No gunfire, keep men and women apart and don’t let the bride cut the cake. Chechnya’s culture department issues wedding codex
Young Chechens are increasingly pressured to adopt conservative and Islamic ways under its leader Ramzan Kadyrov who is a Muslim
What makes for a proper wedding in the eyes of Chechen authorities? No gunfire, keep the men and women at a distance on the dance floor and don’t let the bride cut the cake.
These are among the recommendations issued last month by Department of Culture in the capital, Grozny, to safeguard the “spiritual and moral development” of the republic’s young people. Although they do not have the force of law, the recommendations carry significant weight as Chechens are increasingly pressured to adopt conservative and Islamic ways under strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
In recent years, young people have become increasingly liberal with their behaviour at weddings, neglecting more conservative Chechen traditions, said Madina Shagidaeva, a member of the city’s culture department.
“I don’t want to see immoral behaviour,” Shagidaeva said. “I want to see a dress code.”
Restaurant and banquet hall owners will be encouraged to enforce the new regulations and discuss expectations with clients beforehand about how guests should conduct themselves. If guests do not behave on the dance floor, the music will be shut off until order is restored, said Zubair Bairakov, owner of a local wedding planning agency.