DAY OF MOURNING, DAY OF HOPE
 

IN MEMORIAM

(THAT WE MAY NOT FORGET)

In 1990, The 21st of May has been designated as the Day of Mourning by The Circassians on which they commemorate the tragedy of the nation.

At the peace treaty signing ceremony between Chechnya and Russia on 12/5/1997 in Moskow, Yeltsin said; ‘'With this historic accord, we have put an end to a devastating war in the Caucasus that lasted for four hundered years.’’ This statement graphically contradicts the received notion that the Russian – Caucasian war ended in 1864. In fact, the struggle against the oppressive yoke stil rages today, albeit in the hearts and minds of a people suckled on the milk of freedom.

On this fateful day in 1864, the history of a whole nation took a very nasty turn, a sublime way of life verged on extinction, the aspirations of a mighty race were dashed on the intransigent adamant of hubris, ambition and barbarism.

After the end of the war, most Northwest Caucasians were forced to leave their ancestral homeland. Hundreds of thousands were herded towards the Black Sea. Many tribes were exterminated. A whole  people, the Ubykh, breathed its last. Not only was a nation murdered, but also a language; blatant crimes against humanity and culture.

Many of those who remained in the Caucasus were compelled to migrate from their ancient domiciles to the Northern plains where they would be more easily subjugated. Their noble traditions were sneered at. A warlike, proud nation was reduced to bondage by a mob of serfs. Nisran-Zhchak’a was chained to the twin-peaked mount. But this time it was the bear’s turn to eat into his heart. The whole earth must have trembled on that horrific day. 

Those who were ejected from their fatherland fared even worse. Many perished en route to their destinations. Hunger, disease and hopelessness claimed an untold number of lives. Whole families were wiped out. Not a single one was spared a tragedy. It must have been hell on earth fort the offspring of japheth. 

On 21st of May 1914, Tsarist Russia celebrated the 50th anniversary of the formal declaration of the end of the Russian - Circassian Wars as one of as one of its greatest national victories. In stark contrast, the Circassians had to wait a further 92 years to commemorate this bleak day!

The sacred sea donned his sable lest his childer forget. The bleak water stil bears witness to the massacress in its bowels. The bones of the sunken ones cry out for redemption. But is the child awake? Does he hear the shrieks of his forebears? Does he even care?