“Bas omuzda bolgunca, ustunde papakha bolmali”–“As long as the head is on the shoulders, it should have a papakha on it.” This Karachay proverb encapsulates the importance of the papakha. Growing up, the papakha was just a piece of a dance costume. It wasn't until I better understood the history of our people that I better understood its weight. 

In 1948, many Karachay families were forcibly removed from the Russian Caucasus to Turkey, a path taken by my family. Balancing my Karachay roots while living in America has always been a challenge for me. I’ve never fully known which side I connect more to, or how to explain my upbringing to my American friends. Still, my parents always emphasized honoring our cultures through daily life– my mother taught me to cook traditional dishes like et hicin and sarma, and my father strictly spoke to us in Karachay. 
I connect with my culture through dance, which I started at six. In Karachay dances, the papakha represents connection, with the men placing the hat on the women's heads. This transfer of the papakcha represents a lifelong commitment between the partners by handing over a Karachay man's most valued possession. 

The papakha is a powerful reminder of my responsibility to continue to engage with my culture through dance. Just as my ancestors kept our culture alive in the face of hardship, I must do the same, oceans away.

– Sema

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant