We look for a culture’s dignity in how it honours people. We approach Xabze, the Circassian concept of custom and social conduct, in this spirit. These examples come from particular periods and communities; they do not imply that all Circassians live identically.
A woman’s voice in choosing a partner
A woman’s say in choosing her partner features in cultural accounts of courtship and marriage. A Jineps essay describes opportunities for young people to meet and choose, including a young woman’s decision to accept marriage. This should not be generalised into unlimited freedom of choice in every family or period.[3]
A family name carried into marriage
A woman’s family name remains part of cultural memory after marriage. In Jineps, Akanda Taştekin describes continued use of a woman’s own surname and both families’ emblems at weddings. This cultural practice does not establish that a husband takes his wife’s surname; it is not an account of current legal naming rules.[1]
Respect means rejecting violence
Rejecting violence and humiliation against women is a value worth upholding. Delen’s interview in Tekneli records social condemnation of mistreatment. One interview cannot establish that violence never occurs throughout a population. The Jineps interviews also highlight the importance of making problems visible.[2][1]
Women’s work in sustaining culture
Women are active bearers of cultural memory. Delen’s fieldwork describes storytelling to children, passing on food knowledge and learning within families. Recognising that work should also leave room for women’s own voices, choices and lives beyond their roles as mothers or wives.[2]
Our guiding principle is simple: respect matters when it protects a person’s agency and safety. Pride in a cultural inheritance can coexist with careful inquiry and attention to lived experience.
Sources and their scope
- Derya Kap (1 Mayıs / May 2021). Çerkes toplumunda “toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliği”Jineps · Six interviews / Altı kişiyle görüşme; özellikle Akanda Taştekin ve Erdoğan Boz’un görüşleri.
- Mahmut Delen (2024). Kadın Gözünden Çerkes Halk Kültürüne Bakış: Bir Mülakatın SonuçlarıŞarkiyat Mecmuası 45, 319–336; özellikle / especially pp. 330–332. DOI: 10.26650/jos.1477955. Tekneli’de tek katılımcıyla saha çalışması / One-participant field study in Tekneli.
- Turabi Saltık (1 Şubat / February 2017). Çerkes Eski Kültüründe VaseJineps · Kültür yazısı; eş seçimi ve kaşenlik / Cultural essay on partner choice and courtship.