On Friday (9/28) our interpreter Mzia called and said that our favorite NGO - Gia - had invited us to a folk festival on Saturday. Georgians do most things on short notice! We met him in Mstkheta and he drove us for almost 2 hours up in the mountains. Some of the roads were gravel and we had to share!
This festival was to celebrate the birthday of one of their favorite writer/poets Vazha Pshavela, who lived in this little village. He lived simply and wrote about nature.
This is E. Reese and Gia in front of the poets home.
Mzia and I in the home next to the desk where he would write.
Just outside they were holding traditional wrestling matches. There was live music playing while they wrestled - an accordian and drum.
We missed the bare back horse race - but the horses were ridden there from around the area by young boys. This was the backdrop for the program. The mountains were beautiful.
First we would have singers and then dancers. Then singers again while the dancers changed into new costumes. Each costume represented and different area of Georgia and a different kind of dancing.
This is the traditional couple dancers (remember earlier post?) The women look like they are gliding accross the stage.
The men do all the hard dancing. Here they are involved in a fighting dance with swords and shields.
These were my favorite of course - beautiful red costumes!
There was so much energy - the men were amazing. The women just floated and batted their eyes! We really enjoyed the show.
After the program we were invited by the governor of the area to dinner. It was a traditional Georgian feast on long tables outside. Here we are walking there. Once again we ate with important people and listened to delightful toasts by the Tamada. We sat accross from the High Priest of the Georgian Orthadox Church in that region - he was a humble man who kept giving E. Reese more food. Before we left, they toasted us and thanked us and all of America.
We were trying to get home in time to go to a concert that we had bought tickets for - and we might have made it ...... Gia's car overheated! Lucily we were by a river and there was actually a path that lead down to it. We had a wonderful day and really enjoy experiencing some of the culture of Georgia.
This festival was to celebrate the birthday of one of their favorite writer/poets Vazha Pshavela, who lived in this little village. He lived simply and wrote about nature.
This is E. Reese and Gia in front of the poets home.
Mzia and I in the home next to the desk where he would write.
Just outside they were holding traditional wrestling matches. There was live music playing while they wrestled - an accordian and drum.
We missed the bare back horse race - but the horses were ridden there from around the area by young boys. This was the backdrop for the program. The mountains were beautiful.
First we would have singers and then dancers. Then singers again while the dancers changed into new costumes. Each costume represented and different area of Georgia and a different kind of dancing.
This is the traditional couple dancers (remember earlier post?) The women look like they are gliding accross the stage.
The men do all the hard dancing. Here they are involved in a fighting dance with swords and shields.
These were my favorite of course - beautiful red costumes!
There was so much energy - the men were amazing. The women just floated and batted their eyes! We really enjoyed the show.
After the program we were invited by the governor of the area to dinner. It was a traditional Georgian feast on long tables outside. Here we are walking there. Once again we ate with important people and listened to delightful toasts by the Tamada. We sat accross from the High Priest of the Georgian Orthadox Church in that region - he was a humble man who kept giving E. Reese more food. Before we left, they toasted us and thanked us and all of America.
We were trying to get home in time to go to a concert that we had bought tickets for - and we might have made it ...... Gia's car overheated! Lucily we were by a river and there was actually a path that lead down to it. We had a wonderful day and really enjoy experiencing some of the culture of Georgia.
What a beautiful scene to enjoy the show by. Arron commented that it kind of looked like Strauss-being outside and dancing and all. I can't believe the dinner was outside-that looks like quite the little hike to it!
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