Visiting Zamudin Guchev

THE MUSEUM OF ADYGHE FOLK ART
Visiting Zamudin Guchev

The Adyghes, Adyghe culture and traditions will be best described by the Adyghes themselves. Especially those who have expored for many years their folk art, their authentic music and ancient songs. Yes, those who have valuable knowledge about the way of life of the Adyghes (Circassians) in the old days, about  objects of their life and musical instruments which were the axial part of their spiritual development. The famous researcher of the traditional art of the Circassians, Honored artist of the Republic of Adyghea Zamudin Guchev has all this knowledge and shares with them from the heart.

This is not surprising that the route of the film group from Crimea, directed in Adyghea by the publishers of the Almanac "Images of the world", includes a unique Museum of Adyghe folk art created by this famous master under the roof of his house in the village of Gaverdovsky (suburb of Maykop). He met his guests in the Adyghe tcherkeska offered to him by the artist-designer from Kabarda Madina Saralp, and with its own harvest of ripe apples which, as we know, can be considered as a symbol of the capital of the Solar Adyghea.  Like to all visitors to his Museum, Zamudin Guchev visually showed his unique collection of ancient mats and folk musical instruments, as of the Adyghes and other peoples of the world, he spoke in detail about the results of their long-term researching in the field of traditional art of this ancient people, and then he presented to his guests an opportunity to enjoy a perfect performance of the already famous musician from SAEFDA "Nalmes" and participant of the ensemble "Tyzhyn" Damir Guagov who recently returned from Turkey where the legendary dance ensemble from Adyghea gave a great concert for the Adyghe Diaspora and to all inhabitants of the village Orhaneli (Turkey).

A special part of Zamudin Guchev’s excursion become an unforgettable experience of his trip to Japan where he was invited with a doctor of Philological sciences, Professor, head of the Centre of researching of the Adyghe language in the Adyghean State University Raisa Unarokova to read their lectures at the Hokkaido University in Sapporo in January of this year in the framework of the international programs "Promotion of cultures" and "Musical instruments of Eurasia." Famous artist from the Republic of Adyghea introduced to Japanese students the report" Circassian (Adyghe) musical instruments". During the filming in the Museum of Adyghe folk art, Zamudin Guchev told about historical relations between the Circassian shychepshyn and folk musical instrument of the Ainu tonkori and he shared his story of origin and development of cooperation with Professor of the Hokkaido University, researcher at the Centre for Studies of the Ainu and indigenous peoples Itsudzi Tanguiku and musicologist Chico Tanguiku, who visited Adyghea in the spring of 2016.

Demonstrating to his guests the collection of folk musical instruments of the Adyghes (Circassians), Zamudin Guchev gave  their detailed classification:

- Like many peoples of the world, Circassian musical instruments are divided by method of sound extraction into 4 main groups: percussion, wind, stringed and keyboard-wind instruments, - said famous master. - First, Circassian percussion instruments are instruments which produce sounds with collision of objects made of different solid materials. They include sticks, a board with sticks, hand ratchets for one hand or two hands, a tambourine.  Second, Circassian wind instruments are instruments which produce sounds with blasting. For example, signal instruments: a signal pipe made from the hollow stems of plants, a signal horn,  a signal trumpet of herald, whistle flute, open longitudinal flute. Third,  Circassian chordophones are instruments which produce sounds with pinching or friction of bow hair with strings. The chordophones include: an apepshyn or a domra and a pshynetarku or an harp. It should be noted these instruments are lost, only names are existing. Today they are in the phase of research and reconstruction. The things are much better with bow chordophones- a shychepshyn, I have devoted more than 30 years to its study and restoration.

For clarity, Zamudin Guchev showed exactly how the Circassians played on signal instruments in the old days, whether horn or trumpet. And for a deeper understanding of the fourth group, namely shychepshyn, he recommended the encyclopedic edition of "Atlas of the Circassian (Adyghe) shychepshyn" containing 343 illustrations: 150 shychepshyns, 127 performers – shychepshynaos and 66 ensembles with the participation of shychepshynaos. The unique book in three languages - Adyghe, Russian and English - was published in Maikop in 2017. In addition,  master who also teaches at the Folklore Department of the Adyghean Republican children's school of arts with the name of Kim Tletseruk presented a study guide "Learn to play on shychepshyn" where it was available and described in detail the method of learning to play on this stringed folk instrument of the Circassians.
 
The another study guide of Zamudin Guchev "The Art of the Adyghe mats" which was published over 25 years ago, interested the film group. And at the request of journalists, daughter of master, painter Mezago Gucheva-Techeva showed the ancient technology of weaving Adyghe mats with answering their questions. She has been weaving them herself since childhood. And in the ancient times, there were engaged in this craft mainly Adyghe girls and women, and they made mats from marsh cattail. Every girl wove the wedding three mats: big mat, mat for prayers and a bedside carpet. To preserve this ancient art of the Adyghes, it would be good to republish the unique master's edition, and possibly to prepare a video course.

The acquaintance of film group of the Almanac "Images of the world" with the Museum of Adyghe folk art was continued in the workshop of Zamudin Guchev which is keeping secrets of his craft. The grandson of master Zaur, who assisted him in excursion, played on a small shychepshyn showing his skills. In addition, Zamudin Guchev invited his guests the next day in Adyghean Republican children's school of arts where they had a great opportunity to record ancient Circassian melodies performed by the famous Circassian musician and singer Kazbek Nagarokov on harmonica and shychepshyn.