The word papakha itself is of Turkic origin, in Vasmer's dictionary it is specified that it is Azerbaijani. The literal translation is a cap. In Russia, the word papakha took root only in the 19th century; before that, hats of a similar cut were called hoods. During the Caucasian Wars, the word papakha also migrated to the Russian language, but at the same time, other names derived from ethnonyms were also used in relation to the high fur hat. The Kabardinka (Kabardian papakha) subsequently became the Kubanka (its difference from the papakha, first of all, in height). For a long time, in the Don troops, the papakha was called Trukhmenka.

A hat is not just a hat. Neither in the Caucasus, where she comes from, nor among the Cossacks, a hat is considered an ordinary headdress, whose task is only to keep warm. If you look at the sayings and proverbs about the hat, you can already understand a lot about its significance. In the Caucasus, they say: "If the head is intact, it should have a hat", "A hat is not worn for warmth, but for honor", "If you have no one to consult with, consult a hat." The Cossacks have a saying that the two most important things for a Cossack are a saber and a hat.

It is allowed to take off the hat only in special cases. Almost never in the Caucasus. You cannot take off the hat when someone is asked for something, the only exception is when they ask for forgiveness of blood feud. The specificity of the hat is that it does not allow you to walk with your head down. It is as if she herself "educates" a person, forcing him "not to bend his back."

Dagestan cavalry regiment

In Dagestan, there was also a tradition to make an offer with the help of a hat. When a young man wanted to marry, but was afraid to do it openly, he could throw a hat out of the girl's window. If the hat did not fly back for a long time, then the young man could count on a favorable outcome. It was considered a serious insult to knock the hat off the head. If, in the heat of an argument, one of the opponents threw his hat to the ground, it meant that he was ready to stand until his death. It was possible to lose the cap only with the head. That is why valuable things and even jewelry were often worn in hats.

Fun fact: The famous Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, going to the theater, bought two tickets: one for himself, the other for a hat. Makhmud Esambaev was the only deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR who was allowed to sit in a headdress at meetings. They say that Leonid Brezhnev, looking around the hall before his performance, saw Esambaev's hat and said: "Mahmud is in place, we can start."

Alexander Dumas in a hat

The writer Alexander Dumas (the one who wrote "The Three Musketeers", "Count of Monte Cristo", "Iron Mask" and other famous works), while traveling in the Caucasus, somehow decided to be photographed in a fur hat. Photography has survived to this day.

Hats are different. They differ both in the type of fur and in the length of the pile. Also, in different shelves, the types of embroidery of the top of the papah differ. Before the First World War, hats were most often sewn from the fur of a bear, a ram and a wolf, these types of fur best of all helped to soften the saber blow. There were also ceremonial hats. For officers and attendants, they were trimmed with silver galloon 1, 2 centimeters wide.

Since 1915 it was allowed to use gray hats. Donskoe, Astrakhan, Orenburg, Semirechenskoe, Siberian Cossack troops wore hats like a cone with short fur. It was possible to wear hats of any shade, except for white, and during the period of hostilities - black. Hats of bright colors were also banned. For the sergeants, sergeants and cadets, a cross-shaped white tape was sewn on the top of the hat, and for the officers, in addition to the tape, a braid was also sewn on the device.

Don hats - with a red top and a cross embroidered on it, symbolizing the Orthodox faith. In the Kuban Cossacks, the top of the papakha is also scarlet. At Terek's blue. In the Trans-Baikal, Ussuriysk, Ural, Amur Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk units, they wore black hats made of mutton wool, but exclusively with a long pile.

We all know the expression: "Give cuffs". Tumak was a wedge-shaped cap sewn to a papakha, which was common among the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks in the 16th and 17th centuries. Before the battle, it was customary to put metal plates into the cuff, which protected the Cossack from drafts. In the heat of the battle, when it came to hand-to-hand combat, it was quite possible to fight off with a hat with a cuff, to "hit cuffs" to the enemy.

Karakul hat

The most expensive and honorable hats are considered astrakhan hats, which are also called "Bukhara hats". The word karakul comes from the name of one of the oases located on the Zerashvan River, flowing in Uzbekistan. Karakul lamb skins removed a few days after the birth of a lamb were commonly called Karakul. General's hats were made exclusively from astrakhan fur.

After the revolution, restrictions were imposed on the wearing of national clothes for the Cossacks. Hats replaced Budenovka, but already in 1936, hats returned again as an element of clothing. The Cossacks were allowed to wear low black hats. Two stripes were sewn on the cloth in the form of a cross, for officers of gold color, for ordinary Cossacks - black. Of course, a red star was sewn on the front of the caps. Terek, Kuban and Don Cossacks received the right to serve in the Red Army, and there were Cossack troops at the parade in 1937. Since 1940, the hat has become an attribute of the military uniform of the entire top commanding staff of the Red Army, and after Stalin's death, the hat became fashionable among members of the Politburo.

Hello dear blog readers. In the Caucasus, the saying has long been known: "If the head is intact, it should have a hat on it." Really, Caucasian papakha for the Caucasians themselves, it is more than just a headdress. I remember from childhood how my grandfather very often quoted some Eastern sage: "If you have no one to consult with, then ask the hat for advice."

Now it is quite rare to see a young man with a Caucasian hat on his head. Several decades ago, the papakha personified masculinity and was a kind of symbol of honor and dignity. If a guy allowed himself to appear without a headdress, then this was considered almost an insult to all those invited.

Caucasian papakha was loved and respected by everyone. I remember when we lived in, we had a neighbor who wore a new hat every day. We were very surprised, and once he was asked where he got so many hats. It turned out that he got 15 selected dads from his father, which he wears with pleasure. The most interesting thing is that every time he went out to sit with local aksakals at an impromptu godekan, he put on a new hat. When he was invited to a wedding - another, but if he was at a funeral, then a third wore on his head.

Caucasian papakha - the embodiment of traditions and customs

Of course, Caucasian hats were not always the way we imagine them today. They received the most rapid development and distribution in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before that, generally, hats made of fabric were worn. By the way, it should be noted that all hats of that time, according to the material made, can be divided into four types:

• Cloth hats
• Hats combining fabric and fur
• Fur
• Felted

Over time, fur hats have replaced all other types of hats almost everywhere. The only thing to note is that felt hats were widespread among the Circassians until the beginning of the 19th century. Of course, this also includes "headwear", Turkish turbans, which, by the way, were later very skillfully replaced with a small white cloth strip, which was wound around a fur hat.

But, all these nuances are more interesting for researchers. I won't be mistaken if I suppose that it is much more interesting for you to find out what place it occupied papakha v. As noted above, any self-respecting man simply had to wear a hat on his head. Moreover, most often he had over a dozen of them. There was also a whole system of servicing the dads. I know that they were cherished like the apple of an eye and kept in special pure materials.

I think after watching this video, you learned a lot about how folk traditions were combined with the Caucasian hat. For example, it was a great discovery for me when I learned that a young man threw his headdress out the window of his beloved in order to find out if his love was mutual. I know that they were often used to express their feelings to a girl.

It should be noted that not everything was so romantic and beautiful. Very often there were cases when it came to bloodshed just because a man's headdress was knocked off his head. This was considered a great insult. If the person himself took off the hat and left it somewhere, no one had the right to touch it, realizing that he would have to deal with its owner. It happened that in a quarrel, a Caucasian took off his hat and hit it on the ground - this meant that he was ready to stand his ground to death.

As I said above, the Caucasian youth has practically stopped wearing hats in recent years. Only in mountainous villages can you meet guys who are happy to flaunt these headdresses. Although, many great Caucasians (such as) never parted with their hat. The great dancer called his hat "Crown" and did not take it off even when he was received in the highest echelons of power. Moreover, Esambaev, being a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, sat in a hat at all meetings of the supreme body of power of the Soviet Union. Rumor has it that L.I. Before each meeting, Brezhnev examined the hall and, seeing a familiar hat, said: "Mahmud is in place - you can start."

In conclusion, I want to say this: whether or not to wear a Caucasian headdress is the business of every person, but that we are simply obliged to know and respect its importance in the lives of our fathers and grandfathers, I have no doubts. Caucasian papakha- this is our history, these are our legends and, possibly, a happy future! Yes, watch another video about the papakha:

Friends, it will be very interesting to discuss your views on this topic in the comments. Yes, and don't forget. There are a lot of interesting and useful articles ahead of you.

Original taken from ymorno_ru in What you need to know about papakha

For both a highlander and a Cossack, a hat is not just a hat. It is a matter of pride and honor. The hat cannot be dropped or lost, the Cossack votes for her in a circle. You can only lose your hat together with your head.

Not just a hat
A hat is not just a hat. Neither in the Caucasus, where she comes from, nor among the Cossacks, a hat is considered an ordinary headdress, whose task is only to keep warm. If you look at the sayings and proverbs about the hat, you can already understand a lot about its significance. In the Caucasus, they say: "If the head is intact, it should have a hat", "A hat is not worn for warmth, but for honor", "If you have no one to consult with, consult a hat." The Cossacks have a saying that the two most important things for a Cossack are a saber and a hat.

In Dagestan, there was also a tradition to make an offer with the help of a hat. When a young man wanted to marry, but was afraid to do it openly, he could throw a hat out of the girl's window. If the hat did not fly back for a long time, then the young man could count on a favorable outcome.

Fun fact: The famous Lezghin composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, going to the theater, bought two tickets: one for himself, the second for a hat.

Types of papah

Since 1915 it was allowed to use gray hats. Donskoe, Astrakhan, Orenburg, Semirechenskoe, Siberian Cossack troops wore hats like a cone with short fur. It was possible to wear hats of any shade, except for white, and during the period of hostilities - black. Hats of bright colors were also banned. For the sergeants, sergeants and cadets, a cross-shaped white tape was sewn on the top of the hat, and for the officers, in addition to the tape, a braid was also sewn on the device.
Don hats - with a red top and a cross embroidered on it, symbolizing the Orthodox faith. In the Kuban Cossacks, the top of the papakha is also scarlet. At Terek's blue. In the Trans-Baikal, Ussuriysk, Ural, Amur Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk units, they wore black hats made of mutton wool, but exclusively with a long pile.

Kubanka, klobuk, trukhmenka
The word papakha itself is of Turkic origin, in Vasmer's dictionary it is specified that it is Azerbaijani. The literal translation is a cap. In Russia, the word papakha took root only in the 19th century; before that, hats of a similar cut were called hoods. During the Caucasian Wars, the word papakha also migrated to the Russian language, but at the same time, other names derived from ethnonyms were also used in relation to the high fur hat. The Kabardinka (Kabardian papakha) subsequently became the Kubanka (its difference from the papakha, first of all, in height). For a long time, in the Don troops, the papakha was called Trukhmenka.

Papakha with a cuff
We all know the expression: "Give cuffs". Tumak was a wedge-shaped cap sewn to a papakha, which was common among the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks in the 16th and 17th centuries. Before the battle, it was customary to put metal plates into the cuff, which protected the Cossack from drafts. In the heat of the battle, when it came to hand-to-hand combat, it was quite possible to fight off with a hat with a cuff, to "hit cuffs" to the enemy.

Astrakhan
The most expensive and honorable hats are considered astrakhan hats, which are also called "Bukhara hats". The word karakul comes from the name of one of the oases located on the Zerashvan River, flowing in Uzbekistan. It was customary to call Karakul lamb skins removed a few days after the birth of a lamb.
General's hats were made exclusively from astrakhan fur.

The return of the papakha
After the revolution, restrictions were imposed on the wearing of national clothes for the Cossacks. Hats replaced Budenovka, but already in 1936, hats returned again as an element of clothing. The Cossacks were allowed to wear low black hats. Two stripes were sewn on the cloth in the form of a cross, for officers of gold, for ordinary Cossacks - black. Of course, a red star was sewn on the front of the caps.
Terek, Kuban and Don Cossacks received the right to serve in the Red Army, and there were Cossack troops at the parade in 1937.
Since 1940, the hat has become an attribute of the military uniform of the entire top commanding staff of the Red Army, and after Stalin's death, the hat became fashionable among members of the Politburo.

A hat is not just a hat. Neither in the Caucasus, where she comes from, nor among the Cossacks, a hat is considered an ordinary headdress, whose task is only to keep warm. If you look at the sayings and proverbs about the hat, you can already understand a lot about its significance. In the Caucasus, they say: "If the head is intact, it should have a hat", "A hat is not worn for warmth, but for honor", "If you have no one to consult with, consult a hat." The Cossacks have a saying that the two most important things for a Cossack are a saber and a hat.

It is allowed to take off the hat only in special cases. Almost never in the Caucasus. You cannot take off the hat when someone is asked for something, the only exception is when they ask for forgiveness of blood feud. The specificity of the hat is that it does not allow you to walk with your head down. It is as if she herself "educates" a person, forcing him "not to bend his back."
In Dagestan, there was also a tradition to make an offer with the help of a hat. When a young man wanted to marry, but was afraid to do it openly, he could throw a hat out of the girl's window. If the hat did not fly back for a long time, then the young man could count on a favorable outcome.

It was considered a serious insult to knock the hat off the head. If, in the heat of an argument, one of the opponents threw his hat to the ground, it meant that he was ready to stand until his death. It was possible to lose the cap only with the head. That is why valuable things and even jewelry were often worn in hats.

Fun fact: The famous Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, going to the theater, bought two tickets: one for himself, the other for a hat.

Makhmud Esambaev was the only deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR who was allowed to sit in a headdress at meetings. They say that Leonid Brezhnev, looking around the hall before his performance, saw Esambaev's hat and said: "Mahmud is in place, we can start."

More recently, the hat was considered to be an integral accessory of the proud highlanders. On this occasion, they even said that this headdress should be on the head while it is on the shoulders. Caucasians put much more content in this concept than the usual hat, they even compare it with a wise adviser. The Caucasian hat has its own history.

Who wears the hat?

Nowadays, few of the representatives of the modern youth of the Caucasus appear in society wearing a fur hat. But even a few decades before that, the Caucasian hat was associated with courage, dignity and honor. To come bareheaded to a Caucasian wedding as an invitee was regarded as an offensive attitude towards the guests of the celebration.

Once upon a time, the Caucasian hat was loved and respected by everyone - both old and young. It was often possible to find a whole arsenal of papas, as they say, for all occasions: for example, some for everyday wear, others for a wedding option, and still others in case of mourning. As a result, the wardrobe consisted of at least ten different hats. The pattern of the Caucasian papakha was in the wife of every real highlander.

Military headdress

In addition to horsemen, Cossacks also wore a hat. For servicemen of the Russian army, the papakha was one of the attributes of the military uniform of some types of troops. It differed from the one worn by the Caucasians - a low fur hat, inside which there was a lining of fabric. In 1913, a short Caucasian papakha became a headdress in the entire tsarist army.

In the Soviet army, the cap, according to the charter, was supposed to be worn only by colonels, generals and marshals.

Customs of the Caucasian people

It would be naive to think that the Caucasian hat in the form in which everyone is used to seeing it has not changed over the centuries. In fact, the peak of its development and the greatest distribution falls on the end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th centuries. Until the indicated period, the heads of the Caucasians were covered with cloth caps. In general, several types of hats were distinguished, which were made from the following materials:

• felt;
• the cloth;
• combination of fur and fabric.

Little known is the fact that in the 18th century, for some time, both sexes wore almost the same headdresses. Cossack hat, Caucasian hat - these headdresses were valued and occupied an honorable place in the wardrobe of men.

Fur hats are gradually beginning to dominate, replacing other types of this garment. Adygs, they are also Circassians, until the beginning of the 19th century wore hats made of felt. In addition, pointed cloth hats were common. Turkish turbans also changed over time - now fur hats were wrapped in white narrow pieces of fabric.

The aksakals were anxious about their hats, kept in almost sterile conditions, each of them was specially wrapped in a clean cloth.

Traditions associated with this headdress

The customs of the peoples of the Caucasian region obliged every man to know how to wear a hat correctly, in what cases to wear one or another of them. There are many examples of the relationship between the Caucasian hat and folk traditions:

1. Checking whether a girl really loves a guy: you had to try to throw your hat out her window. Caucasian dances were also used to express sincere feelings towards the fair sex.
2. The romance ended when someone knocked off someone's hat. Such an act is considered to be offensive, it could provoke a serious incident with very unpleasant consequences for someone. The Caucasian hat was respected, and it was impossible to just rip it off the head.
3. A person could leave his hat somewhere out of forgetfulness, but God forbid someone would touch it!
4. During the dispute, the temperamental Caucasian took off the hat from his head, and excitedly threw it on the ground beside him. This could only mean that the man is convinced of his righteousness and is ready to answer for his words!
5. Almost the only and very effective act that can stop the bloody battle of hot horsemen is a handkerchief of some beauty thrown at their feet.
6. Whatever a man asks for, nothing should force him to take off his hat. An exceptional case is to forgive a blood feud.

Caucasian papakha today

The tradition of wearing a Caucasian hat has faded into oblivion over the years. Now you have to go to some mountain village to make sure that she is not completely forgotten after all. Maybe he will be lucky to see it on the head of a local young man who decided to flaunt it.

And among the Soviet intelligentsia, representatives of the Caucasian peoples met, who honored the traditions and customs of their fathers and grandfathers. A striking example is the Chechen Mahmud Esambaev, People's Artist of the USSR, famous choreographer, choreographer and actor. Wherever he was, even at receptions with the leaders of the country, a proud Caucasian was seen in his hat-crown. There is either a reality or a legend, allegedly General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev began the meeting of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR only after he found Makhmud's hat with his eyes among the delegates.

You can relate to wearing a Caucasian hat in different ways. But, without a doubt, the following truth must remain unshakable. This headdress of peoples is closely connected with the history of proud Caucasians, traditions and customs of grandfathers-great-grandfathers, which every contemporary should sacredly honor and respect! The Caucasian hat in the Caucasus is more than a headdress!

For Chechens, a hat is more than an ordinary headdress. This is a kind of symbol of honor, pride and dignity, which can only be worn by a person who has certain qualities and is capable of actions. That is why not every Chechen could wear a hat, it is imperative to match this headdress.

Get a hat from my father

A hat can be received as a gift from a stranger

Smart head and fiery heart

If a Chechen guarded an object and left for a while, then he took off his hat and left it at the entrance. To touch the hat meant to challenge its owner, who considered it a matter of his honor to find and punish the offender.

Features of the papakha

Historically, the hat in Azerbaijan is not only a headdress, but a symbol of honor, dignity and masculinity. Traditionally, in our country, sewing of a hat as a craft has developed in close connection with the history, life and culture of the people. It is no coincidence that oral folk art has preserved many mysteries, proverbs and sayings about hats.

The shape and material of this headdress, whose history goes back centuries, has usually been an indicator of the social status of the wearer. In the old days, men never took off their hats. Visiting public places without a headdress was considered unacceptable.

For centuries, masters of sewing popes, like representatives of other crafts, were highly respected in society. However, over time, young people lost interest in hats, and the number of masters of hats decreased significantly.

Master Yagub lives and works in the village of Boradigakh, Masalli region, who is well known not only in his native region, but also in neighboring regions, and even in Iran. Yagub Mammadov was born in 1947 in Boradigi, he learned the craft of papakhcha from his grandfather.

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  The shape and material of this headdress, whose history goes back centuries, was usually an indicator of the social status of the one who wears it.

  © Sputnik / Rahim Zakiroghlu

• 
  

  Master Yagub from Boradigakh village of Masalli region has been doing this craft for almost half a century.

  © Sputnik / Rahim Zakiroghlu

• 
  

  Traditionally, cap sewing as a craft developed in close connection with the history, life and culture of the people.

  © Sputnik / Rahim Zakiroghlu

• 
  

  In the old days, men never took off their hats.

  © Sputnik / Rahim Zakiroghlu

• 
  

  The master is sure that you can sew a high-quality hat only if you really love what you do.

  © Sputnik / Rahim Zakiroghlu

• 
  

  Leather for dads is brought from Uzbekistan

  © Sputnik / Rahim Zakiroghlu

• 
  

  The master taught this craft to his brother Zahid, and now they work together

  © Sputnik / Rahim Zakiroghlu

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© Sputnik / Rahim Zakiroghlu

A hat in Azerbaijan is not only a headdress, but a symbol of honor, dignity and masculinity

"My grandfather Abulfaz was the most famous papakhchi in our region. I often came to him, watched him work and slowly learned everything. Since 1965, he became his student," the master recalls.

Mamedov graduated from high school, entered the correspondence department of the institute and continued to work. In those years, he continues, orders were received all year round, and there were a lot: "And now there are much fewer orders, and even then mostly only in the fall or winter."

According to him, he basically sews Bukhara papakhs (they got their name from the city of Bukhara, from where they brought leather for papakhs - ed.), And they are worn either by the elderly or by mullahs. The master says that in the past, the hats were treated with great respect: "In the old days, theater visitors bought two tickets - one for themselves, the other for the hats. But now the Bukhara hats are out of fashion."

The master says that before, in one winter month alone, he sewed 30-35 heaps, and in the remaining months - 15-20, but now orders are received only for 5-10 heaps. At the same time, Mamedov is sure that it is possible to sew a high-quality hat only if you really love your job. In addition, you must have at least a minimal artistic taste.

“A master must know whether a hat is suitable for a person. For example, a small hat will not fit a fat person, but, on the contrary, it will suit a thin person,” says Mamedov.

He also spoke about the fact that leather for dads is brought from Uzbekistan: "Little lambs are killed by suffocation in order to preserve the curls of the wool. The resulting wool is wrapped in gauze and kept in a special place for two days. Then the skin is salted, its reverse part is cleaned, they process and finally get material for a hat. "

Master Yagub says that the correct sewing of the hat is also of great importance. When sewing the inside of a hat, he sews the felt with a sewing machine, and the leather - only by hand. Some craftsmen, Mammadov continues, in order to quickly fulfill the order, and the leather is stitched with a machine. But it is better not to do this, because after a while the seams on the hat begin to gather, and then folds form in this place, and the hat deteriorates.

As for prices, they on average vary from 100 to 300 manats, but the master says that he is always ready to negotiate with the client.

The master taught this craft to his brother Zahid, and now they work together. Young people are not interested in this craft, because today Mamedov is the only master of sewing dads in the entire district ...

Hello dear blog readers. In the Caucasus, the saying has long been known: "If the head is intact, it should have a hat on it." Really, Caucasian papakha for the Caucasians themselves, it is more than just a headdress. I remember from childhood how my grandfather very often quoted some Eastern sage: "If you have no one to consult with, then ask the hat for advice."

Now it is quite rare to see a young man with a Caucasian hat on his head. Several decades ago, the papakha personified masculinity and was a kind of symbol of honor and dignity. If a guy allowed himself to appear without a headdress, then this was considered almost an insult to all those invited.

Caucasian papakha was loved and respected by everyone. I remember when we lived in, we had a neighbor who wore a new hat every day. We were very surprised, and once he was asked where he got so many hats. It turned out that he got 15 selected dads from his father, which he wears with pleasure. The most interesting thing is that every time he went out to sit with local aksakals at an impromptu godekan, he put on a new hat. When he was invited to a wedding - another, but if he was at a funeral, then a third wore on his head.

Caucasian papakha - the embodiment of traditions and customs

Of course, Caucasian hats were not always the way we imagine them today. They received the most rapid development and distribution in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before that, generally, hats made of fabric were worn. By the way, it should be noted that all hats of that time, according to the material made, can be divided into four types:

• Cloth hats
• Hats combining fabric and fur
• Fur
• Felted

Over time, fur hats have replaced all other types of hats almost everywhere. The only thing to note is that felt hats were widespread among the Circassians until the beginning of the 19th century. Of course, this also includes "headwear", Turkish turbans, which, by the way, were later very skillfully replaced with a small white cloth strip, which was wound around a fur hat.

But, all these nuances are more interesting for researchers. I won't be mistaken if I suppose that it is much more interesting for you to find out what place it occupied papakha v. As noted above, any self-respecting man simply had to wear a hat on his head. Moreover, most often he had over a dozen of them. There was also a whole system of servicing the dads. I know that they were cherished like the apple of an eye and kept in special pure materials.

I think after watching this video, you learned a lot about how folk traditions were combined with the Caucasian hat. For example, it was a great discovery for me when I learned that a young man threw his headdress out the window of his beloved in order to find out if his love was mutual. I know that they were often used to express their feelings to a girl.

It should be noted that not everything was so romantic and beautiful. Very often there were cases when it came to bloodshed just because a man's headdress was knocked off his head. This was considered a great insult. If the person himself took off the hat and left it somewhere, no one had the right to touch it, realizing that he would have to deal with its owner. It happened that in a quarrel, a Caucasian took off his hat and hit it on the ground - this meant that he was ready to stand his ground to death.

As I said above, the Caucasian youth has practically stopped wearing hats in recent years. Only in mountainous villages can you meet guys who are happy to flaunt these headdresses. Although, many great Caucasians (such as) never parted with their hat. The great dancer called his hat "Crown" and did not take it off even when he was received in the highest echelons of power. Moreover, Esambaev, being a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, sat in a hat at all meetings of the supreme body of power of the Soviet Union. Rumor has it that L.I. Before each meeting, Brezhnev examined the hall and, seeing a familiar hat, said: "Mahmud is in place - you can start."

In conclusion, I want to say this: whether or not to wear a Caucasian headdress is the business of every person, but that we are simply obliged to know and respect its importance in the lives of our fathers and grandfathers, I have no doubts. Caucasian papakha- this is our history, these are our legends and, possibly, a happy future! Yes, watch another video about the papakha:

Friends, it will be very interesting to discuss your views on this topic in the comments. Yes, and don't forget. There are a lot of interesting and useful articles ahead of you.

| 18.11.2015

Papakha in the North Caucasus is a whole world and a special myth. In many Caucasian cultures, a man on whose head a papakha or a headdress in general is a priori endowed with such qualities as courage, wisdom, and self-esteem. The person who put on the hat seemed to be adjusting to it, trying to match the subject - after all, the hat did not allow the highlander to tilt his head, which means - and go to someone to bow in a broad sense.

Not so long ago I was in the village of Tkhagapsh, visiting Batmyz Tlif, the chairman of the aul "Chile Khase". We talked a lot about the traditions of aul self-government preserved by the Black Sea Shapsugs, and before leaving, I asked our hospitable host for permission to photograph him in a ceremonial hat - and Batmyz seemed to look younger before my eyes: immediately a different posture and a different look ...

Batmyz Tlif in his ceremonial astrakhan fur hat. Aul Tkhagapsh, Lazarevsky District, Krasnodar Territory. May 2012. Photo by the author

“If the head is intact, it should have a hat”, “The hat is not worn for warmth, but for honor”, ​​“If you have no one to consult with, consult a hat” - an incomplete list of proverbs that exist among many mountain peoples of the Caucasus.

Many customs of the mountaineers are associated with the papakha - it is not only a headdress, in which it is warm in winter and cool in summer; it is a symbol and a sign. A man should never take off his hat if he asks someone for something. Except for only one case: the hat can be removed only when asking for forgiveness of blood feud.

In Dagestan, a young man, fearing openly wooing a girl he liked, once threw a hat into her window. If the hat remained in the house and did not fly back immediately, then one can count on reciprocity.

It was considered an insult if a hat was knocked off a person's head. If the person himself took off and left the hat somewhere, no one had the right to touch it, realizing that he would have to deal with its owner.

Journalist Milrad Fatulaev recalls in his article a famous case when, going to the theater, the famous Lezghin composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov bought two tickets: one for himself, the other for a hat.

Hats were not removed even indoors (with the exception of the headdress). Sometimes, taking off the hat, they put on a light cloth hat. There were also special night hats - mainly for old people. The highlanders shaved or cut their heads very short, which also preserved the custom of wearing any kind of headdress at all times.

The oldest form was considered to be tall shaggy hats with a convex top made of soft felt. They were so high that the top of the cap tilted to the side. Information about such hats was written down by Evgenia Nikolaevna Studenetskaya, a famous Soviet ethnographer, from the old Karachais, Balkars and Chechens, who preserved the stories of their fathers and grandfathers in their memory.

There was a special kind of hats - shaggy hats. They were made of sheepskin with a long pile outward, lining them with sheepskin with sheared wool. Such hats were warmer, better protected from rain and snow flowing into the long fur. For a shepherd, such a shaggy hat often served as a pillow.

For festive dads, they preferred the small curly fur of young lambs (kurpei) or imported astrakhan fur.

Circassians in hats. The drawing was kindly provided to me by Timur Dzuganov, an historical scholar from Nalchik.

Karakul hats were called "Bukhara". Fur hats from Kalmyk sheep were also valued.

The shape of the fur hat could be varied. In his "Ethnological studies about the Ossetians" V.B. Pfaf wrote: “the hat is highly susceptible to fashion: sometimes it is sewn very high, an arshin or more in height, and at other times it is rather low, so that it is just a little higher than the hat of the Crimean Tatars”.

By the hat it was possible to determine the social status of a mountaineer and his personal preferences, only “it is impossible to distinguish a Lezgin from a Chechen by a headdress, a Circassian from a Cossack. Everything is rather monotonous, ”Milrad Fatullayev remarked subtly.

In the late 19th - early 20th centuries. Fur hats (from sheepskin with long wool) were used mainly as shepherds' hats (Chechens, Ingush, Ossetians, Karachais, Balkars).

A tall karakul hat was common in Ossetia, Adygea, flat Chechnya and rarely in the mountainous regions of Chechnya, Ingushetia, Karachai and Balkaria.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, low, almost over the head, tapering hats made of astrakhan fur came into fashion. They were worn mainly in cities and the adjacent regions of flat Ossetia and in Adygea.

Hats were and are expensive, so rich people had them. Rich people had up to 10-15 dads. Nadir Khachilayev said that he bought a hat of a unique iridescent golden hue in Derbent for one and a half million rubles.

After the First World War, a low hat (band 5-7 itself) with a flat fabric bottom spread in the North Caucasus. Okolysh was made from kurpei or karakul. The bottom, cut from one piece of fabric, was at the level of the upper line of the band and was sewn to it.

Such a hat was called the Kubanka - for the first time it was worn in the Kuban Cossack army. And in Chechnya - with a carbine, because of its low height. Among young people, she supplanted other forms of papah, and among the older generation it coexisted with them.

The difference between Cossack hats and mountain hats is in their variety and lack of standards. Mountain hats are standardized, Cossack hats are based on the spirit of improvisation. Each Cossack army in Russia was distinguished by its hats in terms of the quality of fabric and fur, shades of color, shape - hemispherical or flat, dressing, sewing ribbons, seams, and, finally, in the manner of wearing those same headdresses.

Hats in the Caucasus were very much taken care of - they kept them covered with a scarf. When traveling to the city or on a holiday in another aul, they took a festive hat with them and put on only before entering, taking off a simpler hat or felt hat.

For both a highlander and a Cossack, a hat is not just a hat. It is a matter of pride and honor. The hat cannot be dropped or lost, the Cossack votes for her in a circle. You can only lose your hat together with your head.

A hat is not just a hat

Neither in the Caucasus, where she comes from, nor among the Cossacks, a hat is considered an ordinary headdress, whose task is only to keep warm. If you look at the sayings and proverbs about the hat, you can already understand a lot about its significance. In the Caucasus, they say: "If the head is intact, it should have a hat", "A hat is not worn for warmth, but for honor", "If you have no one to consult with, consult a hat."

The Cossacks have a saying that the two most important things for a Cossack are a saber and a hat. It is allowed to take off the hat only in special cases. Almost never in the Caucasus.

You cannot take off the hat when someone is asked for something, the only exception is when they ask for forgiveness of blood feud. The specificity of the hat is that it does not allow you to walk with your head down. It is as if she herself "educates" a person, forcing him "not to bend his back."

In Dagestan, there was also a tradition to make an offer with the help of a hat. When a young man wanted to marry, but was afraid to do it openly, he could throw a hat out of the girl's window. If the hat did not fly back for a long time, then the young man could count on a favorable outcome.

It was considered a serious insult to knock the hat off the head. If, in the heat of an argument, one of the opponents threw his hat to the ground, it meant that he was ready to stand until his death. It was possible to lose a hat only with your head, which is why valuable things and even jewelry were often worn in hats.

Fun fact: the famous Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, going to the theater, bought two tickets: one for himself, the other for a hat. Makhmud Esambaev was the only deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR who was allowed to sit in a headdress at meetings.

They say that Leonid Brezhnev, looking around the hall before his performance, saw Esambaev's hat and said: "Mahmud is in place, we can start."

Types of papah

Hats are different. They differ both in the type of fur and in the length of the pile. Also, in different shelves, the types of embroidery of the top of the papah differ. Before the First World War, hats were most often sewn from the fur of a bear, a ram and a wolf, these types of fur best of all helped to soften the saber blow. There were also ceremonial hats. For officers and attendants, they were trimmed with silver galloon 1, 2 centimeters wide.

Since 1915 it was allowed to use gray hats. Donskoe, Astrakhan, Orenburg, Semirechenskoe, Siberian Cossack troops wore hats like a cone with short fur. It was possible to wear hats of any shade, except for white, and during the period of hostilities - black. Hats of bright colors were also banned.

For the sergeants, sergeants and cadets, a cross-shaped white tape was sewn on the top of the hat, and for the officers, in addition to the tape, a braid was also sewn on the device. Don hats - with a red top and a cross embroidered on it, symbolizing the Orthodox faith. In the Kuban Cossacks, the top of the papakha is also scarlet. At Terek's blue. In the Trans-Baikal, Ussuriysk, Ural, Amur Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk units, they wore black hats made of mutton wool, but exclusively with a long pile.

The friendship between the legend of Soviet cinema Vladimir Zeldin and the famous dancer, "magician of dance" Makhmud Esambaev lasted for more than half a century. Their acquaintance began on the set of Ivan Pyriev's film "Pig and Shepherd", which became a film debut for both Zeldin and Esambaev.

Esambaev, who came to Moscow at the age of 17, worked part-time at Mosfilm. In Pyryev's film, he got the role of a friend of the Dagestani shepherd Musaib, played by Zeldin. In the scene when Zeldin walks along the alley of the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy and collides with Glasha, they are surrounded by the mountaineers, Musaib's friends. One of them was Mahmud Esambaev.

In one of his interviews, Vladimir Zeldin told how the director of the film, Ivan Pyriev, commanded all the time: “Don't stick your head out! Don't look into the movie camera! " It was he who turned to Mahmoud, who now and then looked over his shoulder, trying to get into the frame. Everyone wanted to be noticed - a naive, funny, cheerful guy in a black Circassian coat, ”says Zeldin.

Once, during a break between filming, Zeldin sent young Esambaev for lemonade - the actor was thirsty, and he had no time to run himself. I gave Mahmud 15 kopecks. He gladly ran to carry out the order, but instead of one bottle brought two - as a true Caucasian showed respect. This is how the friendship of the two legendary people began. Subsequently, when Esambaev became a great dancer, he, for the sake of a joke, reminded Zeldin of the times when he “chased him for a bottle,” said that Zeldin owed him 15 kopecks ...

Zeldin repeatedly stressed that he always treated Caucasians with respect, never hid the fact that he had many Caucasian friends - Azerbaijanis, Georgians, Dagestanis, Chechens, etc. “Ever since my student days, I loved a Circassian coat, a hat, these boots, soft and slippery, and generally sympathized with the peoples of the Caucasus,” Zeldin said. - I really like to play them, they are amazingly beautiful, unusually musical, plastic people. When I play, I feel this Caucasian spirit. I know their traditions quite well and feel well, organically in their national dress. Even my fans somehow gave me all this "Caucasian uniforms".

And once Mahmud Esambaev presented Zeldin with his famous silver hat, which he wore in public without taking off, and which became an integral part of the everyday image of its owner. If you know what this hat meant for Esambaev, we can say that he gave Zeldin a truly royal gift, tore him from his heart.

Why Esambaev never takes off his hat was the subject of endless jokes and conversations. And the answer is simple - such a tradition, mountain etiquette: a Caucasian man never bares his head. In this regard, Zeldin noted that Mahmud was "an amazing keeper of the national culture."

Esambaev himself jokingly used to say that even a Caucasian man goes to bed in a fur hat. Makhmud Esambaev became the only person in the USSR who was allowed to be photographed in a traditional headdress for a passport. So strong was the respect for him. Esambaev never took off his hat in front of anyone - neither presidents nor kings. And on his 70th birthday, Zeldin said that he took off his hat in front of his talent and presented it with the words that he was giving the most precious thing he had.

In response, Zeldin danced Esambaev's lezginka. And since then, the actor kept a gift from a dear friend, sometimes put it on at concerts.

For his bright life, Zeldin received many gifts from famous people. He had a unique double-barreled gun with a donative engraving from Marshal Zhukov, the painting "Don Quixote", which Nikas Safronov painted especially for Zeldin, an icon from Spanish La Mancha, all kinds of orders - three Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of Friendship, the Order of the Spanish King Juan II - for the one hundred and fiftieth performance "The Man from La Mancha" in the year of the 400th anniversary of Cervantes. " But the most expensive and sincere gift has always remained the Esambaev hat ...

Zeldin always considered Esambaev a great man. “Mahmud is a person sent to us by heaven. This is a man of legend. But this legend is real, the legend of the brightest deeds he showed. This is not only spiritual generosity. It is the need to help do good. Pulling a person out of the most incredible situations. The huge role of an example of existence and feeling of life. Mahmud is a great person because, despite his greatness, he saw a person, he could listen to him, help, caress him with a word. This is a kind person.

When he called me, without any prefaces, he began to sing "Song of Moscow": "And in whatever direction I am, on whatever grass I walk ..." He did not just come into the house - he burst in. He arranged a whole performance from his arrival ... A handsome man (ideal figure, wasp waist, posture), he lived beautifully, turning his life into a picturesque show. He treated me beautifully, looked after us beautifully, spoke beautifully, dressed beautifully. He only sewed at his tailor, he did not wear anything ready-made, not even shoes. And he always wore a hat.

Mahmoud was pure nugget. I didn’t study anywhere, I didn’t even finish secondary school. But the nature was richest. Incredible capacity for work and incredible ambition, the desire to become a master ... The halls at his performances were overcrowded, he was a huge success, both throughout the Union and abroad ... And he was an open person, of extraordinary kindness and breadth. He lived in two cities - in Moscow and in Grozny. He had a house in Chechnya, his wife Nina and his daughter lived there ... When Makhmud came to Moscow, his two-room apartment on Presnensky Val, where we often came, was immediately filled with friends. And God knows how many people fit there, there was nowhere to sit. And the owner greeted the newly arrived guests in some incredibly luxurious dressing gown. And everyone immediately felt at home with him: politicians, pop and theater people, his fans. In any company, he became its center ... He could stir up everything around him and please everyone ... "

The last time Vladimir Zeldin appeared in a fur hat was at the celebration of the 869th anniversary of Moscow in September this year on the City Day, the main theme of which was the Year of Cinema. This exit became the final chord in the long-term friendship of the two legendary artists.

More recently, the hat was considered to be an integral accessory of the proud highlanders. On this occasion, they even said that this headdress should be on the head while it is on the shoulders. Caucasians put much more content in this concept than the usual hat, they even compare it with a wise adviser. The Caucasian hat has its own history.

Who wears the hat?

Nowadays, few of the representatives of the modern youth of the Caucasus appear in society wearing a fur hat. But even a few decades before that, the Caucasian hat was associated with courage, dignity and honor. To come bareheaded to a Caucasian wedding as an invitee was regarded as an offensive attitude towards the guests of the celebration.

Once upon a time, the Caucasian hat was loved and respected by everyone - both old and young. It was often possible to find a whole arsenal of papas, as they say, for all occasions: for example, some for everyday wear, others for a wedding option, and still others in case of mourning. As a result, the wardrobe consisted of at least ten different hats. The pattern of the Caucasian papakha was in the wife of every real highlander.

Military headdress

In addition to horsemen, Cossacks also wore a hat. For servicemen of the Russian army, the papakha was one of the attributes of the military uniform of some types of troops. It differed from the one worn by the Caucasians - a low fur hat, inside which there was a lining of fabric. In 1913, a short Caucasian papakha became a headdress in the entire tsarist army.

In the Soviet army, the cap, according to the charter, was supposed to be worn only by colonels, generals and marshals.

Customs of the Caucasian people

It would be naive to think that the Caucasian hat in the form in which everyone is used to seeing it has not changed over the centuries. In fact, the peak of its development and the greatest distribution falls on the end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th centuries. Until the indicated period, the heads of the Caucasians were covered with cloth caps. In general, several types of hats were distinguished, which were made from the following materials:

• felt;
• the cloth;
• combination of fur and fabric.

Little known is the fact that in the 18th century, for some time, both sexes wore almost the same headdresses. Cossack hat, Caucasian hat - these headdresses were valued and occupied an honorable place in the wardrobe of men.

Fur hats are gradually beginning to dominate, replacing other types of this garment. Adygs, they are also Circassians, until the beginning of the 19th century wore hats made of felt. In addition, pointed cloth hats were common. Turkish turbans also changed over time - now fur hats were wrapped in white narrow pieces of fabric.

The aksakals were anxious about their hats, kept in almost sterile conditions, each of them was specially wrapped in a clean cloth.

Traditions associated with this headdress

The customs of the peoples of the Caucasian region obliged every man to know how to wear a hat correctly, in what cases to wear one or another of them. There are many examples of the relationship between the Caucasian hat and folk traditions:

1. Checking whether a girl really loves a guy: you had to try to throw your hat out her window. Caucasian dances were also used to express sincere feelings towards the fair sex.
2. The romance ended when someone knocked off someone's hat. Such an act is considered to be offensive, it could provoke a serious incident with very unpleasant consequences for someone. The Caucasian hat was respected, and it was impossible to just rip it off the head.
3. A person could leave his hat somewhere out of forgetfulness, but God forbid someone would touch it!
4. During the dispute, the temperamental Caucasian took off the hat from his head, and excitedly threw it on the ground beside him. This could only mean that the man is convinced of his righteousness and is ready to answer for his words!
5. Almost the only and very effective act that can stop the bloody battle of hot horsemen is a handkerchief of some beauty thrown at their feet.
6. Whatever a man asks for, nothing should force him to take off his hat. An exceptional case is to forgive a blood feud.

Caucasian papakha today

The tradition of wearing a Caucasian hat has faded into oblivion over the years. Now you have to go to some mountain village to make sure that she is not completely forgotten after all. Maybe he will be lucky to see it on the head of a local young man who decided to flaunt it.

And among the Soviet intelligentsia, representatives of the Caucasian peoples met, who honored the traditions and customs of their fathers and grandfathers. A striking example is the Chechen Mahmud Esambaev, People's Artist of the USSR, famous choreographer, choreographer and actor. Wherever he was, even at receptions with the leaders of the country, a proud Caucasian was seen in his hat-crown. There is either a reality or a legend, allegedly General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev began the meeting of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR only after he found Makhmud's hat with his eyes among the delegates.

You can relate to wearing a Caucasian hat in different ways. But, without a doubt, the following truth must remain unshakable. This headdress of peoples is closely connected with the history of proud Caucasians, traditions and customs of grandfathers-great-grandfathers, which every contemporary should sacredly honor and respect! The Caucasian hat in the Caucasus is more than a headdress!

More recently, the hat was considered to be an integral accessory of the proud highlanders. On this occasion, they even said that this headdress should be on the head while it is on the shoulders. Caucasians put much more content in this concept than the usual hat, they even compare it with a wise adviser. The Caucasian hat has its own history.

Who wears the hat?

Nowadays, few of the representatives of the modern youth of the Caucasus appear in society wearing a fur hat. But even a few decades before that, the Caucasian hat was associated with courage, dignity and honor. To come bareheaded to a Caucasian wedding as an invitee was regarded as an offensive attitude towards the guests of the celebration.

Once upon a time, the Caucasian hat was loved and respected by everyone - both old and young. It was often possible to find a whole arsenal of papas, as they say, for all occasions: for example, some for everyday wear, others for a wedding option, and still others in case of mourning. As a result, the wardrobe consisted of at least ten different hats. The pattern of the Caucasian papakha was in the wife of every real highlander.

Military headdress

In addition to horsemen, Cossacks also wore a hat. For servicemen of the Russian army, the papakha was one of the attributes of the military uniform of some types of troops. It differed from the one worn by the Caucasians - a low fur hat, inside which there was a lining of fabric. In 1913, a short Caucasian papakha became a headdress in the entire tsarist army.

In the Soviet army, the cap, according to the charter, was supposed to be worn only by colonels, generals and marshals.

Customs of the Caucasian people

It would be naive to think that the Caucasian hat in the form in which everyone is used to seeing it has not changed over the centuries. In fact, the peak of its development and the greatest distribution falls on the end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th centuries. Until the indicated period, the heads of the Caucasians were covered with cloth caps. In general, several types of hats were distinguished, which were made from the following materials:

• felt;
• the cloth;
• combination of fur and fabric.

Little known is the fact that in the 18th century, for some time, both sexes wore almost the same headdresses. Cossack hat, Caucasian hat - these headdresses were valued and occupied an honorable place in the wardrobe of men.

Fur hats are gradually beginning to dominate, replacing other types of this garment. Adygs, they are also Circassians, until the beginning of the 19th century wore hats made of felt. In addition, pointed cloth hats were common. Turkish turbans also changed over time - now fur hats were wrapped in white narrow pieces of fabric.

The aksakals were anxious about their hats, kept in almost sterile conditions, each of them was specially wrapped in a clean cloth.

Traditions associated with this headdress

The customs of the peoples of the Caucasian region obliged every man to know how to wear a hat correctly, in what cases to wear one or another of them. There are many examples of the relationship between the Caucasian hat and folk traditions:

1. Checking whether a girl really loves a guy: you had to try to throw your hat out her window. Caucasian dances were also used to express sincere feelings towards the fair sex.
2. The romance ended when someone knocked off someone's hat. Such an act is considered to be offensive, it could provoke a serious incident with very unpleasant consequences for someone. The Caucasian hat was respected, and it was impossible to just rip it off the head.
3. A person could leave his hat somewhere out of forgetfulness, but God forbid someone would touch it!
4. During the dispute, the temperamental Caucasian took off the hat from his head, and excitedly threw it on the ground beside him. This could only mean that the man is convinced of his righteousness and is ready to answer for his words!
5. Almost the only and very effective act that can stop the bloody battle of hot horsemen is a handkerchief of some beauty thrown at their feet.
6. Whatever a man asks for, nothing should force him to take off his hat. An exceptional case is to forgive a blood feud.

Caucasian papakha today

The tradition of wearing a Caucasian hat has faded into oblivion over the years. Now you have to go to some mountain village to make sure that she is not completely forgotten after all. Maybe he will be lucky to see it on the head of a local young man who decided to flaunt it.

And among the Soviet intelligentsia, representatives of the Caucasian peoples met, who honored the traditions and customs of their fathers and grandfathers. A striking example is the Chechen Mahmud Esambaev, People's Artist of the USSR, famous choreographer, choreographer and actor. Wherever he was, even at receptions with the leaders of the country, a proud Caucasian was seen in his hat-crown. There is either a reality or a legend, allegedly General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev began the meeting of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR only after he found Makhmud's hat with his eyes among the delegates.

You can relate to wearing a Caucasian hat in different ways. But, without a doubt, the following truth must remain unshakable. This headdress of peoples is closely connected with the history of proud Caucasians, traditions and customs of grandfathers-great-grandfathers, which every contemporary should sacredly honor and respect! The Caucasian hat in the Caucasus is more than a headdress!