Hurome - Christmas Dance of Circassians by Kabardinka

Enable subtitles for general information about the dance. The new year, like many other cultures, represents a significant time for Circassians, and they were celebrating their own new year around the March Equinox, long before Christianity reached the region. After adapting to Christianity during the Middle Ages, they also started to celebrate Christmas and they called it Hurome. It was originally a pre-Christianity festive. Although Circassians accepted Christianity, they typically kept most of their own faiths and traditions, uniquely combining them into Christianity. And it equally affected their Christmas celebrations, so it¬ a surprise to see that Hurome contains many Pagan rituals endemic in Circassians along with Christian traditions. This is a habitual behavior in Circassians, as seen later on when they adapted to Islam. They continued to practice many of their own traditions, ignoring the Islamic rules or Sharia, especially conflicting orders with Khabze, the moral codes of Circassian Societies. Hurome celebrations begin on January 7th with a tour around the village by a group of people, mostly children and younger Circassians, carrying baskets and singing songs special to Hurome day. During the tour they pass by every house and collect gifts, sweets and food from householders. The most popular gift is the egg. After the tour is completed, the collected products are used for cooking, which is a social cooperation, and everyone voluntarily contributes...