Hats of the Circassians Yuri Stash

HATS OF THE CIRCASSIANS: FROM THE HATTI TO THE PRESENT

Interview with Yuri Stash

"If the head is intact, it should have a hat»
/Circassian proverb/

Yuri Stash is the contemporary Circassian artist, painter and designer, deserved worker of culture of Adyghea, State Prize laureate of the Republic of Adyghea and winner of the premium medal of peace from the Social Public Organization «League of Peace» in the republic (2005). This is the first national Circassian fashion designer who has created the unique collection of dozens of author's suits and dresses of applied arts. Yuri Stash’s unique works were demonstrated not only at home in Maikop, but in Moscow, in many other cities of Russia, and also in Syria, Jordan, Turkey, USA. His main collection is exhibited at the North Caucasus filial of the State Museum of Oriental art in Maikop (the Republic of Adyghea).

- In the ancient times, the Circassians said "if the head is intact, it should have a hat", "if it’s no one to ask an advice, put your hat on and ask it", and "to expose the head without an extreme necessary was considered a bad sign". In turn, masterful craftswomen believed and believe the female suit without a headgear seems incomplete. In your unique collection, each dress or suit has its own hat. Is it your creative decision or adherence to strict rules of sacrality of headdress of the Circassians?

Y. S.: The basis of all works I have created is primarily the Circassian thinking, Circassian philosophy. As well as the essence of all my suits and dresses means that people would live peacefully, in mutual understanding. Yes, the Circassians attached a great importance to hat. For example, the Adyghes have such proverb: "a man wearing constantly a hat could not take the wrong step." His hat pointed him to keep a steady position. And if he didn't keep it, the hat was falling. The same thing with female headdress, women's national dresses, they said they had to be worn it with dignity.
And there is another confirmation of the fact the hat was very important for the Adyghes. For example, one headgear was found in Belorechensky mound. I made one just like it. However, the original was not decorated. I added patterns made with beads, a tassel of gold thread (hat for female suit "Nagoy-Chygu" (mountain)). The Circassians had worn such headgears for centuries. And today, such headdress can be made and worn. In addition, the hat was valuable on others reasons. In the ancient times, the Circassians could not sit at table with uncovered head, and men without hats didn’t come out. But today in cultural institutions, in theaters, it isn’t unbecoming to be in headdress. Times are changing, mores are changing. Although when the Circassians were approaching near to the sacred tree, they always took off their hats. 
Thus, we have a lot to think about it. We should restore the value of hat. Today all like to see a national dress attached with a relevant headpiece. If we take this cap (for the Circassian male suit "Lightning"), it is precisely the same as a real Circassian men's hat (pau). I can't say I invented it. But it’s made with different material and decorated with shiny details. And its basic of black color is the ironed skin. However, it has exactly the same shape of the hat which the Circassians had worn always. Another example of Adyghe headdress is the prince’s hat. I had restored it in accordance of figure in the book of Studenetskaya ("Clothing of the North Caucasus peoples"). This headgear was worn by men of a princely family. In Russian, it is named a mitre shaped hat. In Adyghe, its form is not specified in the name. This hat is manufactured with the black velvet and stitched with gold thread braid. And we see a knot on its top. In ancient time, such headdresses had on the top a small stick for a tamga sign. The Circassian princes wore such headgear centuries ago.
And this is a woman's princely hat. It should be noted all these headpieces presented by me reflect the essence of the Adyghe thinking. I created them using knowledge of Circassian culture. So I made this hat for the princely dress, and it worthy decorated it. Surely, this hat cannot be worn without a dress. However, the dress isn’t so beautiful without a hat. They believed it was necessary to wear together dress and hat for standing still and stately. It embellished Circassian women. Yes, worn in a dress and with an appropriate headgear, the woman could move smoothly, accurately, looks beautiful and noble.
And this hat is relevant to ancient origins of the Adyghes. As it already is known, we, Circassians, are taking our roots of the Huttis. So, once I heard on television a performance of one knowledgeable person, native from Turkey. He said he has found the hat of Hutti period with a shape of so-called "tabletka" (a girl’s headgear). In addition, many other cultural personalities told about it. And based on it, I created a Hutti headdress with this shape. It was inherent to the Circassians.  So, I would like to say today, the Circassians, the Adyghe culture have to restore the value of the hat and to enlighten people. And this is very important!
I can say about this headgear it’s made for the suit called "Guchegu", in Russian "the Empathy." Today, the people are moving away from each other, they are communicating very little time with each other. The television is present in every home. And thinking about it, I created this headdress. All with which it’s decorated, are not quite similar with that with which the Circassian women adorned their hats. But I used all I had on hand. In this regard, I would like all of us think about the fact t the Adyghe culture should not stand on one place; it should develop and move forward. But the Adyghe thinking, our national philosophy must be preserved. And whatever we do, we need to focus on our thinking. I created these hats for my suits and dresses with these thoughts.

- You have works based on the Nart epic poetry. There are suits "Sausyryko". "Tyrgotao", "Gekatey" "Lashin", "Stajemfak" and the costumes of Amazons. These works have all headwear presented in helmet’s shape, tandzh pao. What did you base on creating these works? What does the helmet symbolize for you?

Y. S.: To answer this question, I will present you .an example of a headdress for the suit of the Nart heroine Lashin. This is so-called in Adyghe "tandzh pau". And it mainly was made with metal. Interestingly, if other Nations did "tandzh pau", but in another way, they had a bow arrow to protect the face. And the Adyghe helmet was just with this shape, with an open face. And on top of helmet, it was installed one detail where they could insert a flag or banner to decorate, and it was clear from where the warrior was or of what family. I was based on that when I created this helmet.
Another example is the headpiece for the costume "Sausyryko".  In fact, production of the whole ensemble took 7 months. I had to apply heat treatment to skin for making flakes, with hundreds of which I sewed the suit. When I created the costume "Sausyryko", I imagined he thought "If only I'd returned to home, I would destroy all the evil in three days". This is actual today for our land. There is the helmet Sausyryko! As you can see, the detail that would cover the nose, presented on helmets of European type, is not here. The face is open under our helmets. But it has a protective covering.
And this example of helmet was created for Amazon’s suit. We know it’s told about them in the Greek mythology. But in the Caucasus there also were marked settlements of such strong women, women warriors. I read somehow on our land there lived special women, strong and warlike, the Circassians named them "Amzan". And I made this helmet for the suit of Amazon or "amzan", as they called them in Turkey. Full name of this work is "the Amazon from Gabukay". It took 6 months to create the whole ensemble. The helmet itself is entirely produced with gold thread by my technology of braiding. Why did I name the suit "the Amazon from Gabukay"? Then our archaeologist Aslan Tov found in the area of our village a burial with remains of these strong women and parts of their clothing.  And based on his findings, I made this costume. Today, it can be seen everywhere on the Internet.
Here it is a kind of helmet from the Ancient Greece. In those ancient times, the Greeks influenced the Adyghes, and the Adyghes – the Greeks. There was an interesting fact. Somehow recently I watched a program on television; a young man went to Greece and tastes Greek national dishes. And then he shows one of them named "kurambiy". And to the question: "What is it made of?" he hears an answer: "It fully is made of flour." And then they clearly called "Kurambiy!" And the Adyghes have a such national food. Apparently, this is an example of mutual influence of our cultures. But who took the first: they from us or we from them – we don’t know... This is explained because for centuries, our peoples have lived together side by side, they have shared with everything. Based on this fact, I made such Greek helmet for one of Amazon’s suits.

- In the ancient times, headdresses of the Adyghes unmistakably determined class and social position of man. In past there were pshi pau, ork pau, fekol pau, paupyrats. They're presented all in your collection. Tell us about them!
 
Y.S.: For example, this male headgear is called efend-pau (Efendi’s hat). As you can see, it has a tassel. I saw a sample of this hat in one book. Effendi specially wore this headpiece. When he was among men, he was immediately recognized because of it. And it had an importance! A small tassel on the hat determined the Effendi’s status. At one time, when I was in Uzbekistan, in one house there were at funeral among people several men in robes, their national clothes. Then I asked why they were dressed like that. They explained me the relatives of buried man were distinguished in this way. It’s an interesting fact! And the Circassians understood with a hat status of its owner.
Another headdress created by me is similar in all with the real Adyghe hat, papakha, but it’s larger (headpiece for man's suit "Mamyrzekh", part of the ensemble "White Olympics"). During the Olympic games, staying in Sochi for almost a month, we showed the collection of Adyghe national clothes – cherkeska and sae. Today, it isn’t peaceful in our world, and we have to do everything to ensure a peaceful and wise life of people on earth. That's why I created the costume and named it "Mamyrzekh". This suit also is remarkable by its big stick decorated with a special element on the top. First of all, I would like to say today we need sage men who can help peoples to agree among themselves and to solve disputes and conflicts. I sewed this ensemble specifically for the Olympics, and everyone liked it. I have created with the same material women's suits named "Laura" and "Fisht" and Amazon’s costumes. Just at the beginning of the Olympic games our representative in this Amazon;s suit met all the guests with Adyghe cheese and said: "Stop! Don't fight!"  So, this whole ensemble was dedicated to peace in the world.
And talking about this hat, the Circassians called it "upche pau".  In fact, this headgear was offered by the artist-designer Madina Saralp from Nalchik. For my part, I thought and decorated it with patterns of gold thread. And now this hat can be worn by girls in the summer. But in fact, this kind of headdress – "upche pau" - was worn to cover  head off the scorching sun. And Circassian men always wore such hat in the summer.
For a modern style, there are in my collection hats looking like traditional, but not quite.  For example, it’s a headgear of the suit "Lago". In fact, there were a few decades ago hippies. And both boys and girls have worn this kind of hat.  So, it became a part of everyday life culture. I made the same cap with skin too. But if we look at it, we can find similarities with the headdress of the Adyghe "upche pau". Of course, I decorated it with stitches and beads.
My collection has a headpiece of the Soviet era. The history of our people includes decades of the Soviet Union and communist period. In the beginning, our young men defended their earth, fought under red banners and wore such cap named "budenovka". For its production, I took a special material used for flags. It represents the sun and our planet, it’s written "Peace to world!" on it. So, I made with it the hat in the name that we have not war on the earth. And this budenovka is executed so brightly, in red colour.

- The social meaning of Adyghe female headdress is very interesting and. Thus, unmarried girls wore red hats or dyshe pau. And since they are getting married, they were, as travelers wrote, a coif or a scarf. How are women's hats presented in your collection?

Y. S.: Of course, before creating women's suits and dresses, I have watched, read and studied for a long time. And taking in account the material I had I have manufactured. I tried to produce in the way of the Circassian craftswomen. Today, it always isn’t possible to find the material as in ancient time. But I’ve followed the rules.
For example, there is a woman's headgear for the dress-symbol "Tolerance", in Adyghe it sounds "Sheage", and in Latin "Tolerantia". I wanted to appeal with this work all people to patience and mutual understanding. I will give for example the words of the Russian poet Lermontov, who served in the Caucasus. He called the Adyghe people Circassians and  he wrote their houses or guest-houses, khscheshes, always were open for guests. There it always was possible to find shelter and food shared by the Circassians with special hospitality. Reflecting on his words, I created this dress-symbol "Tolerance" and a headpiece for it. It is noteworthy the dress consists of two parts: one is the Adyghe green flag, and the other is the flag of Russia. Combining these two banners together, I wanted to say today the people need to be tolerant to each other, to understand each other, to appreciate their culture and culture of other peoples, to learn languages. And getting to know other people closer, we will better understand each other. And I created this dress with that idea. So, I would like to note the Adyghes always have understood and accepted others, and today they live peacefully with different peoples.
Talking about Adyghe women's hats, I should speak on ornaments with which Adyghe craftswomen decorated them. Me too, I decorated this green headpiece (for the dress-symbol "Tolerance") with ornamental patterns on both sides. I added to this a colors combination of inserts. These are blue and red; they represent other peoples, their cultures. And, of course, we have not to forget about tassels at ends of these inserts, which were made by craftswomen in the ancient times.
Now, I'd like to draw your attention to one dress. I named it “The Obelisk”. It shows the women suffer and pray because of all troubles befallen on share of humanity. And worrying, they become a stone, a monument or obelisk. But today we, humans, have to live peacefully, to understand each other. Next to this dress, you can see a traditional girl’s hat made with red material and decorated with patterns of gold thread.

- And what material did you use to create all these headdresses?

Y.S.: The Circassians made girls hats mostly with red material. I also created girl’s suit and headgear with the cloth of this color. And next, it’s an example of boy’s hats similar to real Adyghe headdress, it's made with karakul fur. And cherkeska is manufactured with the same material with which the Adyghe craftswomen sewed in ancient times.
Thinking about the world, the fate of people, their lives, I created a dress-symbol "What wants this crazy world?” Here the dress and the hat are decorated with spools for thread, represented as cartridges. At the heart of this work it’s the idea today, at the time when children go to school and kill their coevals and teachers, we need to think. We must do much for bringing peace on the earth.
And there's an example of a headdress to the suit called “Pepsi”. So, today in the times of modern technologies, it is necessary to monitor the environment. And with this helmet made with Pepsi labels, I wanted to say we, humans, should protect our planet, do everything to make it cleaner, and we could live better.

- How do you think if it’s possible to revive the sacred nature to the headdress among contemporary Circassians, if we take into account the gradual growth of culture of national dress wearing among them? What do we need to do for this?

Y. S.: Yes, today the value of headdress increases among the Adyghes. And it should be so! For example, when the Arabs come to Moscow, they show themselves in their national clothes. That's in this way how we should do. Wearing the Adyghe hat, it’s necessary to remember its meaning, to keep proudly, with dignity, watching ourselves. As I’ve already mentioned, for example, the value of Circassians headgear is great. Standing or sitting, the hat help us to keep our look, it seems to say: "Be careful! Stay proud! Say rightly! Behave with dignity!"
In the ancient times, the hat pointed with its size and shape the class, whether prince, uork (noble) or tfokotl (free peasant). But the times passed, and its value has disappeared of the everyday life of the Circassians. However, the culture of headgear wearing too. And so, I think, to revive Adyghe national traditions, our thinking, Habze, we need to return the value of Adyghe headwear, Adyghe national dress. And in ancient times, cherkeska and sae were like a passport, and they recognized people with them.
Today, all peoples enrich Russia and decorate it with their diversity of cultures. Therefore, our national clothes, as well as culture, can attract tourists. And they will be able to appreciate beauty of nature, original customs and traditions, delicious and healthy food. And if each of us tries, we will be able to make our republic more beautiful and better.

- We thank you very much!

Glossary " The Circassians hats " of Yuri Stash:
• pshy pau – the princely hat of karakul fur with a high tapering upward hatband;
• ork pau – the karakul fur hat with band widening towards on the top;
• fekol pau – the hat of karakul fur with narrow hatband and convex hemispherical shape;
• paupyrats — a peasant’s headgear, papakha;
• upche pau - a felt hat, they worn it in the warmer months.
• tandzh-pau – the high conical helmet with upper ring to settle the banner, and behind it was attached a protective netting covering half of his face and hanging down on the shoulders
* pdypau – the low helmet with hemispherical shape, a protective netting was attached to the bottom edge;
• misurka - a circular convex plate with ring in the center for a banner:
• dyshe pau - a girl's hat; headdress of red color,  decorated with crisscross wide silver strips, it also is called “tabletka”;
• kane-pau- a bride's hat;
• mitre - shaped hat – headdresses with the shape of half sphere or mitre, princesses and daughters of uorks (nobles) wore it; its modification could be headpieces of Adyghe women in a cylinder shape, covered with galloons, with a rounded top made with fabric and  with radially divergent galloons;
• bashlyk – a cloth hood with large ends;
• papakha – a tall fur hat;
• fez- a man's cap in the shape of truncated cone with a tassel

Written by Fatima Teuchezh

Maykop, Adyghea, March 2018