Wedding Games and Competitions

Wedding celebrations gave major opportunities to young people to demonstrate and practice their shooting, horse racing and physical skills.

Baraq Ewon (Banner shooting) was initiated in the beginning of wedding ceremony.
A white flag on the roof of the house served as a target. The shooting spot was usually not far from dancing circle not to disturb dancers and guests and yet give them opportunity to observe the game.
The goal was to hit the shaft of the banner with a single shot. The winner was rewarded with the hit flag, which he could present to his lady of choice.
The old flag was replaced with a new one.


Shi-Abehyn (Stoop down the horse)
The rider was supposed to stoop from a riding horse and pick a small object left on the ground.
To make this task more complicated, Shapsougs could put coin in a 10-12 sm deep hollow or put a coin on the match-box and have a rider pick it without moving the box.
In general, Shapsougs were very skilled riders and almost every family in Shapsoug land had a horse and a saddle for every male member of the family. The highest praise for a rider was to be called Shi-she Chatu (translated as a 'cat on the back of the horse).

Shi-Bghawo  (Pushing with a chest of the horse)
This competition served to demonstrate skills of the horse.
3 equestrians participated in it.
First, two riders positioned their horses against each other trying to force the opposite party out of the circle or even to push  out of the saddle.
Then, the winner of the fight had to face the third equestrian the same way. The one who took over both equestrians was a winner of the competition. This technique was used in real-life fights.

Shi-djegu or Baraq-djegu (Horse or Banner game)
This was a short-distance race for 2 riders. Before start, the older participant of the two was given a white flag. After the race began a younger rider had to overtake the older one and if it happened the older one had to hand over the flag. The winner of the race had to arrive first with a flag in his hand.
There were no prize other than a flag for the winner.


Baraq Zeshah (Coming in for a banner)
The riders had to enter the house on horse and force the host to give them the white banner. Then, the holder of the banner flu to an open area. On the way there, other riders were trying to take the banner  away from him. Often it was impossible to be careful with the flag and it was torn in pieces before the end of the game.

Braq Zateh (Banner fight)
Same type of race was done with walnut banner. Only this time the winner had to hang his banner to the first old man or woman he meets on his way back and if he met none, or he could throw the flag on the roof of the most beautiful girl in the village.
This walnut banner game could be played 2-3 times.


Qoreghazau (Fight with Sticks)
This game was a continuation of BARAQ-ZATEH, in case participants were coming to demand the walnut banner 2nd or 3d time.
New participants of the game - young man, who were coming to the wedding on foot, brought sticks (poles) with them.
When participants of BARAQ-ZATEH were coming back to enter the house on horse to demand a walnut banner, the foot participants had to stand guard to the house of the host so that the riders could not enter the house.
The riders had in their turn find a way to get through a defense line and enter not only a house but even one of the rooms.
The foot guards could hit riders' heads, backs or feet but they were not allowed to hit horses, although Ubyh tribes made no exception for horses either.
Even if  the rider managed to get into one of the rooms of the house, the fight was not still over. The guards  locked him in there before a second equestrian enters the house same way.
Two riders in the house meant a Victory for riders, which did not take place very often since the house guards usually demonstrated noteworthy efforts to defend the house.



Sho Zateh (Fe Zateh - kabard.) for equestrians or Sho Zaben for foot participants - a battle for a leather-piece, turned inside-out and often greased with some fat to make it slippery.
The competition would start by one of the host family members climb a tree with the leather, tease the riders with a few false movements and throw it down to one of the riders.
The battle for a leather could carry participants as far as running very long distances or even crossing rivers.
Often, residents of different villages participated in this competition and  the possession of the leather was a matter of honor to a village.


Shighazhe (Races)
No other competition could be compared to races. They were held mostly on large public celebrations. A family that could afford conducting races for a family celebration has been quite prosperous.

Being aware of forecoming races, participants could travel long distances in search of a worthwhile horses.
If a participant still did not have a worthy horse  but wanted to participate, he could ask horse breeders to lend him a horse.

Owners and horse-breeders prepared horses for the races with special training, massage and diet. Many owners were getting so suspicious that they did not let anyone else close to their horses in order to avoid any risks of harm.

The race distance could be 5-8 km and was often run in circles. The judges were chosen among the oldest members of the community.
The participants were usually teenagers of 12-16 years old. Also, to avoid any extra weight the participants wore nothing more than shirts and light shoes.
The winners were announced three riders that came first. The prize for winners varied from embroidered piece of military garment to money, slaves or animals. As a mockery, the last rider was given a small present too.

The horse that won the first prize was immediately taken away to avoid bad eye and the horse that came second was openly demonstrated to the public.

Source: Wedding Games and Competitions  of Black Sea Circassians in Terms of Ethno-pedagogic Value. Maikop, 1998,  Chuntyzheva T.