Remember-can’t-be forgotten: Сaucasian war in the historical memory of Adygs and in the Russian space of commemoration

Abstract

In the article, based on published sources and field materials of the author, considered several problems of the place of the Caucasian War in the historical memory of Circassians on the backdrop of the localization this event in the large narrative of the Russian Federation. In the USSR since the 1950-s the theme of the Caucasian war is on the sidelines of both scientific study and public attention. The historical content of the longest conflict in Russian history clearly contradicted the party-ideological tasks of ensuring international peace and harmony. The tradition of forgetfulness of the Caucasian war has remained actual and in the politics of the memory of modern Russia. At the same time, for the Circassians, the Caucasian War is the most important place of memory, the core of historical self-awareness. In Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Cherkessia and Adygea, the most large-scale phenomenon of commemoration in the post-Soviet period was the Day of Remembrance of Adygs - victims of the Caucasian War (May 21). Attempts its recognition at the federal level have been unsuccessful. This was the reason for the formation of a memorial gap between the Adygeyan ethnic group and the big Russian society.