The story goes that Svaneti’s, Georgia’s and indeed Europe’s highest village is named as a contraction of the Georgian words for “Fearless Heart” (or simply Braveheart!), “Ushishari Guli”. Whether this is true or not, I am in no position to judge. The only thing I will add is that this interpretation means that this Svan village has a Georgian name. But it can also be identified on some maps, as can other villages, by the name of its main hamlet, which is Chazhashi, which comes from the Svan word chazh, which means “horse”. So there is that.
I have found myself back here for a couple of days and nights, driving and guiding two friends of mine who are doing Svaneti research for a creative project. We are staying (of course) at Villa Lileo, the renamed hotel of Dato Ratiani and Nanuli Chelidze-Ratiani, my long-time friends and hosts when I lived here and taught English for the entire winters of 2007-9. This family will always be both my friends and hosts here, and their excellent company and delicious, local-ingredient food are always a pleasure.
My two friends and I have walked from the very top of Ushguli (Lamaria monastery) to the very bottom: The grave site for 11 family members who died together in the disastrous winter of 1987, during which an avalanche tore through Murqmeli hamlet and wrecked it. Ushguli was on the edge of deciding to evacuate completely and permanently after this. But Dato’s father, Anzor, the then mayor and surgeon of the village, declared that he would be going nowhere. Somehow, he gave enough people the courage to follow his example, and thus the fate of Ushguli, down to 10 families but not empty, was diverted from becoming a ghost town. Anzor Ratiani is hailed as a hero to this day for his decision and its effect.
Mt. Shkhara, Georgia’s highest mountain and the glacial source of the Enguri River, sits about 7 km past the top of Ushguli, though seeming much closer due to its height and the clarity of the air. During our time here, it has appeared out of the clouds only at sunset. For this reason, we have not scrambled up to Queen Tamar’s Summer Fortress, high above the village, which gives spectacular views of both Ushguli and Shkhara when weather obliges. We might just go up there tomorrow morning as I write this, though, if Shkhara plays along.
One thing I have realized is that, despite over a year of accumulated life in Ushguli, and visits in every month of the year, I will always find new parts or angles I have not seen and photographed before. This visit has borne this out.
We also dropped in on Teimuraz Nizharadze, who needs to be known as more than just “Pridon’s brother” now that that slowly more and more famous surrealist and symbolist artist has been dead a couple of years. Teimuraz finds himself in the difficult job of looking after Pridon’s considerable collection of paintings and drawings, not dispersing them to the four winds, and protecting them from the elements in his and his brother’s house-gallery. Teimuraz is also finding his way as an artist, which I am delighted to see and hear about. He will have his own unique style, given time. This visit, I try to encourage him that I do see him more for who he is than for who his brother was. Almost all of Pridon’s art is still not yet for sale, and time is needed to sort out what should best happen to it. Yes, as a fan, I do itch to own something; but more than this, I want to see the whole archive properly handled. It seems to be in good hands.
So Ushguli continues to surprise and delight, both the first-time visitor and the older hand like me. Trust me, a few hours’ day visit from Mestia cannot be enough; the two are radically different. Give it the time it deserves, and you will be rewarded.
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
