CHECHNYA LINKS LIBRARY

Blood feud – hallmark of the Caucasus

By Ruslan Isayev

Blood feuds have always been a restraining factor in disputes between local clans in the Caucasus because many people involved in quarrels wisely avoid going to such extremes. Nevertheless, this custom is a hallmark of the Caucasus people and revenge is still sought for the death of a relative, a dishonour, or an insult.

This custom harks back to ancient times when Chechens lived according to an unwritten code of law known as “adat.” And blood feuds were part of that.

In earlier times the entire republic knew practically all cases of blood feuds; and it was the most highly respected clan elders who helped reconcile the feuding parties. Sometimes the procedure took many long years, and from time to time even a whole generation.

But things are different nowadays. During the past two decades the number of blood feuds has sharply increased in Chechnya. In times of war it is very easy to find the offender and exact revenge. In earlier times, forgiving one’s adversary was no less honourable than exacting revenge. Nowadays very few people are ready to forgive.

Revenge

The etiquette of a blood feud ritual is intriguing. When a person is killed in a dispute and the offender is known and the facts of the quarrel are against the killer, members of a neutral teip (clan) go to his family and announce that a blood feud has been declared against them.

Originally, people used to take revenge only on the person responsible for the death of their relative. It is said this rule changed in the times of Imam Shamil, a Dagestani who led the North Caucasus peoples' fight against the Russians in the mid-19th century. From then on it was up to the injured party to decide which of the slayer’s closest male relatives they would kill in revenge. For example, if a person not well respected in the village committed a murder, they might kill his brother, whom everyone knew and did respect, thus severely punishing his family. However, such instances were the exception rather than the rule.

Feuding parties are not allowed to live in the same village. When a feud is declared, the offender and his family are given a certain time period in which to move away. There have been instances when families, fearing retribution, sold their homes and belongings at giveaway prices and moved not just out of their towns or villages, but also out of the country itself.

Reconciliation

When it has been decided to reconcile or cancel a blood feud, another ritual must take place. On the designated day, several hundred relatives, neighbours, and fellow villagers of the murderer, all garbed in black and their heads covered, gather outside the victim’s village.

None who come to plead are allowed to look at any member of the injured party. After a brief welcoming and prayers, the closest relative of the victim must publicly shave the head and beard of his blood foe. This signifies that he has been forgiven. The exact origin of this custom remains unknown. The most probable version is that if you resist the temptation to slit your foe’s throat while shaving him, you have truly forgiven him.

Blood feuds have no limitation period. Several years ago, a blood feud declared back in 1926 was cancelled. Thanks to the efforts of neutral teips, the grandsons of the clans that had been feuding for seventy years finally became reconciled.

Occasionally there are cases when neither side is willing to yield and the situation gets out of hand. Such departures from the norm began to appear more than ten years ago. For instance, the family against whom the feud was declared may dispute it by claiming that the person slain was alone to blame as he was the one who started the argument. And when that happens, the number of victims of the dispute can run into the dozens.

Changing times

The war has brought many changes to Chechnya. If it had been said 10 or 15 years ago that Chechen men and women would be blowing themselves up, no one would have believed it.

Today there are so many Chechens who have lost family members. Many have disappeared under unknown circumstances, while others died fighting Russian soldiers. Whatever the immediate cause of death, the root cause is the war brought to Chechnya by the Russian military.

Chechen family ties were always exceptionally strong and the violent deaths of relatives or loved ones changes people’s attitudes. People keep dying in Chechnya - and many of them have brothers, sisters, and children ...

(D/E,T)