What and How They Taught at the Circassian School in Istanbul in the Early 20th Century, by Naima Neflyasheva

This article, translated for a global audience, was first published in Russian by Sovetskaya Adygeya. It tells the story of a pioneering but short-lived institution: the Circassian School in early 20th-century Istanbul. Founded in the wake of the Ottoman Empire's collapse, this remarkable school was the project of the Circassian Women's Mutual Aid Society. It offers a poignant glimpse into the community's struggle to preserve its identity in diaspora, blending a modern education with the conscious teaching of Circassian language and history. Through stories of its young, dynamic director and dedicated teachers, we see how the school became a vibrant centre of culture and innovation, championing co-education and a new alphabet. By making this history available in English, we hope to share this inspiring chapter of Circassian resilience and intellectual life with a wider world.

This translation continues our series on the work of Naima Neflyasheva, following previous publications of her essays, 'Being a Man in the Circassian Way', 'The Adyghe (Circassian) Way of Raising Children' and Marriage Traditions Among the Circassians: Cultural Norms and Practices. This latest piece aims to broaden the readership for Neflyasheva's valuable insights into Adyghe cultural heritage.

Istanbul is a city that captivates everyone who walks its streets and squares. It is a city of untamed aromas, of the sea, fish, roasted chestnuts, sesame buns, boiled corn, coffee, spices, pomegranates, and heaven knows what else. A symphony of sounds, the call to prayer flowing over the city, seagulls, street vendors, and a Babylonian cacophony of languages. And a riot of colours, from carpets and cushions burning with every shade of red and, of course, turquoise, the colour that reigns supreme above all others in Ottoman culture.

This is how the Russian artist Alexander Vertinsky, who was in Turkey in the 1920s alongside other White émigrés from Russia, described Istanbul: "A fairytale city, bathed in sunlight… The slender needles of minarets. Palaces like white sugar… Red fezzes, a sea of red fezzes. People in white. Sun. A guttural language. And flags, flags, flags."

Nearly a hundred years have passed since then, but the essential sensations of Istanbul remain unchanged: minarets piercing time, history meeting modern life, artisans' quarters coexisting with the luxury of sultanic villas and mansions, modern hipsters and beauties merging in the urban flow with women in hijabs and respectable family men conversing leisurely on plastic chairs under trees.

The First Public Organisations

The history of Istanbul is inextricably linked with Circassian history and the Circassian diaspora, which began to form in the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the 19th century. As the political and cultural landscape of this city changed, so too did the lives of the Circassians in this imperial capital.

For the Circassians in Turkey, the beginning of the 20th century was a very eventful period, the first public organisations were being established, where the most educated and motivated individuals sought not only forms of possible self-organisation but also ways to preserve Circassian identity. For the first time, we hear the voices of young Circassian women: in their published articles, they wrote about how to preserve their roots, language, and culture. This was the era of the first Circassian newspapers and magazines, of creating and reforming the alphabet, and of the first attempts to establish regular contacts with the lost homeland.

In 1908, the Circassian Society for Unity and Mutual Aid was founded in Istanbul, and ten years later, in September 1918, its women's wing, the Circassian Women's Mutual Aid Society [Çerkes İttihat ve Teavün Cemiyeti —Ed.]. The society was founded by five Circassian women from Istanbul: Hayriye Melek Hunç (President), Seza Pukh Hanım, Makbule Berzek, the wife of Ottoman deputy Mazhar Müfit, Emine Reşit Zalik, the wife of retired Ottoman General Reşit Pasha, and Faika Hanım, the wife of the Egyptian pasha, the Circassian (Cherkess) Ishak. They were all from well-known, respectable families, had received an excellent education, and knew several languages.

Hayriye Melek Hunç graduated from Notre Dame de Sion, a French lycée for girls in Istanbul. She was one of the few Muslim women to study at this prestigious school. In addition to Turkish and French, Hayriye Melek spoke several dialects of Circassian, as well as Ubykh and Abkhaz. Together with Seza Pukh, she published the magazine Diyane, which was published twice a month in Circassian and Turkish from 1920.

Seza Pukh wrote in one of the issues of the magazine: "The value of a civilisation is proportional to the status of women in society. As long as women can freely exercise their natural talents, they always assist the development of society. When their role diminishes, it leads to the demise of civilisation." These words can be seen as the creed of the Circassian Women's Mutual Aid Society.

A Subject of Interest for Researchers

The Society opened a remarkable school in Istanbul, the history of which has yet to be studied academically by domestic historians. The school existed only briefly—from 1919 until September 1923. The building it occupied still stands in Istanbul today, at No. 52 on Akaretler Hill. The project for the Circassian School had been part of the plans of the Circassian Society for Unity and Mutual Aid, but it was not realised immediately.

The school was private, with six grades. Initially, the director was Mustafa Butbay, but his position on a number of issues did not find support with the school's board of directors, and Mustafa Butbay resigned. He was replaced by the 20-year-old Seza Pukh Hanım. Later, in his book, Mustafa Butbay wrote: "I was appointed director. Then I resigned due to a dispute that erupted between me and the board of directors regarding the curriculum. The board wanted education to be conducted in Circassian and supported this idea. I believed this was unacceptable from a legal standpoint, that education should be in Turkish, but a separate class could be opened for those wishing to study in Circassian. My proposal was rejected, and I insisted on resigning."

Though it existed for only a short time, the Circassian School in Istanbul became a unique experiment in self-organisation and the search for pedagogical models within a diaspora context. Its experience remains relevant today.

Seza Pukh Hanım, the daughter of a general, born into an aristocratic family, was well-educated—she graduated from the American College for Girls. Despite her youth, she handled the duties of school director superbly. Thanks to her personal efforts, her family's connections, and her access to influential circles in Istanbul, she managed to promote her school in many areas. The best intellectual forces of the Circassian community in Istanbul were attracted to educate the children—lawyers, diplomats, and former military officers, professional musicians and artists generously shared their knowledge with the students.

Circassian students and teachers in a Circassian school opened by the Circassian Union and Charity Society

The school had between 150 and 180 children, with 25–30 pupils per class. In old black-and-white photographs, the few documentary testimonies that can tell us about the school, we see students and teachers: refined, European-dressed instructors, boys wearing Circassian coats (cherkeska), papakhas, or fezzes with dignity, and elegant girls in both national and European dress.

The Circassian Women's Mutual Aid Society in Istanbul took in émigrés who had fled Russia in the 1920s, housing them in the school building, and their children were able to study there.

Although the school was open to all, its pupils were predominantly Circassian children. The staff and teachers were mainly volunteers and received no salary; only a few had a regular stipend. The fees collected from students went towards the building's rent, current expenses, and salaries for some teachers. A confectionery workshop was also located there, providing work for Circassian women in need.

Three Innovations

The school established a system of co-education for boys and girls, which for that time was a bold step. It offered three innovations: a kindergarten, co-education, and finally, teaching the native language using a Latin-based alphabet.

For the first time in a Muslim state, the Ottoman Empire, girls and boys studied together. Furthermore, a kindergarten for children aged 4–6 was opened at the school. For the first quarter of the 20th century, the appearance of such a form of upbringing and education was also innovative. This kindergarten was one of the very few in the entire state.

Also for the first time in the Ottoman Empire, children at a Muslim school were taught their native language using an alphabet based on Latin script. This innovation corresponded to the high reputation of the Circassian elite in Istanbul. The Latin alphabet was not only used in the school—the Circassian Society for Unity and Mutual Aid printed books using this alphabet and sent them to the Caucasus.

The Curriculum

In addition to Turkish, history, and geography, the children were taught the Circassian language, and the history and geography of Circassia. Language, literature, geography, and history of the Caucasus were taught in Circassian; other subjects, including French, geography, drawing, music, dance, and gymnastics, were taught in Ottoman Turkish. Furthermore, English language classes were an integral part of the curriculum. The school administration, paying particular attention to the children's cultural development, decided to teach them piano, dance, theatre, painting, music, and physical education.

Seza Pukh taught Turkish language and geography; Lamia Jhankat lectured on the language, history, and geography of the Caucasus and Circassia; and Hilim Tsey taught the children Circassian literature and poetry. The lawyer Shami Time taught Circassian pronunciation. Zeki Venc Hanım was the Turkish teacher for two classes. Lutfullah Shaw, a graduate of the University of Lausanne, taught French (he was later appointed a diplomat to Saudi Arabia). Vasfi Güzär taught biology. It is also known that the school had an English teacher educated in Great Britain. Art lessons were taught by the artist Namık Ismail Zefi, and Blenaw Harun taught Circassian language, history, and geography. Professor Hege taught music, played Circassian instruments brought from the Uzun Yala region from Kayseri and Gönen (a town and district in Balıkesir province and a town and district in Isparta province – Ed.), collected sheet music, played the piano, and gave lectures. The children were taught to play the pşîne (the Adyghe harmonica). İkbal Hanım taught solfège. Major Sant Nahush Bey, retired after service in military schools in Damascus and Edirne, was the physical education teacher. Furthermore, an Armenian girl named Meliha taught the children the popular dances of the time—the polka, mazurka, quadrille, and waltz.

A special atmosphere was created by the school theatre: on stage, girls and boys staged plays and performed in national costumes. The play "Towards the Caucasus," written by Seza Pukh, was a great success—the performance was staged several times. Costumes for the theatrical productions were specially sewn in the school's sewing workshop.

A cursory glance at the list of subjects and the calibre of the teachers is enough to understand that the goal of the education was not only to provide children with a necessary body of knowledge but also to teach them to adapt to the socio-cultural context in which they were to live, while also raising them in the spirit of Circassian culture.

A Social Project

On the first floor of the school, the Circassian Women's Mutual Aid Society, whose charter stated that it would seek opportunities to provide work for those in need, established a clothing workshop and a shop. Women who did not know how to sew were taught the trade, while experienced seamstresses designed costumes for the city's wealthy. The money earned was divided equally. Therefore, in modern terms, the Circassian School can also be considered a social project.

Though it existed in Istanbul for only a short time, the Circassian School nevertheless became a unique experience in self-organisation and the search for pedagogical models in a diaspora context. Its experience can still be of value today.

If you find yourself in Istanbul, climb Akaretler Hill and look at this building—perhaps it still holds the spirit and the dreams of early 20th-century Circassian intellectuals for educated and cultured descendants...