Karachai marriages

Several decades ago, marriage between a Karachai and a person of other origin was impossible. Inter-ethnic marriages were restricted. Marriages of two people with the same surname were forbidden too, as they had the same ancestor. Breaking of this rule was a crime. Exceptions took place only among high class, as the rich prefer to marry their daughters off to rich young men.

The average bride and groom were rather young. A young man was thought to be a groom at 18-20 years, a girl – at 14-15. There were cases when a girl got married at 13-14 years, whereas men did it later than at 20. The order was respected. The youngest couldn’t get married before her elder sister. The same was peculiar to men.

Even though Karachais are Muslims, polygamy wasn’t popular. Two wives in one family was, three even more so. The practice was generally peculiar for peasants: if one wife was sick, the second had to work. The role of a second wife was worse. One of Karachai proverbs says “It’s better to be a spinster than a second wife.”

A dowry of a Karachai girl consisted of clothes, silk blouses, beshmets, a silver belt, shawls, bed sheets, carpets, boxes, trunks, and household goods. All this was the private property of a bride, and
in the event of divorce she took her goods away.

Lada Ledeneva, Pyatigorsk. Exclusively to VK.