In the Beginning, God Made Me Circassian.
CURRENT STATUS OF THE COMMUNITY
While government support and protection may seem to be the best ingredients for a community’s identity and language to thrive, the inverse seems to be taking place in Jordan.
“Circassians are spoiled because of the language freedom. There is no persecution and no need to hold onto the language,” explained Yenal.
His body language and tone seemed annoyed but stoic. Perhaps due to the fact that not much can be done. According to Yenal, about 70% of Circassian-Jordanian youth don’t speak Circassian. “There’s no necessity and they are too comfortable.” There are various numbers floating around on the estimated population of the community in Jordan, but according to Yenal, there are no official estimates conducted by the Jordanian government. “The exact number of Circassians in Jordan is unknown. It is forbidden by the government.”
Is this an effort by the Jordanian government to guarantee unity in a nation that has a layered demographic history? Some say that half of the Arab population in Jordan are second and third generation Palestinian refugees. I even recognized an apparent tension between the stronger Bedouin identity in the southern countryside and the more cosmopolitan northwest. Maybe the government uses this tactic to eliminate any potential ethnic division and bring unity to a Jordanian identity.
Unofficial population estimates that are floating around the internet number the Circassian community between 40,000 and 100,000. The community does continue to thrive in many ways in the Amman area with several clubs and schools scattered throughout the city.
When asking Yenal questions concerning politics and religion and the Circassian people, he addressed the topics with interesting insight.
“Yes, all Circassians in Jordan are Sunni…but there is no political background to their Islam. The Circassians are not a political people. We don’t really know how to present ourselves politically.”
This may have influenced their historic prominence within the Jordanian government and military. Since religious sects and politics are so heavily intertwined in the region and the greater Middle East, it seems that the Circassians’ reputation for consistency and political neutrality have worked in their favor. Their adherence to Sunni Islam is also important to take note of when considering their favor within Jordan.
To this day, the royal guard to the Jordanian royal family is made up of Circassian guards. “Circassian guards, who have served Jordan’s kings since the founding of the monarchy, still adhere to their ancient traditions, such as donning an incongruous cold weather uniform of black wool hats, red capes and leather boots in this desert climate.” You can read more about the royal guard here.
FACTS ON THE CIRCASSIAN COMMUNITY IN JORDAN:
- Language: Circassian – Karbadian & Bzhedug Dialects
- Unofficial Population Estimates: 40,000-100,000
- Religion: Sunni Islam
- Primary Location: Amman Metropolitan Area & NW Jordan
- Intermarriage with Jordanian Arabs: Rare/Uncommon
CONNECTION TO THE HOMELAND
Many changes have taken place during the 140-year separation from the homeland. Communism was ushered into power in the Caucasus in the early 20th Century as a result of Soviet domination, and that shifted many dynamics between the diaspora community and the homeland. Naturally, communism limited communication and access.
When the Soviet Union ceased to exist in the early 1990s, borders and communication were open again. I asked Yenal if Circassians in Jordan ever considered wanting to return to the homeland in the Caucasus. He replied,
“Communism made the dream of going back difficult. A lot of people tried to go back after the Soviet government collapsed, but eventually came back due to the economy.”
Decades of communism had deep economic and cultural effects all over the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc.
My assumptions were wrong thinking that Circassians would desire to flock to the homeland once the opportunity was given. I grew up going to Greece visiting family and we always heard stories of Pontian Greek families returning to the “homeland” of Greece after decades of being entrapped in Soviet states in the Black Sea region (Georgia, Armenia, Circassia, Russia, etc.). But the common factor provoking these communities to stay or flee was the economy. Pontian Greeks did leave the former Soviet Union for Greece for cultural reasons, but the main draw was the promising economic climate of a non-Soviet nation. As Circassians looked to return to the homeland, the depressed economic situation in Circassia was what ultimately kept many of them in their 140-year-old home. Opportunity was king. Jordan was the better option.
As new threats and opportunities have risen to the surface in the Levant and Middle East in the 21st Century, so have new frustrations amongst the Circassians in Jordan. “There is a big frustration now about the current situation in the region due to regimes, Islamists, and the economy,” explained Yenal. The world has witnessed ethnic cleansing and radicalism come in its darkest forms as ISIS left a painful mark in neighboring Syria and Iraq. The economy in Jordan has also had its share of struggles recently with rising unemployment, rapid population growth, and growing public debt. This has put a strain on all Jordanians, including the Circassian community, forcing some to consider migrating to Europe and the Americas.
LOOKING AHEAD
Yenal’s knowledge and fluency of five Circassian dialects is a bit of an anomaly. He is a walking encyclopedia of not just Circassian-Jordanian culture and history, but of all things Circassian. From the ancient roots of his people, to the diaspora that spans many nations, there is a sense that he carries this weight and responsibility for his people; for their painful past.
Yenal is currently working on a project on Circassian family histories and symbols. Using the ancient Circassian alphabet (once used prior to the arrival of Cyrillic or Arabic alphabets), Yenal is collecting family names from all over the Circassian community in Jordan in order to revive the use of Circassian-style family crests. So far, he has collected 600 family names.
The Yenals of this world are very important. They hold open doors even when others don’t realize doors need to be opened. Sometimes the Yenals of this world don’t get to see all the fruit of their labor, but they are perfectly okay with that. They know themselves, they know where they come from, and they lack the need for recognition. They seem to have a peace with God despite their situation. Towards the end of my meeting with Yenal, I asked him what he wanted the world to know.
“We deserve our role in history. In each country we lived in, we worked, helped, and protected. I wish people knew what happened to us.”
The cigarette smoke still engulfed the air of our conversations, still so very reminiscent of my moments with Pontian Greek family members. Once again I found myself encountering a minority community that has the education, self-awareness, and support to thrive. In some sense, the Circassians of Jordan are thriving. They know who they are and where they came from. The cultural institutions and the lack of intermarriage are there to prove it. But why is the language not exactly thriving? The community must look within itself. And perhaps it starts at home. Recognizing the threat of comfort on one’s culture and language is important. If the Circassians don’t see a need to speak their mother tongue, then they will naturally turn to Arabic or whichever language is spoken in the country they live in. Much like immigrant communities around the world, it takes work and intentionality to keep multiple cultures and languages alive.
http://istoria.life/circassian/2018/8/14/in-the-beginning-god-made-me-circassian