The fan presented in the exhibition was transferred to the Adygeysk Museum of Local Lore in 1992 by Sulet Shamsudinovna Yahutl, a secondary school history teacher who worked in school No. 2 in Adygeysk.
The fan in Adyghe is called zhyf (from the word “zhy” — air). Fans appeared in the life of the Adyghe people at the turn of the 19th century. In the old days, only older family members could use a fan. Sometimes the fan was used to care for the sick or to fan babies in hot weather.
Various patterns, images of animals and birds, leaves and trees, as well as groves, mountains, streams and other elements of the surrounding landscape were embroidered on velvet fans. This way, the Adyghe people demonstrated their love and respect for the generous nature of the region.
Nowadays, the Adyghe fan has become a female accessory for the “Kafe” and “Zefak” princely dances performed on stage.
The movements in the “Kafe” dance are calm and smooth. The soloists — a princely couple — enter the circle. The man dances on in a half-toes position and the woman in special wooden buskin shoes, which were worn only by women of princely families as a sign of special respect and affection for the guests of her father, husband or brother. Only one couple danced inside the circle. The dance began with the partners passing by each other in circles as if they were assessing each other and presenting themselves in a dignified manner.
“Zefaku” translates as “going to a rendezvous”. It is a dance of invitation to an acquaintance and a first date. The dancer and dance director Mashud Beshkok describes the dance as follows:
