“Just Like the Father”
If you are
asked today where a child should be educated, the answer will certainly be: “At home, of
course!” But, in the early Middle Ages, there was a tradition to give children to
another family. Such a custom was followed by Celts, Scythians, Slavs, Teutons, Mongolians
and other peoples. As for the Caucasus, the tradition was popular in the region from
Abhazia to Dagestan till the beginning of the 20th century. Scientists call it by the
Turkish word “atalychestvo” (аталычество), which means “just like the
father”.
When a child was born in a good family, several candidates proposed
their services for the role of the atalyk. The richer the family, the more people
wanted to become “just like the father” for its baby. Sometimes the newborn was even
stolen. The atalyk should not have more than one pupil, and the man’s wife or
another relative became the child’s wet nurse. There were cases when the baby was passed
from one family to another.
The adopted child was educated almost like one’s own child. The only
difference was that much more attention was given to this pupil: he was better nourished
and dressed. When the boy was taught to hunt, to ride a horse, or to manage arms, he was
taught much more attentively than the atalyk’s own sons. If there were some
battles with neighbors, the atalyk protected the adopted child with his own body.
A girl was taught to work at home; she learnt all the peculiarities of
Caucasian etiquette, as well as traditional notions of woman’s pride and honour.
When children came back to their parents, they had to show what they
could do. Boys returned home having reached 16 years of age, or by the time of their
marriage; girls usually came back earlier.
During the whole period of upbringing at an atalyk’s house,
the child did not see his relatives; that is why his own house was a completely unknown
place for him. Several years could pass before the man got accustomed to his brothers and
sisters. On the other hand, good relations with the atalyk lasted a whole life.
When the child was sent back to his family, the atalyk offered
him a horse, guns and clothes. As for gifts the atalyk himself got from his
pupil’s family, they were very generous: cattle and sometimes even some land. The two
families became related to each other for life, and these relations were as solid as
kinship ties.
Such ties could be established between people from similar layers of
society: nobles, princes, rich peasants; sometimes it was possible even between
neighbouring peoples (Kabardinians and Ossetins, for example). The families of princes in
this way created dynastic alliances.
The father of the adopted child not only gave presents to the atalyk,
but he was also to protect him from enemies. Thus, he enlarged the circle of people
depending on him. As for the atalyk, he, of course, lost a part of his
independence; but he got a trustworthy protector instead.
Often there were even adults who could become pupils. For the milk
kinship to be legal, the adopted man touched the breast of atalyk’s wife.
The only Caucasian peoples, where the atalyk tradition was not
spread, were Chechens and Ingushetians. This can be explained by the absence of social
inequality in their society.
At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists tried to find out the
origins of the tradition. Today we have only two serious explanations for it. According to
the first version, the atalyk tradition derives from avanculus (Latin –
mother’s brother), which was famous in ancient times. It can be observed today even
among modern peoples, especially in Central Africa. Avanculus created a strong link
between the child and his uncle, who normally educated the baby. Nevertheless, adherents
of this point of view can not answer the following question: why did not a relative become
the atalyk, but other people?
The second explanation seems to be more persuasive. Traditions of
education became known as primitive society was declining, when old kindred ties no longer
existed, but there were still no other ties to replace them. To find protection and
defenders, people created artificial relatives. One of these was the atalyk
tradition.
Questions to the Next Part:
1. What is the traditional cuisine of peoples living in the North and
Far East of Russia?
2. What ancient animal is often mentioned in northern legends? What are
the two explanations of such stories? How do scientists explain these legends?
Compiled by Alevtina Kozina
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