Origins of Chechen code of honour

Timur Utsayev, Grozny, exclusively to VK

Chechen society was often in a state of moral crisis – above all, in connection with the collapse of traditional society, then with a long war. But Chechens bring with them from generation to generation their supreme and perfect system of nobility and cultural values.

Like hundreds of years ago, today among the Vainakh the younger people greet the elders first, the rider who descends from above climbs down from his horse in front of those who are ascending. This is called respect for human dignity.

As experts say, "Chechen ethnicity did not appear suddenly". It is a product of interaction with many peoples. Of course, according to the cultural typology, this is a nation of the Caucasus, and when people talk or write about one of the peoples of the region, to some extent, this is true for the other peoples. The ancestors of the Caucasian people left a legacy of brilliant examples of peaceful co-existence. Linguistic and confessional diversity has been present in the Caucasus since ancient times. What today is called tolerance, democracy and civil society is in the blood of the peoples of the Caucasus region.

In 2008, the book "The Chechen Code of Ethics 'Konahalla' " was published in the republic; it aroused great interest among the public, as a set of ground rules of a “decent man” was published for the first time. The concept of "konahalla" is the top of the ethical system of Chechens, its quintessence. As indicated by the compiler of the the code, Ph.D in philology Lecha Ilyasov, the ideals of the code are attainable only for individual, noble and decent people who are willing to sacrifice their own personal interests and even life for the sake of the interests of the people and the homeland, and these people have existed at all times. "This is the issue of status. And it is not given for one year, two years, three years, a decade... It is accumulated gradually, like mercury drops, attracting the finest to itself. The highlight of "konahalla" appears at the moment of death ... a dignified death. Konah does not die for nothing. The most dignified example of the behaviour of a dying man is to tell some joke to the people mourning around him. Konah always die with dignity. This is a tradition,” ethnographer Said-Magomed Khasiev says.

The origins of the Chechen code of honour are in the ancient history of the people. Even today there is such a thing as Nochhalla - this is the formula of how to be a real Chechen, and every Chechen observes these rules. In ancient times, in the harsh conditions of the mountains, a guest not accepted in a house could freeze or become a victim of robbers or wild animals.  An ancient tradition to invite him to the house, to warm and feed him and to offer him stay overnight is strictly enforced.

Hospitality is nohchalla. Being compliant is nohchalla. Nohchalla is the ability to build relationships with people, not demonstrating your superiority, even when in a privileged position. On the contrary, in such a situation you should be very courteous and friendly, in order not to hurt anyone's feelings.

Today in Chechnya people often talk about a cultural revival. The adult generation thinks that the descendants of the current Vainakhs will follow the way that their elders will prepare for them. Intellectuals note that in Caucasian traditions dignity is raised to incredible heights, and tolerance praised in the West has been actively practiced in the Caucasus since ancient times. The examples are the multilingualism, poly-confessional nature and social diversity of the Caucasus.

In early 1995, during the most severe shelling and bombing of Grozny, people of different nationalities supported each other, sharing their last piece of bread and sip of water. Leaving the city, the Chechens took their Russian neighbours with them to the villages, trying to save their lives. In other circumstances, the Russian residents in Grozny saved the Chechens, their homes and property. We know many such examples of mutual support.

The history of Russian-Chechen cultural ties goes back several centuries. In the 18th century, the Chechens and people of the Greben and Terek Cossack villages often intermarried. Family ties were established by sending children to education. As neighbours, for many centuries they were learning from each others material and spiritual cultures. These diverse friendships are reflected in many of the Chechen heroic historical songs – “illy”. Sometimes entire families of Highlanders left for Cossack villages. Thus, in the village of Chervlennaya lived the Gulaev family; they were regarded as descendants of immigrants from Gunoi. This family now feels akin to the Greben Cossacks of Chervlennaya. Cossacks are also full of kindred feelings for the residents of Gunoi. Such families as Egorkin, Baysungurov, Titkin and many others living in the villages of the Terek also tell about their relationship with the Chechens.

The friendly nature of the relationship between Chechens and Cossacks was manifested in the fact that the Highlanders sent their children to Greben villages, mostly to the families of their Cossack friends – and their children learnt Russian. Leading members of the local intelligentsia didn't condemn but welcomed and supported this system as a form of rapprochement with Russian culture, noting that the local people "consider the study of the Russian language and literacy a necessary matter" ... A well-known Chechen ethnographer of the 19th century, Laudayev, before enrolling in St. Petersburg Cadet Corps in the 1820s learned Russian in the village of Greben Cossacks. In turn, the Cossacks sent their children to the Highlanders of Chechen villages to learn the Chechen language.

Terek Cossacks borrowed from Caucasians several national dishes: kald-dyatta - a mixture of cottage cheese with butter; churek - unleavened bread, tortillas stuffed with cheese or vegetables. Terek Cossacks enjoyed playing Caucasian musical instruments like the zurna, flute, two-stringed balalaika, drum. Not only the melodies of mountain songs but also dances were borrowed by Cossacks. The temperamental dance of the Naurskaya lezginka, which emerged in the village of Naurskaya, became the "national" dance of the Terek Cossacks. Friendly relations with the Chechens were reflected in the songs of Greben Cossacks.

Experts assure that this contributed to not only Russian-Chechen convergence and strengthening of multilateral relations, but also to the economic and spiritual development of the border regions of Russia, including Chechnya.