What is the originality of the national Georgian culture. Then the oppressive dusk of the abyss

Georgia ancient country rich in its traditions. It is the traditions combined with faith gave strength to survive.

Almost every guest who comes to our country learns about Georgian traditions. But these traditions are changing faster than we think. Many traditions originated in Lately, although most of them are echoes of our history, such as hospitality, the sacredness of friendship and devotion to family.

Georgian feast is the most important detail of Georgian traditions. This is one of the symbols of Georgia. The structure of the Georgian feast is simple - wine, bread (the general concept of food), toasts and songs. Peculiar combination these four elements and their harmony and create a Georgian feast.

Each region of Georgia has its own peculiarities of the feast, hence the concepts of “Gurian table”, “Imereti table”, “Kakhetian table”, etc.

The tradition of winemaking is connected with the tradition of the Georgian feast. For thousands of years, the Georgian people have been creating a culture of winemaking, both table wines (Kakheti, Kartli, Imereti, Racha, Abkhaz and others) and dessert wines have been created. This is evidenced by archaeological excavations, during which were found ancient attributes winemaking: earthenware jugs, gold, silver and bronze phials and other items.

In general, in Georgia they drink a lot of wine, but the fact is that they rarely get drunk.

The French traveler Chardin wrote about Georgia in the 17th century: “nowhere is wine so fragrant and in such quantities drunk as in Georgia.”

Beer:

Inhabitants of the mountainous regions of Georgia traditional holidays celebrated with beer of their own production. There have always been many holidays, which acted in direct proportion improvement in the quality of beer.

This circumstance stands out in all folk festivals. People always gathered at these festivities, where they could show their strength and prowess, which laid the foundations for hospitality, kinship and spiritual unity of the people.

Georgian folk music and dancing:

Georgian folk music and Georgian national dances are the pride of every Georgian.

MUSIC. They note that when getting acquainted with Georgian folk music, its diversity is striking. Georgian folk music is saturated with ancient vocal and instrumental heritage. Russian musicologist V. Belyaev wrote: “The main feature of the Georgian folk musical art is the original coordinated polyphony, which is also used in church singing, which originated in the 10th century as a national musical script. Georgian folklore is also rich variety of genres. There are songs performed during labor, at home, traditional, wedding, historical, heroic, love, comic, ditties. and others. Basically, they are all performed in three voices, but each in its own way. Labor, everyday, dance melodies that have come down to us are performed in four voices.

DANCING. The first distinguishing feature of a Georgian person in the eyes of foreigners is his pronounced artistry, theatricality. Artistry consists of three components: facial expressions, speech and plasticity. It is plasticity that characterizes mainly the Georgian person.

Georgian dances have come down to us from time immemorial, this is proved by the monuments of architecture and writing. ancient monument of Georgian dance creativity hunting dance - "perkhuli". In the twentieth century, a great merit in the revival and popularization of Georgian national dances belongs to D. Bagrationi and D. Javrishvili. The merit of Iliko Sukhishvili and Nino Ramishvili is invaluable, the ensemble under their leadership triumphantly went around the world. Along with the song, Georgian plasticity is unique. She is recorded in genetic code Georgian and comes from the depths of millennia. Therefore, it is quite natural that in the twentieth century, in a period of favorable conditions for development, two brilliant Georgians Chabukiani and Balanchine (Balanchivadze) succeeded in bringing about a revolution in the world of ballet, both in terms of performance and staging. The Georgian genius flared up with renewed vigor in the prima ballerina Nino Ananiashvili. The whole world admires her. On the world ballet scenes gala concerts are held with the title: "Nino Ananiashvili and the stars of the world ballet."

Georgian national wedding.

A wedding is the most important day in a person's life. There are different customs for it different peoples. Georgians also have their own wedding rituals according to nature and traditions of life. The Georgian wedding ceremony provides for several steps; shine, betroth, pick up, make a wedding. Humor, fun, songs and dances, games are required attributes wedding ceremony

House types.

variety of lifestyles and different tempers are reflected primarily in residential buildings. In Georgia, residents of different regions had different house structures. This was due not only to the peculiarities of nature, but also to the historical heritage.

Common houses in Georgia.

1. In the highland regions of Georgia, both in the west and in the east, livestock breeders' tents are common.
2. Megrelo-Abkhazian Patskhi with a cone-shaped roof covered with straw of various types. In the center of the patskhi there is a hearth, a pipe from which exits through an open entrance.
3. Houses of Svanitia - "Kor" with their defensive towers.
4. The castle-tower of mountain Racha belongs to those types of houses in which people and livestock are placed together with all supplies (residential and utility rooms are located in a vertical order under one roof).
5. Khevsur house - three-story, usually built in the form of terraces, people and livestock were integrated here, which emphasized the originality of local architecture.
6. Adjarian house - the pine foundation of the facade rests on the ground, the back part stands on stones. Tess roof. The lower floor was intended for livestock. The entrance to the second floor is paved with beams. The hearth is located in the middle, deeper than usual on beams covered with earth.There is a hole in the roof for smoke.
7. Western, or rather Megrelian wooden house"Ode" was built on a stone foundation and covered with boards and tiles. Household pantries are located behind the "ode". Sometimes a place to store dried fruits and other products was inside the house. Instead of a hearth - a fireplace. Along the facade is a fairly wide veranda, on which sofas were placed for relaxing. In front of the house is a large yard covered with green grass and planted with flowers.Well in the yard.
8. "Darbazi" - a hall, a peasant house in eastern Georgia. Basically, such houses were found in Kartli. In different provinces, this type of houses has different types. "Darbazi" has a horizontal arrangement of all residential and utility premises under one roof.
9. The city house (Tbilisi) is mainly two-story, with verandas around, which connect living rooms with utility rooms, with an inner courtyard. The tiles were replaced with iron cladding. The street side is decorated with openwork balconies with rows of arches, carved railings, white frames on a sky or light green background.

Georgian national clothes.

The Georgian people, like other peoples, have dressed in a peculiar, original way since ancient times.

Archaeological excavations carried out on the territory of Georgia certify what for Since ancient times, fabrics from hemp, linen and wool have been used to make clothes. Buttons, hooks, buckles, pins, etc. were used for fastening. history national clothes Georgia, along with archaeological excavations, complement the stories of foreign travelers.

History of felt.

Sheep breeding in Georgia was developed even before our era in areas of summer and winter pastures. Since the first century, a variety of sheep has been known, giving meat and wool. More than in other regions in Tusheti you can see wool products: carpets, cloaks, hats, slippers and other things.

Felted felt and products from it in Georgia were historically made in Tusheti, Kakheti, Javakheti. Sheep farmers and shepherds used felt to cover their tents. Burka, one of the remarkable felt products, was made in Tusheti. Tushino felt was distinguished by its exquisite and at the same time simple ornament.

At first, undyed wool was used to make felt. natural color: white, brown, black. INV- VIFor centuries, products made of dyed wool have appeared. Wool was dyed with natural dyes. Red was obtained from the roots of strawberries, dogwood - from hawthorn, green - from the outer shell of a green nut.

Felt was also made by women - kistinki, and it is a great pleasure to watch their work even today. The ornament on their products is distinguished by distinct forms, but soft, warm tones.

National Games.

"Askinkila" - child Gameduring which you need to jump and move on one leg. Oneon one leg catches up with the rest or two teams compete in running on one leg. Or they move a flat stone with a toe from one square drawn on the ground to another, without violating the boundaries, while jumping on one leg. Squares from 8-10. R. Jumping on one leg "punished" the losing side. Older versions of such games are also known.

"Asparezoba" - competitions. All sorts of equestrian competitions, ball games, and throwing competitions were developed in Georgia. Competitive games and hunting were the engine physical development people. In a modern way are competitions in any sports.

"Berikaoba" - national theater masks. This term comes from the Georgian word "ber" - "child" and means a holiday praise of childbearing. View script changed over the centuries, updated with new content and passed on from generation to generation. The performance completely depended on the talent in conveying the word and facial expressions of the "berik" - the actor. Separate mystical scenes are still performed in some regions of Georgia. Over time, "Berikaoba" lost its religious and cult purpose and became a means of depicting life and experiences. working people. Many plots depict the struggle of the people against the conquerors, scenes from the life of princes, rulers, church ministers. We have reached more than 100 different plots. For the most part plots - comic and based on domestic scenes. Representation had a different structure: a game in the square, on stage, a walk with performances on the street

"Tarchia" - ancient Georgian equestrian game. The game takes place on the square or in the field. Time is determined in advance. Causefour men who want to play, then they choose as a judgegirl, who in turn attachesa bright scarfon the arm or neck of one of the players, who is called "Tarchia". Then the players diverge from the referee for 100m and at the sign of the refereethe game starts. Purpose of the game- the players catch up with "Tarchia", and he, in turn, must get out of everyone and return the scarf to the judge.If he succeeds, he is rewarded by the judge with the same scarf. The game is stopped by the one whom one of the players catches, then they disperse already at 50m and start the game again. So until complete victory

"Lahtaoba" - tug of war, national game. The guys are divided into two equal groups by voting. One group is attackers, the other is defenders. This game has been very popular in Georgia since ancient times. Here the guys could show their courage and strength

"Lelo"- a sport reminiscent of modern rugby, common in western Georgia, a team game with a ball. According to academician Niko Mari, a game like "Lelo" was popular among the Basques, the winners expressed their joy with exclamations of "LELO!", This was the name of the solar deity. This game is still played in Guria and Megrelia

"Kabahi"- "Mast" is an old Georgian equestrian game. At the top of the mast is a goblet that must be knocked down with an arrow. The rule is this: riders with bows line up on the starting line, at the sign of the judge, the first rider jumps to the mast and at a certain distance tries to shoot down the cup with an arrow, then continues on his way to the finish line, which for him becomes the start for the next attempt. The result is determined by the number of cups knocked down in the minimum time.

Folk holidays.

Georgia is rich in folk holidays, and each region has its own holidays.

Georgian traditional holidays

"Kalandoba" - celebrated in Guria, as defined by Sulkhan-Sabameans anniversary, new year. Gurians have always solemnly celebrated this holiday.“Chichilaki” is placed in the house - an openwork white tree, carved from freshwalnut stalk, which is decorated with sweets, national sweets. "Chichilaki" is called the Georgian Christmas tree. This is a ritual item that is made on New Year's Eve. He- a symbol of the New Year, prosperity and joy. It is safe to say that the Georgians do not have co-authors of this symbol and it can argue with the prescription of the New Year tree.

"Alilo" - "Kolyada". Twenty-one centuries ago, on a cold winter night, our savior, Jesus Christ, was born. On every Christmas night, at the end of the Liturgy on the starry night, the forerunners of the apostles -shepherds, heralds of the joyful news of birthJesus Christ, from ancient times to today inform the whole world about great secret Birth of Jesus Christ.

Men dressed as shepherds, children with shepherd's crooks and torches in their hands, singing hallelujah go around every house and announce the great news. "Alilo" is from the Greek hallelujah, which means "Praise the Lord." At the end of the singing, the host gives everyone sweets and money.

Christ's Resurrection - the biggest and most important holiday for every Georgian with a long history. People turnto each other with the words "Christ is Risen" - "Truly Risen". This custom is very ancient. They say that before the resurrection, Jesus Christ sent his disciples to different places to spread the good news. With a sermonheadedaround the world and Mary Magdalene, healed by the Lord of seven demons, who was present at the Crucifixion and was a witness to his posthumous Apparition.

"Lomisoba" - ("lomi" in translation from Georgian "lion") the seventh week of the Resurrection. The origins of this holiday lie in the pre-Christian era. It is celebrated in the valleyrivers Aragvi and Ksani. Before Christianity "Lomisa"- deity worshiped. Temples of worship "Lomisa"still stand in Georgia. (At the mouth of the Aragvi and Ksani rivers and in the village of Mleta). Traditionallychurch ministers singingflags are taken out and hoisted to the top of the mountain, where celebrations and sacrifices take place. According to the Lomisa legendis St. George, who freed seven thousand prisoners and transported them to Mount Mljet. "Lomisa" was worshiped and asked to bring health, give children, give a large harvest and multiply livestock. According to the legend, "Lomisa" is a warrior sitting on a fiery horse, with a whip in his hand, with a wave of which the evil one is engulfed in flames andhe burns out.

"Lasharoba" - celebrated October 1st. Temple of Lashara - main temple in Pshavi, located in the upperAragvi valley, in the village of Khoshara, on the so-called "Mount Lashara". The cross of Lashara was considered the deity of the army, which, as if “flying on jet wingshorse"ledand sent troops. Like the twelve patrons of Pshavi, he was worshiped and askedabout peace, health, prosperity, productivityand protection. Lashara's cross was considered one of the richest deities,due tomany treasure offerings, includingand from Georgian kings. There is an opinion that the Temple of Lashara was built by Lasha-Giorgiy, he is credited with the constructionand popular rumor, although based on historical datait must be a pagan Temple. Lasharoba is celebrated in Tianeti, Khevsureti and Pshavi. According to old tradition a sacrificial ritual is performed. The leader of the clan enduresholy banner and blesses those present. After that, cultural events, horse races and entertainment take place.

"Vazhaoba" - a folk holiday dedicated to Vazha-Pshavela, which is held annually in August-September in native village poet - Chargali, where the house-museum is now. This holiday brings famous poets and writers, speakers, public figures, students and pupils, all who love the creativity of the great Georgian poet Vazha Pshavela. Poetry evenings are held

The cultural life of today's Georgia is something between the Middle Eastern and European style, and this unity is, of course, based on centuries-old local traditions. Since ancient times, Persia and Turkey have had an influence on the culture of the country, but the Georgians themselves were more oriented towards European values.

So, the unique Georgian polyphony in the song originated in the fifth century. It is present in both church and secular songs. In the 8th - 10th centuries, culture practically did not develop, as the country was experiencing an invasion of the Arabs. But already in the period from the 11th to the 12th century, the Renaissance began for Georgia, the monks expressed their humanistic ideas. The next flowering of culture falls on the 19th century, when the influence of European ideas became stronger. It was at this time that the art of Georgia became widely known throughout the world. In the 19th century, a dance ensemble named after A. Sukhishvili, who glorified Georgia. It exists to this day and continues to delight viewers around the world.

Temple architecture originated in Georgia about 1500 years ago. It is very different from Russian in its conservatism. Here you will not see Gothic, Baroque or Modernism. The Georgian church did not experiment, so its temples are very peculiar. One of the earliest surviving temples dates back to around 477.

No pagan temples have been preserved, only the foundations remain, which determine the belonging of the building to the temple. The largest of them is called the foundation next to the Nekresi monastery.

All temples are built on the basis of two types - bathing or basilica. A basilica is a quadrangular building with a gable roof. Almost all of the first temples were built according to this type.

After the baptism of Georgia, which dates back to 327, King Mirian built the first temple in his garden in Mtskheta. They named him Svetitskhoveli. Now it is difficult to imagine that this place was once a temple. After that, the temple of Samtavro was erected, but nothing has survived from it either. The reconstruction of Svetitskhoveli was carried out by Vakhtang Gorgasal at the end of the fifth century. This building still exists to this day.

Of the oldest buildings, it is worth mentioning Bolnisi Zion, which dates back to 477. This is a small building where the priest himself and no more than three people were placed. All the temples that were built in that era were very small in area. Subsequently, they were most often rebuilt.

During the period of Persian occupation, temples were built in hard-to-reach places, in mountains and gorges. These were mostly domed temples: their low walls with a squat dome are easily recognizable. They are somewhat reminiscent of a flat pyramid.

The 8th - 10th centuries can be called the "dark ages" of Georgian architecture and architecture. The country was invaded by the Arabs, who destroyed everything in their path. At that time, the Tbilisi Emirate was formed, but not a single building in the form of a mosque has survived.

Kakheti suffered less, as it was not invaded, so its temples were not destroyed. Later, construction began on the territory of Tao-Klarjeti. Today these temples are the property of Turkey.

Since the 11th century, architecture has been reborn. The so-called "golden age" is coming. During this period, the complete unification of the country is completed and active construction begins (the Bagrat temple in Kutaisi, the temple of Nikortsminda). Samtavisi Cathedral is considered a symbol of this era.

During this period, the highest cathedral in Alaverdi was built. For a long time it was not only the highest, but also the largest in area.

During this period, the Sioni Cathedral was built, which we can see today. Gelati monastery was built in Imereti.

Many buildings and churches of that era were destroyed during the Mongol invasion. And only after the annexation of Georgia to Russia, some of them were restored.

Modern architecture in Georgia began to develop actively after M. Saakashvili came to power. Intensive construction and reconstruction of old facilities began. Many note that the design of objects for public institutions changed a lot. Impressive buildings were built, today they are in the public domain. This is the main office for the Bank of Georgia, the building of the Central Bank, the building of the Tbilisi airport. A new building was built for the Georgian parliament. It is impossible not to mention the pedestrian bridge of Peace, which is located in Tbilisi not far from the Sioni Cathedral. And all the buildings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are made of glass, so they break outdated beliefs about the secrecy of these state. objects.

Beginning in 2003, the restoration of the Trinity Temple or Sameba began. Today it is a grandiose and most beautiful building towering over the city, a symbol of renewed Georgia.

Culture and traditions of Georgia

Georgian creativity has long won recognition all over the world as one of the most original and ancient. The fame of Georgian artists spread far beyond the borders of the country. From contemporary artists the names of Lado Gudiashvili, Niko Pirosmani, Elena Akhvlediani are well known all over the world. Artists combine in their work not only Georgian traditions, but also European school. Sculptors such as Zurab Tsereteli, Irakli Ochiaur and Amashukeli are known far beyond the borders of Georgia.

From literary heritage not to mention Shota Rustaveli and his famous poem"The Knight in the Panther's Skin" Dictionary»the famous figure Orbeliani, the poems of Baratashvili and Titian Tabidze, the epic works of Vazha Pshavela, Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, Anna Kalandadze.

Of the Georgian composers, Balanchivadze, Arakishvili, Paliashvili should be noted. Singers Paata Burchuladze and pianist Eliso Virsaladze, violinist Liana Isakadze are known outside of Georgia.

As early as the beginning of the 19th century, Giorgi Eristavi founded the first theater in Georgia. Today there are already more than 30 theaters. Among them there are drama, musical, academic theaters, puppet theater and, of course, the Opera and Ballet Theater. Paliashvili.

Georgian hospitality can be truly appreciated only by those who have visited this country. It is proudly absorbed by every Georgian with mother's milk. Every Georgian respects the guest - he is dear to him, like a close relative. The custom of welcoming a person into your home has existed for a long time, and often, when you come home from a sunny land, you begin to understand that things are different in your homeland.

In Georgia, guests are met and seen off with special honor, they are treated carefully, they do not regret anything. For example, according to ancient tradition, the guest had to give his weapon to the elder in the house or the owner before entering the house. By this, he seemed to say that he had come with good intentions, inspired confidence, tuned in to peace and friendship.

Wedding

A wedding is one of the most memorable and important events in life. Absolutely all relatives from both sides are invited to the festival, the feast turns out to be huge and cheerful. To refuse an invitation is to offend the family.

There are two ceremonies before the wedding. This is machankloba or matchmaking, and nishnoba is betrothal.

One of the well-known customs (when the young and the family do not have the opportunity to celebrate such a big wedding) is the kidnapping of the future wife. The abduction can be planned: the bride is warned in advance, and with her consent, the ceremony is already taking place. After that, the young are considered married. Sometimes the wedding itself is played later, when the young people have saved up money.

Before entering the house, the groom releases a dove into the sky. On the bride's doorstep, raisins are poured on her head (so that she lives sweetly) and rice (so that they live in abundance). The guy is given wine in a glass, he takes a sip and puts a ring for the bride. The bride drinks and gives the glass back, from where the groom already takes it out and gives a ring with beautiful words about love and fidelity.

On the doorstep young people are served nice plate, which they must smash with their feet at the same time - this is a ritual for happiness. By the way, you will never be able to hear the word “bitter” at a Georgian wedding, as is customary, for example, in Russia.

The bridegroom's relatives usually give gold jewelry to the bride. This solemn event is not complete without dances and songs; traditional Georgian dishes are served on the table. Their list is endless, but khachapuri, satsivi and barbecue are always present. There are several varieties of wine on the wedding table, and the fun lasts all night.

feast

During the feast, everyone observes order and ethics. To do this, they knock out the head of the feast - toastmaster, he directs the course of events. In fact, the whole holiday depends on his resourcefulness and eloquence. If the owner of the house invited guests, then the toastmaster is usually either himself or one of the invited guests - a respected person with great weight in society. You can’t talk a lot at the table, the toastmaster makes sure that no one is offended, so that the guests do not get tipsy at the very beginning.

Toasts can be made both by the toastmaster himself and by other guests. People wish each other prosperity, health, glorify the young, their sincere and ardent feelings, wish them happiness.

The first is usually a toast-greeting, congratulating each other on the meeting and only then congratulating on the event that brought them together. The last ones are toasts to the host of the feast and to the saints who protect everyone.

Georgian traditions and customs. "Alaverdy"

During a feast or feast, the toastmaster has the right to convey the speech to the guest, and everyone must be ready to continue it. But often the toastmaster warns the future speaker, while pronouncing "alaverdi".

The word comes from Arabic (literal translation "God gave"). For many peoples, the feast is now accompanied by “alaverdi”. Sometimes toasts are very long and ornate. The speech includes a story with an instructive ending, quotes and proverbs. This tradition, according to Georgians, comes from the time when Prince Cholokashvili ruled. He, after asking for help from the Ksani emir, received the answer - “alaverds”. With this answer, the Emir promised to send help for the holiday, which is called Alaverdoba.

Feats on the battlefield are remembered to this day and they pronounce "alaverdi". In Georgia, there is also an ancient monastery, whose name is "Alaverdi".

Alilo

Alilo is one of the most popular Christmas traditions. Before the holiday, singer-monks go from house to house. They sing and collect donations for the poor and needy. This tradition originated several centuries ago and now the singers carry baskets with them. People give them clothes and food.

In Tbilisi, the procession begins on Freedom Square, where not only Christians come, but also ministers of other churches. Citizens of various faiths help the poor. Children with wreaths on their heads walk in front, followed by "shepherds" and people singing a Christmas song.

Family traditions

Many tourists are amazed by the traditions and customs of the Georgian people. There have always been large families in Georgia, even if there were few children in the family. This concept includes relatives and all relatives with whom the family maintains warm, friendly relations.

While in Europe not every woman changes her last name during marriage, a Georgian woman will definitely do it.

Another tradition when the youngest son has no right to leave native home, because it is his duty to inspect the parents, because they should not be in need. Older sons have nothing to do with this. And then the younger one gets the house as an inheritance.

Can be seperate interesting traditions Georgian people and habits:

1. When there is no salt and bread on the table, it is considered that there is nothing to eat.
2. Georgians can invent numbers for cars themselves. The new numbers contain three digits and four Latin letters. Therefore, you can find names on the numbers or funny words.
3. Many drive a car without a license; instead, you can show any document.
4. At the beginning of the year (January 1 and 2) and on the old New Year, they sprinkle each other with sweets so that there is always prosperity in the family.
5. Often at home they wear things inside out, believing that this brings good luck.
6. The Georgians' best friend is called the same as the internal organs "jigari".
7. Often during a conversation they raise their voice, highlighting the necessary syllables with intonation.
8. In Georgian there is no concept of feminine, masculine gender. It is determined by context. There are no capital letters in the words, the alphabet consists only of lowercase. All words and sounds are both heard and written.
9. In Western Georgia, surnames end in -dze, in Eastern Georgia -shvili. In some corners there are endings in –uli or -aya.

Dancing

To dance so incendiary, like Georgians, one must be born in this sunny country. After several concerts in Europe by the Sukhishvili Ensemble, Georgian dances gained immense popularity all over the world, they became loved and revered. The dancers, with their polished, magnificent movements, captivate the viewer. This is an unforgettable spectacle, in which not only the body, but also the soul itself participates!

There are many dances in Georgia - from slow and graceful to incendiary. Each locality not only has its own dances, but also clothes. She has a unique beauty.

The most famous is the Kartuli dance. It is performed at weddings by a man and an invited woman. A man seeks to express love, respect and reverence with movements: it seems that there are no other women for him, except for the one that dances with him. To display the beauty of the dance, so simple at first glance, one must be truly great dancer. The woman in the pair moves slowly, slightly rearranging her legs, as if she is swimming, her eyes are lowered. This dance has always been danced at weddings, it was not created for the stage. But today, on stage, he looks great.

Popular can be called "Khorumi", a military male dance. Up to forty men take part in it at the same time. They express courage military life, courage is seen in the movements. At the end of the dance, they show victory over the enemy.

Another light, graceful dance "Acharuli", in which both women and men participate. It shows flirting, playfulness, grace, coquetry. Girls flirt with guys. Very attractive in this regard is Khevsuruli, where the dance begins with a light flirtation between two young people. But then a third participant appears on the scene, another guy, and rivalry flares up between them. After the disappearance of the girl, the guys attack and fight. When the girl returns, the fight subsides.

Another, already urban dance attracts with its attention - "Kintouri". This is the dance of small merchants in the streets. The dance uses elements with a red silk scarf, which they hung on a spectacular silver belt. By dancing, the men expressed enterprise, agility, showed their ease. The cunning of a street regular shows through in every movement. The rhythm of the dance resembles either oriental or Asian, with the addition of playful gestures. Farce and virtuosity shine through in every movement. In order to dance so technically and clearly, dancers have to train a lot, do many hours of numerous exercises.

Georgian culture and traditions. Winemaking

Since ancient times, the cult of winemaking has flourished in Georgia. Valuable varieties of grapes are grown here. The Alazani Valley and Kakheti are especially famous - this is the first wine-growing region. Favorable conditions contribute to the cultivation of special varieties of grapes and the development of new ones. Only here the Rkatsitela variety grows, from which a special kind of wine is made.

This is possible due to geographical location valley, which is protected by mountains. The proximity of the river and the unique composition of the soil make it possible to grow an unprecedented crop. It is used to make wine with a wonderful aroma, the original taste of which is famous outside of Georgia.

Of the main varieties, Tsinandali can be distinguished, this is a soft wine with a delicate aroma. "Kindzmarauli" is the most popular semi-dry sweet wine of unripe cherry color abroad. Saperavi is a dark red wine with a tart aroma. "Khvanchkara" is a wine for lovers of sweet wines, it is rightfully a pearl among the wines of Georgia.

Each country has its own traditions. People respect and remember them. It is good knowledge and observance of traditions that distinguishes local residents from foreigners. A person can live in a country for many years, but still not completely imbued with culture. What traditions of Georgia do our compatriots consider unique?

Do not take off your shoes at a party

Almost all Europeans do not wear slippers at home. Clean streets, asphalt that is washed every day, and the absence of settling dust - all this allows people to walk around the house in boots. Shoes are removed if they are hot. The same is practiced in Georgia. The tradition of not taking off your shoes at a party appeared a long time ago. Unlike European countries, in Georgia, the streets are not washed every day, and yet people are not obsessed with cleanliness. After all, a guest is a welcome and respected person. Georgians try their best to please anyone who enters their house. Therefore, the owner will be offended if you decide to take off your shoes in his corridor. Georgians want to be sure that the guest in the house is cozy and comfortable.

Food

Many Georgian traditions are associated with various meals. Georgians love holidays and feasts. Therefore, even from an ordinary breakfast, they make a whole ritual. The family always gets together, and if someone is late, they will wait for him. The table is laid taking into account the fact that guests may suddenly appear. Food is always prepared in abundance. Breakfast does not differ from lunch and dinner in terms of the number of dishes. People eat heartily and satisfyingly at every meal. The main diet of Georgians consists of greens, vegetables and meat. Fruit and national dishes such as lobio often appear on the table. Beans and other legumes are loved by the Georgian people. The most honorable place on the table is occupied by meat. It is served in various variations. It can be barbecue, khinkali, dumplings or chops. Every meal is accompanied big amount guilt. Mostly men drink, but married women do not abstain from alcohol either. Numerous types of cheeses are put for a snack. The feast stretches for at least an hour. Any, even a very modest family meal is accompanied by toasts and sincere conversations.

feast

The food-related traditions of Georgia occupy a separate place on the pages of any guidebook. The feast is favorite entertainment any Georgian. With or without reason, people gather to have fun. There are always a lot of people at such festivities. Moreover, the owner of the house does not always know the guests by name, and some of them may see for the first time. It is customary for Georgians to warmly welcome and seat any traveler at the table. Tourists often enjoy the hospitality of the hosts. It is enough to find a yard from which music flows, and you can safely go there with the intention of having fun and a hearty meal.

The standard feast begins at lunchtime and ends late at night. The abundance of food and wine contributes to the fact that people lead quite frank conversations. But at the same time, all Georgians follow the words and expressions. Adults do not swear because they do not want to catch the condemning looks of their neighbors. Even in a fit of brilliance or a dispute, a Georgian will never hit his friend. Therefore, all feasts are held loudly, but peacefully.

In recent years, traditional hospitality has been fading away. Now Georgians visit each other less often, but they often invite relatives and friends to a restaurant. The festivities are transferred under the roof of the institution and continue until the morning. The one who gathered everyone at the table pays for food and entertainment.

Parting

All countries have their own traditions and customs. Georgia is distinguished by its hospitality. This is expressed even in the way the guests leave after the feast. You can not leave the festivities without saying goodbye to the owner of the house. This can cause a person great resentment. If the guest decides to leave, then he needs to understand that he will be able to do this in at least 30 minutes. Such farewell in Georgia is normal. The departing person must say a toast, drink to the health of the host, and then listen to the toasts from most of the people gathered at the table. If a person can still leave the hospitable host, he will not have to call a taxi. A guest who has drunk wine at the table has every right to call the police and confess that he is not able to drive now. Law enforcement officers will quickly come for a person and take him to his house. They will do it for free and without any claims.

Wedding

The traditions and customs of Georgia are very beautiful if you look at them from the side. But for Georgians, there is nothing strange in chic festivities. They consider them commonplace. What are the wedding traditions in Georgia? The first of these is that the groom's parents choose the bride. Moreover, the girl's candidacy is discussed with all relatives, and everyone has the right to express their opinion about the future bride. If the girl liked, then the groom goes to marry her. And how is the wedding going and at whose expense is the celebration organized? The groom's family pays for the celebration. No dowry is required from the girl. The bride should be beautiful, hardworking, economic and chaste. The wedding takes place in the format of a large feast.

Most often, the festivities are held in the yard of the groom. Numerous tables are taken out into the street, which are filled with all kinds of dishes. Not only all relatives from both sides of the spouses are invited to the wedding, but also friends and neighbors. It is impossible not to come to a wedding in Georgia. Such a refusal will be considered an insult to the young. The beautiful tradition of stealing the bride still exists. But today, consent to conduct this ritual must be obtained from the girl and her numerous relatives. How does it go wedding ceremony? The groom brings the girl to the future home, pours wine into a glass and throws a ring into it. Having sipped the drink with the bride, the groom swears eternal love to the girl. After that, the man climbs onto the roof and launches a white dove.

Winemaking

The culture and traditions of Georgia are inextricably linked with a tart drink, which is obtained by fermenting grapes. Wine is National treasure countries. Georgians drink it from the age of 12. Alcoholism is not encouraged in the country, but nevertheless, the culture of wine consumption is at its most high level. The history and traditions of winemaking in Georgia have deep roots. Georgian wine entered the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest. It is produced at numerous wineries in the country from local grape varieties. The most useful are tart wines. They last longer and contain polyphenols in in large numbers. If you get to a Georgian feast, you will definitely be offered a glass of wine. You have no right to refuse, otherwise the owner of the house will be offended by you. In most cases, you need to drink wine to the bottom. If you leave something in a glass, it will mean disrespect or disdain for the owner. Once at the Georgian feast, choose a drink that you will drink all evening. Don't interfere different kinds guilt among themselves and even more so with chacha. Otherwise, you will quickly lose control of yourself, as well as the respect of the guests.

Songs

The national traditions of Georgia are determined by the peculiar culture of this country. Georgians are very fond of feasts and wine. As a result, all the inhabitants of the country, young and old, sing drinking songs. People do not sing for themselves, they perform a repertoire known to all. It is also not customary to sing solo. Any Georgian feast is accompanied by a standard repertoire that rarely changes. Folklore in its modern interpretation is in honor of people. folk instruments, such as doli and changi can still be seen, they are the same artifact as accordion or button accordion in Russia. But execution musical compositions these instruments can only be heard at a wedding.

Dancing

The traditions of the people of Georgia are inextricably linked not only with music, but also with choreography. Dances accompany any Georgian gatherings. Khorumi is considered especially popular. This dance is performed by 10 to 15 men. The incendiary action takes place under the choral singing of the audience. Lezginka, so beloved by the Russians, came to our country from Georgia. There it is called kartuli. This dance is most often performed by lovers. You can meet dancers not only in the Georgian courtyard, but also in any restaurant. In addition to visitors, dances are performed by professional dancers and artists.

New Year

Favorite holiday in Georgia, as well as in Russia, is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. If we briefly describe the traditions of Georgians on New Year, then we should mention the similarity of the Georgian and Russian holidays. It consists of setting up a Christmas tree, preparing a huge amount of food and setting off fireworks. It should be noted that since ancient times, Georgians launched fireworks at 12 at night, only earlier it was rifle shots, and today these are all kinds of purchased rockets and fireworks.

Happy New Year Georgians are congratulated by the Snow Grandfather. He gives the kids sweets, not gifts. Grandpa's bag contains baklava and dried fruits. In addition to the Christmas tree, Georgians install a structure made of hazel branches in the house. Decorate such a "tree" with dried fruits. After the onset of the New Year, the product is burned. According to tradition, along with the smoke, all troubles and misfortunes should leave the family.

chiacocoba

Many ancient cultural traditions of Georgia are still alive today. On a par with church holidays Georgians celebrate and pagan. Chiacoconab is very similar to Russian Ivan Kupala. On this day, people go out of town, collect large fires, light them and jump over the fire. It is believed that such a ritual helps a person to renew himself and cleanse himself energetically. It should be noted that the church unsuccessfully demands that Georgians do not celebrate the holiday, but people who are used to organizing festivities for any reason have no reason to deny themselves the pleasure and not celebrate another holiday that has deep roots.

Attitude towards men

The traditions of raising boys in Georgia have not changed for decades. Kids are still taught to sit in the saddle and wield cold weapons. In similar images, fathers develop willpower in their sons, develop their physical strength and teach them to defend themselves and, if necessary, stand up for their families.

All Georgians are patriots, and for this reason they have a highly developed national consciousness. great attention devoted to teaching boys the art of eloquence. Any man should be able not only to say a good toast, but also to defend his opinion without using his fists. Men are taught to protect women and take care of them. In Georgian families, the husband is the authority, and the woman must obey him. For this reason, a man must bring money to the family and be responsible for everything that happens in his house.

Attitude towards women

Mother for a Georgian is main man. Her opinion should always be considered, and she should always be protected. The man will not allow any of the neighbors to say a bad word to his mother or just look askance at her. March 3 is officially Mother's Day. All the streets are strewn with flowers on this day, and all women, regardless of age, are given bouquets.

Girls in Georgia are considered gentle creatures that need to be taken care of and loved. But at the same time, any woman should be economic and practical. All housework falls on her shoulders, and she will be responsible for all purchases and expenses.

According to the legend, God distributed land to people, but the Georgians were late because they were busy eating and drinking. When the Georgians came to God, they told them that there were no free lands left, but the Georgians told what they ate and drank for the health of the Lord and invited him to a feast. Having had a wonderful time, God decided to give them the land that he had saved for himself.

Georgian proverb says " The guest is the messenger of God". And from generation to generation in Georgia, a careful, cordial attitude towards the guest was passed on. Ancient Georgian poems and folk songs praise a generous and affable host, and ridicule a stingy and unfriendly one. Hospitality, in the local culture, was in many ways even higher than bravery and courage. Georgian feast

IN Georgian culture a special relationship to the table and the hearth, they are an integral part of the home and family. The family, its unity and well-being is a sacred concept for any Georgian. These traditions have led to the fact that almost any family lunch or dinner turns into a feast, and if a guest is also present, then this is a whole holiday. Regardless of the wealth of the owners, all kinds of dishes and wines are put on the table, and neighbors and numerous relatives often take part in such feasts.

On such feasts they always choose a toastmaster, make toasts in a special order, discuss life, sing songs and have fun. An integral part of the feast is wine, which has become a symbol of the Georgian people. And according to tradition, a horn, decorated with carvings and precious metals. It is customary to drink wine from a horn in the middle of a feast, when a man, having completely drained it, thereby demonstrates his reverence and respect, as well as endurance.
Family traditions

Family for Georgians, this is everything in their lives. Children and parents, distant relatives - all this is a family in which warm and close relations are maintained. Support for relatives difficult moments, family mutual assistance is very common in Georgian families.

Respect for elders is also one of the main family traditions. The word of the father or mother in the family is the law, and breaking it, you can lose the support of all relatives. Georgian wedding

Georgian wedding is a great event in the life of a Georgian family. The wedding becomes not only the union of lovers, but also the union of two families. Approach such action responsibly. folk saying says: "Look at your mother-in-law and you will see what your wife will be like in many years." If the future bride does not inspire confidence in the groom's relatives, and the mother-in-law does not inspire confidence in the bride's relatives, then the wedding may not take place.

Bride kidnapping tradition remained in the culture of Georgia, but is carried out with the full consent of the bride and her relatives. This is usually done in order to avoid high wedding expenses. After the kidnapping, the bride and her future groom become, as it were, outside the family, which means that you can get by with a modest feast and save a lot of money. Georgian music and dance

Music in Georgia has ancient origins. Singing- is traditionally considered a male occupation. The most famous throughout the world is Georgian polyphonic singing, usually performed by three singers. At first, Georgian singing, which was only folk, with the adoption of Christianity, became church singing, being performed in churches.

In 2001, the Georgian song was recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral Intangible Heritage.

Georgian dances There are solo, pair and group. During the dance, Georgian girls move gracefully, taking small steps, men, on the contrary, demonstrating their masculinity, make high jumps, fast movements and high jumps. At the same time, the back of both men and women remains straight and motionless during the dance.

Each of the regions of Georgia has its own special "dance dialect" - which means that each region of Georgia has its own way of performing dance. Such "dialects" are divided into Kakhetian, Kartalian, Svan, Mingrelian, Imerta, Adjarian and others. Holidays in Georgia

Holidays in Georgia vividly and colorfully convey all the diversity and richness of local culture. Most Georgian holidays have an ancient and rich history, and there are some that have appeared quite recently.

The faith of local residents who profess Christianity. The holidays that came from the past also remained in Georgia, they still celebrate March 8 and Victory Day.

January 1 - New Year
January 7 - Christmas
January 19 - Epiphany
March 3 - Mother's Day
March 8 - International Women's Day
April 15 - Love Day
May 9 - Victory Day
May 26 - Independence Day
August 28 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
October 14 - Mtskhetoba-Svetitskhovloba
July 23 - St. George's Day
National features of Georgia

Georgia- a Caucasian country, with all Caucasian customs and traditions. People with a wide soul and real hospitality. The guest is sacred. In Tbilisi, you can stay not only in a hotel (and they are quite expensive), but at someone's house. This is a kind of hotel at home.

You have breakfast with your family at a large table, and then go to explore the city and its surroundings. Just don’t go out late, because the hostess will be waiting for you to open the door for you and make sure that you are at home and you have everything. This perfectly characterizes national characteristics Georgia.

And what toasts are being said here! And all because this is not a simple wish for someone. This is a whole story filled with the wisdom of the ancestors. Georgians carefully prepare to impress the listeners with their oratorical skills.

Georgia – hospitable country in which tourists are clearly loved and expected. The locals are friendly and talkative, and Russian is the second spoken language for most of them. Georgian culture is an interweaving of ancient traditions and modern image life.

National features of Georgia well expressed in the kitchen. The dishes here are not spicy, but spicy. Well, the most important drink is wine.