THE NORTH RIDING PROJECT

In Ermolev’s day, probably every tribesman who wore the cherkeska had earned the right to do so by some feats of arms while still in his teens – if not against the Russians, then against some hostile clan.  Such a young man was known as a djighit, a word still in common use in the Caucasus today.  Its origin is in Turkish (the modern spelling in Turkey is yigir) and it has no exact equivalent in English as a single word.  The nearest, perhaps, is ‘hero’, but this can be applied to a man of any age.  A djighit is essentially young; is brave and honest; is a daredevil; and, by no means least, is an outstanding horseman.

Pereira/Caucasus