Today, it is impossible to imagine an Abkhaz feast without абыста (abysta), a dense porridge more widely known elsewhere as mamalyga. Traditionally, it is served plain and functions as a form of “bread”, complementing the flavours of salted cheese ашә (ashə), spiced beans аҟәыд (aqýd), or meat акәац (akə́ts). Yet maize, from which this dish is prepared today, is a relatively recent arrival in the Caucasus, having been introduced from the Americas.

One would think the importance and significance of librarianship in the life of society is clear to everyone and beyond question. Especially in the fields of education, science, and culture, and in matters of preserving the cultural and spiritual heritage of the country. Nevertheless, I shall take the liberty of stating, with regret, that the library finds itself, to a certain extent, if I may put it this way, ‘on the periphery’ of state and public attention.

I will not speak about the library community of Abkhazia as a whole, but specifically about the activities of the country’s principal library institution – the National Library of the Republic of Abkhazia named after I.G. Papaskir. However, I would not be mistaken in noting that many of the difficulties and problems we face are characteristic of most of our library institutions.

Abkhazian Studies 

Academy of Sciences of Abkhazia

D. I. Gulia Abkhaz Institute of Language, Literature and History

Issue 3, 2009, Folklore, pp.166-177

Translated by AbkhazWorld

Typological Commonalities in the Formation and Development of the Satirical Tale in the Folklore and Literatures of Dagestan and the North Caucasus

Folklore and the literatures of the peoples of Dagestan and the North Caucasus reflect an unbroken continuity of centuries and a single line of artistic development within the oral and written spiritual culture of the region. In the present study, this continuity reveals the general and specific features of modes of thought found in the satirical and humorous traditions of many Caucasian peoples. We shall attempt to illuminate select aspects of the formation of the satirical tale within the multi-ethnic literary system of the North Caucasus, tracing its shared and distinctive characteristics.

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.

This article by Naima Neflyasheva, PhD, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, explores traditional marriage customs among the Adyghe (Circassian) people. Originally published in Russian on the Sovetskaya Adygeya website, it examines the cultural norms, restrictions, and social values that have shaped Adyghe approaches to marriage for centuries. This is the third article by Dr. Neflyasheva that we have made available in English. Previously, we published The Adyghe (Circassian) Way of Raising Children and Being a Man in the Circassian Way. This translation continues our effort to bring Neflyasheva's rich ethnographic and cultural insights to a wider audience, illuminating the unique heritage of the Adyghe (Circassian) people.