holy city of Mecca and met there with the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), so that he would bless them with a new faith - Islam. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was extremely surprised and saddened by the sight of the wanderers, and especially by their broken, bloody legs from a long journey, and gave them astrakhan skins so that they would wrap their legs with them for the return journey. Having accepted the gift, the Chechens decided that it was unworthy to wrap their feet with such beautiful skins, and even those received from such a great man as Muhammad (pbuh). From them, they decided to sew tall hats that should be worn with pride and dignity. Since then, this type of honorary, beautiful headdress has been worn by the Vainakhs with special reverence.

People say: “On a highlander, two elements of clothing should attract special attention - a headdress and shoes. The papakha must be of an ideal cut, since a person who respects you looks at your face and sees your headdress accordingly. An insincere person usually looks at your feet, so the shoes should be of high quality and polished to a shine.”

The most important and prestigious part of the men's clothing complex was the hat in all its forms that existed in the Caucasus. Many Chechen and Ingush jokes, folk games, wedding and funeral customs are associated with the hat. At all times, the headdress was the most necessary and most stable element of the mountain costume. It was a symbol of masculinity and the dignity of a highlander was judged by his headdress. This is evidenced by various proverbs and sayings inherent to the Chechens and Ingush, which we recorded during field work. “A man should take care of two things - his hat and his name. The hat will be saved by the one who has a smart head on his shoulders, and the name will be saved by the one whose heart burns with fire in his chest.” “If you have no one to consult with, consult with your dad.” But they also said: “A lush hat does not always adorn a smart head.” “A hat is worn not for warmth, but for honor,” the old people used to say. And therefore, the Vainakh had to have the best one, no expense was spared on the hat, and a self-respecting man would appear in public wearing a hat. She was running around everywhere. It was not customary to take it off even when visiting or indoors, whether it was cold or hot there, or to pass it on to another person to wear.

When a man died, his things were supposed to be distributed to close relatives, but the headdresses of the deceased were not given to anyone - they were worn in the family, if there were sons and brothers, if there were none, they were presented to the most respected man of his type. Following that custom, I wear my late father’s hat. We got used to the hat from childhood. I would like to especially note that for the Vainakhs there was no gift more valuable than a papakha.

Chechens and Ingush traditionally shaved their heads, which also contributed to the custom of constantly wearing a headdress. And women, according to the adat, do not have the right to wear (put on) a man’s headdress other than a felt hat worn during agricultural work in the field. There is also a popular belief that a sister cannot wear her brother’s hat, since in this case the brother may lose his happiness.

According to our field material, no element of clothing had as many varieties as a headdress. It had not only utilitarian, but often sacred meaning. A similar attitude towards the hat arose in the Caucasus in ancient times and persists in our time.

According to field ethnographic materials, the Vainakhs have the following types of headdresses: khakhan, mesal kuy - fur hat, kholkhazan, suram kuy - astrakhan hat, zhaunan kuy - shepherd's hat. The Chechens and Kists called the cap - kuy, the Ingush - kiy, the Georgians - kudi. According to Iv. Javakhishvili, Georgian kudi (hat) and Persian khud are the same word, meaning helmet, i.e. iron hat. The term also meant caps in ancient Persia, he notes.

There is another opinion that Chech. kui is borrowed from the Georgian language. We do not share this point of view.

We agree with A.D. Vagapov, who writes that forge a “hat”, generally speaking. (*kau > *keu- // *kou-: Chech. dial. kuy, kudda kuy. Therefore, we bring to comparison the I.-E. material: *(s)keu- “to cover, cover”, Proto-German *kudhia, Iranian *xauda “hat, helmet”, Persian xoi, xod “helmet". These facts indicate that the -d- we are interested in is most likely an expander of the root kuv- // kui-, as in I.E. * (s)neu- “twist”, *(s)noud- “twisted; knot”, Persian ney “reed”, corresponding Chechen nui “broom”, nuida “braided button”. So the question of borrowing Chech. kuy from the Georgian language remains open.As for the name suram: suram-kui “astrakhan hat”, its origin is unclear.

Possibly related to the Taj. sur “a variety of karakul brown with light golden ends of the hair.” And then here’s how Vagapov explains the origin of the term kholkhaz “karakul”: “Actually Chechen. In the first part - huol - “gray” (Cham. khkholu-), khaal - “skin”, oset. khal – “thin skin”. In the second part there is a basis - haz, corresponding to lezg. haz "fur", tab., tsakh. haz, udin. hez "fur", varnish. haz. "fitch". G. Klimov derives these forms from Azerbaijani, in which khaz also means fur (SKYA 149). However, the latter itself comes from Iranian languages, cf., in particular, Persian. haz "ferret, ferret fur", Kurdish. xez “fur, skin.” Further, the geography of distribution of this basis expands at the expense of Old Russian. хъзъ “fur, leather” hoz “morocco”, Russian. household "tanned goatskin". But sur in the Chechen language also means army. This means that we can assume that suram kuy is a warrior’s hat.

Like other peoples of the Caucasus, Chechens and Ingush headdresses were typologically divided according to two characteristics - material and shape. Headdresses of various shapes, made entirely of fur, belong to the first type, and to the second are hats with a fur band and a head made of cloth or velvet; both types of these hats are called papakha.

On this occasion E.N. Studenetskaya writes: “The material for making hats was sheep skins of varying quality, and sometimes the skins of goats of a special breed. Warm winter hats, as well as shepherd's ones, were made from sheepskin with long pile facing outwards, often lined with sheepskin with trimmed wool. Such hats were warmer and better protected from rain and snow flowing from long fur. For a shepherd, a shaggy hat often served as a pillow.

Long-haired papakhas were also made from the skins of a special breed of sheep with silky, long and curly hair or Angora goat skins. They were expensive and rare; they were considered ceremonial.

In general, for festive papas they preferred the fine curly fur of young lambs (kurpei) or imported astrakhan fur. Astrakhan hats were called “Bukhara”. Hats made from the fur of Kalmyk sheep were also prized. “He has five hats, all made from Kalmyk lamb, and he wears them out bowing to guests.” This praise is not only for hospitality, but also for wealth.”

In Chechnya, hats were made quite high, widened at the top, with a band protruding above the velvet or cloth bottom. In Ingushetia, the height of the hat is slightly lower than the Chechen one. This is apparently due to the influence of the cut of hats in neighboring Ossetia. According to the authors A.G. Bulatova, S.Sh. Gadzhieva, G.A. Sergeeva, in the 20s of the 20th century, hats with a slightly expanded top were distributed throughout Dagestan (the height of the band, for example, 19 cm, the width of the base - 20, the top - 26 cm), They are sewn from merlushka or astrakhan wool with a fabric top. All the peoples of Dagestan call this papakha “Bukhara” (meaning that the astrakhan fur from which it was mostly made was brought from Central Asia). The head of such hats was made of cloth or velvet in bright colors. A hat made of golden Bukhara astrakhan fur was especially prized.

The Avars of Salatavia and the Lezgins considered this hat to be Chechen, the Kumyks and Dargins called it “Ossetian,” and the Laks called it “Tsudaharskaya” (probably because the hatmakers were mainly Tsudaharians). Perhaps it penetrated into Dagestan from the North Caucasus. This type of hat was a ceremonial form of headdress; it was worn more often by young people, who sometimes had several covers made of multi-colored fabric for the bottom and changed them often. Such a hat consisted of two parts: a fabric cap quilted with cotton wool, sewn to the shape of the head, and a high (16-18 cm) and wide at the top (27 cm) fur band attached to it on the outside (in the lower part).

The Caucasian astrakhan hat with a slightly widened band at the top (its height gradually increased over time) was and remains the most favorite headdress of Chechen and Ingush elders. They also wore a sheepskin hat, which the Russians called a papakha. Its shape changed over different periods and had its differences from the caps of other peoples.

Since ancient times, there has been a cult of headdress for both women and men in Chechnya. For example, a Chechen guarding an object could leave his hat and go home to have lunch - no one touched it, because he understood that he would have to deal with the owner. Taking off someone's hat meant a deadly quarrel; if a highlander took off his hat and hit it on the ground, it meant that he was ready to do anything. “Tearing off or knocking a hat off someone’s head was considered a great insult, the same as cutting off the sleeve of a woman’s dress,” said my father Magomed-Khadzhi Garsaev.

If a person took off his hat and asked for something, it was considered indecent to refuse his request, but the one who approached in this way enjoyed a bad reputation among the people. “Kera kui bittina hilla tseran iza” - “They got it by beating their caps,” they said about such people.

Even during a fiery, expressive, fast dance, a Chechen should not drop his headdress. Another amazing custom of the Chechens associated with headwear: the owner’s papakha could replace it during a date with a girl. How? If a Chechen guy, for some reason, could not get a date with a girl, he would send his close friend there, giving him his headdress. In this case, the hat reminded the girl of her beloved, she felt his presence, and she perceived her friend’s conversation as a very pleasant conversation with her fiancé.

The Chechens had a hat and, to tell the truth, still remains a symbol of honor, dignity or “cult”.

This is confirmed by some tragic incidents from the life of the Vainakhs during their stay in exile in Central Asia. Prepared by the absurd information of the NKVD employees that the Chechens and Ingush deported to the territory of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were horned cannibals, representatives of the local population, out of curiosity, sometimes tried to tear off the high hats from the special settlers and discover the notorious horns under them. Such incidents ended with either a brutal fight or murder, because The Vainakhs did not understand the actions of the Kazakhs and considered it an attack on their honor.

In this regard, it is permissible to cite here one tragic case for the Chechens. During the celebration of Eid al-Adha by the Chechens in the city of Alga, Kazakhstan, the commandant of the city, a Kazakh by nationality, appeared at this event and began making provocative speeches towards the Chechens: “Are you celebrating Eid al-Adha? Are you Muslims? Traitors, murderers. You have horns under your hats! Come on, show them to me! - and began to tear off the hats from the heads of the respected elders. Elistanzhin resident Janaraliev Jalavdi tried to besiege him, warning that if he touched his headdress, he would be sacrificed in the name of Allah in honor of the holiday. Ignoring what was said, the commandant rushed to his hat, but was knocked down with a powerful blow from his fist. Then the unthinkable happened: driven to despair by the commandant’s most humiliating action for him, Zhalavdi stabbed him to death. For this he received 25 years in prison.

How many Chechens and Ingush were imprisoned then, trying to defend their dignity!

Today we all see how Chechen leaders of all ranks wear hats without taking them off, which symbolizes national honor and pride. Until the last day, the great dancer Makhmud Esambaev proudly wore his hat, and even now, driving through the new third ring of the highway in Moscow, you can see a monument over his grave, where he is immortalized, of course, in his hat.

NOTES

1. Javakhishvili I.A. Materials for the history of the material culture of the Georgian people - Tbilisi, 1962. III - IU. P. 129.

2. Vagapov A.D. Etymological dictionary of the Chechen language // Lingua–universum – Nazran, 2009. P. 32.

3. Studenetskaya E.N. Clothes // Culture and life of the peoples of the North Caucasus - M., 1968. P. 113.

4. Bulatova A.G., Gadzhieva S.Sh., Sergeeva G.A. Clothing of the peoples of Dagestan-Pushchino, 2001.P.86

5. Arsaliev Sh. M-Kh. Ethnopedagogy of Chechens - M., 2007. P. 243.

... He had only six years of high school behind him, but was born a dancer by inclination and talent - and became an artist in defiance of the will of his father, who considered his son’s choice unworthy of a real man. In 1939-1941, Esambaev studied at the Grozny Choreographic School, and then began dancing in the Chechen-Ingush State Song and Dance Ensemble. During the Great Patriotic War, he performed for soldiers on the front line and in hospitals with a front-line concert brigade. In 1944-1956, Mahmud danced at the opera house in the city of Frunze. The expression of his gesture and eagle appearance were useful for the Evil Genius, Girey, Taras in Taras Bulba and the fairy Carabosse, the negative heroine of The Sleeping Beauty. Later he will create a unique monotheater of dance miniatures and travel around the world with the program “Dances of the Peoples of the World”. He choreographed many of the compositions himself, using one hundred and fifty percent of his naturally phenomenal stride, his penchant for the grotesque and his masculine grace of a rare scale. Performing alone, Esambaev easily dominated any stage and masterfully knew how to attract attention and keep it. He created an original dance theater in which the artist had and still has no competitors. Knowing the laws of the stage, Esambaev checked his effects using a stopwatch - and at the same time captured incredible ecstasy. All his numbers became hits. In 1959, Esambaev performed his program in Moscow, then, as part of the Stars of Soviet Ballet troupe, he toured France and South America. Next to world-famous ballerinas, he was a triumphant success. And wherever the tour took place, Esambaev, like a keen collector, collected dances of different nations. He learned them with lightning speed and performed them in the same country that gave them to him. Esambaev was repeatedly elected as a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, RSFSR, and USSR. With his active support, a new drama theater and circus building was built in the Chechen capital Grozny. He is People's Artist of the USSR and eight republics. The great dancer has died Makhmud Alisultanovich Esambaev January 7, 2000 in Moscow.

Caucasian hats

History and traditions

The Don hats differed from the others in that they had a red top with a cross. The top of the Kuban Cossacks' papas was also red.

Currently, you can buy a Caucasian hat of any color, shape and type in the store of Caucasian souvenir and gift craftsmen “Caucasian Craftsmen”.

Types and varieties of hats

Types of hats existing today:

Karakulevaya. It is the most expensive and most beautiful, covered with uniform smooth, tight and dense curls. In addition, such a hat is very practical and can last for many years.
Classic. The most common type of headdress in the mountainous part of the Caucasus, this type of hat is characterized by long and thick wool, most often from lamb. This type is often called shepherd's hats.
Cossack It is also popular in the Caucasus, also common among the Terek and Kuban Cossacks, and has its own name - kubanka. The papakha can have different shapes, both short and long fur.

Papakhas also differ in the material they are made from. For example, astrakhan hats are made from astrakhan varieties such as Valek, Pulat and Antika.

Classic and Cossack hats can be made from:

goatskin,
sheep skin,
lamb skin.

They can be white, black and brown, with very different coat lengths. All modern models are equipped with a special cord that allows you to easily and conveniently adjust the size.

Since ancient times, the Chechens have had a cult of headdress - both female and male.

When traveling to the city and to important, important events, as a rule, they wore a new, festive hat. Since the hat has always been one of the main items of men's clothing, young people sought to purchase beautiful, festive hats. They were very carefully preserved, wrapped in clean cloth.

Knocking someone's hat off was considered an unprecedented insult. A person could take off his hat, leave it somewhere and leave for a while. And even in such cases, no one had the right to touch her, understanding that they would have to deal with her owner. If a Chechen took off his hat in a dispute or quarrel and hit it on the ground, this meant that he was ready to do anything to the end.

It is known that among the Chechens, a woman who took off and threw her scarf at the feet of those fighting to the death could stop the fight. Men, on the contrary, cannot take off their hats even in such a situation. When a man asks someone for something and takes off his hat, this is considered baseness, worthy of a slave. In Chechen traditions there is only one exception to this matter: the hat can be removed only when asking for forgiveness of blood feud. Makhmud Esambaev, the great son of the Chechen people, a brilliant dancer, knew well the value of a papakha and in the most unusual situations forced people to take Chechen traditions and customs into account. Traveling all over the world and being accepted in the highest circles of many states, he never took off his hat in front of anyone.

Mahmud never, under any circumstances, took off his world-famous hat, which he himself called the crown. Esambaev was the only deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR who sat in a fur hat at all sessions of the highest body of power of the Union. Eyewitnesses say that the head of the Supreme Council L. Brezhnev, before the start of the work of this body, looked carefully into the hall, and, seeing a familiar hat, said: “Mahmud is in place, we can begin.” M. A. Esambaev, Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist of the USSR, throughout his entire life and work carried the high name of the Chechen konakh (knight).

Sharing with readers of his book “My Dagestan” about the peculiarities of Avar etiquette and how important it is for everyone to have their own individuality, uniqueness and originality, the people’s poet of Dagestan Rasul Gamzatov emphasized: “There is a world-famous artist Mahmud Esambaev in the North Caucasus. He dances dances of different nations. But he wears and never takes off his Chechen hat. Let the motives of my poems be varied, but let them wear a mountain hat.”

Based on materials from http://www.chechnyafree.ru

Get a hat from your father

You can receive a hat as a gift from a stranger

Smart head and fiery heart

Features of a hat

Annotation: the genesis and evolution of the hat, its cut, methods and manner of wearing, the cult and ethical culture of the Chechens and Ingush are described.

There is another opinion that Chech. kui is borrowed from the Georgian language. We do not share this point of view.

Long-haired papakhas were also made from the skins of a special breed of sheep with silky, long and curly hair or Angora goat skins. They were expensive and rare; they were considered ceremonial.

The Chechens had a hat and, to tell the truth, still remains a symbol of honor, dignity or “cult”.

How many Chechens and Ingush were imprisoned then, trying to defend their dignity!

NOTES

1. Javakhishvili I.A. Materials for the history of the material culture of the Georgian people - Tbilisi, 1962. III - IU. P. 129.

2. Vagapov A.D. Etymological dictionary of the Chechen language // Lingua–universum – Nazran, 2009. P. 32.

3. Studenetskaya E.N. Clothes // Culture and life of the peoples of the North Caucasus - M., 1968. P. 113.

4. Bulatova A.G., Gadzhieva S.Sh., Sergeeva G.A. Clothing of the peoples of Dagestan-Pushchino, 2001.P.86

5. Arsaliev Sh. M-Kh. Ethnopedagogy of Chechens - M., 2007. P. 243.