The Nogay people are native inhabitants of Russia. They live in the North Caucasus, on the territory of the republics of Dagestan, Chechnya, Karachay-Cherkessia and the Stavropol Territory. Today there are about 100 thousand Nogay people in Russia.
The Nogay people have a rich history, interesting customs and traditions. It’s remarkable that in the Nogay language, the words “alien” and “friend” are the same. This shows how friendly these people are.
Among Nogay customs and the traditions of the Nogay people, one of the most peculiar is the rite of calling down rain, known as Andir-shopay. A great festival is based on this. People make a dummy of Yamgyr-Meleka, the rain demon, and then children (mainly girls) walk through the streets of their village and sing the special song with the refrain “May it rain”. Then comes a sacrifice.
The Nogay people believed that after that, the rain would come.
Lada Ledenyova. Exclusively to VK
