Every 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?
Don't take off your shoes at a party
Practically all Europeans do not wear slippers at home. Clean streets, asph alt 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. A Georgian wants to be sure that the guest is cozy and comfortable in the house.
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 by plenty of wine. 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. A feast is a favorite entertainment of 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.
Standard feast starts at lunchtime and ends late at night. The abundance of food and wine contributes to the fact that people have 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.
Recently, traditional hospitality is coming to naught. 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.
Farewell
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 he alth 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
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 groom's yard. 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 is the wedding ceremony going?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 the national treasure of the country. Georgians drink it from the age of 12. Alcoholism is not encouraged in the country, but nevertheless the culture of wine consumption is at the highest 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 keep longer and contain polyphenols in large quantities. 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. Do not mix different types of wine with each other 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 fromyoung 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 the performance of musical compositions on 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, professional dancers and artists perform dances.
New Year
The 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 for the 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 the Georgians since ancient times launched fireworks at 12 at night, only earlier it was a rifleshots, and today it is all kinds of purchased rockets and fireworks.
Snow grandfather congratulates Georgians on New Year. 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.
Chiakonoba
Many ancient cultural traditions of Georgia are still alive today. Along with church holidays, Georgians also celebrate pagan ones. Chiakokonab bears a strong resemblance to the 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
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 protect themselves and, if necessary, stand up for their family.
All Georgians are patriots, and for this reason they have a highly developed national consciousness. Much attention is paid to educationboys to 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 should bring money to the family and be responsible for everything that happens in his house.
Attitude towards women
A mother for a Georgian is the main person. 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.
