Chakh Akhriev

Chakh was born on 10 May 1850, in the village of Furtoug, Vladikavkazsky okrug of the Terek Oblast. Chakh's father was Elmurza Akhriev, the headman of the Dzherakh society, while his mother was Dzali Ozieva.[3] Chakh himself was an ethnic Ingush[lower-alpha 7] of the Akhriev family,[4] which in turn was part of the Dzherakh clan (teip).[5] In the family he had four older sisters;[4] his cousin was Assadula Akhriev, a prominent Ingush researcher and revolutionary.[6][4]

In 1857, during the last period of the Caucasian War, Russian troops made a military expedition to "pacify" the mountainous village (aul) of Furtoug. As a result of the expedition, 7-year-old Chakh Akhriev, along with other Ingush boys of the Akhievs and Lyanovs, was captured by a detachment of Russian troops and ended up in amanates.[lower-alpha 8] He was brought to the Vladikavkaz Fortress, where he was adopted by a Russian colonel[lower-alpha 9] who had no children himself. He sent Chakh to a military cantonist school (1857–1862).[3] Thanks to the assistance of his uncle Temurko Akhriev, an officer in the Russian army, his position in Vladikavkaz was somewhat better than other hostage children, he was respected by the Russian authorities and had more freedom.[7]

From 1862 to 1868,[3] Chakh studied at the Stavropol Gymnasium, at which many Caucasian intellectuals began their creative and scientific career. Many people from the Caucasus graduated from it, including the Ingush: Asaadula Akhriev, Aslanbek Bazorkin, Adil-Girey Dolgiev, Inal Bekbuzarov, Pshemakho Dakhkilgov, Kuraz Malsagov and others. During the 1860s to the 1870s, the historical and ethnographic study of the North Caucasus and Caucasian studies were encouraged in the Russian Empire, branches of All-Russian scientific societies were opened. During these years, fundamental studies of scientists Adolf Berge, Pyotr Butkov, Nikolay Dubrovin and others began to be published. Chakh Akhriev plunged into the world of Russian culture and was among the leading people of his time.[4]

After graduating from high school in 1868, due to illness, Chakh spent two years in Furtoug. During this period, he collected folklore and ethnographic materials. He published some of the ethnographic works in "Collection of information about the Caucasian highlanders" and the newspaper "Terskie vedomosti".[3]

Chakh's informants for his works were the elders of the mountain villages of Ingushetia who not only personally witnessed the events and ceremonies of the Ingush culture of the 18th century but also remembered stories about the life of their ancestors in the 17th century.[4] In addition, Chakh Akhriev was the first to describe the elements of the Nart saga of the Ingush.[4][3]

From 1870 to 1874 he studied at the Nizhyn Lyceum. After his graduation, he was in unofficial exile in Elizavetpol Governorate for his criticism of the Tsarist policies in Caucasus.[8] There, he worked in various administrative bodies of the cities of Yevlakh and Nukha.[9]

On 16 October 1874, Chakh was appointed a candidate for office positions at the Tiflis Court of Justice and for 8 years worked as a candidate for office position, assistant magistrate and forensic investigator. On 24 November 1882, he was appointed an agent for managing state property in the districts of the Elizavetpol Governorate, and from 31 January 1889, he worked as an official on special assignments to supervise the populated lands and quitrent articles. Since 27 May 1897, Chakh was director of the Nukha branch of the committee of the custodian of prisons. From 23 October 1900, he worked as a junior overseer for the state lands and quitrent articles of the Elizavetpol Governate.[10]

Chakh seriously suffered from diabetes for a long time and also homesickness. On September 28, 1912, he submitted a resignation letter due to poor health, and he was dismissed from the rank of collegiate counselor. After that, he returned with his family to Vladikavkaz. There, he spent the rest of his life, dying on 29 April 1914.[8] Chakh was buried according to the Islamic burial customs in his native village of Furtoug.[3]

Professor of North Ossetian State University Leonid Semyonov:[4]

Chakh Akhriev's works are ethnographic in nature and varied in topics. The author is interested in both general questions (the nature of the Ingush epic, the origin of the Ingush) and special ones (the Ingush oath, Ingush kashes [graves]). He pays attention to both the distant past of his region and its present. All his notes and articles are very informative, revealing the author’s excellent acquaintance with the spirit of the country, with the peculiarities of its unique way of life and ancient culture.

Professor of Ingush Research Institute of the Humanities Ibragim Dakhkilgov:[12]

Chakh Elmurzievich Akhriev is rightfully our national pride. In the difficult 70s of the 19th century, he recorded and published invaluable materials on the ethnography and folklore of the Ingush people, and carried out a number of scientific studies that were very valuable for Ingush studies. His legacy is of great importance not only for the history, sociology and folkloristics of his people, but also for all Caucasian studies.

Ingush writer and poet Vakha Khamkhoev:[13]

He [Chakh Akhriev], like his contemporaries Adil-Girey Dolgiev, Inal Bekbuzarov, Aslanbek Bazorkin, Saadulla Akhriev, made his worthy contribution to the education of his people.

Chakh was married to Ayshi Bazorkina, daughter of Mochqo Bazorkin. They had six children out of which two boys died in childhood. The children spent their childhood in Azerbaijan[4] (Elizavetpol Governorate) where Chakh lived after being exiled.[9] Chakh's daughter Tamara was the first Ingush female to be a teacher[3] and she ran a Russian-Muslim school in Baku for some time. She died at a young age. Chakh's son Ruslan served in the police and died in the 1920s in a fight with bandits during the Russian Civil War.[4] Chakh's son Rashid-Bek became an aviator of the Soviet Air Forces and the first North Caucasian pilot.[3] He died near Leningrad during the World War Two.[4] Chakh's daughter Nina Akhrieva became an ethnographer.[14]

From 1994, "Akhriev readings" are held in the Ingush Research Institute of the Humanities which was later in 2001 named in honor of Chakh Akhriev.[3]

On 26 January 2005, Chakh Akhriev was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit "for outstanding services in the field of ethnography and many years of scientific activity" by Murat Zyazikov.[15]