At first glance, the Caucasus could not have become the homeland of such a deep tradition with a huge social implication as kunachestvo. Too many wars and contradictions rush over these mountains, peoples speak too different languages to become the basis for the growth of a tradition that put friendship on a par with kinship, if not higher. But, perhaps, in spite of the obvious paradox, this is precisely why kunakism appeared in the Caucasus as a thin but strong thread between different auls, villages and entire peoples. If we rise above the personal level, then kunachestvo becomes an interethnic instrument, which, to be sure, with half a sin, but sometimes worked. The very custom does not lend itself to dating. At least he is over five hundred years old.
How did you become kunaki?
It is generally accepted that kunachestvo is a kind of deep modernization of hospitality, but this judgment is too simplistic and does not reflect all the contrasting realities of the Caucasus. Of course, a guest could become a kunak, but life is more complicated. Kunaks became after joint wanderings, people who were close in spirit or in status became them. Sometimes even prominent warriors from the warring camps, having learned about the rumor hovering about them among the people, at a secret meeting got to know each other and, subject to the emergence of sympathy, became kunaks. An ordinary person from the street would never get into kunaki, because with this title a whole range of responsible duties was acquired.
It is worth mentioning, of course, that "kunak" in translation from Turkic means "guest". But the Vainakh peoples have a very consonant concept of "kъonakh", which means "a worthy man." And the guest may not always be worthy, therefore, kunachestvo is deeper than the custom of hospitality.
When the two men decided to become Kunaki, then, of course, this agreement was oral. However, the kunakism itself was held together by a certain rite, which for different ethnic groups had some nuances of its own, but the overall picture was similar. The Kunaks took a cup of milk, wine or beer, which, for example, had a sacred meaning among the Ossetians, and swore before God to be faithful friends and brothers. Sometimes a silver or gold coin was thrown into the bowl as a sign that their brotherhood would never be covered with rust.
Duties and privileges of the Kunaki
The Kunaki were obliged to protect and support each other until the end of their lives. And it is precisely in defense that the deep meaning of kunache is revealed. If an ordinary guest was under the protection of the owner only at his home, then the kunak could count on the help of a friend at any time of the day or night and in any land where fate would throw him. That is why, if someone was hunting a kunak, it was more convenient to kill him on a mountain road, because if he were in a friend's house, the enemy would have to take the whole house by storm. Hence, by the way, one of the mountain sayings: "A friend in a foreign land is a reliable fortress."
Wealthy mountaineers always attached a special room to their homes, the so-called kunatskaya, where a clean, dry bed and a hot lunch (breakfast, dinner) at any time of the day always awaited a dear friend. It was customary among some peoples to leave a portion separately during dinner or lunch in case the kunak arrived. Moreover, if funds allowed, a set of outerwear was kept for the kunak just in case.
Of course, the Kunaki exchanged gifts. It was even a kind of competition, each trying to present a more refined gift. The presence of kunaks at all family celebrations was mandatory, wherever they were. The Kunak families were also close to each other. This was emphasized by the fact that in the event of the death of one of the kunaks, depending on the circumstances, his friend was obliged to take the family of the deceased into the care and protection. Sometimes kunakism was inherited. At this moment, the Kunak families practically merged into one family.
Kunchestvo as an Institute of Interethnic Relations
In the war and strife that was always blazing in the Caucasus, kunakism was a unique phenomenon of interethnic and even trade ties. Kunaki could act as a kind of diplomats, sales agents and personal security. After all, a good responsible kunak accompanied his friend not only to the borders of his aul, but sometimes, due to the need, straight to the next friendly village. And the wealthy highlanders had many Kunaks. In the difficult conditions of civil strife, such relations were a kind of security points.
For example, almost until the middle of the 19th century, i.e. Until the official end of the Caucasian War, Armenian merchants used exactly a similar Kunak network during long crossings through the Caucasus Mountains with their goods wagons. Kunaks met them on the way to the aul or village and accompanied them to the borders of the next friendly village. Ossetians, Vainakhs, and Circassians used such connections …
And, of course, dear guests from distant lands were sure to be seated at a rich table. And since in those days no one had even heard of any clubs and other public institutions, the kunak feast attracted the whole aul to find out the news, look at the goods, and perhaps establish friendly relations ourselves.
Famous Russian kunaki
Kunakism is deeply reflected not only in the folklore of the peoples of the Caucasus, but also in classical Russian literature. For example, the great Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov, who served in the Caucasus, wrote the eponymous poem "Valerik" after a bloody battle near the Valerik River:
Galub interrupted my dream
Hit on the shoulder; he was
My kunak: I asked him, What is the name of the place?
He answered me: Valerik, And translate into your language, So the river of death will be: right, Given by old people.
Kunichism is also reflected in Lermontov's novel "A Hero of Our Time":
One peaceful prince lived about six miles from the fortress … Once the old prince himself comes to call us to the wedding: he gave his eldest daughter in marriage, and we were Kunaki with him: you can't refuse, you know, even though he is a Tatar.
It reflects both the strict obligation to comply with the unspoken laws of kunaschestvo, and the interethnic character of this tradition. It is also worth considering that Lermontov himself wrote about this, who was the kunak of many highlanders. By the way, this can partly explain the fact that a military officer, veteran Valerik, periodically left the camp, leaving for distant villages, and returned safe and sound.
Another equally famous kunak was the genius writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, who came to the Caucasus in 1851 with the rank of cadet in the 4th battery of the 20th artillery brigade. After a while, being on the Terek, the young cadet became friends with a Chechen named Sado. Friendship was secured by the kunak oath. Since then, Sado has become indispensable for the young Leo. He repeatedly saved the life of the writer, helped in the difficult army service, and once won back the money that Tolstoy had so recklessly lost at cards.
Kunachestvo on opposite sides of the front
Despite the raging Caucasian War, the Kunak relationship quickly developed between the Russians and the highlanders. Even on the banks of the Terek, where Cossack villages and auls stood opposite each other across the river, the Kunaks, catching the moment of calm, went to visit. These unspoken relations were almost not suppressed by the authorities, because they were another channel for the exchange of information and building diplomatic bridges. The highlanders came to the villages, and the Russians to the auls.
One of the most tragic and therefore remarkable examples of kunachestvo was the friendship of the centurion Andrei Leontyevich Grechishkin and the senior prince of the Temirgoev tribe Dzhembulat (Dzhambulat). Andrei, who grew up in the family of a linear Cossack in the village of Tiflisskaya (now Tbilisskaya), already at a young age won the respect of his older comrades, his name was popularly bore with reverence. On the other side of the Caucasian cordon line, the glory of Prince Dzhembulat, who was considered the best warrior of the North Caucasus, thundered.
When rumors reached Dzhembulat about the young and brave centurion Grechishkin, he decided to meet his enemy personally. Again, through kunaks, scouts and secret communication channels, it was possible to arrange a meeting in the swampy and secret places of the Kuban River. After a short conversation, two courageous people, as they say, became imbued with. They soon became Kunaks. Grechishkin and Dzhembulat secretly went to visit each other, exchanged gifts on Christian and Muslim holidays, while remaining implacable enemies on the battlefield. Friends shared everything except politics and service. At the same time, both in the camp of the Temirgoevites and in the Cossack army, everyone knew about this friendship, but no one dared to reproach them.
In 1829, reports flew along the Caucasian line that a large mountain detachment was preparing a raid on the Cossack villages. There was very little information about the whereabouts. Therefore, on September 14, Lieutenant Colonel Vasmund ordered the centurion Grechishkin with fifty Cossacks to conduct reconnaissance on the other side of the Kuban. On the same day, fifty spoke. Then no one knew that the Cossacks saw the brave centurion for the last time.
In the area of the modern Peschaniy farm, on the bank of the Zelenchuk 2nd river, Grechishkin's detachment ran into six hundred horsemen under Temirgoev's badges. Barely having time to send one Cossack with intelligence data, the centurion with the rest was surrounded and was forced to take a suicidal battle. But the first attack of the mountaineers was drowned out. Therefore, Dzhembulat, who appreciated courage, ordered to find out who was the elder of this detachment. What was his amazement when he heard the native voice of kunak Andrey.
Dzhembulat immediately invited him to surrender. The centurion lamented that it was time for the kunak to know that the hereditary ruler would never agree to this. The prince nodded in agreement and somewhat shyly. Returning to his camp, Dzhembulat began to persuade his elders to leave the Cossack detachment alone, since there would be no profit from them, and it was clearly not possible to gain military glory here with such and such forces. But the embittered highlanders began to reproach the prince that he dared to succumb to his feelings.
As a result, the first to rush into the next attack was Prince Dzhembulat himself. In the very first minutes of the assault, Dzhembulat was extremely seriously wounded, and he was carried out of the battlefield in his arms. The vengeful warriors of the prince hacked Grechishkin to death, but the raid by that time was already doomed. As Dzhembulat predicted, the Temirgoevites did not find any military glory or profit that September. As if a sin of violation of a noble tradition cursed that campaign of the mountaineers.
