Respect for the local culture

Dagestan is a Muslim republic; therefore you should keep in mind several rules in order to show your respect for the local culture. The most important standards of conduct are:

•Men should not wear shorts (except for big cities, where even some Dagestanis wear them);

•While travelling to the mountains, women should wear headscarves, at least symbolically. This does not apply strictly to all the villages, although there are too many religious places to list, so you’d better stick to this principle. The locals would hardly ever make comments on your looks, but if you want to gain favour with them, you’d better wear your headscarf and a long skirt. Wearing shorts and dresses or shirts with shoulder straps is considered unacceptable;

•Couples travelling across Dagestan should avoid getting too intimate with each other in the presence of Dagestanis (e.g. holding hands, hugging and kissing), the locals would feel extremely embarrassed;

•According to local customs, women should avoid drinking too much alcohol. It doesn’t mean they may not drink at all, but it is welcomed when they refuse a drink or take just a sip;

•Women should not smoke in public places, either (even in Makhachkala);

•Women should not be surprised that local men would not stretch out their hands to greet them. Women should not do that, either. Men and women in Dagestan greet only with a nod of their heads;

•Men wearing earrings or long hear are very unwelcome in Dagestan.

You should remember to always take your shoes off when entering somebody’s house or flat, even if you live somewhere else and only enter this house for a moment. You should not expose your underwear while your laundry gets dry, as it is regarded obscene and embarrassing.

You’d better take toilet paper if you’re travelling to the mountains – you won’t find it there, as the highlanders use water from special watering cans for that purpose.

We also recommend the article titled “Savoir-vivre in the Caucasus”, where you can find a lot of general information concerning rules of conduct in the Caucasus.


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Tłumaczenie mini-przewodnika i nowe teksty na stronie polskojęzycznej o Dagestanie zostały sfinansowane w ramach progamu Polsko Amerykańskiej Fundacji Wolnosci "Przemiany w Regionie - RITA", realizowanego przez "Fundację Edukacja dla Demokracji".