The Temirgoy (Adyghe: кӀэмгуй), called Chemguy by Circassians in Turkey, are one of the twelve Circassian tribes. They live mainly in eastern Adygea, and their dialect is the basis of literary Adyghe, the written standard of the Republic of Adygea. Temirgoy is the Russian form of the name.
Temirgoy, Chemguy, Kemguy
The tribe has many names. Their own is кӀэмгуй; Kabardians say Chemirgoy, Turkish Circassians Chemguy or Kemguy, and Russians Temirgoy (темиргоевцы).
Between the Belaya and the Laba
The Temirgoy lived between the lower Belaya and Laba rivers, with lands reaching north to the Kuban: the Kuban to the north, the Besleney to the east, the Bzhedug to the west and the Abzakh to the south. Their ruling princely family was the Boletoqo, who also ruled the Yegeruqay and Mamkhegh. They bred cattle and grew millet, corn, wheat, rye and sunflower.
A legend tells that the Temirgoy and the Hatuqay were once one people: twin princes, Boletoqo and Hatuqo, slept under one fur, and in the morning it was found torn in two. Hatuqo later led his people west and founded the Hatuqay principality.
Where the Temirgoy live today
Most Temirgoy live in Adygea, in the villages of Pshizov, Pshicho, Khatazhukay, Kabekhabl and Dzherokay in Shovgenovsky district and Dzhambichi in Krasnogvardeysky district, which was called Temirgoevsky until 1920. Descendants of the Hatuqay, Mamkhegh and Yegeruqay in some Adygean villages now speak the Temirgoy dialect too. In Turkey there are Chemguy villages in Bilecik and Düzce provinces. See Adygea, the Circassian homeland.
Dialect, and which course to take
The Temirgoy dialect of Adyghe (West Circassian) is the basis of the literary Adyghe language used in the Republic of Adygea, so for a Temirgoy family the written standard is closest to home.
So the course to take is Adyghe (West Circassian): learn Adyghe with the Circassian App.
Find other Temirgoy in the app
The Circassian App lets you add your family’s tribe to your profile, in the Origin field. In Search, the Tribe filter (free for everyone) shows people who chose the same tribe, so you can find other Temirgoy, write to them and learn together.
The other tribes
Questions
Are the Temirgoy and the Chemguy the same?
Yes. Temirgoy is the Russian name; Turkish Circassians say Chemguy or Kemguy, Kabardians Chemirgoy, and the tribe calls itself кӀэмгуй.
Where do the Temirgoy live?
Mainly in eastern Adygea (Shovgenovsky and Krasnogvardeysky districts); in Turkey in villages of Bilecik and Düzce provinces.
Why does the Temirgoy dialect matter?
Literary Adyghe, the written standard of Adygea, is based on it (with the Bzhedug dialect).
Which course should a Temirgoy learner take?
Adyghe (West Circassian): the Circassian App’s Adyghe course. The written standard it belongs to is built on the Temirgoy dialect.
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Sources
- Wikipedia (English): Chemguys, revision 1377929305.
- Wikipedia (Russian): Темиргоевцы, revision 155270849.
- Wikipedia (Turkish): Çemguylar, revision 35963779.
- Circassian App: the tribe list of the profile’s Origin field (src/data/origins.ts) and the Search filters, October 2026.
- Map: Liptink0, “Blank locator map of Circassia 1820s”, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (after S. Khotko, «Открытие Черкесии. Картографические источники XIV–XIX вв.»).
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