Not Christmas or Easter; not Lamproba either, though all three of these are important holidays here. First in Svaneti is July 28, followed by 29: Kvirikoba and Svanetoba. This time, uncommonly, my wife and I were able to attend both, due to a suitable gap in our guest schedule. We had both too few visitors not to travel long hours from, and two guests who are also friends with whom to share this amazing pair of days.
Kvirikoba is named for Ivlite and Kvirike, apparently a Svan mother and young son martyred for their Christian faith in ancient times. (“-oba” indicates a special day, usually tied to a person or place: Giorgoba, Maryamoba, Mtskhetaoba, Tbilisoba, etc.). The other possibility for the day’s origin, or even a mixed-in factor much older than Christianity in Georgia, is the name of the old Svan god, Kviria. In any case, we’ve been to Kvirikoba several times over our 18-odd years in Svaneti.
This time was by far the busiest we had seen, bolstered by growing popularization and stunning weather. As we drove into K’ala, between Ipari and Ushguli, we met or passed hundreds of cars, and decided to park a little distance away from the footpath, so as not to get hemmed in.
It’s about 1.1 km up to the thousand-year-old church complex, on a steep, winding, narrow path. This was indeed filled with many hundreds of the faithful, both ascending and descending, as the main proceedings had started some hours earlier. It was crowds the whole way, especially at a couple of choke points where the entry door into the complex at the top was only two people wide. But we made it in. No sacrificed animals’ skins were visible this time, although we were offered some meat from the bull; a few male sheep and goats were tethered in different places, waiting their turn. Someone at the main church door was receiving money from people in turn, which he put into a strongbox after praying for the donor family in a loud voice. Lali went into the church where the ancient gold icon of Christ, one of the whole Orthodox world’s most important, is out on display for this day of the year only.
Elsewhere, there was a traditional test of strength for the men: to lift one of three rocks of different sizes, put it on your shoulder, and carry it from the start to the door of the church. Both large and very heavy, they present a formidable challenge, at which I saw no one succeed this time. We all greeted each other and wished a good holiday, even to total strangers. And, of course, saw many familiar faces from near and far. The only notable absence, though he had graced us earlier, was Ushba, infamously shy and cloud-wrapped. We descended.
A brief trip into Ushguli, to which I try to go at least annually, but to which Lali hadn’t been for about four years; fond reunion with my former host family and others there. Then we drove back down and home, enjoying the newly cemented road: an hour and 10 minutes for the 42 km to Mestia.
Svanetoba, on the 29th, is much less religious. Here, in Mestia’s central Seti Square park, tables were set up from every village in Svaneti, with its unique notable foods and drinks to sampler free, as well as art, handicrafts and souvenirs to buy. Wood carving, colored felt art and much more. A stage had been set up, and after internationally renowned Riho opened with several songs and dances, traditional groups from across the country showed off their stage arts, young and mature. Raucous applause. Here, too, we greeted many old and current friends. As at Kvirikoba, I filmed rising blog star Lali talking us through some of the day, as well as capturing some of the music and movement. “A good time was had by all.” Our two guests had really chosen a fortuitous time to come up from Tbilisi, and we made the most of it with them. Next year: well, we’ll see.
BLOG by Tony Hanmer
Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a weekly writer and photographer for GT since early 2011. He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with over 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/groups/SvanetiRenaissance/
He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti
