Natukhai people

The Natukhai tribal Flag

Natukhai (Adyghe: НатIхъуадж-адыгэ ) are a people of the Adyghe branch, whom are the original dwellers of the far north west of historical Circassia, and their areas historically extended from Anapa in the North to Tsemez in the south, currently Novorossiysk in the Russian Federation.

The Natukhai tribe consisted of 10 aristocratic families and 44 (Adyghe: Фэкъул1) free clans and classified as an Adyghe Democratic tribe^[1][2]. The Natukhai were considered the most active from the Adyghe nation in trading with the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanates; which afforded for them better life than the other Adyghe tribes.

In late 1860, a Majlis (Adyghe: Хасэ ) was assembled, which would unite the Shapsugs, Ubykhs, and Natuqais and considered (Adyghe: Шъачэ) Sochi the last capital of the Circassians resistance.

In 1864, a major part of the Natukhai were massacred and the remaining enforced to leave Circassia like the other Adyghe tribes to the Ottoman Empire due to the Russian army occupation of (Circassia)^[3], beside the regular tsars policy during the era of the Russian Empire to cleanse the Circassian coast from Circassians (mainly physically then by expelling the remaining to the Ottoman Empire^[4].

Currently, Natukhai families live in diaspora and were assimilated in other Adyghe tribes, and to be precise the Shapsugs due to the close relations with the Shapsugs, in the Caucasus a few can be found in the Republic of Adyghea (mainly in District of Takhtamukaysky in the village of Natukhai ((Russian: Аул Натухай))^[5] and District of Teuchezksky).

References

1. ^ Walter Richmond [1], The Northwest Caucasus :Past, Present, Future, p. 22, Central Asian Studies Series, 2008 ISBN 978-0-415-77615-8
2. ^ Walter Richmond, "The Northwest Caucasus:Past Present, Future", Arabic Translation by Jameel Ishaqat, p. 46, Circassians Studies Centre, Amman, Jordan, 2010
3. ^ http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/07/05/11511062.html via the Voice of Russia
4. ^ Peter Hopkirk The great game: On Secret Service in High Asia, Chapter 12 “The Greatest Fortress in the World”, pp 158-159, Oxford University Press, 2001 ISBN 0-19-280232-1
5. ^ http://ta01.ru//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26 Official Website of Takhtamukasky (Russian Language)

See also

• Shapsugs
• Ethnic Cleansing of Circassians