Traditions of the Kuban Cossacks
Kuban is a unique region in which elements of cultures have interpenetrated, interacted and formed for two hundred years different nations, including southern Russian and eastern Ukrainian.
House construction. An event very important for every Cossack family, and a cause in which many residents of the “kutka”, “edge”, and village took an active part. When laying the foundation of a house, special rituals were carried out: feathers and scraps of pet hair were thrown directly onto the construction site (“so that everything would be in order”), and the beams on which the ceiling was laid were raised on chains or towels (“so that the house would not be empty”).
Housing construction also had its own traditions and rituals. For example, a cross made of wood was built into the wall, in the front corner, in order to invoke a blessing on the inhabitants.
Interior decoration of the hut. Often in a Cossack house there are two rooms: the vylyka (great) and the small hut. The central place was considered the “goddess” (“red corner”). It was decorated in accordance with traditions and rituals in the form of an icon case with icons, which were decorated with towels. The latter were trimmed with lace at both ends. Patterns were embroidered on the cloth using satin stitch or cross stitch.
Cossack costume. The form has been established mid-19th centuries. These were dark trousers, a Circassian coat made of black cloth, a bashlyk, a beshmet, a hat, a winter cloak, and boots. At the beginning of the 20th century, the beshmet and Circassian coat were replaced by a tunic, a hat by a cap, and a burka by an overcoat.
The women's costume consisted of a cotton blouse (blouse) and a skirt. The blouse certainly came with long sleeve. It was trimmed with braid, elegant buttons, and lace.
Cossack food. Families ate wheat bread, as well as fish and livestock products, gardening and vegetable growing. The Cossacks loved borscht, dumplings, and dumplings. Residents of Kuban skillfully salted, boiled and dried fish. They consumed honey, made wine from grapes, cooked uzvar and jam, pickled and dried fruits for the winter.
Family life. Traditionally, families were large. This is due to the widespread spread of subsistence farming, and to the constant shortage of workers, and even to the difficult situation of harsh wartime. The woman took care of the elderly, raised children, and ran the household. Cossack families often had five to seven children.
Rituals and holidays. The Cossacks celebrated Christmas, Easter, New Year, Trinity, Maslenitsa. There were different traditions: maternity, wedding, christening, seeing off a Cossack for service, and so on.
Wedding ceremonies required compliance with many strict rules. It was categorically impossible to organize a celebration during Lent, but it was possible in the fall and winter. Marriage at the age of 18–20 was considered normal. Young people had no right to choose: their parents decided everything. Matchmakers could even come without the groom, only with his hat. In such cases, the girl saw her future husband for the first time right at the wedding.
Oral Speaking. It is very interesting because it is a mixture of Russian and Ukrainian. In addition, it contains words borrowed from the languages of the highlanders. This colorful alloy fully corresponds to the spirit and temperament of the Cossacks. Their speech was generously decorated with proverbs, sayings, and phraseological units.
Crafts and folk crafts. The Kuban land was known for its sons - gifted people, real masters. When making any thing, they first of all thought about how practical it would be. At the same time, the beauty of the object was not overlooked. Residents of Kuban sometimes created from the most simple materials(metal, clay, wood, stone) unique works of art.
When you mention Kuban, a picture of dashing Cossacks on horseback and girls in elegant costumes appears in your head. The North-West of the Caucasus, most of which is mainly the territory of modern Kuban, is famous for the diversity and abundance of flora and fauna; the area is also attractive for its territorial-geographical location. The North Caucasus is a storehouse of natural resources, varied terrain, extraordinary beauty and charm of local nature. Like any people, the Cossacks have their own rituals and traditions, which were formed over several centuries and developed thanks to the cultures of the West and East, which echoed each other on this fertile land.
Life of a Kuban family
It so happened historically that the original and unique way of life and way of life of the Kuban family has its own characteristics, here are some of them:
- A Cossack family almost always consisted of a large number of people. The family had five to seven children. Large families were created taking into account the fact that agriculture was carried out on their own, and there was always a lot of work.
- Hospitality and generosity were an integral part of the Kuban people. This involves equating a guest, especially a stranger or foreigner, with God's messenger.
- Raising children began with respect for elders. They were taught to listen to advice and not to interfere in adult conversations.
- Men treated a woman, be it a mother, wife or sister, with special respect. According to Christian scripture, a wife should not interfere in the affairs of her husband and, conversely, a husband in the affairs of his wife.
- When someone entered the house, they were sure to be baptized in the image, and the men took off their headdress.
Do you know which holiday drink was considered the most beloved and generally accepted among the Cossacks?
This drink was called “Varena”. It mixed honey, vodka, various dried fruits (apples, pears, raisins, grapes), which were boiled with various kinds spices and ginger.
Folk customs Kuban is very diverse and interesting. When constructing housing, pieces of wool and feathers were thrown onto the ground so that everything would be in the house, while the entire population of the village took part in the construction. In order for the blessing to descend on the inhabitants of the future home, a wooden cross was built into the wall.
Holidays and celebrations
Celebrations of various kinds had their own nuances and rules: only married couples could attend the wedding, and weddings were held exclusively in the fall or winter. The choice of a betrothed for a daughter or a bride for a son was made by the parents. The New Year celebration was interesting. On the night from December 31 to January 1, they burned bonfires, told fortunes, organized various kinds of rituals, and went from house to house with carols and generous gifts. On the eve of Epiphany, people attended church, and they always returned home with holy water. Everything that remained on the table after the celebration, as well as straw and hay, was given and put on the cattle and poultry so that the house would have prosperity in the new year. In the spring, Maslenitsa was celebrated in Kuban; ritual food, consisting of pancakes and dumplings, was prepared in houses. The last Sunday before Lent was considered the day of “universal forgiveness.”
Cuban studies lesson on the topic:
Customs and holidays of the peoples living in Kuban
MAOU secondary school No. 16 named after.
Topic: Customs and holidays of the peoples living in the Kuban
Goal: To acquaint students with the customs and holidays of the peoples living in the Kuban. Instill love for native land, labor, to the customs and traditions of the Kuban people; to cultivate patriotic feelings, generation, kindness and respect for traditions.
Equipment: household items, drawings depicting peoples living in the Kuban, computer, multimedia projector.
During the classes.
1.Organization of the lesson.
Who and what do you think we will talk about in our lesson?
1 student (2 slide)
Have you been to Kuban? And you visit:
Great people, famous region.
There they will accept you as a good friend.
They will show how the earth is turned with a plow,
How the bread is removed, how the table is set,
As in the upper room, a guest is treated to us.
Kuban people are enviably able to work.
I love you, my land, (3 slide)
expanse of Krasnodar,
and the labor of the grain farmer,
and songs and dances.
Today we will talk about the traditions and customs of the Kuban people.
2 student (4 slide)
The grain is earing and the rivers are rustling,
Where the sun rises over the azure sea,
Gives its warmth almost every year,
3 student (5 slide)
Peoples live as one family,
The hospitable Kuban is called “mother”,
The beloved land is decorated with warmth,
They dedicate their songs and legends to her.
One of the legends has reached us.
We will tell it to the world now.
When creating the earth, the Almighty planned to create a paradise on it. He chose a noble land, endowed it with peace, beauty and harmony, and named it Kuban. He populated this region with peoples of different languages and blessed them, saying:
- “Live and decorate this land, but remember and fulfill my commandment: “love your neighbor as yourself, and when joy and happiness do not leave you.”
- “But the people disobeyed their Creator, each nation became proud and began to extol only its own culture.” And then a terrible misfortune happened: songs and laughter were no longer heard. Old people stopped telling their grandchildren fairy tales and epics, ancient legends.
Traditions and customs have disappeared. The once fragrant land began to fade. Darkness and cold descended on her. Cold and darkness.
And the people raised their hands to the sky, turned their faces to the Creator and
They cried out
O Almighty! Help us, guide us on the right path!
And the creator answered them:
Your strength is in love and friendship, in respect for each other. The culture of one people is drop by drop - there will be a big river that will irrigate your land and make it blooming and fertile again.
Oh, almighty, one and indivisible for all peoples, send us your heavenly light, allow us, in the light of day, to show each other that “all the peoples inhabiting this region” are worthy of decorating it with their songs, customs and traditions:
And the Creator said:
-"So be it"
Kuban is a land like this:
From bread - golden,
Steppe side,
“She greets guests,
And he sings songs,
Transparent to the bottom."
"Fire Cossack woman,
Beautiful, young"
Kuban is a land like this:
One day he will caress you.
Will love you forever.
2.Work on new material.
All residents of cities, villages, towns can be called in one word - “Kubans”. And we are all COMMUNITIES. This is the name given to people who have one land, a common small homeland.
Among our fellow countrymen – Kuban residents – there are people of one hundred and twenty nationalities: Russians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Armenians, Circassians and many others...
Each nation has its own customs, holidays, songs and fairy tales. They reflect the soul of the people: their way of life, love of work and land, veneration of fathers and grandfathers. Each of us needs to know the history and customs of our people. These are our roots, our origins. But it is equally important to know and respect the customs of the people living nearby. After all, we are fellow countrymen: we have one homeland - our beautiful Kuban.
7 student (6 slide)
In life we are given
One homeland
The gold of the fields is right at the door,
A century-old thought of slender poplars.
Here my path ran through the bread,
Here my destiny is joy and struggle,
Here are my friends
This is my family
You can’t say more - this is my land!
- “Guys, now we’ll take a tour and our guides will introduce us to the customs and holidays of different peoples living in our Kuban.”
1 tour guide. (7 slide)
Loved our native Kuban forever
Cheerful, generous, free Greeks.
Having once left his native Hellas,
We found joy in the blooming Kuban.
We dedicate our song to Kuban
And we glorify her generous heart
In the 6th century BC on the banks of the Black and Azov seas Greeks began to appear, creating large Greek settlements. Gradually, Greek settlements began to form entire cities - colonies. Residents of colonial cities grew bread, planted gardens and built houses, temples, and fortresses.
In April, the Greeks celebrated the holiday of Sirandonas and always prepared hortarike (herbal food) - a dish of forty herbs. Their tradition of celebrating spring on May 1 is also known. The children went to the field, where they fried eggs, rolled on the grass, boys played leapfrog, and girls played hide and seek.
2nd guide (8 slide)
Oh, my dear!
Blessed land of ancestors.
Here they live according to the laws of honor,
Old people are respected and customs are respected.
Every Circassian can receive a guest,
Maybe he can saddle a galloping horse.
A friend of the Circassians will not leave you in trouble,
In grief and need he will be helped
They settled in the region from the 1st millennium AD along the entire left bank of the Kuban River. The Circassians had many nationalities: ZHANEEVTS, KHATUKAEVTS, SHEGAKS, TEMIRGOYES. They had no main occupation. Some were engaged in cattle breeding, mainly sheep and goats, since in mountainous areas this was more convenient than herding cows. Others grew grapes and fished. But they all valued horses very much. Many fairy tales and legends are dedicated to these animals.
Traditional Adyghe holidays are associated with the beginning or end of field work, weddings, and the birth of a child. The holidays were called merrymaking. They were held in a large courtyard, and if the courtyard seemed cramped, in a square or field. The entire village was invited here, and often guests from other villages. Songs, dances, treats, “battles” of horsemen, elections of the “beauty queen”, the final dance in a huge circle - not a single holiday would be complete without this.
3. PHYSICAL MINUTE
3 tour guide. (9 slide)
We are a hedge
They settled here from God,
Catherine's sons
Russian people.
And it all started with the Decree of Queen Catherine II. She gave the Kuban lands to the Cossacks in gratitude for their conscientious service. And the carts stretched along the dusty steppe roads. And settlers from the Zaporozhye Sich - Cossacks - Cossacks began to flock to the uninhabited lands. This is how our Cossack ancestors appeared in Kuban. The Cossacks began to settle in the Kuban lands. It was a real military fortress. They built an earthen rampart around it and installed watchtowers and guns. The wild Kuban River surrounded the fortress on three sides and reliably protected it from enemies. The Kuban land was famous for its craftsmen and gifted people. Works of art were created from simple materials - wood, metal, stone, clay, but the value of the product was determined not by the material, but by skill and imagination.
There are many customs and traditions: some appear, others disappear.
The Cossacks kept the Lord's commandments, the main ones church holidays, attended church regularly. Each hut had a holy corner where icons hung. In Kuban they honored and celebrated calendar holidays: Christmas, New Year, Maslenitsa, Easter.
Main traditions:
Respectful attitude towards elders. Respect for a woman (mother, sister, wife). Honoring the guest.
Respect for elders is one of the main customs of the Cossacks. In the presence of an older person, it was not allowed to sit, smoke or talk (without his permission). It was considered indecent to overtake an old man; you had to ask permission to pass. The younger one must give way to the older one. The words of the older man were obligatory for the younger. In case of conflicts, disputes, fights, the word of the elder was decisive (the main one) and it was required to fulfill it.
4 tour guide. (10 slide)
From the peaks of Ararat, then the ancient land
The customs of our ancestors brought with them
Armenians are a cheerful and friendly people,
Who sings beautiful songs.
In Armenian settlements in the Kuban, on New Year's Eve, mummers climbed onto the flat roofs of houses and lowered a special bag into a rope, and the owners put gifts into it. When the design of the houses changed, the custom also changed: mummers in masks or with faces smeared with soot began to throw their bags onto the porch of the house.
5 guide (11 slide)
“Nenka, my Ukraine, my:
Grain fields from edge to edge,
Whitewashed huts run into the distance...
We once settled in Kuban,
We honor this region as our family home,
Lands of Kuban, “Yak Mother Kochaim”
Summer swirls with colorful embroidery
On the lawn of linen canvas...
A great talent has sisters -
Beauty, simplicity, kindness.
Ukrainians have been living in Kuban for a long time,
Sons of the fertile land.
Funny songs, hot dances
They brought it to Kuban
4. Consolidation of what has been learned.
And there was evening and there was morning, but there was no end to the dancing, singing and general fun. And the cultures of different peoples flocked into clear streams, and they united into a full river that irrigated the land.
The gardens bloomed on it, the grain began to rustle.
And people understood different nationalities that they are all branches of one tree, which has common roots, and that only love and friendship work miracles, only they can make our Earth beautiful and fertile.
It doesn't matter that life is short,
You can do a lot in it,
If only the sun would always shine peacefully,
It shone over every threshold.
It’s clear to everyone that she’s become small
Today is the land for battle.
And just as before she
Spacious for good deeds.
5.Independent work of students.
Guys, now answer the questions in writing.
6. Lesson summary.
What traditions have we met today?
What national holidays and customs do you know?
Describe how these holidays are held.
7.Home. exercise.
Conduct research and find out what customs and traditions have come from time immemorial into our lives.
Literature.(13 slide)
1., Textbook on Kuban studies. – Krasnodar: Educational prospects, 2012.
2., Workbook on Kuban studies, grade 4. - Krasnodar: Education prospects, 2013.
3. Toolkit for school class. – Krasnodar: Educational prospects, 2011.
A unique region of our country. It is located at the junction of climatic zones, historical civilizations And national cultures. It is about the peoples and traditions of the region that will be discussed further.
Demographic information
About 5 million 300 thousand people live in the Krasnodar region. Almost all the peoples of Russia live here: Tatars, Chuvashs, Bashkirs, etc. Of these, citizens Russian Federation are 5 million 200 thousand people. 12.6 thousand live as foreigners. With dual citizenship - 2.9 thousand. Persons without any citizenship - 11.5 thousand people.
The number of residents is constantly growing. The influx of migrants contributes to this. Housing in the region is in great demand. People move here for permanent place residence. This is due to the mild climate of the region.
There are 26 cities, 13 large settlements and 1,725 other small rural areas in the region. settlements. The ratio is urban and approximately 52 to 48 percent. Almost 34% of the urban population lives in four major cities: Sochi, and Armavir.
Alloy of different nations
The peoples living in the Krasnodar region are about 150 nationalities. The main ethnic groups inhabiting Kuban:
- Russians - 86.5%.
- Armenians - 5.4%.
- Ukrainians - 1.6%.
- Tatars - 0.5%.
- Others - 6%.
The bulk of the population, as can be seen from the list, are Russians. Smaller ethnic groups live compactly in small areas. These are, for example, Greeks, Tatars, Armenians. In the Krasnodar Territory they mainly live on the coast and surrounding areas.
Kuban Cossacks
The historical class of Cossacks today is engaged in preparing future conscripts for the army, military-patriotic education of youth, protecting important objects in the region, and maintaining public order. All nations can no longer imagine life without them Krasnodar region, because their role is enormous in maintaining order in the region.
The uniqueness of the Kuban land
The traditions of the peoples of the Krasnodar region are very unique. Everyone who considers himself a Cossack must comply with long-standing traditions and instructions of experienced people faithful to the cause of their ancestors. Of course, it is difficult to list everything cultural characteristics Kuban. There are a lot of traditions and customs here. And they are all distinguished by rationality and beauty. But we will try to tell you about the most interesting ones.
Construction and improvement of houses
For Cossacks, building a home is one of the most important events in life. Almost the entire world helped each family build a house.
This, as the Kuban Cossacks believed, binds the people into a single whole, which means it makes them stronger. Tourist houses were built according to this principle.
Before construction began, scraps of hair from dogs, sheep, chicken feathers, etc. were thrown around the perimeter of the future housing area. This was done so that there would be livestock in the house.
Then the pillars were dug into the ground and intertwined with vines. When the frame was ready, they called all their friends and neighbors to be the first to make a “mud” at home.
The walls were covered with clay mixed with straw. A cross was driven into the corner of the “front” to bless the house and its inhabitants. They smeared the housing in 3 layers, the last of which was mixed with manure.
Such houses were considered the warmest and “kindest” not only in terms of the quality of the structure, but also due to the positive energy of the people who helped build them. After the construction was completed, the owners organized gatherings with refreshments. This was a kind of gratitude for help, in exchange for modern cash payment.
The interior decoration was almost the same for all residents of Kuban. There were two rooms in the house. There was a stove in the small one. Wooden benches almost the entire length of the room and a huge table. This spoke of large families and hospitality. The large room contained chests, a chest of drawers and other furniture. As a rule, it was made to order. The main place in the house was the red corner - a table or shelf, lined with icons and decorated with towels and paper flowers. Candles, prayer books, Easter dishes, and memorial books were kept here.
Towels are a traditional Kuban home decoration. A piece of fabric tied with lace, with a cross-stitch or satin stitch pattern.
The traditions of the peoples of the Krasnodar region go deep into antiquity. They honor their ancestors and try to instill culture and traditions in their children. A very popular part of the Kuban interior is photographs on the walls. It was believed that the photos showed important events from family life.
Cossack clothing
The men's wardrobe consisted of military and casual suits. Military uniform - dark Circassian coat, trousers of the same cloth, hood, beshmet, hat, winter cloak and boots.
Women's clothing consisted primarily of a calico or wool skirt, gathered at the waist for fullness, and a long-sleeved blouse with buttons, trimmed with hand-lace. The importance of clothing in the Cossacks was great importance. It was believed that what prettier clothes, the more clearly it indicates status in society.
Kitchen
The peoples of the Krasnodar region are a multinational community, so the dishes of Kuban cuisine are very diverse. The main diet of the Cossacks is fish, fruits, vegetables, and livestock products. The most popular dish is borscht, to which beans, lard, meat, and sauerkraut were added. Also favorite dishes were dumplings and dumplings.
They eat much more meat in Kuban than in any other region of Russia. People in Kuban also love lard, which is eaten both salted and fried. In the past, food was traditionally cooked in ovens using cast iron cookware.
Crafts of Kuban residents
The peoples of the Krasnodar region were famous for their artisans. They worked with wood, clay, stone and metal. Each region had its own famous potters, who provided the entire people with dishes. Every seventh man worked in the forge. This is the most ancient Cossack art. Kuznetsov was appreciated and praised. They knew how to make edged weapons, household utensils, shoe horses and much more.
Women's craft was weaving. Girls were taught this handicraft from childhood.
Weaving provided the people with clothing and home decorations.
Linens were made from hemp and sheep's wool. Machines and spinning wheels were mandatory items in every home. Women had to be able to work for them.
Peoples of the Krasnodar Territory: life
Families in Kuban were large. This was explained by a huge shortage of workers. From 18 to 38 years of age, every man was considered liable for military service. He served a 4-year military service and was required to attend all training camps, have a horse and full uniform.
Women took care of children and the elderly and did household chores. Each family had more than 5 children. In large ones their number reached up to 15. For each born child They were given land, which made it possible to have a good farm and feed the whole family. Children were introduced to work very early. At the age of 5-7 they were already helping in all matters that were within their power.
Language
They speak mainly a mixture of Russian and Ukrainian. IN oral speech there are many words borrowed from the highlanders. The speech is original and interesting. Many proverbs and sayings are used in communication.
Names of the peoples of the Krasnodar region
This part of Russia is so multinational that it can easily be called the land of united nations. Whom you will meet here! Thanks to its ethnic diversity, the culture of this region is multifaceted and interesting.
In the Krasnodar region they live like traditional peoples Russia (Tatars, Mordvins, Mari, Chuvash, Ossetians, Circassians, Lezgins, Kumyks, Adygeis, Avars, Dargins, Udmurts), and representatives of nations of other states. These are Armenians, Ukrainians, Georgians, Belarusians, Kazakhs, Greeks, Germans, Poles, Uzbeks, Moldovans, Lithuanians, Finns, Romanians, Koreans, Tajiks, Turkmens, Estonians.
G well-populated, generously endowed natural resources and favorable climate, the Krasnodar Territory, which ranks 41st among Russian regions in terms of area (75,485 sq. km.), according to statistics, today holds 3rd place in the country in terms of population (5,603,420 people) after Moscow, and accordingly the Moscow region.
The basis of the multinational and multilingual family of peoples (124 ethnic groups) living in this southern Russian region, are Russians (4,522,962 people). In percentage terms, the share of Russian residents of the region is 86.54%.
There are also 281,680 Armenians living here, which is 5.39% of the total population of the region, 83,746 Ukrainians (1.6%), 24,840 local Tatars (0.48%), 22,595 Pontic Greeks (0.43%) , 17,826 ethical Georgians (0.34%), 16,890 Belarusians (0.32%).
In the region there is a large diaspora of Adygeis, amounting to 13,834 (0.26%), Gypsies 12,920 (0.25%), Germans 12,171 (0.23%), Azerbaijanis 10,165 (0.19%), Turks 8,527 ( 0.16%), Kurds 5,899(0.11%), Circassians 5,258(0.1%), Moldovans 5,170(0.1%), Yezidis 5,023(0.1%).
Lezgins and Ossetians, Shapsugs and Koreans, Assyrians and Uzbeks, Chuvash and Mordovians, Chechens and Jews, Abkhazians and Bulgarians, Avars and Kabardians live here.
Russians
Russians are one of the most numerous European East Slavs, whose main character traits are compassion and mercy, rich spiritual world and veneration of ancestors, military valor, traditional family and religious Orthodox values, they always listen to the “voice of conscience” and always strive for universal justice.
In the Kuban and the Krasnodar Belaya River, Russian residents form a specific ethnographic group, a historical community or class of Kuban Cossacks. Most Cossacks are Orthodox, but there are also ancient Old Believer communities here.
Before the revolution, under the Russian emperors, Cossacks were engaged in protecting the external borders of the state. Today they honor ancient military traditions, prepare future conscripts for service, educate them in the spirit of patriotism, and support public order, protect important infrastructure facilities.
Home for new family The Cossacks built together, which united the villagers. The kitchen decoration included a red corner, a shelf with icons, decorated with an embroidered towel, a stove, a common table, benches and shelves; in the second room there were chests with clothes, a chest of drawers, a mirror, and other furniture. The usual interior of a Kuban house has long had a frame with important family photographs.
The men had a casual and necessarily military suit; the Cossack military uniform included a cloth Circassian coat, wide pants from the same fabric, beshmet, bashlyk, leather boots and burka.
Women dressed in wide long skirt blouse, hand-trimmed with lace or embroidery. By clothing, quality of fabric, and decoration, one could immediately recognize the status of its owner.
The basis of the diet of Cossack families was wheat bread, vegetables and fish, lard and meat; borscht with sauerkraut, dumplings and dumplings have long been considered favorite dishes here.
The Cossacks in the Kuban have always been famous, in addition to military affairs, for their talented artisans who know how to work with clay and wood, metal and stone. There were always many potters and blacksmiths here, some provided the entire area with pottery, others made household utensils and tools, edged weapons and forged horses.
Women weaved and spun, sewed and embroidered; girls were taught handicrafts from childhood. Cossack families were traditionally large, had from 5 to 15 children, and plots of land were given for each child born, which made it possible to feed numerous relatives. Cossacks speak a specific mixture of Russian and Ukrainian dialects.
Armenians
The local Armenian community is the largest in Russia; here in the Kuban, Armenians are represented by three sub-ethnic groups. One of them is formed by the so-called Circassian or Trans-Kuban Armenians; they settled here between the 10th and 15th centuries. Their number is 15% (up to 100 thousand people).
The second group is the old-timer group of Hamshen Armenians who moved here during the years 1860-1916. from Turkey. The main number of them then arrived in Kuban from the Trebizond vilayet, which had already been weakened by that time Ottoman Empire. The overwhelming majority of Hamshen Armenians are Gregorian Christians; they make up 46% (up to 300 thousand people) of the Armenian community in Kuban.
The third group, up to 39% (up to 250 thousand people), consists of Armenian Hemshils, they are called “new settlers”. They are Sunni Muslims and moved here from Karabakh and Armenia in the 1960-1970s. There are many regional organizations of the local Armenian community in Krasnodar; it is here that the center of the diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church is located.
The majority of Armenians live today in the Sochi district, in the cities of Novorossiysk and Tuapse, in the cities of Temryuk, Armavir and Anapa. There are many Armenian villages in the Tuapse region, village. Ostrovskaya Shchel and village. Shaumyan, s. Lermontovo and village. Tenginka, s. Terziyan and S. Goytkh, s. Podkhrebtovoye and village. Plyaho.
Ukrainians
The formation of the Ukrainian community in Kuban began in the 18th century; in 1792, the mass resettlement of 32 thousand Black Sea Ukrainian Cossacks began here. Later, in 1809-1811. and, accordingly, in 1820-1825. first 41,534 Ukrainians, then 48,392 Azov Cossacks moved to the fertile Kuban lands Ukrainian origin from Chernigov and Poltava provinces.
TO end of the 19th century centuries, Ukrainians made up almost half of the population of Kuban. In the future in Civil War 1917-1922 And Soviet years the number of Ukrainians coming here only increased. The resettlement of the related Slavic Ukrainian ethnic group to Kuban did not have much impact on the process of their assimilation; traditions, religion, Orthodoxy, customs and rituals had similar features and did not cause conflicts.
Interethnic boundaries were gradually erased, cultures penetrated each other, the people quickly became bilingual, and the unification of the Russian and Ukrainian ethnic groups in the Kuban was facilitated by common Cossack traditions.
Over time, local Ukrainians began to call themselves nothing more than “Kuban crests” and defined their ethnicity as intermediate between Russians and Ukrainians. The language of the Ukrainians also underwent some changes and was perceived as “balachka”, a joint “Cossack language”, which became a dialect of the Russian language, including many Ukrainianisms. The culture of local Kuban Ukrainians gradually broke away from the single Ukrainian massif and underwent noticeable influence Russian culture.
Tatars
Separate Old Russian ethnic community Kuban Tatars, who are often called Kuban Nogais or Nogai Tatars, were actively formed in the 16th-18th centuries. According to local Armavir local historian E.M. Ivanov, “in 1911, about 400 people of the Mohammedan faith lived in Armavir, who consistently called themselves “Tatars.”
At the same time, a “Tatar mosque” with a high three-story minaret was built. Nearby there was a one-story building of a “Muslim school.” The name of the first religious teacher, Mullah G.K. Baygildeev, is also known. Most of the Tatars who settled in different time in the Kuban, were Kazan, but there were also Crimean ones among them.
For the most part, local Tatars lived modestly, were engaged in private carriage, trading in used utensils and things, some were in the military and public service. At the mosques they opened free schools, where Tatar children learned to read the Koran, read and write and count.
The clothing and customs of the Kuban Tatars are completely similar to the traditional Tatar culture; the three-day Bayram holiday was celebrated, the entire community attended the mosque. Today's vintage Tatar traditions are being actively revived, festivals of Tatar culture are being held, and the activities of religious and cultural Turkic-speaking organizations are being resumed.
Greeks
One of the oldest ethnic groups in Kuban are the Greeks. In the VI century. BC e. The first Greek city-states appeared in the Northern Black Sea region, later uniting into the powerful Bosporan kingdom. Through these cities the ancient Greeks traded with the Scythians and Maeotians. The basis of the local Kuban Greek community is made up of Pontic Greeks, who came here from Turkish Anatolia in the 19th century.
They brought with them the culture of cultivating tobacco and grapes and engaged in trade. Their culture was different from the Hellenic, and the influence of the traditions of the Turks and Slavs is noticeable in it. All rituals of the Pontic Greeks necessarily contain elements of the cult of fire, a luminous and life-giving principle necessary for nature.
Georgians
Archaeological finds (treasures of ancient Georgian coins) tell about the presence of rich and prosperous Georgians in the Kuban since 1227. Then Georgian influence extended throughout the territory between and up to Khazaria. Medieval Georgian settlements and several ancient churches were also found here. With the emergence of a commercial center in the large village of Armavir, the presence of Georgian traders here becomes permanent.
Georgians were engaged in trade, maintaining hotels and baths, inns and taverns, restaurants, buffets and kebab shops, were owners of local breweries and factories, responded to charitable projects, and donated money for the construction of churches.
Adyghe people
The self-name of the original people of the Adyghe, related Circassians and Kabardians is Adyghe. This ancient one mountain people lived in the Kuban for a long time, the so-called Maykop archaeological culture dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. e. Further in the 1st millennium BC. e. the ethnic community of Meots took shape, whom many experts consider the ancestors of the Circassians. The ancestors of the Adyghe people, even during the Great Migration of Peoples (V-IX centuries), under the dictates of the Golden Horde and the invasion of Timur, the raids and onslaught of the Ottomanids, were able to preserve their vibrant and original culture.
The Adygs, or “Trans-Kuban Circassians,” turned to Russia for help and accepted its citizenship. Their houses were located in groups at the foot of the mountains, the Circassians raised livestock, especially horses, sowed grain, and planted gardens.
Due to the special and very advantageous geopolitical position of the Kuban lands, active migrations of different peoples have been observed here at all times. Many ethnic groups historically inhabited this fertile land, its population was constantly increasing, and characteristic feature This territory has become its traditional polyethnicity and multinationality, which has developed over centuries.
