PHOTOGRAPHY: Tbilisoba. By the Georgian Dina Oganova (georgianphotographers.com)

(georgianphotographers.com) Tbilisoba is a holiday,celebrating in the capital of Georgia-Tbilisi, it’s also call “city’s day”. It was first held in 1979 and has since become an established tradition.

Tbilisoba. Photo by Dina Oganova

More photos by Dina Oganova are here in georgianphotographers.com

ARTE-YOUROPE: Junge Tushen bei Zezvaoba in Georgien. Von Katrin Molnár und Ralph Hälbig - Sendung. Partyfieber - So bunt haben junge Europäer Spaß (arte.tv)

Timecode: 05:20 - 10:23

Samstag, 26. Juli um 14:10 Uhr (27 Min.)

(arte.tv) Auch wenn es oft nur nach Konsum aussieht, sind moderne Partys soziale Kultur und festigen den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt. Hatten Feste früher fast immer einen religiösen Hintergrund, so sind sie heute ekstatische Auszeiten von den Zwängen des Alltags. Was sie außerdem mit der traditionellen Party der jungen Cowboys in Ost-Georgien gemein haben, findet "Yourope" heraus.

Der Sommer ist die Zeit der Festivals und der großen Partys. Hatten Feste früher fast immer einen religiösen Hintergrund und das Feiern folgte einem strengen Ritual, so sind sie heute ekstatische Auszeiten von den Zwängen des Arbeitsalltags. Sie gehorchen nicht mehr religiösen und regionalen, sondern globalen "Moden". In diesem Jahr zum Beispiel stehen Holi-Partys ganz oben auf der Rangliste der Party-Pflicht-Events, Festivals der Farben, angelehnt an das religiöse indische Frühlingsfest. Andere, etwa in den Niederlanden, feiern Nachhaltigkeitspartys: Sie feiern zwar ausgelassen, versuchen aber trotzdem einen Beitrag zur Erhaltung der Umwelt zu leisten.

Auch wenn es manchmal nur nach Konsum aussieht, sind moderne Partys soziale Kultur und festigen den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt. Selbst die scheinbar monotonen "Electropartys sind nicht nur fressen, saufen, scheißen", wie es der deutsche DJ Dominik Eulberg etwas drastisch formuliert. Sie haben trotz allem viel gemein mit der traditionellen Party der jungen Cowboys in Ost-Georgien, deren Hirten-Fest ihnen ebenfalls Energie für die Bewältigung ihres beschwerlichen Alltags gibt.

Partyfieber - so haben junge Europäer Spaß – darum geht es bei ARTE am 26. Juli 2014 um 14.15 Uhr.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Easter Celebration in Georgia. By Temo Bardzimashvili (temobardzimashvili.com)

Last year's celebration of Easter in Shukhuti, Georgia, with the traditional (and a bit violent) game of Lelo Burti.

more about Temo Bardzimashvili here: temobardzimashvili.com

VIDEO: Die Swanen - Leben mit den Ahnen. Ein Bergvolk im Kaukasus. Film von Andreas Lünser (arte.tv)

(arte.tv) Im Nordwesten Georgiens pflegen die Swanen einen besonderen Kult um ihre Verstorbenen.

Im Nordwesten Georgiens, in den Bergendes Großen Kaukasus, liegt Swanetien. In der schwer zugänglichen Region scheint die Zeit stehengeblieben zu sein. Die Swanen pflegen einen besonderen Kult um ihre Verstorbenen, und praktizieren auch heute noch Fehde und Blutrache.

Seit Jahrhunderten siedelt der georgische Volksstamm der Swanen in einem Hochtal, umschlossen von den rund 5.000 Meter hohen Gipfeln des Kaukasus-Massivs. Isoliert durch die Abgeschiedenheit der Berge, haben die Swanen bis heute eine eigene Kultur und Sprache bewahren können. Die Wirtschaftsweise der Menschen hat sich hier seit Jahrhunderten kaum verändert. Noch heute transportieren die Swanen schwere Lasten auf den traditionellen Ochsenschlitten über das unwegsame Gelände. Mit einfachen Geräten ringen sie ihren kargen Böden das Nötigste zum Leben ab.

Die frühe Christianisierung der Swanen führte zur Entwicklung volkseigener Praktiken. Neben einem ausgeprägten Ikonenkult pflegen die Menschen hier ein besonderes Verhältnis zu ihren Verstorbenen. Sie glauben fest daran, dass die Seelen der Toten in regelmäßigen Abständen wieder zurückkehren und sich die Ahnen weiter um das Heil der Lebenden kümmern. Das ist ein Grund, warum die Swanen ihr Land so gut wie nie verlassen.

Die rund 40 Dörfer Swanetiens sind geprägt von mittelalterlichen Wehrtürmen. Fast jeder Hof hat einen solchen Turm. In Kriegszeiten oder während Blutfehden boten sie den Sippen Schutz vor ihren Feinden. Obwohl Swanetien offiziell zu Georgien gehört, haben die Swanen eine eigene lokale Gerichtsbarkeit. In Streitfällen schlichtet ein Ältestenrat. Kapitalverbrechen wie Mord oder Totschlag bedeuten auch heute noch Fehde und Blutrache. Swanetien steht für ein Leben wie in vormodernen Zeiten.

Regie: Andreas Lünser
Origin: ZDF
Land: Deutschland, 2011
Wiederholung: Fr, 11.04. um 11:15 Uhr

VIDEO: Am Hof der Götter - Jachsari-Fest im Dorf Schuapcho 2010 (Duscheti). Von Prof. Dr. Elguja Dadunashvili (youtube.com)

(youtube.com) Dieser ethnologische Film stellt einen paganen Kult des Heiligen Jachsari dar. Das Fest wird in Pschavi, einer Bergregion im Nordosten Georgiens gefeiert. Der Film basiert auf Feldforschungsmaterialien, gesammelt beim Jachsari-Fest im Dorf Schuapcho (Duscheti), Georgien im Jahre 2010 von Prof. Dr. Elguja Dadunashvili.

REISE: 28. Juli: Kwirikoba in Swanetien - Ein arachisches Wallfahrtsfest (kaukasische-post.com)

(kaukasische-post.com) Lagurka heißt die wichtigste Wallfahrtskirche in Swanetien. Sie liegt hoch auf einer Felsnase über dem Enguri im Dorf Kala, nur noch eine Autostunde von Uschguli entfernt. Der Aufstieg ist sehr beschwerlich, er führt durch einen zauberhaften Wald, einem den Swanen heiligen Hain, in dem kein Baum jemals gefällt werden darf. Der Baumkult – solch heilige Haine gibt es in jedem Dorf – ist ein Teil der vorchristlichen swanischen Volkskultur, die sich über Jahrtausende erhalten hat und mit christlichen Riten zu einer unvergleichlichen Einheit verschmolzen ist.

Jedes Jahr feiern die Swanen auf Lagurka ihr wichtigstes Wallfahrtfest, Qurikoba. Es ist nach dem heiligen Kwirike benannt, dem Schutzheiligen der Kirche. Ein archaisches Ritual mit Gebeten und Trinksprüchen. Im Kirchhof wird ein Ochse geopfert, der dann von Hunderten swanischer Pilger verzehrt wird, bei Wein und Raki, dem swanischen Gerstenschnaps. Kwirikoba findet in diesem Jahr am 28. Juli statt.

ERKA-Reisen bietet Interessenten eine Dreitagestour zu diesem außergewöhnlichen Fest an. Abfahrt nach Mestia ist am 27. Juli, übernachtet wird zweimal im Hotel Old Seti (oder einem privaten Gästehaus). Am Sonntag Teilnahme am Wallfahrtsfest mit einem Kurzbesuch von Uschguli. Rückfahrt am Montag. Selbstfahrer können sich der Tour gerne anschließen.

Mehr Infos auf: www.erkareisen.de

SOCIETY: Why Georgians ‘dine with the dead’ - BBC (georgianews.ge)

(georgianews.ge) BBC reports from Tbilisi, Georgia about common tradition of honouring deceased in certain way during Easter period. “In many Western countries graveyards are seen as sinister or even frightening but not so in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia,” the journalist informs.

“As with other eastern Orthodox countries, it is common for Georgians to honour their deceased relatives by taking food and wine to cemeteries, and having feasts beside the graves. Although practised thoughout the year, Orthodox Easter is one of the busiest times for the tradition”. BBC’s Damien McGuinness joined families in the Georgian capital Tbilisi to find out more about dining with the dead. The Close-up series focuses on aspects of life in countries and cities around the world. What may seem ordinary and familiar to the people who live there can be surprising to those who don't.

NOTE: Der Tamada - Zur Trinkkultur in Georgien (wikipedia.org)

(wikipedia.org) Der Tamada (georgisch თამადა) ist ein Tischmeister, der das Geschehen bei einem georgischen oder aserbaidschanischen Bankett, der Supra, lenkt und Trinksprüche ausbringt. Seine Aufgabe ähnelt dem eines antiken Symposiarchen.

Statue eines Tamada, Tiflis.

Der Tamada wird zu Beginn des georgischen Banketts gewählt. Er entbietet den ersten Trinkspruch, der von den anderen Gästen variiert wird. Er bringt die Trinksprüche in einer festgelegten Reihenfolge aus. Zuerst trinkt er auf das Wohl der Familie, die eingeladen hat. Trinksprüche auf Georgien und auf das Andenken der Verstorbenen und Helden dürfen nicht fehlen, so zeigt man seine Heimatliebe und ehrt die Verstorbenen. Man trinkt normalerweise auf Eltern, Freunde, Verwandte, die Vergangenheit oder Zukunft von Georgien usw.
Tamada ist zugleich eine Marke der Firma Georgia Wine & Spirits (GWS). Sie bietet unter diesem Namen eine Reihe von georgischen Weinen an. 

Qualitäten eines Tamada 

Ein richtiger Tamada ist ein guter Trinker, beherrscht aber auch die traditionellen Trinksprüche und das nötige Pathos. Die Bedeutung eines Tamada für das Supra beschreibt kimeraweb.de so: „Einen Tamada, der geist- und witzlos ist und nur ans Trinken denkt, kann man sich nicht vorstellen.“ Die besten Tamadas können Spontan-Gedichte machen. Ausführliche Darstellungen dazu hat 2006 Florian Mühlfried geliefert. Der Tamada sollte eloquent, intelligent, schlagfertig und scharfsinnig mit einem guten Sinn für Humor sein, weil oft einige der Gäste versuchen in Bezug auf die Trinksprüche mit ihm zu wetteifern. Bei den georgischen Feiern überbrückt er die Lücke zwischen Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft. Durch seine Vermittlung erscheint es so, als ob nicht nur die Gäste, sondern auch die Ahnen und die Nachkommen an der Festtafel vereint sind. Der Tamada spricht sie mit dem gleichen Affekt und Ehrfurcht an, wie die anderen Teilnehmer des Festes. Wenn ein Toast ausgebracht wird, müssen alle Männer aufstehen und in Stille mittrinken. Ein Toast wird vom Tamada ausgebracht und die anderen Anwesenden sollen die Idee dazu entwickeln, so dass reihum jeder etwas sagt, das möglichst origineller und emotionaler ist als der Spruch seines Vorgängers. Damit wird eine Art Redewettstreit begonnen. Früher hatte der Tamada mehr Kontrolle über die Festtafel. So mussten sich die Gäste bei ihm abmelden, wenn sie die Festtafel oder das Fest verlassen wollten. 

Wahl eines Tamada

Bei kleinen Familienfesten sind Hausherr und Tamada identisch. Bei großen Festen, wie Hochzeiten oder Beerdigungen, wird der Tamada vorher durch die Gastgeber ausgewählt. Sie suchen einen Verwandten oder Freund, der als guter Tamada bekannt ist. Zum Teil wählt sich die Festgemeinde auch ihren Tamada selbst. In kleineren Freundesgruppen kann es vorkommen, dass die Rolle des Tamada einfach der Reihe nach an den Teilnehmern zufällt. Oder es gibt einen ‚Ältesten’ an der Tafel, dem die Rolle automatisch zufällt. In anderen Fällen wird eine würdige Persönlichkeit einen Tamada vorschlagen und wenn die anderen zustimmen und der angesprochene seine Zustimmung nicht verweigert, wird derjenige, der ihn vorgeschlagen hat, das Glas auf den Tamada erheben und den ersten Toast auf ihn ausbringen. Beispielsweise “Kotes gaumarjos” (auf Kote) oder “kargad chaatarebinos es supra – Auf dass er das Fest gut leite”. Die Gäste ziehen mit. Ab diesem Zeitpunkt ist der Tamada für die Trinksprüche zuständig. Ein guter Tamada muss auch gut organisieren können, denn der Verlauf des Festes ist in seiner Verantwortung. Er muss entscheiden, welcher Trinkspruch ausgebracht wird und wie häufig neue Trinksprüche ausgebracht werden um einen guten Rhythmus einzuhalten. Genauso muss er Gesang und Tanz anleiten, um die Gäste gut zu unterhalten. Das steht in enger Verbindung mit einer weiteren Eigenschaft: Er muss sensibel sein für die Stimmung des Festes und eine gute Atmosphäre verbreiten, in der alle Gäste teilnehmen. In Georgien sagt man: Die Festtafel muss eine gewisse Einheit ausstrahlen. Deshalb sollte er wahrnehmen, wenn Gäste unaufmerksam sind und sich zurückziehen. Er kann sie mit einem speziellen Toast ansprechen oder sie ‚alaverdi’ machen. Aus dem gleichen Grund bestimmt er das Tempo der Umtrunke und achtet darauf, dass nicht zu viel und nicht zu wenig getrunken wird. Und wenn ein gewisser Alkoholpegel erreicht ist, muss er darauf achten, dass die Trinksprüche nicht zu emotional werden. Außerdem muss er Autorität ausstrahlen, damit die Gäste auf seine Trinksprüche Acht geben, was begreiflicherweise im Laufe des Abends schwieriger wird. Letztes Qualitätsmerkmal eines guten Tamadaist: Er muss ein guter Trinker sein. Bei allen Trinksprüchen sollte er sein Gefäß leeren, aber in keinem Fall betrunken werden, denn dies würde große Schande bedeuten.

Es kommt nicht selten vor, dass ein Tamada sich "Stellvertreter" oder Assistenten unter den Gästen aussucht. Vor allem bei großen Festen, bei denen er nicht jeden Gast kennt, der Stellvertreter symbolisiert dann die restlichen Geladenen. 

Trinksprüche

Trinksprüche werden ausgebracht auf alle Gäste, die am Tisch sitzen, deren Kinder und Verwandte bzw. deren Verstorbenen sowie auf das Land Georgien und auf die Vergangenheit des Landes getrunken. Bei formellen Treffen wird eine festgelegte Abfolge von Trinksprüchen (Sadregrzelo) eingehalten. Der erste Trinkspruch an einem georgischen Supra geht an den Frieden. In Zusätzen folgen die übrigen Gäste, die versuchen das interessanteste, originellste und preiswürdigste der angesprochenen Person hervorzuheben, jedoch ohne zu sehr zu schmeicheln. Dadurch werden die Anwesenden angehalten tugendhaft zu sein, weil sie für Gutes gelobt werden und dadurch Lektionen in Liebe und Menschlichkeit erfahren.
 
Es werden auch Geschichten erzählt, die mit dem Thema des Spruches verbunden sind, so kann ein Spruch manchmal 15 Minuten in Anspruch nehmen. Ein Trinkspruch kann ungefähr so lauten: „Ein georgisches Lied sagt uns: „Der Grund unseres Seins ist die Liebe, und das muss zweifellos stimmen. Wenn es keine Liebe wäre, könnte unsere Nation nicht überleben, deren Geschichte Jahrhunderte lang eine Geschichte von Kriegen und Kämpfen war. Georgier haben ihr Leben auf dem uralten Spruch gegründet: Der ist Feind von sich selbst, wer im Leben keinen Menschen sucht, den er lieben und von dem er geliebt werden wird. Und ich möchte jetzt eben auf die Liebe trinken. Auf die Liebe!“ 

Literatur

• Florian Mühlfried, Postsowjetische Feiern: Das georgische Bankett im Wandel. Stuttgart, Ibidem-Verlag 2006. ISBN 3-89821-601-2.
• Igor de Garine, Valerie de Garine (2001), Drinking: Anthropological Approaches. Berghahn Books, ISBN 1571813152.ethno
• Darra Goldstein (1999), The Georgian Feast: The Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia. University of California Press, ISBN 0520219295.

Weblinks:

• Jala Garibova: The Art of Toasting: The Toastmaster's Unwritten Rule Book (englisch)
• Ndoba LLC: Georgian Tamada culture (englisch)

EASTER IN GEORGIA: Easter preparations begin on Good Friday today. By Natasha Jibladze

By Natasha Jibladze

Easter preparations begin on Good Friday when the traditional Easter bread Kulich is baked, and eggs are dyed red . Red is the color of life as well as a representation of the blood of Christ . From ancient times, the egg has been a symbol of the renewal of life, and the message of the red eggs is victory over death, universally used as means of Christian greeting and present. The symbolical and church significance of the egg has its roots in the greatest antiquity. Long before Christianity, all the cultured nations of antiquity held the egg to be the symbol of life in all their beliefs and customs. According to heathen cosmogonies, the original world’s chaos was contained in an egg, which broke into two halves, the one forming the sky and the other the earth.

Out of the lower part of the egg

Came mother earth.

Out of the upper part of the egg

Arose the high vault of the sky.

From the fact that this idea is to be found amongst all nations, one has to conclude that it is a reflection of the primitive belief which constituted the religion of mankind in the remotest antiquity and then universally spread at the time of the dispersion of nations.

With Christianity, the old belief receives new contents, and the egg receives a religious significance amongst the Christians. There exisits a tradition which makes Mary Magdalene to be the originator of the custom of using red eggs on Easter day. After the Ascension of our Saviour, Mary Magdalene went to Rome to preach the Gospel and, appearing before the Emporer Tiberius, she offered him a red egg, saying: CHRIST IS RISEN.” Thus was begun her preaching. Learning about this offering of Mary Magdalene, the early Christians imitated her, presenting each other with eggs. Hence, eggs began to be used by Christians in the earliest centuries as a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ and of the regeneration of Christians for a new and a better life along [with] it. The custom of presenting each other with red eggs was familiar to the Christians of the earliest Universal Church.

The red color, which generally is used for Easter eggs, serves to remind us of the precious blood of God the Redeemer, which was shed on the cross for the salvation of all men.

The blessing of the eggs takes place after the morning Easter service. The breaking of the lenten fasting on Easter Sunday begins with eating the blessed eggs.

Christ is Risen!

PHOTODOCUMENTARY: The Unpromised Land. By Temo Bardzimashvili

In 2009, I worked on a short story about a few Meskhetian families. After more than 60 years of exile, they had returned to Abastumani, Georgia - the same village their forefathers were deported from to Central Asia. It was then that my interest grew in this group of people, especially in their traditions and their love for soil.

In 2011, I was commissioned by the European Centre for Minority Issues, Caucasus to document the Meskhetian communities in four different countries - Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Kyrgyzstan. The project was exhibited in Georgia. The exhibition toured Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Akhaltsikhe, Batumi, Gori, and Telavi.

The present book is a compilation of the documentary material that I have gathered from 2009 to 2011. Through the images, I have strived to present a realistic image of their lives and the way the deportation has affected them.

Working on this project has given me the opportunity to learn more about this group of people, and I hope that the present book can do the same for its readers.

Temo Bardzimashvili 

temobardzimashvili.com

temophoto.wordpress.com

georgianphotographers.com/temo bardzimashvili  

eurasianet.org

facebook.com/bardzima

gaia-photos.com/georgia feasting spirits in village

privatephotoreview.com/temo bardzimashvili: meeting with the spirits 
keithrkenney.wordpress.com/a journalist and a photographer

wikinoticia.com/georgia the return of the turks meskheti 

 

Temo Bardzimashvili is a native of Tbilisi, Georgia. After finishing his graduate school in the technical fields, he became interested in photojournalism and graduated cum laude from the Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management. Temo Bardzimashvili works mostly on long-term documentary projects focused on ethnographic, social, and travel photography. His work has been published in a number of international publications, and exhibited both in Georgia and internationally.

 The Unpromised Land (pdf) 

Introduction: Jana Sommerlund

Accompanying text: Negin Angoshtari

Book concept: Negin Angoshtari and Temo Bardzimashvili

Photos: Temo Bardzimashvili

Archive photos: From the private collections of Rafik Efendiev, Bahadır Metan Enveroğlu, Emil Gamidov, Sarvar Lazishvili (Safarov), Sona Ulfanova, and Gyunesh Tursunova.

Design: Tornike Lordkipanidze

Cover photo: A Meskhetian house in Medrese, Azerbaijan.

© All photos copyrights belong to Temo Bardzimashvili except for pages 126 through 135.

© Book copyrights belong to ECMI, Caucasus except for pages 126 through 135.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the copyright holders.

ISBN 978-9941-0-4856-2

Published by

European Centre for Minority Issues – Caucasus

© 2012 European Centre for Minority Issues – Caucasus

www.repatriation.ge

www.ecmicaucasus.org

Printed in Georgia by Cezanne

+++

Introduction

As part of the massive repressions of the Soviet regime, a large group of people were deported from southern Georgia to Central Asia. They were mostly the inhabitants of Meskheti - a historical region now split between Georgia and Turkey, who throughout their history were subjected to conflicting interests and influences from the Ottoman and Russian Empires.

During the Second World War, the Soviet hostility towards the Meskhetians, and other Muslim groups in Georgia intensified. In November 1944, the Muslim population of Meskheti and Ajara region– including Karapapakhs, Kurds, Turks, Roms, Hemshins, and the Meskhetian Turks were forcefully gathered at the train stations and transported in cargo carriages to three Central Asian republics: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

According to the official figures, a total of 94,955 people were deported1. The journey to Central Asia lasted between 18 and 22 days. Due to the harsh transportation conditions, many of the deportees, including children and elders became ill or died. After arriving in Central Asia, the deportees were distributed between different collective farms (kolkhozs) and factories. They were provided with housing, but were prohibited from leaving their assigned districts. It is estimated that 3,000 people died during the transportation, and thousands more perished in the first years of exile due to the rough climate and the harsh living conditions 2.

Meskhetians are Sunni Muslims, and speak the Eastern Anatolian dialect of Turkish language. The Soviet rulers perceived them to be the Turkish fifth column, and they were accused of treason, espionage, smuggling, and other crimes. The deportation has made a big influence on how the Meskhetians define their identity and their lives in exile.

After Josef Stalin died, the restrictions against the Meskhetians were partially lifted. From 1956 onwards, they were allowed to resettle in any Soviet Republic except for Georgia. Many Meskhetians moved to Azerbaijan and Russia in order to be closer to their homeland, hoping one day to return to Georgia.

In 1969, a small group of Meskhetians managed to return, and to settle in Georgia’s western regions of Guria and Samtredia. These early returnees still live in the country, and feel fully integrated into the Georgian society. Over 40 families have returned afterwards and they now reside in their historical homeland in Samtskhe-Javakheti.

After the demise of the Soviet Union, and upon becoming a member of the Council of Europe in 1999, Georgia has committed itself to repatriate the deported population. In 2007, the Georgian Parliament adopted the law “On Repatriation of Persons Forcefully Sent into Exile from the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia by the Former USSR in the 40’s of the 20th Century”. This created a legal framework for the Meskhetian repatriation. By the end of 2010 – the official deadline for submission of applications – the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation, and Refugees has received 5,841 applications covering about 9,000 individuals. By the time of this publication about 800 Meskhetian applicants were granted repatriate status.

The majority of the Meskhetians today live in eight countries of the world: Turkey, Azerbaijan Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the United States of America.

Meskhetians prefer to settle compactly in family groups. This pattern of social organization represents an essential strategy to survive adversities that this group has faced during and after their deportation. In many cases, the Meskhetian settlements in the other countries resemble the composition and the structure of the villages and the communities they were deported from.

As Muslims, the majority of Meskhetians adhere to the Hanafi rite of Sunni Islam. They practice religious traditions by praying, fasting, and celebrating the main religious holidays, such as Kurban Bayram, and Ramazan Bayram. They also observe the ancient feast of Nowruz. Furthermore, the Meskhetians have preserved and practiced some of the old Christian traditions – such as placing open scissors resembling a cross on the chest of a deceased, or a bride drawing a cross with honey on her husband’s door.

The eastern Anatolian dialect of Turkish is the spoken language between the Meskhetians, regardless of where they live today. Due to the constant migration and re-settlement in several countries, many Meskhetians know several languages such as Russian, Azeri, Turkish, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Uzbek depending on their countries of residence. Georgian is spoken only among those who have returned and settled in Georgia.

The Meskhetian society is a rather traditional society with a clear division of gender roles. Meskhetian families are led by the eldest men, who are the heads of the families, and are traditionally treated with a profound respect from the younger members of their kin. Women have secondary status and are usually subordinated to their husbands, fathers or brothers. The father of the family is considered to be the breadwinner, while the mother is perceived to be the hearth keeper. This gender division plays an important role in the lives of many Meskhetians, especially the women who are required to seek permission from their fathers and husbands in choosing their education or work.

Meskhetians observe the births, the marriages, and the funerals with a mixture of Muslim rituals and customs specific to places of their residence. Thus, upon their integration in the local communities, many customs are adopted from Turkish, Russian, Azeri or Georgian traditions.

The author of this book focuses on the important details of the Meskhetian life. Rituals, customs, family, gender roles, work, leisure, and finally their longing for the historical homeland are depicted through documentary style of photography.

The majority of the photos presented here have been exhibited in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, and in the regional cities of Gori, Akhaltsikhe, Kutaisi, Batumi, and Telavi. The exhibitions were organized by the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) within the framework of the EU-funded programme “Supporting the Repatriation of Persons Deported from Georgia in the 1940s and their descendants” implemented by the European Centre for Minority Issues Caucasus and Action Against Hunger, International. I hope this book will enhance the awareness on deportations and plights of the deported population among a broader public in Georgia and beyond.

Jana Sommerlund

ECMI Caucasus International Project Manager

Tbilisi, September 2012

EURASIANET BOOK REVIEW: Rediscovering Lost Tales from the Caucasus. By Alex van Oss (eurasianet.org)

Folklore scholar David Hunt has assembled an anthology of stories that present a fascinating side of the Caucasus rarely encountered by diplomats or students of international relations. He also renders a great service with this collection, culled from 19th and 20th century Russian ethnographic archives and field interviews.

These legends come primarily from the North Caucasus, with a dip into Azerbaijan, but, unfortunately, with no Armenian examples. There are tales from the Abkhaz and Lak; the Ingush and (now extinct) Ubykh peoples; from the Kabard, Georgian, and Lezgin traditions--and many others besides.

And what a feast it is!

Here we learn about Prometheus—but not the familiar classical Greek figure. In this compendium Hunt offers the reader no fewer than 10 permutations of the story, out of 44 Promethean legends identified in the Caucasus. It recounts, for example, how a certain Balkar named Susuruk obtained fire for the Narts—who are a "legendary heroic race of warriors," according to Hunt's helpful glossary.

Hunt also provides two dozen versions of another “Greek” story: that of the familiar Homeric Cyclops--but the tales here come from various Caucasus traditions, ranging from the Abaza to the Ossetian, all with protagonists escaping from one-eyed giants by means of cunning subterfuge. (One Chechen-Ingush Cyclops story revolves around the seductive intervention of the prisoner-hero's sister).

From Hunt’s notes on geography and terrain we learn why Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, has twin peaks, and about how a certain Biblical figure docked his boat temporarily at its summit before floating elsewhere. A later footnote informs us that on the eastern slope of Mount Kazbegi there is a crag resembling a dragon, a feature explained by a charming cautionary Georgian tale:

"Having a false idea of his own importance, Amirani decided to measure his strength with Christ-God himself. For this, God chained him to the slope of Mkinvartsveri ['the peak of ice-houses,' i.e. Mt. Kazbegi]. A dragon, the unremitting enemy of Amirani, decided to take advantage of this. He crawled down from the summit of Mkinvari and got ready to swallow the chained Amirani. But Saint George found out about it and appeared there right away. After making threatening gestures at the dragon with his finger, the saint said, 'Stop! We chained Amirani so that he would repent of his sins, not to satisfy your hunger. Become a stone at once!'

"The dragon turned to stone there and then."

Elsewhere Hunt describes the finer points and honorable aspects--according to Caucasus tradition--of horse-stealing; and he entertains us with an eye-opening story of how (and why) a Balkar shepherd named Sozuk impregnated, of all things, a rock ....

Why haven't we read, or even heard about, these wonderful stories before? Hunt explains that they were written down late: "The bulk of [Caucasus] languages spoken in the mountainous and countryside regions had no alphabet until the early years of the 20th century, and so nearly all communication was oral. All knowledge, including the classical history, literature and music of the people was retained in the collective memory, particularly of those who specialized in memorizing and passing on their knowledge to the next generation."

Legends of the Caucasus should be placed on the bookshelf next to three other recent and important works: John Colarusso's compendium of Nart sagas; Donald Rayfield’s The Literature of Georgia; and C. Scott Littleton and Linda Malcor's From Scythia to Camelot, which describes their research into the Sarmatians and Alans, the ancestors of today's Ossetians. (According to the authors, these ancient peoples roamed through Western Europe and spread stories that evolved into the legends of King Arthur and the Holy Grail.)

David Hunt arranges his material into sections covering Caucasus history and politics; rustling, blood feuds, and battle; hunting and sheep herding; family relations and the dead--each topped with a short introduction wherein the reader learns, for example, about such real-life legends as Timur the Lame, Tokhtamysh of the Golden Horde, and the great 19th century Avar leader, Imam Shamil (revered to this day in Caucasus culture clubs throughout the former Ottoman Empire).

Particularly intriguing are details about adat ('unwritten customary code,' or mountain tradition); and feudal tussles between pshis (princes) and uorks (nobles), and between highlanders and valley dwellers.

One cannot but regret that Legends of the Caucasus is not illustrated. But all in good time, for surely this cornucopia will be discovered by children's book and graphic novel artists--not to mention Hollywood, for it contains a potential gold mine (or golden fleece) for filmmakers.

Editor's note: Alex van Oss is the Chair of Caucasus Advanced Area Studies at the Foreign Service Institute in Washington, DC.

AmazonShop: Books, Maps, Videos, Music & Gifts About The Caucasus

VIDEO: Lipaanali (ლიფაანალი) in Georgia (Caucasus). Posted by Nika Gobejishvili (youtube.com)

(youtube.com) Lipaanali festival is celebrated in Svaneti one day before Epiphany, on January 18th. During this festival souls of ancestors or "didebuli" (the majestic ones) are invited from the western entrance of a local church all the way to each family's home, where they stay till the next morning. Every family carefully prepares for this ritual. The day the souls are invited, "adgom", is spent cleaning and scrubbing the house. As they say in Svaneti, - "the spirits will not enter the house during adgom, unless all bits of fat are cleaned." The Georgian Orthodox Church assigns its heaviest fasting to this day, while Svans developed a folk ritual around it.

The head of the family puts several kveri (small, round bread with a filling, "lemzir" in Svanian) and zedashe (best quality wine used for religious rituals) on a wooden tray, goes to the western entrance of a local church and asks the Lord to let his ancestors out of heaven. After this, he returns back home, all the while praying and asking his ancestors to follow him. The rest of the family waits inside the house with a table full of special dishes ready for the "guests". After midnight, during epiphany, an especially rich feast is organized by the family. The didebuli are entertained during the whole night. Family members tell fairy tales, sing and play on Chuniri, and try to imagine those who have passed away. A special table is laid out for the didebuli where no living person is allowed to sit. The chairs are pulled out, which makes it seem like there are actually souls sitting on them. On Saturday evening the didebuli leave for Lalkhori (a gathering) where they discuss the fate of the family and what will happen to it over the next year. The souls are said to protect their descendants this way. On Sunday the souls return from Lalkhori and the family greets them with hot porridge. Lipaanali lasts until the following Monday. On Monday morning, "joodi" (long morning), the souls are seen off. Every member of the family needs to be up before sunrise. The family blesses their ancestor's feast table, after which the head of the family takes milk with honey, pours it bit by bit on the ground and prays, - "m'jaar Tuaar shukvaru jaarkh " - "may you have sunny roads". We asked the Svans whether they truly believed in souls of their ancestors visiting them, to which they responded by telling convincing stories about their existence. 

Original Source: youtube.com/kaukasiologie

Author: Prof. Dr. Elguja Dadunashvili 

Assistent: Madona Chamgeliani

REISE: An Karfreitag weint der Himmel. Von Ulrike Maria Hund (faz.net)

Auf jeden Fall gibt es diesen Artikel nicht online in ganzer Länge ... und auf jeden Fall kommt ihr zum Karfreitag nicht zu spät, denn dieser ist in Georgien immer genau eine Woche später ...

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 05.04.2012, Nr. 82, S. R1 

Reiseblatt: An Karfreitag weint der Himmel 

Zu Ostern ist in Georgien alles auf den Beinen. Kirchgang, Waschung und der Segen des Patriarchen gehören zum Pflichtprogramm. 
Von Ulrike Maria Hund 

Geflüster schwirrt überall durch die Stadt, Gerüchte huschen hin und her um die kleinen geduckten Kathedralen in der Altstadt, in die die Gläubigen ihre Osterkuchen zur Weihe bringen. Auf den hölzernen Balkonen, die der georgischen Hauptstadt ein südliches Gepräge geben, tuscheln die Nachbarinnen. In den teuren Hotels beraten sich Reiseleiter mit Taxifahrern und rufen befreundete Mönche an: Wann ... 

link: www.seiten.faz-archiv.de

VIDEO: Christmas Parade to Start in Tbilisi Georgia

iReport CNN — TBILISI, GEORGIA - The theatrical Alilo parade, analogous to last years’ parade, will begin at 14:00 hours in Republic Square of Tbilisi.

Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on the same day as Western . Oriental Orthodox churches also use their own calendars, which are generally similar to the Julian calendar. The Julian calendar began in 45 BC (709 AUC) as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year. Georgian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Day on or near January 7 in the Gregorian (Western) calendar. This date works to be December 25 in the Julian calendar, which pre-dates the Gregorian calendar.

Participants in the parade will pass Rustaveli Avenue, Freedom Square, Pushkini Street and the Patriarchate of Georgia, where they will meet with the Patriarch to receive blessings.

The parade will then continue through Baratashvili Bridge. some of the parade participants will head to the Presidential Residence, where the president will give them sweets and wish them Merry Christmas. The parade will end at Trinity Cathedral. People will also give sweets and presents to parade participants along the way. All sweets and presents will later be handed over to children in orphanages.

Video >>>

DOCUMENTARY: Alaverdoba 2006. By Dato Kvachadze and Florian Muehlfried (part 1+2 youtube.com)

Documentary by Dato Kvachadze in collaboration with German antropologiest Florian Muehlfried. Made in the fall of 2006, film tells about Orthodox Christian Festival celebrated in a small region of Georgia, Kaxeti. The real and modern story about Alaverdoba.

PHOTOREPORTAGE: Lomisoba by Gela Bedianashvili.

10th of June in Georgia village lomisi people walks to the church of st George in high mountain to pray and cut donation.

full size images you can view here www.eastnews.ru

all rights on images belong to eas tnews photoagency www.eastnews.ru



another slideshow from flickr about Lomisoba >>>

TRAVEL TO SVANETI: Dato Ratiani's Ushguli Guesthouse "Lileo"

lileo-ushguli.blogspot.com

Dato Ratiani & Family, Ushguli, Upper Svaneti, Georgia

Dato and his wife, Nanuli; Dato's mother, Tsiala, and sisters Nona and Nana; and their four teenage children in Ushguli, Lika, Anzor, Lana and Lile, who are now at a beginner level of English study. Bookings: You can make arrangements either directly with Dato (in Georgian or Russian: tel. +995 (8)99 912256, email ratiani.dn@gmail.com) or through a tour company (see Links).

Photogallery from the guesthouse >>>

* Caucasus Travel - book through them in Tbilisi

* Tony Hanmer, designer/photographer of this site

Welcome to Ushguli! This ancient village of some 50 families and nearly as many huge stone watchtowers is the highest continuously inhabited point in Europe at c. 2200 m altitude. It is located in the province of Svaneti, Republic of Georgia, Caucasus region (see map, roughly 43 degrees latitude and longitude). There are two roads to Ushguli, via Zugdidi and Mestia (generally open all the time) and via Kutaisi and Lentekhi (generally open late June-late October). The village is a famous stop on the Georgian tourist routes, and has much to offer. It has four hamlets: from top to bottom, Zhibiani, Chvibiani, Chazhashi and Murqmeli. The name of the village comes from the Georgian words for "fearless heart".

Lileo is the home of Dato and Nanuli Ratiani and their family, and it has been active as a guesthouse since 1996, in Zhibiani hamlet. It has space for up to 20 guests in its many comfortable rooms, year round; full board - three meals including delicious Svan food - is included in the daily tariff, and vegetarian meals are possible by prior arrangement. Dato can also drive guests between the village and Mestia (45 km away) or Lentekhi (80 km away). The guestbook reveals visitors from the whole world.

Ushguli offers much for the adventuresome tourist. Walking in, around and high above the village, as far away as Mt Shkhara, 7 km away and the source of the Enguri River; walking visits to the two museums, any of a number of watchtowers, seven ancient Orthodox churches and Queen Tamar's Tower fortress overlooking the village; drives or horseback rides with a guide from Dato's family - all are possible. There are quite a few festivals and other special events during the year, some of which correspond to the Orthodox Church calendar and all of which reveal much of the culture of the Svans.Come discover an ancient people and their traditions in the magnificent setting of the high Caucasus mountains. A warm welcome anytime!

Aside from what you would normally bring on a trip to high mountains, rubber boots are indispensable for getting around in Ushguli itself, as this is a free-range farming village. Also, when walking, a stout stick is useful - the large local Caucasus Shepherd dogs are guards, and can be fierce, although this writer has never had or even heard of a biting incident on his many visits.

cal

Ushguli Calendar of Events

Jan. 1 - New Year (Akhali Tseli, western calendar)

Jan. 7 - Christmas (Shoba, Orthodox calendar)

Jan. 13-14 - New Year (Akhali Tseli, Orthodox calendar)

Feb. 15 - Limpari (Festival of Lamps, traditional Svan bonfire event)

February - St. Barbara's Day (Barbaroba, date related to Orthodox Easter)

Lirhi ("Vigil", traditional Svan snow-tower event, Saturday 7 weeks before Orthodox Easter)

Easter and Ascension (Orthodox calendar, spring, dates variable)

May 6 - St George's Day (Giorgoba)

Jul. 12 - Petre-Pavloba (Sts Peter and Paul Day)

1st week of August (though not every year) - Ushguloba ("Ushguli Festival", traditional Svan village festival)

Aug. 28 - Maryamoba (St Mary's Day)

Nov. 23 - St George's Day 2nd (Giorgoba)

Dec. 31 - New Year's Eve (Akhali Tseli, western calendar)

Blogger Marina von König

in: http://meltingpot1.blogspot.com/

published her favorite georgian recipies
>>> Georgian Cuisine: LOBIO - Spicy Red Beans with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs
I like it it also very much ....

Marina: This is one of my favorite recipies - my grandmother used to cook this dish very often in sommer when fresh herbs where available in abundance. This variation of lobio is more interesting than the standard read beans dish common in Georgia or in many other countries because of the addition of tomatoes, various spices, fresh herbs and walnuts. It is served cold or warm, with corn breads, which are usually crumbled or dipped into lobio. >>> further

Feast in the Georgian culture

the cultural life of the Georgians feasts play an important role. Till present time mass feasts are the essential festive event which continues keeping to the archaic scenario of the participants' behavior more >>>

LITERATURE: Konrad and Alexandra. A Novel By Rolf Gross

With historical illustrations.

Pacific Palisades 1999, Revised 2004

LIST OF CHARACTERS IN "KONRAD AND ALEXANDRA"

(* = historic Personality)

Konrad Rost + Alexandra DadianiOtto + Sophia: children of Konrad and Alexandra

Relatives of Alexandra in Georgia
Irakli Dadiani + Tamara (Deda) Chavchavadze: parents of Alexandra, Professor in Tiflis
Niko + Otar Dadiani: brothers of Alexandra, St. Petersburg + München
George Dadiani: half-brother of Irakli Dadiani, master of Zugdidi
Ilia Chavchavadze* + Olga Guramishvili*: uncle of A., Poet, Politician, Tiflis and Kvarebi
George + David Chavchavadze: brothers of Deda, masters of Tsinandali
Luarsab Tarchan-Mouravi + Sophia Bagrationi: uncle + godmother of A., master of Kaspi
David and Asmat Dadeshkeliani: uncle of A., parents of Tamara D.-Nomikoff
Tamara Dadeshkeliani: revolutionary, wife of Vladimir Nómikoff

Friends of Konrad + Alexandra
Arthur Leist*: German linguist + floklorist, Tbilisi
Henri Helvajian: goldsmith and Sufi, Tiflis
Persephone, aka Brimo: Sufi sheikh and friend of A.’s mother, Tiflis
Dato Ortaladze: A.'s abductor, physician, Tbilisi
Christine Ortaladze: wife of Dato, Tbilisi
Joachim von Bredow + Clara von Arnim: German consul in Tiflis + embassador Istanbul
Walter + Sally Wolfson: art dealer and historian, Fiesole
Katharina (Weißhuber) : painter, Fiesole + München
Martiros + Izabel Sisakian: Armenian painter + wife, St. Petersburg
Vladimir Nómikov: friend of K + A., poet + writer, St. Petersburg
Prof. Robert Dahl + Marie-Elisabeth Dahl: psychiatrist + Prof. of Psychology, München
Claudia + Friedrich Dahl: children of Prof. Dahl, München
Clara Westhoff*: sculptress, wife of Rainer Maria Rilke
Wassily Kandinsky*: Russian painter, München
Friedrich von Bredow: brother of Joachim v. Bredow
Helene von Üxküll: physician, A.'s colleague, St. Petersburg
Bertha Eberle, Sagdulla Bakhrami: students of A.lexandra, Tbilisi
Susanne Eberle: daughter of Bertha Eberle, Tbilisi
Asmat ("Little Asmat") : daughter of Tamara Dadeshkeliani-Nómikoff

Other Persons
Gabriele Münter*: painter, woman friend of Kandinsky
Arnold Schönberg*, Anton v. Webern*, Richard Strauss*: composers, Wien and München
Anna Akhmátova*, Marina Tsvetáeva*, A. Blok*: Russian poets, St. Petersburg
Savva Mamonov: Russian Industrialist, art collector, emigrant, Paris
Amedeo Modigliani*: Italian painter, Paris
Graf von der Schulenburg*: German consul and ambassador, Tbilisi
Katharina Rost: wife of Otto Rost, my mother
Merab Djibladze: my friend, Professor atTbilisi University
Andrea, Cornelius Rost: my wife and son
Eliso Abashidze: pianist, daughter of Sophia Rost

Table of Contents - Click on the underlined links
1. Konrad's Watch
2. Konrad in Georgia 1898
3. Tiflis 1898
3. Alexandra Dadiani, Tiflis 1898
4. Chekhov's "Chaika" Henri the Goldsmith
5. Alexandra's Necklace
6. Riding Lessons
7. The Engagement
8. A Sufi Sema
9. Ilia Chavchavadze
9. New Year 1899
10. Alexandra's Abduction
11.Easter at Zedazeni
12.The Wedding
13.Venice 1899
14.Fiesole 1899
15.Summer Ball, St. Pertersburg 1899
16.Medical Studies
17.Becky's Museum
18.Otto's Birth 1900
19.Vladimir, St. Petersburg 1904
20.The Theosophists' Reception
21.Berlin 1904
22.Rheinsberg 1904
23.Munich 1904
24.The Dahl's House, Katharina, 1904
25.Claudia and Dioskorides, 1904
26.A Pilgrimage to Andechs
27.Theosophical Party at the Dahls
28.A Menage a Trois
29.Fashing, Munich 1905
30.Walking on Ice
31.Chamber Music, Munich 1905
32.Alexandra Learns Driving, Italy 1905
33.Fiesole 1905
34.Alexandra's Time
35.Clara Westhoff, 1905

36.Summer 1905 in Ca' Savio
37.Snowbound in Eydtkuhnen, 1905
38.Return to St. Petersburg, 1905
39.Exploring St. Petersburg 1906
40.Pregnant Alexandra and Her Two Men
41.Uncle Muravi's Benz, Tiflis 1907
42.Family Reunion, Tiflis 1907
43.Niko and Claudia's Wedding, Tiflis 1907
44.The Dadiani Castle, Zugdidi 1907
45.Strange Happenings, Svaneti 1907
46.Calling the Dead, Svaneti 1907
47.Gocha, Svaneti 1907
48.Playing Games, St. Petersburg, 1907- 1910
49.Konrad Learns Chinese
50.Maritial Restlessness, 1908
51.A Stunning Discovery, Paris 1981
52.Alexandra in Paris, 1911
53.Konrad in China, 1911-1912
54.Konrad's Return from China, 1912
55.Alexandra's Journey to Munich, 1913
56.Dahl's Examination of Alexandra, 1913
57.Kandinsky, Murnau 1913
58.Alexandra's Return to Tiflis, 1913
59.St. Petersburg, Winter 1913 - 1914
60.The War Years, St. Petersburg 1914 - 1917
61.Their Flight to Georgia, 1918
62.Tbilisi 1918
63.Alexandra at Forty, Tbilisi 1918
64.German Troops in Tbilisi, 1918 - 1919
65.A Visit to Tbilisi, 1982
66.Alexandra's Letters, 1983
67.A Concert in Kreuth, April 1989


Appendices:
1. Sources
2. Horoscopes of Konrad and Alexandra

Mail coach on the Georgian Military Road, 1896

Mount Kazbeg from the village of Kazbegi, 1890s

Tiflis and the Kura from Mt. Mtatsminda, 1890s

Persian Rugdealer and Russian Buyer, Tiflis Bazaar, 1890s

Alaverdoba, 1890s

Ilia Chavchavadze's study in his Tbilisi town-house, 1890s

Dancers in a Mavlevi-Sufi Sema