Avars are what they are. Dagestan men: appearance, character and features

The Avars are the indigenous people of Dagestan, most of whom live on the territory of the republic; many representatives of this people also call eastern Georgia and Azerbaijan their home. Residential complexes of the Avars are mainly located in the mountainous part. The people were first mentioned by Ananie Shirakatsi in his work “Armenian Geography”. The Avars profess Islam, which explains many of the traditions in their behavior and way of life.

Wedding customs

1 day. By invitation, the entire village gathered at the house of the groom’s friend at the festive table, which was covered at the expense of the guests. Here the head of the feast and the toastmaster were immediately chosen: they had to lead the celebration and entertain the audience.

Day 2. All guests went to the groom's house and continued the celebration. In the evening, a procession led by the bride, who was wrapped in a veil over her wedding dress, headed to the groom's court. Several times the bride's retinue was blocked and ransom was demanded. The mother-in-law met the daughter-in-law first, gave her valuables, then took the girl and her friends to a separate room where none of the men dared to enter. At this time, the groom was closely watched by friends so that he would not be “stolen” by the bridesmaids, but if this happened, a ransom had to be paid. The wedding was fun, accompanied by dancing and music. Late at night, the bride met the groom in her room.

Day 3. The last day of the wedding is the day of gifts from the husband's relatives to the bride. After the donation procedure, the guests ate a traditional dish - ritual porridge.

Sacrament of birth

The birth of a child was considered the greatest happiness for an Avar family. The desire of every Avar woman was to give birth to a healthy first-born boy, because this event automatically increased her authority in the eyes of all her relatives and the village in which she lived.

Fellow villagers learned about the birth of a child by the sounds of gun shots: they came from the yard of the newborn’s parents. The shots served not only as a means of communicating the news, they were also supposed to scare away evil spirits from the baby's cradle.

The name of the child was chosen by all the relatives gathered at the festive table.

Blood feud

For such crimes as murder, kidnapping, adultery, desecration of a family shrine, one could fall out of favor with an entire family of Avars. Revenge knew no bounds and sometimes turned into endless bloodshed and enmity between clans.

Since the 19th century, the ritual of blood feud has been “adjusted” to the norms of Sharia law. These rules provide for a peaceful resolution of the issue by paying compensation to the affected family for the harm caused.

Some customs of hospitality

A guest is always a welcome person in an Avar’s home. Many houses have a special room for visiting male friends and relatives. At any time of the day, a guest could arrive and settle there, without even notifying the owner of his arrival.

Safety comes first. All guests, upon entering the house, handed over their weapons to the owner; they were allowed to keep only a dagger with them. This ritual in no way humiliated the visitors; on the contrary, the owner thereby indicated that he took full responsibility for the health and life of his guests.

Feast. It was impossible to seat younger and older brother, father and son, father-in-law and son-in-law at the same table. As a rule, guests were divided into two groups according to age. Relatives on the maternal side had more privileges at the table than relatives on the paternal side. During the feast there were polite conversations “about nothing.” According to the rules of Avar etiquette, the owner was forbidden to ask the visitor about the purpose of the visit; it was necessary to wait until the guest himself raised this topic.

Taboo for the guest. At the table, the guest was not supposed to express his wishes about the dishes. Visitors were not allowed to visit the women's rooms and kitchen, or influence the owner's family affairs. The guest had no right to leave without the permission of the head of the house. If a guest liked any thing in the house, the owner had to give it to him, so it was very tactless on the part of the guest to praise the items he liked.

Strict, proud, majestic and wise, the Caucasus is home to breathtaking natural landscapes, impressive mountains and picturesque plains. The peoples who inhabit these territories are just as strong-willed, strict, proud, courageous, thoughtful and wise with experience. One of these peoples are the Dagestanis. They are characterized by their own specific features that distinguish them from others; they have their own customs and mentality.

Dagestanis are not a single nation, but a kind of conglomerate of peoples. What is their peculiarity, why is Dagestan called a territory with a unique and specific people? What are they like - Dagestan men and women? The article will discuss the specific character traits and mentality of Dagestanis.

Features of Dagestan appearance

More than 30 nationalities live in Dagestan, half of which are indigenous people. Therefore, it is incorrect to characterize all Dagestanis according to a single standard. For example, the image of rural residents differs from the image of urban residents, mountain representatives of the people differ from lowland residents.

The main features of Dagestan appearance are:

Tall (more than 170 centimeters).
Straight, coarse hair from black to light brown.
Eye color - gray, black, brown.
The location of the eyes is “Anterior Asian”, or horizontal, the palpebral fissure is narrow.
The eyebrows are straight, very often fused.
In men, the hairline is developed normally, the beard and mustache are sparse.
The face is long and narrow. The facial features are somewhat angular, with prominent cheekbones.
The forehead is long, straight, narrow, the tip is sometimes raised. Often the forehead and nose form one line.
Lips are plump.
The chin is not protruding, but high.
The back of the head is convex. The ears are high with long lobes.

The beauty and external characteristics of Dagestanis are often discussed on the Internet. It is very difficult to say unequivocally whether Dagestan men are beautiful or not. Beauty is a very relative concept. It should be noted that many representatives of this people have quite bright oriental features that give a certain charm.

Taking care of the home

Traditionally, taking care of home, children, and family is one of the sacred responsibilities of Dagestan men. Their whole life is devoted to arranging and improving their life. The people wish each other: “May your home prosper!” This wish is the whole essence of the attitude towards one’s own and someone else’s home: respect, veneration, careful attitude and a wish for prosperity.

Hospitality

Dagestanis sacredly honor the traditions of hospitality and veneration of elders. Hospitality is a custom that is characteristic of many peoples to varying degrees, but among the mountaineers it is elevated to a cult. No matter how much trouble this may cause to the owner, regardless of the economic situation of the family, self-respecting Dagestanis will do everything to meet their guests with dignity. There is a rule: all the best (bed, food, wine, room) goes to the guest. Even today, children ask if they find a delicacy whether it is for them or for guests.

Respect for elders

A national characteristic of Dagestan men and women is reverence for elders. This is an ancient characteristic feature of everyday and family relationships. Old age has its advantages: young people always give way to old people, the one who is older always speaks first, young people always stand in the presence of old people, you cannot smoke or drink in front of old people, they are served water and food first. Respect for elders is passed on from generation to generation. Disrespectful attitude towards the elderly is condemned in society; such a person may be shouted at after him.

Respect for a woman

Many researchers emphasize the degraded and powerless position of women in the Muslim East, but among them, Dagestan girls are relatively free. Women did not wear a burqa or veil, and female seclusion was not common here.

Respect for women in society is expressed in customs and rituals. For example, when a Dagestan girl passes by a group of men, they stop laughing so that she does not think that they are laughing at her. When an adult woman appears in society (both in the past and now), it is customary to stand up as a sign of respect for her. The dignity and honor of girls and women is strictly protected. An attack on a woman’s honor has served and continues to serve as a reason for blood feud. At the same time, punishment, revenge, murder are not committed in the presence of a woman.

If a woman without a headdress and with her hair down rushed into the center of the fighting, the Dagestanis instantly stopped the bloodshed and the warring parties dispersed.

It should be noted that Dagestan men’s attitude towards women was formed based on two historical prerequisites. On the one hand, from birth boys were taught a respectful attitude towards their mother; they were aware of the need to take care of their own women: mother, sister, wife, daughter or other relatives. Caring for and protecting a woman is a man’s sacred duty.

But on the other hand, the woman has always occupied a subordinate position in the family, that is, the last word has always remained and remains with the man. There is still a division of housework into male and female; most often, women do not work, but do household chores (cooking, washing, cleaning, raising children). Men earn money and provide their family with everything they need.

Interethnic marriages

Relationships in interethnic marriages are very complex due to the difference in mentalities, worldviews, and cultures. As a rule, it is still customary for Dagestanis to marry representatives of their people. But there are exceptions when the emerging relationship between a Russian woman and a Dagestan man develops into marriage. It should be noted that relationships can be harmonious only if the traditions and customs of each partner are respected, if there is a respectful attitude towards the culture of the people of your spouse.

treat him and his relatives with respect;
do not contradict your husband in the presence of strangers;
do not provoke him;
do not artificially create situations in which his jealousy would manifest itself;
be hospitable;
take responsibility for your household responsibilities;
be modest and well-mannered.

Responsibility

A feature of Dagestan men is responsibility. A word is more valuable to them than life: if he promises something, he will do it. But even the most responsible ones are capable of forgetting about little things, especially if it concerns everyday issues, for example, buying a light bulb, renovating a cabinet, installing the Internet, and so on.

Like all men of the eastern type, Dagestanis know how to speak a lot and beautifully, and are able to turn heads in an instant with compliments. But everywhere there are pitfalls: Dagestanis are very religious, not everyone can break the traditions of their family and marry a Christian. If he already has his own family, then he will never leave it. Family is sacred, although there can be many affairs on the side.

Attitude to money

Dagestan men love to look after beautifully, give gifts, and make grand gestures. They like to make wishes come true. But the downside of such gestures is squandering, and the worst evil of many representatives of the people is gambling and casinos. Many Eastern men have complex relationships with money, and the Dagestan representatives of the stronger sex are no exception.

Emotionality

Dagestan men know how to openly express their feelings - this is a positive trait that helps build relationships, because it is clear what exactly a person feels, and you can adjust your actions to improve the relationship.

At the same time, if questions arise that concern themselves or their health, they are very restrained. For example, when a Dagestani man breaks his arm, when asked by a doctor what happened, he will most often answer that he was scratched. This is how restraint and sensitivity manifest themselves.

But it should also be noted the negative side of emotionality - jealousy, most often absolutely causeless. In relationships, men may constantly check email, mobile phones, and social networks. In case of family squabbles, you should not make a man angry. Of course, everyone has their own temperament, but assault or destruction of a room are the most common manifestations of a violent temperament.

Religiosity

The peculiarity of the people is their adherence to spiritual tradition, despite the fact that the population of Dagestan is very diverse. Almost 90% of the residents profess Islam, the remaining 10% are Judaism and Christianity. Religion began to spread in Dagestan back in the 7th century. Initially it appeared in Derbent, then on the flat territory. But it became the dominant religion only in the 13th century. Such a long spread of it is associated with and only after the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols, Islam became the religion of all nationalities of the republic. The residents include both Shiites and Sunnis.

Everything is good in moderation. Among Dagestanis there are also ardent religious fanatics. They believe they are acting in the name of God. Before starting a family with a Dagestan man, you should clarify some points: his attitude towards a woman and her role in the family, his attitude towards religion, his attitude towards children. In many ways, religiosity is reflected in other aspects of a person’s life. For example, strict adherence to religious customs and traditions in everyday life, the subordinate position of women, having many children, and so on.

What are modern Dagestan men like?

These are, first of all, the most hospitable people on the planet. When we meet, they always smile and shake hands.
Respect for elders has been elevated to a cult and to the rank of law. Any old man will have honor and respect among young people.
There is no kissing among men.
They really don’t like middle names and always address people by their first names.
Very talented, many of them are dancers, singers and poets.
They love to sing patriotic songs.
They love positions and external attributes: a car, an office, bright clothes.
Men have developed strong leadership qualities and always take the initiative.
They love to compete for any reason and experience defeat very painfully.
They love grilled meat and khinkali.
They easily lose self-control. If you want to throw a Dagestani out of balance, touch his patriotism or point out his weaknesses.
Open, you can safely say about them “the soul is open.”
They don't like irony or abstract jokes. Everything said is taken at face value.
They are very emotional, they like to wave their arms, shout, and express their thoughts loudly.
Many people love horses and dogs, and they are seriously interested in them.
They know their family almost to the 7th generation.
They disdain the law and consider themselves free people.
Generous people will give their last to their neighbor.
They know how to make friends; they will sacrifice everything they have for a friend.
They love their homeland, language, culture and customs very much.

The most famous Dagestan men

The peoples of Dagestan gave the country and the world great poets, scientists, artists, athletes, composers and other figures of art and culture:

Abdulagatov Ilmutdin is a scientist of physical and mathematical sciences.
Aitberov Timur is a historian, specialist in Dagestan historiography, medieval Dagestan, Persian and Arabic manuscripts, and the history of Islam in Dagestan.
Alivov Yahya is a famous physicist.
Alderov Albert is a geneticist in the field of grain crops.
Aliyev Shamil is a developer of space technologies and missile weapons.
Apashev Magomed - Doctor of Technical Sciences.
Ruslan Temirov is a scientist in the field of nanotechnology.
Temirov Yusup - radio electronics engineer.
Khalidov Hamid - scientist, inventor.
Shikhsaidov Muzakir is a famous physicist, currently working as director of Dagtelecom JSC in Makhachkala (Dagestan).
Khangishiev Muzhaedin - aircraft designer, inventor.
Shikhsaidov Amri Rzaevich - historian, specialist in Dagestan historiography, medieval Dagestan, history of Islam in Dagestan and Makhachkala.
Magomedov Nabi is a famous chemist.
Magomedov Murad - archaeologist, specialist in history during the early Middle Ages.
Magometov Alexander is a linguist, a specialist in Lezgin languages and languages of the Dargin group.
Makhov Magomed is an Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation.
Nazhmudinov Gadzhi is a specialist in the field of philosophy and history of foreign philosophy, social cultural studies, and anthropology.
Sultanov Kazbek is a specialist in the culture and literature of the peoples of the Caucasus.
Talibov Bukar - specialist in Lezgin languages, linguist.
Tarlanov Zamir is a literary critic, linguist, specialist in Russian proverbs and literary language of the 18th century, in the Agul language.
Mukhtaritdin Batdalov is a famous architect.
Gamzatov Gadzhi - literary critic.
Guseinov Abdusalam is a Soviet and Russian philosopher.
Daidbekov Adilgerey is a professional engineer of Dagestan.
Kayaev Ali is a Dagestan religious figure and scientist.
Kurbanali Akaev - silver medalist of the 2007 World Kickboxing Championship.
Sapiyulla Karachaev is the 1978 European champion in freestyle wrestling.
Medzhid Bektemirov is the champion of Russia in fighting without rules (2007), the world champion in fighting without rules (2008).
Jamal Kasumov is a two-time world champion in kickboxing. World champion (2005), European champion (2004).
Gadzhiev Gadzhi is an honored coach of Russia.

In addition, Dagestan gave the world such great poets: Gamzatov Rasul, Aliyev Faza, more than 60 heroes of the Great Patriotic War, for example, Ismailov Abdulkhakim and many others. You can continue ad infinitum. The school of freestyle wrestling has become famous throughout the world. One of the best wrestlers in history, three-time Olympic champion, Saitiev Buvaisar, appeared here, and judokas and Khaibulaev Tagir brought the country its first gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics.

A strong family is a value for all Caucasian peoples, including the Avars. And the wedding day is one of the most important in life. At the same time, it is impossible to single out any one scenario in accordance with which the wedding takes place: each Dagestan village has its own special, nuanced traditions and customs.

Avar wedding

In the past, family relations were regulated by adats - norms of customary law. In accordance with them, it was required, for example, that newlyweds come from families equal in influence, importance and authority among fellow tribesmen. Until the end of the 19th century, the bride and groom were chosen for each other within the same tukhum: unions between relatives and namesakes, fellow villagers, were especially preferred. Interethnic marriages among the Avars were extremely rare until the middle of the last century.

Once upon a time, weddings by parental agreement were practiced among the Avar people. It happened that the bride and groom met at the wedding ceremony for the first time. By the way, such families often turned out to be the strongest, which is not so surprising: when creating couples, parents took into account a lot of factors that young people do not pay attention to. For example, they looked closely at the mother of the bride, looking for a modest, hardworking and respectable woman. She simply cannot raise an unworthy daughter!

This principle was especially often used in the case of so-called “cradle marriages,” when a bride was selected for a young son in infancy.

From early childhood, the girl was mentally prepared for her feminine destiny: to marry a brave and thrifty Avar guy. At the same time, the parents were preparing for the wedding financially, collecting a dowry that consisted of bedding, jewelry, copper and silver dishes. It was impossible to lose face in this matter: before the wedding itself, the dowry was necessarily assessed in front of relatives and fellow villagers gathered from all over the village.

Pre-wedding communication between a boy and a girl was strictly prohibited. At the same time, weddings without prior agreement were also not uncommon. To propose marriage, the groom visited his chosen one’s father’s house, leaving there a dagger, a hat or any other personal item. Only after receiving formal consent from the bride, the young Avar sent his mother, sister or other female relative to his bride’s parents, who were supposed to discuss all the conditions of the future ceremony in detail.

An Avar wedding took several days. The first day of the celebration they “walked” in the house of the friend closest to the groom: a rich table was set, the host of the feast and the toastmaster were chosen. The second wedding day took place at the groom's home, where the bride, festively dressed and wrapped in a veil, came, accompanied by her friends. After the obligatory ransom ceremony, the mother-in-law presented the daughter-in-law with a special gift and escorted the girl to a separate room, in which she and her friends were to stay until the end of the wedding. It is interesting that there were several “ransoms” and “ransoms” during the Avar wedding. In addition to the classic and familiar - for the bride - the groom's friends had to cajole the bridesmaids who were trying to “steal” the newly-made spouse. And a couple of days later, when the bride left the house to get water, her friends were already paying off the guests with sweets, who in every possible way prevented the girl from approaching the well.

Family life of the Avars

A wedding is a wedding, but the most important event is the birth of the first child. First of all, the birth of a son was desired, but the Avars also rejoiced at their daughters. The head of the family notified his fellow villagers about the birth of a baby with loud shots from a gun. It was customary for the Avars to choose a name for a newborn during a family feast on the occasion of the birth of a child.

The Avars valued marital fidelity. In case of betrayal, the matter could end in blood feud. According to the adat, the reason for it could be either a violation of the marriage contract or desecration of the hearth. However, by the middle of the 19th century these customs had practically become obsolete.

In everyday life, the power of the husband, the head of the family, was not absolute: women had the right to solve internal problems on an equal basis with their husbands. Nevertheless, there was a clear division of the areas of responsibility of men and women. Thus, the owner of the house was responsible for all material property and for the fate of the children.

In the life of an Avar family, there is still a peculiar alienation between the male part of the house and the female part. A woman with children, as a rule, lives in one room, her husband in another. Even boys, up to the age of 15, spend the night in the same room with their mother. The same kind of alienation persists in the relationship between father-in-law and daughter-in-law: a young woman has no right to speak to the head of the house, and must answer his questions briefly and strictly to the point.

Interesting facts about the Avars

Until 1928, the Avars used writing based on the Arabic alphabet, then for ten years they used the Latin alphabet, and only in 1938 they switched to the Cyrillic alphabet.

In the names of the days of the week in the Avar language one can find echoes of the religions that prevailed in the Caucasus at different times. Thus, the word “shammat” (Saturday) clearly came from Judaism (compare with Shabbat among the Jews). Avars, like Christians, mean Thursday as “fish day,” and the word “ruzman” (Friday) came into the language from Iranian.

One of the most famous Avars is the famous Soviet poet Rasul Gamzatov. In addition to his own rich poetic heritage, he left translations into his native language of the works of many classics of Russian literature: A. S. Pushkin, M. Yu. Lermontov, S. A. Yesenin and V. V. Mayakovsky. In the republic, Gamzatov is called the “Dagestan Pushkin.” Streets, theaters, libraries and even one of the asteroids are named in his honor.

Photo on the main page - "Mountain Woman Amina", Magomed Magomedov, "Children of Russia" competition.

I'm starting the series "Oh, these strange..."
Features of the six nations of Dagestan. An attempt to highlight habits and differences that are different from others.

The Russians gave them this name; they themselves call themselves “maarulal” - mountaineers. There are the most of them in Dagestan, 650 thousand people. One of the most hospitable peoples in the world. When they meet, they smile and shake hands tightly. It is unforgivable to give an Avar a limp hand, almost the edges of his fingers. They will take this as an insult. Respect for elders has been elevated to the level of law. Even a very old man, who has already gone a little off the rails, will still be respected by young people. Lack of respect for elders undermines the authority of the younger. Kissing during a meeting is not encouraged. They don't have that among men. They don't like middle names, they call them by their first names. Brave warriors. Not a single war took place in Dagestan without their participation. They took upon themselves the brunt of resistance to the tsarist troops. They boast about this on occasion. The Dargins caught them on this wave and raise a toast “to the great Dagestan people and its armed forces - the Avars.” Very talented, they have many dancers, poets and singers. They love to sing patriotic songs and anthems. They love to joke with the Dargins, they compete with them in everything; other nations are no match for them. Nations are divided into good and bad. They will endure from others what they will never forgive the Dargins. They have a main principle: whoever you want is in power, but let it be your own.
They love positions very much, and in positions there are external attributes: an office, a car, a second wife, an appointed prior, a bright outfit and public show-off. He will go hungry, but he will buy a beautiful car. For the sake of this, he may enter into a dubious deal or a dishonest conspiracy.
Strong leadership qualities. Ready to take the initiative. They don’t want to let anyone go ahead of them. Despite all the cohesion in everyday life, during elections they are divided into groups. Therefore, they are easy to bypass. Fanatics of meat and khinkal reject the explanation that khinkal is harmful due to a poor combination of carbohydrates and proteins with an ironclad argument - our ancestors ate it and were healthier than all of us. They eat meat and snack on meat. Until the Avar eats meat, he will be hungry.
Avars are easy to unbalance. There are different ways, but the main one is to hurt patriotism, to say that one is physically weak. They respect physical strength and participate in sports clubs without exception. Even old people can show off their muscles and boast of strength. The nation is open, there are few secretive people, the soul is wide open. Irony is inaccessible to them. They don't like abstract jokes. They take everything said at face value. People like to jostle in queues. If there are only three people in line, they will still push forward. When getting on a bus or train, an Avar will definitely push those around him with his elbows and squeeze forward.
If an Avar is offered food, even if he is very hungry, he will refuse and say that he is full. You have to offer it three times, then only he will agree to eat.
Verbal balancing act is not typical for them; they will laugh heartily at someone who falls from a chair and slips on the ice. Cheap farce, hard and rude - that's what they like.
The Avar's gestures are brutal; he likes to wave his arms, shout loudly and express himself emotionally. The Avars, especially the Khunzakhs, have the most terrible curses, sometimes even three-story curses. Even after a serious fight and quarrel, Avars are easy to reconcile. They quickly forget grievances. This is very good quality.
They are very fond of horses and dogs. At the races, almost all the prizes are taken by Avars' horses. They love and idolize singers very much. Daku Asadulaev, Sindikov and Gadzhilav have the rank of national hero. Any singer will definitely include folk songs in her repertoire. Not re-sung, but found and our own.
Avars may not yet go to a wedding, but they will definitely go to condolences. They know their family, tukhum, almost to the seventh generation. Any old man is sure that his sons and daughters will not leave him alone in his old age. The old Avar is provided with care and attention. He knows for sure that even after death he will be buried with dignity and the prescribed ritual will be performed.
If you don't invite a close relative to your wedding, he may be seriously offended. Not going to a funeral is the same sin as not inviting your son to your wedding. The wedding of a daughter is not a significant event in the life of an Avar. The father and sons may not even come to his daughter’s wedding.
They are distinguished by their disregard for the law. They consider themselves free people. If a gas pipe runs nearby, the Avar does not see any violation of crashing into it and consuming gas. They remember the law only when they need it. In case of any violation, the Avar will begin to negotiate, look for acquaintances of an acquaintance, but will solve the problem without bringing it to court. Although it will cost him much more.
When it comes to money, the Avar is generous and can give his last to his neighbor, so it is difficult for them to rise high in business. The cherished dream of an Avar is to get rich as quickly as possible, and it is advisable to do this without lifting a finger. The Avar is good as a friend. He is ready to sacrifice a lot for his friend.
The Avar values his language very much, is proud of it and does not want to learn English. He will be incredibly happy if he sees that an Englishman is learning the Avar language.
That's what they are, these strange Avars.

In Avania, life etiquette was regulated depending on age and social status. For example, when deciding matters at village gatherings, the elders – the heads of large families – had a decisive vote. The decision-making procedure at meetings was a kind of ritual in which the final result was determined by the authority of the participant and, not least, his oratory.

Avarian culture provides for a certain minimum distance between talking people. For example, young people must maintain a certain distance in relation to old people, for which the younger person, when approaching to shake hands, must immediately take one or two steps back. Between a man and a woman talking, the “decent” distance increases to two meters, and between women it is halved. If the meeting takes place on the stairs, then the man should stand a couple of steps lower in relation to the woman. The Avars, like the rest of the peoples of Dagestan, are characterized by traditional respect for elders. So, in any meeting, the place of the elders is always in the center. If two men walk side by side, the honorary right side is always given to the eldest of them. If a couple walks down the street, the husband is always one or two steps ahead. When travelers meet, preference is given to the one who descends from the mountain.

In Avar rites of hospitality, the guest has privileges over the host, regardless of age and rank. When seating at a ceremonial feast, guests who have arrived from afar are given preference over those who live nearby. The same preference is given to maternal relatives over paternal relatives. Violation of such customs entails bad consequences for the violators (illness or failure) and is perceived as a manifestation of bad manners, bad taste, and sometimes even a challenge to public opinion.

Each Avar estate included a kunatskaya - a room for male guests, which was ready to receive guests at any time of the day. Moreover, constant maintenance of order in it and the presence of an emergency supply of the best provisions was considered a matter of honor for the owner. The guest could arrive at any time and settle in the kunatskaya without even notifying the owner. If the upcoming visit was known in advance, then the guest was given a reception according to all the rules of Avar etiquette. Before entering the house, guests were required to give the owner all weapons except the dagger. This ritual contained a special meaning - from now on the owner took responsibility for the safety of those arriving. The guest entered the house after the owner and sat down in a place of honor. If there were a lot of guests, they were divided into two groups according to age and accommodated in different rooms. At the same time, the owner of the house made sure that father and son, younger and older brother, son-in-law and father-in-law did not end up in the same group. They weren't even allowed to be at the same table. After seating, according to etiquette, it was necessary to conduct insignificant polite conversations, and the owner under no circumstances could ask those arriving about the purpose of the visit. It was impossible to leave a guest alone if he did not want to. Usually one of the younger family members was assigned to him, who had to fulfill all the guest’s requests. The young women of the family considered it their duty to monitor the condition of the guest’s clothes - every morning he found them cleaned and, if necessary, repaired. However, the guest was also bound by a large number of etiquette prohibitions and regulations. He didn't have to say what foods he wanted to eat. The guest had no right to interfere in the owner’s family affairs, to enter the women’s quarters, or the kitchen. He could not leave without receiving the owner's permission, and having received it, he could not leave the house without performing a certain minimum of actions, which sometimes required several hours. He couldn’t even just get up from the table and go out into the yard without the owner’s permission. It was considered indecent to praise anything in the house, since according to tradition the owner was obliged to give away the thing the guest liked as a gift. The custom prescribed that a guest leaving the house should be given gifts and escorted to the borders of the village or even the region. At the same time, the guest could not refuse gifts, but he should delicately refuse long-distance farewells. In such cases, etiquette allowed for a whole competition in politeness, when the owner insisted on seeing off, and the guest tried to refuse them. When leaving, the guest always invited the owner to visit him, and the next time he visited the village, the rules of good manners ordered him to call on the person with whom he had stayed before. Failure to comply with this instruction was tantamount to a personal insult.

The power of the head of the family among the Avars was not despotic. Moreover, the woman actually played a leading role in solving many family and economic matters. Nevertheless, in family life, in the relations of spouses, in the position of children and women, there were certain rules. The husband owned all the main property of the house, and he also controlled the destinies of the children. The privileged position of men was emphasized by the internal routine of family life. Husband and wife in the Avar family were largely alienated from each other. If there were several rooms, then the wife and children were placed in one room, the husband in another. The boys slept in their mother's room until they reached adulthood, that is, until they were 15 years old, and then moved on to their father. In a one-room house, the couple lived in different corners. The same alienation existed in the relationship between father and children, between parents and their son’s wife. Although over time, when the daughter-in-law had children and grew up, the rules of avoidance gradually softened, but they never disappeared completely. Having received the right to be in the same room with her father-in-law, the daughter-in-law never spoke to him first unless absolutely necessary and limited her communication only to answers to his questions.

Bans on communication between boys and girls sometimes prevented the possibility of direct declarations of love and marriage proposals. A young man, having visited the house of his chosen one, could, when leaving, leave a hat, dagger or other object in it, which was clearly regarded as a proposal. Having received consent from the girl, the young man sent his mother, sister or other relative to her parents for preliminary negotiations. It was the men who made the final arrangements for the wedding.

An ancient Avar wedding was a complex ritual. The celebrations continued for several days, and all residents of the village were invited to them. The first day of the wedding was celebrated at the house of one of the groom's friends. The treat was organized by pooling, the host of the feast and the elder at the wedding were elected, who was supposed to manage the ceremonies, dances and other things. On the second day, the holiday was transferred to the groom's house, where in the evening, accompanied by her friends, the bride, dressed in a wedding dress and wrapped in a veil, went. The youth of the village blocked the road for the wedding procession, demanding a ransom. The daughter-in-law was met by her mother-in-law, handed her a gift and taken to a specially prepared room, where she remained surrounded by her friends until the end of the celebrations. Male relatives of the groom did not have the right to enter the bride. All this time the groom was surrounded by friends who protected him from attempts to “kidnap”, since sometimes the groom was kidnapped by the bride’s friends. According to custom, the groom was not supposed to resist them, and his friends paid the ransom. After the refreshments, dancing began to the sounds of the zurna and drum. Late at night the groom came to the bride's room.

The next day, the women congratulated the newlywed, the husband's relatives gave her gifts, and everyone treated themselves to ritual porridge. A few days later, the young woman went out for the first time, accompanied by women, to fetch water. The guests gathered at the source, not allowing the newlywed to draw water, and she was forced to bribe them with sweets.

The most solemn event in the life of an Avar family is the birth of a child. The birth of a son was especially desirable: it increased the woman’s importance in the eyes of her husband and aroused the envy of her friends. The young father notified his fellow villagers about the birth of a child with shots from a gun. Then a feast was held for relatives, who together chose a name for the newborn.

The Avars observed the custom of blood feud. The reasons for blood feud, in addition to murder, were violation of a marriage promise, kidnapping, adultery, and desecration of the home. Although according to the norms of customary law (adat) revenge should have been equivalent, in reality the injured party (relatives of the killed or insulted) often sought to repay a hundredfold, which led to an endless chain of mutual murders, since blood feud had no statute of limitations. However, already in the 19th century. blood feud has become a rare occurrence. In Avar communities, vengeance was more often replaced by compensation for blood, which fully complied with the norms of Sharia. Reconciliation was usually carried out by honorable elders according to a certain ritual, with the guilty party paying the “blood price” and arranging the so-called “blood table” - a treat for a large number of people.

Avar folklore is widely represented by historical legends, fairy tales, proverbs, sayings, laments and songs - lullabies, lyrical and heroic. Avar song folklore is extremely rich. Some songs are dedicated to the fight against foreign invaders. Others glorify the exploits of national heroes, sing of friendship, devotion and love. Lullabies are full of warmth and lyricism. The Avars also preserved the old lamentations expressing the people's grief.

Avar dances are very diverse: fast and slow, male and female, paired and collective.

One of the main calendar holidays of the Avars, the day of the first furrow, opened the cycle of spring field work. It was accompanied by ritual plowing, feasting, horse racing and various games.

Men devoted their free time mainly to games (backgammon, tama - a game reminiscent of checkers) and sports activities (wrestling, running, stone throwing, horse riding, horse racing).