The Circassians of Jordan Endeavour to Preserve Their Native Language and Culture, Report by AP’s Sam McNeil, February 2015. [Associated Press TV] Storyline The Circassians originate from Circassia in the North Caucasus. Hundreds of thousands of Circassians were displaced by the Tsarist Army between 1864-1867, after a century-long war. They relocated to areas across the Middle East, including what is now Jordan. Successful integration in Jordanian society means that the Circassians are strugglin

School children enact “Hantsegwashe” – ancient Circassian rain-invoking rituals. School girl Salmeta Gvasheva (Гъошъо Салметэ) learns about the ancient ritual of invoking rain “Hantsegwashe” at her school in Great Kichmay in the Shapsugh Region on the Black Sea coast of Circassia. She is intent on knowing about all its aspects to enact it with her school friends. With the onset of summer, the rituals associated with the Goddess of Rain “Hantsegwashe” would be undertaken in case of droughts. A pr