Cultural exchange

MUSEUM OF THE ADYGHE FOLK ART

Cultural exchange

In Adyghea, the Museum of the Adyghe folk art, created by researcher of the traditional art of Adyghes, Honored artist of the Republic of Adyghea Zamudin Guchev in the village of Gaverdovsky (a suburb of Maykop city), is gradually becoming a center of cultural exchanges for its visitors, especially for Circassian youth coming to the historical homeland of its ancestors. Guests of museum can not only get acquainted with the unique collections of Adyghe mats and folk musical instruments collected by master during decades of his researching, not only learn basics of the art of weaving mats and manufacturing of Adyghe stringed musical instrument shychepshyn, starting with a picture on wood and ending with a bow. Yes, they can not only listen to a skillful playing of famous performers of Adyghea on harmonica and shychepshyn, but also they can share their knowledge they have already acquired at home, interested in the folk art of the Circassians.

The knowledge of heroes of the Nart epos and peculiarities of production of shychepshyn, skillful playing on harmonica and performance of Adyghe dances – that's that the young Circassians from Adyghe villages of Turkey have presented visiting the Museum of the Adyghe folk art on August 14 as part of their tourist route through Adyghea organized by the company "Intourist". However, in workshop of Zamudin Guchev, they enthusiastically listened to his stories translated by the head of their group Adnan Hupshe. They delved with his help into the essence of songs about Nart hero Ashamez, performed by master with accompaniment of musician from SAEFDA "Nalmes" and participant of ensemble "Tyzhyn" Damir Guygov on shychepshyn. Listening with attention, they recorded and turned on their gadgets how Zamudin Guchev was playing himself on various Adyghe instruments, and then they studied them, clarifying their destination.

Guests from Turkey continued their educational excursion in museum surrounded by unique exhibits, some of which have no analogues. Looking at old mats of Adyghe masters, acquired by Zamudin Gucheva a few decades ago at the dawn of his researching work, young Circassians recognized their similarity to those mats that were kept in their families or by their neighbours in villages. The master himself gave to guests an opportunity to try their hand at the art of weaving mats after a brief introduction and his master class. Melike, Guasho, Nefyn Tlyuzh and Aychet Abredzh repeated with ease and agility, confirming that mostly girls and women did the Circassians art of weaving mats. And young men were able to test themselves by playing on horn which in called the ancient times all inhabitants in the Adyghe village.

The interest of Circassian youth from Turkey was caused by works of Zamudin Guchev results of his years of researching. Publications "the Art of the Adyghe mats”, “We learn to play on shychepshyn", "the Atlas of Circassian (Adyge) shychepshyn" interested guests with photos and illustrations. Although they didn’t ignore the fact the study guides of famous researcher of the traditional art, so popular today by the youth of the Circassian Diaspora, are published only in Russian.

The presentation of shychephyn of different Adyghe craftsmen about whom Zamudin Guchev told in detail, ended with a small concert of master and his disciple Damir Guagov, who performed ancient dance tunes. With their accompaniment, Nefyn Tlyuzh and Furkhat Akdemir danced with pleasure. Meanwhile, guests of museum could surprise its owner. As it turned out, they were well acquainted with such Adyghe folk instrument related to Circassian percussion instruments as a board with sticks. Accompanying with master for Nefyn Tlyuzh playing ancient Adyghe melody on his own accordion brought from Turkey, they gave full rhythmic sounds extracting them with impact of wooden sticks on a wide board. Exceptional tune immediately filled museum, reviving history of the traditional art of the Adyghes, kept by its unique exhibits. And, inspired with a new performing experience, guests of museum continued their cultural exchanges with researcher in an informal atmosphere at served tripod tables.

So gradually, Museum of the Adyghe folk art became a center of cultural exchanges under roof of which it can be organized not only excursions for tourists of different nationalities, but creative meetings of researchers of the traditional art of the Circassians from different countries and musical khacheshs. It would be good to film in Museum among ancient exhibits and photographs of old masters series of television programs with participation of famous master on the Adyghe traditional art, the art of weaving Adyghe mats and making Circassian folk instruments with wood, as well as on songs from the Nart epos of the Adyghes the preservation of which is one of main tasks of contemporary generation. However, as well as all future generations of the Circassian people.