THE NORTH RIDING PROJECT

It’s hard to be a Chechen.  If you’re a Chechen, you must feed and shelter your enemy when he comes knocking as a guest; you must give up your life for a girl’s honour without a second thought; you must kill your blood foe by plunging a dagger into his chest, because you can never shoot anyone in the back; you must offer your last piece of bread to your friend; you must get out from your car to stand and greet an elderly man passing on foot; you must never run away, even if your enemy are a thousand strong and you stand no chance of victory, you must take up the fight all the same.  And you can never cry, no matter what happens.  Your beloved women may leave you, poverty may lay waste to your home, your comrades may lie bleeding in your arms, but you may never cry If you are a Chechen.  If you are a man.  Only once, once in a lifetime may you cry: when your mother dies.

Sadulaev/Chechen