Аџач Валтежіш Ефішіеље Вепсаітча • Adźać Valteźiś Efiśieĺe Vepsaitća • Official Website of the Adzhatian State

There is little to say about the inhabitants of Adzhatia. Most of them just go day by day, working, eating and sleeping. To interfere in state, or even regional politics is not the favourite hobby of Adzhatians, and so there is a large barrier between politicians and the normal people. A third group, that stands in between the other two group but doesn't try to bring them together, consists of the Adzhatian artists: musicians, painters, writers, etc. They are a relatively new group, because under Soviet rule it was forbidden for Adzhatians to indulge themselves in art or religion; their purpose was to keep the local (military) industry working, and little else. The rule of Miheĺ Pjotarśŭn (1990 - 2004) had done little to improve this situation, and so the State Concert Hall is a bold project of the goverment of former prime minister Ereh Ħĭnzei, the building of which has only started in April 2009.

A cultural scene has been taking form slowly since the beginning of the new millennium. Among writers who manage to have their novels published, the most noted is Ereh Maććok (*1949) (he isn't related to the former president Grigeŕ Maććok by the way), whose books The handless man and No whisky for you, Pavoĺ! were sold out in record time. His colleagues Dźarma Karolśŭn-Arhuk, Juvan Kandercei and Ĺŭdmiĺĺe Tupa enjoy a little less success, although they can't complain either.

Popular musicians, who sing and write popular, easy-going music, are legion in Adzhatia. The music is heavily influenced by the Russian popular music scenes, and most Adzhatian singers even sing in Russian every now and then. The dream of most singers is to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, but the main Adzhatian broadcasting company hasn't managed to implement all rules and conditions sufficiently, so the dream remains just a dream for now.

Classical music is on the rise. That is to say; at present, there is only one classical composer from Adzhatian origin that has managed to have his compositions performed in and outside the country. Vadim Bŏħdaneź (*1965) writes mostly chamber music, but he had his Ninth Symphony performed in Kronenburg in March 2009 - as said, there is little facility in Adzhatia to host a complete orchestra, and the Adzhatian orchestras aren't very good yet. Also note that Bŏħdaneź's Ninth symphony is in fact his first, but due to reasons of publicity he has simply skipped the first eight. Other composers include Karoĺ Koka (*1963), Vĕććeslaf Tivħereb (*1971), Śvein-Juvan Ŭrvak (*1974), Maðias Ĕŕćeniuk (*1983) and Feliks Lŏpore (*1985).

A noted architect was Đĕdrik Pasavihei (1971 - 2009). In 2008 the government invited him to redesign the eastern district of Ashtinok. Pasavihei presented his plans early 2009; with a budget of several millions of euros and complete carte blanche, the whole existing quarter was be destroyed and entirely built anew. The building started early 2010, but the government didn't present any plans to compensate and relocate the original inhabitants of the district. This resulted in a series of protests, the low of which was reached in October 2009 with the death of the architect as a result of murder. The government of prime minister Ħĭnzei fell and the new leftist government of Ŕanije Erijeź promised recompensation for the original inhabitants of the eastern district.

Popular indigenous forms of art include some music and dances that seem to be mixtures of Finno-Ugrian and old Adzhatian folk music and dances. The most popular dance is the Urpăt, which is most often danced at large family gatherings such as weddings. Traditional dishes that are served there are the typical Adzhatian paiste (sing. paisti) or stews as well as the kalittoe (sing. kalitto) or pies, both of which are Finno-Ugrian in origin as well.

 

 

Religion
The current constitution of Adzhatia provides freedom of religion and therefore normally politics don't intervene with religious activities. According to official figures, 94% of the Adzhatian people are Eastern Orthodox Christians, but recently doubt has been expressed if this number is correct. The remaining 6% are listed as 'other', which include Protestants, Roman-Catholics, as well as small group of Jews and Buddhists. Critics claim that, although there is freedom of religion, the government is favouring the Orthodox Church of Adzhatia above the other religious groups, e.g. by granting them building permits more easily.

The Orthodox Church of Adzhatia (Adźaciaisa Sħereślikisciŕ) is an autonomous church under the Russian Orthodox Church and overlaps with the Metropolis of Kercei, which has 2 eparchies (Kercei and Huśte) and 108 parishes. There is one monastery on the Island of Takaĺ. Church languages are Adzhatic and Slavonic. Church music is Byzantine and Russian. The head of the Orthodox Church of Adzhatia is Metropolitan Vassiĺ, who is a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The largest church building is the Church of All Saints (Jana Dźevităm Erfciŕ) in Kercei.

Languages
In the State of Adzhatia several languages are spoken, the most important of which is of course Adzhatic. This language is the native language of 58% of the Adzhatians in Adzhatia as well as by some left-over Adzhatians in the original homeland around the Russian-Belarusian-Ucrainian border, but the number of the latter is rapidly declining. Almost 99% of the inhabitants of the State of Adzhatia master the language sufficiently in public life. The Adzhatic language is an Indo-European language and, according to most linguists, a member of the Khadurian branch. Only Adzhatian has official status.

(Note that although the Adzhatian adjective adźać refers to both language and other things, in English there is a difference between Adzhatic, which refers to the language alone, and Adzhatian, which refers to persons, geography, institutions etc. that are of Adzhatia.)

The second language is Russian. For some 13% of the Adzhatian population, Russian is still the mother tongue. 60% of the population still speak the language fluently, but this number is slowly declining in favour of English.

The most indigenous languages that are still spoken are some minor Finno-Ugric languages of the Finnic branch. They are Tansa proper (the native language of 19% of the population of Adzhatia, and mastered as second language by another 6%), Tansa Alidaŕ (some 600 native speakers; considered endangered), Varula (8% native speakers; a few dozen master it as second language) and Toini (some 1500 native speakers; a few dozen master it as second language). Tansa Alidaŕ, spoken in the vicinity of the city of Alidaŕ, is considered endangered since there is a declining number of young people speaking the language; most of them mainly speak Adzhatian and a smaller number revert to Tansa proper. Toini is spoken in a more secluded area and is in less danger of disappearing.