JRPJEJ-After The War Comes Funeral: Circassian Songs of Resistance and Sorrow 1763-1864

May 21 marks the Circassian Day of Mourning, a time of remembrance for the victims of the Russo-Circassian War.

In 1864, the Caucasian War ended on this day. The Russian Empire held a prayer service and celebrated the victory. 

For Circassians this war ended in tragedy: the loss of independence, mass extermination of the population, eviction to the Ottoman Empire, Syria and other countries, the breakdown of the social system, and a colossal trauma.

For Circassians May 21 is more than just a sad date, and the Russo-Circassian War is not a thing of the past. These events still determine our reality. What the official Russian historical science interprets as a military-political conflict or even the pacification of a troubled region, Circassians perceive as genocide.

The events of 1864 and the subsequent colonization of the former Circassia and the North Caucasus remain an acute problem that official authorities ignore.

One can re-read the texts for our releases on May 21 or the posts we have made in past years. They are all relevant and can be reproduced again and again. There are no shifts or new trends in Russian society or the official political course.

There are also alarming signs that discourse is being further constricted. In 2020 and 2021, the traditional mourning procession in Nalchik was canceled due to the pandemic. The Circassian public accepted the extraordinary circumstances, and it did not cause any indignation.

In 2022, the rally was canceled again for strange reasons. The authorities of Kabardino-Balkaria did not clarify them, and the International Circassian Association referred to “difficult times” and “the situation with the special operation in Ukraine”.

The Circassian community was outraged by the absurdity of these statements. And so were we.

Initially, we did not plan to release an album, but make a post about grief and memory. On May 17, we learned that the main Circassian symbolic event in our hometown was canceled. 

Yes, there will be a minute of silence and other mourning events, but there will be no main unifying procession in which Circassians of different views, confessions, and political orientation stand shoulder to shoulder to make a peaceful democratic statement.

And we decided to record and publish an album with songs of the Russo-Circassian War.

This is our traditional way of memorizing the past, a call for working with heritage and defending our subjectivity. 

We believe that problems need to be discussed and solved together, and not put off until better times. 

Otherwise, these better times will never come.

The songs on this album are war and mourning ballads of those who fought for their independence. 

For us, this is also an anti-militaristic statement, since all this music is set against repression and aggression.

Circassians, who have suffered from imperialism, must understand that colonial optics and repressive methods are unacceptable against any other groups of people, small or large. Every group or community has the right to determine its future.

Jrpjej:

Timur Kodzoko — guitar, shichepshin, vocals

Alan Shawdjan — vocals, accordion

Daiana Kulova — vocals, shichepshin, percussion

Guest singers:

Zaurbek Kozh

Zaur Nagoy

Sound recording: Timur Kodzoko

Sound editing, mixing: Timur Kodzokov

Cover photo: Elina Karaeva

Cover design: Milana Khalilova.

Text: Bulat Khalilov and Bella Mirzoeva.

Recorded on May 20-21, 2022.

Recording location: “Dom Radio”, Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria.

Except "Тыгъужъыкъо Къызбэч" - recorded by Daan Duurland at Katzwijm Studio, Netherlands November 2021.

https://oredrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/jrpjej-after-the-war-comes-funeral-circassian-songs-of-resistance-and-sorrow-1763-1864