Tsakhurs - Religion and Expressive Culture



Religion. The Tsakhurs practiced Sunni Islam, which had spread under the influence of the Arabs in the eleventh and twelfth centuries; in the thirteenth century the city of Tsakhur was one of the main centers for the Islamicization of the mountainous part of southern Daghestan. The mosques (which were distinguished by their architecture) were the centers of religious life. They were erected on the central square of the settlement. Muslim priests (mullahs, effendis) served in the mosques and carried out various rituals related to weddings and funerals. Parochial schools also operated near the mosques. Muslim beliefs were interwoven with pre-Muslim ones. Pagan beliefs—reverence for sacred graves (holy places) and festivals—were incorporated into local Islamic practice. Traces of cosmogonic and totemic ideas were preserved: belief in the special power of stones, trees, fire, water, and spirits. A series of popular festivals and rituals, accompanied by magical elements, were related to pre-Muslim, pagan customs, including performing the rites of spring (lighting bonfires and jumping through them), the collecting of flowers, evoking the rain, and certain wedding ceremonies.


Arts. Scholars recognize a distinct architectural tradition in southern Daghestan. As further elaborated by the Tsakhurs in the ninth century, the most original components were the canonical one-story house (which became standard) and also the principles of the artistic arrangement of the interior of the dwelling (its composition, the original form of wooden details, and the particular way of painting carved wood). Ornamental art is reflected in rug manufacture and knitting (socks, footwear). Tsakhur folklore is of many genres: tradition, legends, tales, epic songs and traditional epic poems, proverbs, sayings, anecdotes, riddles, and ritual songs (especially wedding songs). The folklore, music, and dances of the Tsakhurs were closely related to those of the Lezgins and especially to those of the Azerbaijanis; there was extensive mutual influence among them. The most widespread musical instruments were the clarinet ( zuma ), drum, and tambourine.

Medicine. The Tsakhurs used to seek the aid of local healers and bonesetters and also healed themselves with home remedies (massage, tight binding, bloodletting, heating the body, and the application of certain products prepared from medicinal herbs).

In case of sickness they also turned to diviners and sorcerers, used magic, and went on pilgrimages to holy places. Mothers giving birth were assisted by midwives. Today Tsakhurs make use of modern medicine along with popular healing arts.


Modern Intellectual Life. A notable achievement of Tsakhur culture has been the development in Soviet times of a national intelligentsia. Among their scholars is one of the first linguists of Azerbaijan and Daghestan, S. A. Dzhafaror; the language specialist Professor G. Kh. Ibragimov of the Daghestan State Pedagogical Institute; and the physicist and corresponding member of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences Professor A. L. Mukhtarov (Azerbaijan State University). The Tsakhurs are proud of their poets (S. Dzhafarov and D. Dabersov, both publishing in Lezgin) and of artists such as Ismail Daghstanly and Nazirova Mira Bashir-kizy. The contemporary culture of the Tsakhurs is evolving, even while retaining many traditional features, under the powerful influence of the culture of the Azerbaijanis and, to a lesser extent, of Daghestan. The influence of the general process of internationalization and integration is also a factor.


Death and Afterlife. The Islamic clergy played a prominent role in the funeral ritual. News of a death was speedily conveyed by messengers to all the relatives, acquaintances, and even the inhabitants of distant settlements. Fellow villagers hastened to visit the family of the deceased, proffer help, and express their condolences; women lamented over the dead man. Interment took place on the same day before sunset. The deceased was the object of requiem services lasting for three or four days of mourning; the nearest of kin gathered, prayers were read, and food was eaten. Wealthier people organized memorial services after three days and after a year.


User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: