"Who told you that we Circassians will become extinct?!" 
[«Хэт фэ къыв­жезыIар, адыгэр ды­кIуэ­­ды­жыну?!»]

Composed and sung by Albert Lhache [Лъачэ Альберт; Альберт Тлячев].

This is a song that expresses the Circassian collective yearning towards unity of all the Circassians, everywhere, in Circassia and all the Diaspora countries. It embraces optimism and negates the narrative of the doomsayers who predict the extinction of the Circassian nation. 

Lhache is a prolific Adigean singer and songwriter. He composed many songs on Circassian villages, towns and clans in Circassia and the diaspora, emphasizing Circassian unity. "Who told you?!" well represents his fine art of composition. The artist is a good representative of modern-day Circassian bards.

"Who told you that we Circassians will become extinct?!" [«Хэт фэ къыв­жезыIар?!»], Albert Lhache

[Western] Circassian Dance "Shirt'im" [«ЩыртIым»]. This version was recorded in 1910 by "The Circassian Chorus", and issued on record 24869 by Pathé.

[http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1278549/f2.item.r=tcherkesse.langEN]

The sung version is a traditional (Adigean) lyrical/comic song, the first two lines, and a later line, of which go like this: 

«ЩыртIым зыфаIорэ пшъэшъэ шIуцIэ пэрыкъ. 
Пхъэ такъырым тесу сэмэркъэу ренэу... 
Ыт Iори, шымэ яу.» 

Circassian Dance "Shirt'im" [«ЩыртIым»], recorded in 1910.

Amjad Jaimoukha

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