"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

The Circassians had a song, chant, ditty, rhapsody, etc., for every conceivable occasion or situation. “He-and-Him” [«Мыстрэ-Мыстрэ»; "Mistre-Mistre"] pokes fun at people who lock antlers. "Mist" ["мыст"] is used to refer to someone whose name one has forgotten, or does not care to mention, equivalent to "what's his/her name". 

Here is a version of the song by the Circassian opera singer Svetlana Bogatizheva [Бэгъуэтыж Светланэ], People’s Artist of the Russian Federation and the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. The traditional melody was arranged by the Circassian classical musician and composer Jebre’iyl He’wpe (ХьэIупэ ДжэбрэIил; Jebrail Khaupa) [sheet music of piece is available in He’wpe’s referenced book, pp. 12-13]

«Мыстрэ-Мыстрэ»: ТIу зэзэуамэ ауан зэращIыр

«Мыстрэ-Мыстрэ»

1. Мыстрэ Мыстрэ зэзэуа,
Мыст и накӀэр щӀауда,
Мыстхэ дежкӀэ дэлъэда,
Хьэ къарэжьыр къыхуилъа,
И псэ тӀэкӀур хуӀуиха,
Хьа-хьа-хьа, хьа, хуӀуиха!

2. И лъэр ихьу дэжыжа,
Дзыгъуэ гъуэмбым иӀэба,
Апэсищи къыриха,
КӀэнфетищи къищэхуа,
Зы къэмынэу ишхыжа,
ПӀи, пӀи, пӀи, пӀи, ишхыжа!

“He-and-Him”

1. “He” with “Him” came to blows.
“He” was knocked in the eye.
He scurried into “Their” courtyard.
The big black dog growled at him.
The old bugger was given such a fright, 
Ha-ha-ha, ha, he was utterly terrified!

2. He ran out as fast as he could.
He rummaged in the mouse-hole,
And fished out three coins.
He bought three bon-bons,
And gobbled them all up,
P’iy, p’iy, p’iy, p’iy, devoured them all!

[Апэсы = twenty copecks]

[Translated by Amjad M. Jaimoukha]

Musicians and musicologists intrigued by this music will find a treasure in Jebre’iyl He’wpe’s book “Torrent: Songs for Children” [«Псыхьэлыгъуэ: Сабийхэм папщIэ уэрэдхэр»], Nalchik: Elbrus Book Press, 2012. The book is in Circassian and contains the words and music sheets of 60 songs and nursery rhymes. [The whole book is downloadable in pdf format:https://dl.dropbox.com/u/45738709/Psihageligo_voredher.pdf] 


“He-and-Him” [«Мыстрэ-Мыстрэ»]: Circassian song of satire sung when two people quarrel

Amjad Jaimoukha

Related tracks