A Journey to the Motherland
By: Adel Bashqawi
5 June, 2020
If people are forced to leave their homeland or their nation is a victim of genocide, ethnic cleansing and forced deportation, and/or they are born in the diaspora, where they are unable to get out of their skin, the following proverb applies. ‘A Leopard Never Changes Its Spots’. [1] The obsession of the homeland remains in their hearts and minds, where this wisdom applies: “The nostalgia of the esteemed people for their homelands, a nostalgia of birds for their nests.” [2]
I would like to share with those who are concerned, what I wrote in the Introduction of my first book (Circassia: Born to be Free), published in September 2017, about my late father’s attempt with his friend to reach Motherland in 1965, regardless of all the obstacles at the time.
“Two Circassians from Jordan took an unusual journey in the mid- 1960s (during the Soviet era) that took them back to where their families had originated. It began in Amman, Jordan, by road. They drove their car to Turkey via Syria. Back then, it was not possible to travel by personal car across the land borders between Turkey and the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. They had to board a ferry across the Black Sea along with their car, heading to Batumi. At the time, tourist visas were obtained from the Soviet embassy. This limited the destination only to select permitted areas (which was mainly Georgia in this case). Upon arrival, they picked up the car and then proceeded to Tbilisi. The next day, they met an Armenian who lived in Tbilisi, to deliver a personal letter and some presents from his son who was living in Amman. The two friends enquired about a possible way to travel to the Circassian part of the North Caucasus. They left Tbilisi in the early morning, as instructed, and for the first time, they drove across their original homeland. They continued until they reached a hotel in the city of Krasnodar. They walked into the lobby looking for accommodations while speaking English. They tried to speak Adygha (the Circassian language), and the receptionist started to communicate with them in Adygha, even speaking their own Shabsough dialect.
They explained that they were Circassians who came to visit their motherland to meet with the people. Even though they had no previous reservation, the man offered them rooms. He then made a phone call to his acquaintances. Suddenly, Circassians from his village were flocking to the hotel to meet with the two friends. They invited them for a Circassian feast and were warmly greeted by all; Circassian food was provided, and they enjoyed native music and dancing until almost midnight. They thanked the Almighty God for linking them with Circassians.
They later returned to the hotel, even though they were offered to stay the night. And when other Circassians from other villages in the area heard of the sudden visitors, they came and invited them for the next day. They promised to pick them up from the hotel in the morning. They were planning to tour the area, especially the Black Sea port of Tuapse, where their ancestors were deported from in 1864.
On the next day, the hosts came to accompany them to the next hosting place. However, there was a surprise waiting for everybody; KGB agents came to the hotel. They requested to see documents and passports. Upon seeing the presented passports, the two friends were told that their visas were not valid to travel beyond the permitted tourist zone. They had to say goodbye to their countrymen. A KGB officer accompanied them on their drive back to Tbilisi. Those two friends were my late father, Mohiddin, and his late friend, Yacoub Tamokh”. [3]
In conclusion, the Circassians since extermination and displacement, and when conditions permit, have chosen an enlightened approach, in the prospect of taking advantage of favorable opportunities of teaching their children various sciences, disciplines, courses, professions and academic high studies. Nelson Mandela says in this scope that “education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” [4]
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References:
[1] (https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/phrases/a-leopard-cant-change-his-spots/)
[3] Quoted from the Introduction of “Circassia: Born to be Free” Book, published in September, 2017. By Adel Bashqawi.
