Wednesday, August 30.
The delegation that was assembled with 16 representatives, shrank into 8 because of the war that held in the north for about 2 months. We set the meeting for 09:00 at the conference hall at the local council. Members of the delegation dropped by with puffy eyes mixed with anxious excitement, and the meeting opened at 09:10. We went over the checklists, verified the everything is OK and I've answered some last minute questions. By 09:45, I gave the members some free time for last arrangements. Ali Htukai showed up with his transit taxi cab, and by 10:30 we were on our way to the airport. During the ride the fellows started to exchange there expectations, Ali and I talked about the delegation, how the idea turned into reality and it's goals. The circumstances spurred a discussion over the situation of the Adigs around the world and our future as a nation. At the airport, we passed the security checkup quickly without any delays and with nice attitude when we identified ourselves as a delegation from Kfar-Kama.

We set to meet at the boarding gate at 14:45 and went shopping in the duty free. After a short trip and a separation from a few dollars at the duty free, we met at the boarding gate. A small and pretty old plane of Kuban-Airlines waited for us to ascend to it's belly. The take off was delayed for about 30 minutes and even more. After a smooth flight of about 2 hours, we found ourselves above the black see, the see that is soaked with the blood of our ancestors that were deprived from their homeland by the Russian conqueror in the 19th century. The thoughts about the past were subdued by astonishment when a fascinating landscape of evergreen and raging rivers was revealed to our eyes.

When the plane landed in Krasnodar, the sun was about to set. Until we picked up the bags and passed the security check the night fell on the city. At the terminal we were welcomed by the university's representatives. The atmosphere was an enigma, although these were people that we meet for the first time, there was no tension of first time meeting but it felt like a worm encounter between friends. After dividing into two groups we rode to Maykop. We were in Mahmuds BMW, a 29 yeas old lecturer with a masters degree in economics, that is about to study for PhD. He is been married for about 2 years. We began talking about Adigeya, the language and the state of the scattered nation around the world. Despite the fact that we've just met, the conversation was conducted as between people who've known each other for a long time.

We stopped on the way for refreshment, we were served with chicken sandwiches and a couple that heard us talking joined the conversation in the Adiga language and wished us to enjoy our stay. The experience of talking to a stranger in the Adiga language is unfamiliar for most of the delegates. Back in Israel when you hear someone speaks you know for sure the he is either from Ryhania or Kfar-Kama. and there everyone knows each other.

We arrived to the university, getting out of the car I caught Ali Abgana in the corner of my eye and...yes there was Ayback too, an old friend who moved to Adygeya several years ago. We hugged and greeted each other. Then we entered a hall in the university building where the accommodating families waited for us. After a worm welcoming and greetings every delegate was associated to a family, and because of the late hour everybody left pretty quickly to their homes. My sister and I were accommodated by the Berz' family. The mother, Nuriet, was a retired senior political activist, And the father, Ruslan, is a senior manager of a government corporation. The couple are parents of Zawerbey that is younger than me in a few years. The hose is large and spacious and each one of us got his own room. A pare of new slippers and new bedding waited for inside the rooms. It got late and a new day in the homeland was waiting for us the next day.
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Thursday, August 31.
I woke up early in the morning as an excited child who got a present at night. The hush in the house indicated that the rest were still asleep. A pleasant breeze that infiltrated through the window attracted my eyes to the yard, there I found a beautiful day and a caressing sun. According to the delegation's plan, that day, we stayed with the family for better acquaintance.

Sooner or later, the rest of the house woke up. Samira, the daughter of Zawerbey and Farida, started running around the house. A big and magnificent house with 3 stories, a fireplace coated with marvel situated in the living room that was placed on the 3d floor. The view from the window showed a beautiful neighborhood and Nuriet pointed out the residences of the Adigas in the neighborhood. The bedrooms are located at the second floor and a pool table placed in the games room, was located at the first floor. We got out to the garden and the smell of apple and pear trees in the air, reminded me of my grandfather's residence in Ryhania. Just then, as she read my thoughts, lana whispered to my ear that this reminds her of grandfather's yard. Nuriet that noticed Yusef, her new neighbor, got us acquainted with him. Yusef was checking out his unfinished house. He came to Adigeya from the Diaspora in jordan, in his youth. He is a well know orthopedist who used to work in Moscow, speaks Adiga language, Russian, Arabic and English. The same unclarified sensation surrounded me again, despite the fact that we've just met, the conversation was conducted as between people who've known each other for a long time.

We got back home and sat in the garden, where a cold watermelon was offered to us, and Samira hopped and played. The natural watermelon that was free from genetic engineering and chemicals was so tasty and sweet, that the taste remains carved into my memory. when the sun stood above our heads Nuriet invited us for lunch. As every circassian house, Ships Pasta was served on the table, a fact the fortified the feeling that we are at home, our home.

The phone rang, "today at 15:00 we are meeting at the university, the local tv want's to prepare a report on you. OK?" said Susanna on the other side of the phone line.
We went out towards the university at about 15:00, there we met the other members of the delegation and the TV crew that began shooting them. I've inquired for their condition and acclimation in the families, I understood from the answers that they all feel like me and that they are good. From there, we drove to the National Museum with the TV crew that followed us. Mr. Abrag Almeer, the head of the museum welcomed us and invited us for a tour between the exhibitions. We were exposed to great knowledge that wasn't familiar to us, at the museum, about the culture, the customs and the society rules that were practiced by our ancestors. For example, a youngster would never address the older unless the last addressed him. Parents would never raise a hand on their children, do to the belief that the misbehavior of the child is their fault because of a bad upbringing. The Adigeyan hunter would hunt only fleeing mature males, in order to give the animal a chance to escape and on the other hand, to prove his hunting skills. The fascinating explanations drew full attention, and some times, misunderstood words do to idiom differences, turned into a reason for laughter. During the tour, we met a group from Turkey and Germany who were on a homeland visit. After we got acquainted we found out that those who came from Germany knew Abrag (originally from Kfar Kama who migrated to Germany) and his family. They were surprised to hear that their daughter was getting married that same day in Kfar-Kama.

After the museum, we continued to a tour at the urban park, then we went from their towards the university. On the way we passed signs hanging above store shops carrying Adiga names, Dishups (golden water), Tatiy (ours) etc.

We got picked up from the university to the houses. I sat in front of the TV to grab a little rest, there the voice of the news anchor announced in the Adiga language - "news headlines first", "Adigeyan students delegation from Kfar-Kama Israel came for a visit..." a quick press on the remote increased her voice and there was the report that the TV crew shot earlier that day. The report covered the delegations exchange project and particularly the current delegation.
According to the plan, the next day was an official welcoming of us at the office of the rector of the university, Prof' Rashid Khonagov.
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Friday, September 1st.
A morning of a new day in homeland, the sky is cloudy but it's not cold. The pupils are returning to schools and in addition, and unlike Israel, so are the university students. We met at the crowded university a bit before 10:00. Adigeyan and Russian students filled the place. The rector of the university Prof' Rashid khonagov welcomed us at his office at 10:00. TV and news paper crews covered the official welcoming. Prof' Rashid gave a review about the university and the possibilities that are available for a student from over seas who wants to study at the university. I've expressed my gratitude for his welcoming and for the wonderful hospitality that we were receiving, then I gave a short review about our life as Adigeyans living in the Diaspora.

After the meeting they gave us a tour around the university and it's museum, where the achievements of the various graduates of the university are displayed. there we were interviewed again by the TV crew about our impression of Adigeya. At noon time we were offered lunch at the universities diner. After that we went to the Friday's prayer at the mosque of Maykop. At the entrance someone greeted us and said that he identified us from the TV report. The word about Adigeyan students delegation from Israel was spread in town.

The Mosque's beauty is impressive. The sermon was given by a young Adigeyan Imam in Russian, and an older person stood beside him and translated the sermon to the Adiga language, every time the Imam gave a pre-accepted sign. Later we were told that some of the prayers are not Adigeyans and that some of them are Russians who turned to Islam and some are new Adigeyan immigrants who didn't master Russian language, and that is why the sermon was given in tow languages. On the way out of the Mosque, we met Ayback who was getting out from the prayer as well.

From there we went to see Maffa-Habl, a village that was built by the government to populate Adigeyans from the Kosovo Diaspora, who've escaped the bloody war. About 22 families live there in beautiful two-story houses with a big yard. A Masque is mounted at the entrance of the village. From there we kept to Maz-DaX (beautiful forest), a forest with trip tracks and a restaurant in it's center.

At the end of the tour, everybody went back home to grab a rest and by evening we gathered at the university, there they threw a Gagu (Adiga dancing) for us. Here the rules are a bit different then ours. "So and so, come to dance to the sound of any music you chose!" announces the Hatyaku (Manager of the dance floor) and invites the next to dance. The music is not played continuously. everyone that gets into the dance floor asks the accordionist for the music that he wants to dance to, and just then the music starts, and it ends when the couple finish the dance, And so goes on. Every melody has it's own name and it seems that everyone are familiar with the names, except us. We, who used to slower tempo and a different dancing style, didn't integrate as we wished to do, until a young accordionist who knew our style started playing it, then we danced as our hearts desired.
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Saturday, September 2nd.
Saturday morning, the sky is clear and the sun is shining. Today we are staying with the families. The inviting scent that rose from the kitchen urged our feet towards the table. the ringing phone announced that there is a wedding in a nearby village, and the conversation around the table turned into the differences between our and their wedding procedures. Nuriet that is well familiar with the history of the Adigas told us about the books that been written by Russian warlords that were sent to fight the Adigas by the tzar, and about the way of life that our ancestors practiced back in the old days, and about the social structure that the Adigas had, etc. We paid full attention lest to miss a peace of information from her fascinating explanations about our nation.

At the afternoon, Zawer's wife Samira and her sister Sayida took Lana and me to Hajoski-Tesnina. A deep valley where the river Shha guasha flows through. The place is impressively beautiful, and we took advantage of it's beauty for souvenir pictures. From there they took us to a restaurant situated at Mayop's outskirts. After we sat down, Sayida and I started teasing Samira and Lana for being the younger sisters and reminded them that according to ancient customs, they are not allowed to address us until we do so. And so the laughs continued with jokes. After we satiated our hunger we started driving on the way back home. Just then a dreadful shower started pouring down from the sky and the sight range shrank into few meters. We arrived home after a slow drive, we thanked them and said goodbye.
A long day at Laga-Naka expected us the next morning.
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Sunday, September 3rd.
The thunder's terrifying roar woke me up at dawn. The fact indicated that the rains from the night didn't stop yet. According to the plan we were supposed to tour the mountains that day, but it seemed that the plan will be cancelled. But what a turnup, the weather changed significantly by morning and the rain stopped. A phone call proclaimed that there was no change to the plan.

We arrived to the entrance of the university , which was set as our gathering point, full of expectations. One by one, other members of the delegation started showing up with swollen eyes that revealed that they just woke up. We immediately started exchanging experiences and the laughter broke the morning's silence. The clock showed that it's time, and Ali Hatuk our tour guide on behalf of the university, urged us to get in the delegation's bus in order to take off. Ali received his master's in history from the university, and he is considered to be one of the best tour guides in Adigeya. The view that revealed to our eyes on the way was breathtaking, evergreen and high mountains covered with forests, and when we made an effort we could notice small groups of roofs scattered in the mountains.

"This mountain is called Laga-Naka" told us Ali, "it's covered with snow about 9 months in a year, later, I'll tell you, where the mountain's name came from." The bus stopped first at the dripstones cave that called as the name of the mountain it sits on, Laga-Naka. The delegates were astonished from the clear air and surrounding view, the forests look like and even better looking that the pictures we used to imagine as children, when we heard stories about Adigeya. The local guide told us that healing virtues are attributed to the cave and that many people who suffer from breathing problems come there to cure. Inside the cave sits a small water pool that doesn't ascend which indicates that the water flows out of the cave. According to the guide, experiments has been made, including pouring color into the pool, to find out where the water flows. but till then, no answers were found. At the cave that been discovered 400 years ago the dripstones grow in 1 c"m every 100 years. according to evaluations, the cave exists for over a million years. The enormous dripstones hanging from the cave's ceiling attests that.

A good meal awaited us after we got out of the cave. After we satiated our hunger, we kept up the mountain till we got to a cliff that revealed a breathtaking view. There, Ali told us that Laga was a the name of a boy from the Fak'ol'a class (the working class) and Naka was a daughter of a Pshi (master). The Adigeyan social structure, back in the old days, was constructed from the masters, the aristocrats, the working class and finally the servants. Pshixar, Wark'xar, Fak'ol'axar, Wnaautxar respectively. The servant would either be a war prisoner or from the neighboring nations who came seeking refuge, but never an Adigeyan.

Laga and Naka fell in love, but her father wasn't willing to let his daughter marry a man from the working class. The couple decided to run away but her father accompanied by his soldiers chased them in order to kill Laga and bring Naka back home. their flight ended on the mountain's summit with a deep chasm ahead of them and the pursuers, who already reached them, in behind. Laga and Naka who realized that there is no escape, decided that they prefer to stay together regardless if it's in this life or the next. The couple held hands and jumped from the cliff. Since then the mountain is called Laga-Naka.

A plane plateau called "Abzaxa Tama" ("Abzaxa's upland"), elevates in front of the mountain. Ali told us that this region used to be inhabited by the Abzax tribe. In the valley between That plateau and the mountain that we stood on, flows the "K'ugzips" (water of pear) river. The river was named so, because of the pears that used to fall in it, from the pear plantations that the Adigas used to plant on the river's banks.

About a hundred feet downward from where we stood, there is a pathway. Ali told us that merchants from inner Caucasus who wanted to trade with the Shapsugh tribe, used that path. The Shapsughs used to inhabit the cost line and trade with ships from Greece, Turkey and other European countries, including Italian city-states. We've been told that after the conquest of Circassia by the Russian Tzar, that pathway had been used to move Adigeyans from their villages to the seashore in order to deport them by ships. The story and the scene made everyone shiver, it is impossible to describe by words our emotions after hearing and seeing with our own eyes, the historical sites of our nation, the Adiga nation.

Mesmerized by the stories and scenes, we went from there to "Shha-Guasha" river ("Laba" by the Russians). There are three different versions for the river's name source. The first tells about a princess ("Guasha" in Adiga language) who used to nurse the dears ("Shiha" in Adiga language) near the river, so she got the name "Shiha Guasha" (princess of the dears) and the river was named over her. The Adigeyans got the name Cherkes (Circassians) by there neighbors. One of the most agreed versions of the meaning of Cherkes is a head cutter, and the Adigeyans got that name because of their habit. In times of warfare on the highlands of the Caucasus back in the old days, it was impossible to bring back the bodies of those who got killed. The Adigeyans used to cut the heads of the fallen comrades, in order to bring them to their families so that the last would have a grave for their fallen beloved. According to the story, those who got back from warfare used to putt the heads of the fallen on the bank of "Shha-Guasha" river and the families would pick their beloved's head in order to bury him. In the right pronunciation, Shha-Guasha means Head distribution. The last version tells about head distribution as well, but this time it's about exchanging war prisoners while each rival stood on one side of the river's bank.
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