NINTH DAY: SVANETIAN TRADITIONS AND LIFESTYLE

The main branches of agriculture in Svaneti are rural rural economy, cattle-breeding, gardening. Apiculture has been a traditional branch of agriculture. Svanetian honey is remarkable for its quality. It is used as a medicine. 

From the point of view of economics, insufficiency of suitable soil in Svaneti creates definite difficulties. Due to complicated natural conditions and long winter, it necessary to store up food products.

Svaneti was remarkable for its century – old jewelry traditions. People were engaged in gold extraction since old times. Gold has been carried down by rivers. You can get a clear idea of development of jewelry, woodcarving and chasing owing to unique and invaluable pieces exhibited in Mestian etnographic museum.

Svaneti is rich in minerals: lead, arsenic, silver and marble. Some of Tiblisi underground stations are faced with Svanetian white marble.

In spite of difficulties, the population of Svaneti has always been strong in spirit and unbreakable in heart. Is is natural for Svanetians to be able to stand the hostility of enemies and to be amiable for staunch with friends. 

During the World War II the Svanetians locked safely Caucasus and removed by themselves the white flag, hosted at the Elbrus peak by Germans. Instead they hosted there Soviet red flag.

Each village in Svaneti has persons, competent in common law, whom people choose when needed, to trial criminals and civil affairs – mediators (moorval). Their activities were good help in eradication of blood feud traditions. First of all they ought to discoverthe truth, and according the weight of the offence, to determine the penalty and reconcile sides. To resing the hostile sides they usually chose trustworthy persons from both sides. The chosen ones ought to vow publicly facing icon in a church.

Woman’s role in Svanetian family was immeasurably important. Mother was the person, who was usually entrusted with the task of up breading girls, and training them in housework. She used to inspire her daughter with necessity of pureness and abstinence, of respect and esteem towards elder people, from the very childhood. She ought to be able to sew, treat wool, to weave fabrics of wool, linen. The mother trained her daughter to work in field and medow.

A woman was not always allowed to marry, whom she loved. Her parents could seal her fate. In such case whole attention was turned to the betrodhed man’s wealth. 

On the way to Usguli we met two youngsters from Israel. They travel around the globe. News are not good – they did not cross the passage as the road is blocked by the snow.