Enlightening activities of Ibrahim Chetao

We often see this man at concerts, cultural and educational events, festivals and exhibitions passed in the capital of Adyghea. He always shoots video performances of artists, dancers and performers of folk music. He shares on his page of social networks photos, videos and his impressions, written in Adyghean and Turkish languages. This is Ibrahim Chetao, repatriate from Turkey, returned long time ago with his family to their historical homeland. In Adyghea, many people know him. However, few people know that Ibrahim Chetao is today’s Circassian enlightener, social activist, translator and philanthropist.

What kind of personality is Ibrahim Chetao, and what significance have his enlightening activities, said about it the master researcher of the traditional art of the Circassians, honored artist of the Republic of Adyghea, teacher of the Folklore department of the Adyghean Republican children's school of arts, founder of authentic performance ensembles "Zhyu" and "Tyzhyn", author of unique publications on Circassian culture Zamudin Guchev.

- Ibrahim Chetao is known to many people. He is Adighe man, returned from Turkey more than 20 years ago. However, I have a feeling he has always lived here. He fully devotes himself to enlightening work. He constantly helps, how he can, to all who need it. He smoothly supports all those who ask him. In particular, he helped our art school. When we created the folklore department, together with Memet Yedydzh, Nihat Napso. he helped to purchase educational tools. There was in 2010. With their help, 30 tools were made; they are still used by our students for learning. Such talented children as Gupsa Pachtova, Damir Guagov, Shan Libso, Dzhanti Libso played with them. Today they are already well-known performers of Adyghe folk music. In addition, all events of our Folklore department are always supported by Ibrahim Chetao. Thus, the organization of concerts always requires certain costs. But our school cannot always assure the full financing of such large-scale events. Then we seek the support of Ibrahim and Memet. They also aid us in travelling to other countries for competitions and festivals. Every time when we address to them, they help us without denial. So, they helped me when we were publishing the "Atlas of the Circassian shychepshyn”. Their support played a huge role in this difficult task. They also assured to us transportation costs for our trip to Nalchik and Cherkessk during the subscription campaign. Thanks to them, the edition had subscribers from Turkey. Memet Yedydzh financed the recording of CDs "The Anthology of Circassian tunes on shychepshyn" for the edition. And Ibrahim Chetao prepared the publicity in the Turkish language. I am infinitely grateful to them for all this, - says Zamudin Guchev.

For decades, the social activist Ibrahim Chetao has made his enlightening work. In the end of 1980-ies years, he translated in the Turkish the play "Dance of death", written by the Adyghe writer and playwright Gissa Skhaplok and published it in the Turkish magazine "North Caucasus". And in 1989, it was put by forces of talented Adyghe youth of the public organization Ankara Adyge Khase and it was shown in the capital of Turkey and in Izmir where it was looked not only by Adyghe people, but also by the Turkish audience. The spectacle had a great success and a significant share of this success belongs to merits of Ibrahim Chetao.

- Frankly speaking, I hear for the first time concerning the book. But about the enlightening activities of Ibrahim Chetao, I can say that he is like a own correspondent of the Circassian Diaspora of Turkey in Adyghea. That is, he fully informs about all cultural events of our country. Of course, no one asked him to do it. There is his own initiative. He suggests this work needs to be done by someone and such work has to be carried out by all means. He found his own business and performs it very successfully, thereby helping us. He promotes all cultural events, passed not only in Adyghea, but also in Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Cherkessia. He tries to describe in detail in the Adyghe and Turkish languages all events relating to the Adyghe culture. In fact, we can safely say that he is like a "builder of bridges” bringing closer the Circassians from all over the world. And besides, all the Adyghes who come to us in Adyghea, know him well and highly appreciate him, - says the folk master.

Indeed, today Ibrahim Chetao is engaged in translation of articles about culture and socio-cultural projects of the Republic of Adyghea, published in the local newspaper "Adyghe Mak" (“Adyghe Voice”), in Turkish language and put them in groups of our compatriots from Turkey. His daily translation activity, which contributes to preservation and promotion of the Adyghe culture, is in demand and deserves worthy awards. However, Ibrahim Chetao is a modest man and more stays away from public attention in the life.
 
- Ibrahim is a well-known, but not public person. He goes a little to the audience, avoiding to be in sight. But in places, when he thinks to have to express his opinion, he shows everyone how deeply he thinks and understands the subject he is talking about. Here, in particular, we had an event about which I have already mentioned, the presentation of "The Atlas of the Circassian shychepshyn” at the National museum of the Republic of Adyghea. Just when journalists interviewed him, he very deeply summarized everything about the importance of this book, the quality of its execution, the need for such editions to preserve the Adyghe culture. I was very pleased that he highly appreciated our many years work. In part, I was even surprised, because Ibrahim is usually laconic, and we do not often meet with him with such conversation on this topic. But in the TV-program about the presentation of the edition, he showed himself as a deeply thinking enlightener. Many thanks to him for that! – does not the researcher of the Adyghe traditional art hide his gratitude.

Ibrahim Chetao has passed his boundless love for the culture of the Adyghe people to his children and grandchildren. One of his daughters Denef translated few documentaries of Askarby Nagaplev in the Turkish language and participated as a screenwriter in his project "Circassian woman". Granddaughters take an active part in the cultural and educational project of Mariet Udzhuhu "Shygezhyi". As can be seen, the family of Ibrahim Chetao is supporting his enlightening activities and they continue them with their work.

- In addition, I would like to note that his wife Shukran skillfully plays the German harmonica, the most popular in Turkey. I must say, she is a virtuoso of this instrument. Her first album was recorded. In general, she plays Adyghe folk music, which is more popular among the Circassians of Turkey, Syria and Jordan. This is also a kind of enlightening activity, if we talk about preservation of Adyghe instrumental music. So, Ibrahim Chetao has a real creative family. This is very pleasing. He's our man! I wish myself to his family the prosperity, that all would go fine! - ends Zamudin Guchev.

True Adyghe man, who lived half of his life in a foreign country, but returned home one of the first; "builder of bridges" between Circassians around the world; "our man", ready to support all who ask him; deeply thinking enlightener who has devoted his life to preservation and promotion of folk culture, customs and traditions - Ibrahim Chetao continues today his enlightening activities not for titles and awards, but sincerely, from his great heart. He is clearly aware of the need to promote the cultural achievements of his homeland among the Circassian Diaspora of the world, drawing their attention to the further development of Adyghe culture. Although, modest and laconic, he does not aspire to public social activity, the contribution of his long-term enlightening work is indisputable and significant. And it is very important that his whole family, his children and grandchildren continue his deed, each in his own way. Certainly, the people and the time will appreciate highly these Circassian enlighteners and philanthropists as Ibrahim Chetao.