Table of contents:
- Where did the Georgians get the custom of hospitality?
- Traditions of Georgian hospitality
- Features of Georgian hospitality
- How to protect yourself from the consequences of Georgian hospitality
Video: Interesting facts about the legendary Georgian hospitality: How not to fall victim to it and not offend the owners of the house
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Even those who have never been to Georgia have probably heard about the legendary hospitality of the inhabitants of this country. Indeed, hospitality among Georgians is valued even higher than courage. And this Caucasian people zealously support this tradition, considering themselves the most hospitable people living on Earth. We have collected the most interesting facts about Georgian hospitality, as well as tips on how to behave correctly in order to protect yourself from the consequences of this custom and not offend the hospitable hosts.
Where did the Georgians get the custom of hospitality?
If you ask this question to historians, you can hardly get an absolutely exhaustive and specific answer. It seems that Georgian hospitality was born with the very appearance of this people. The Georgians themselves, when asked where they got the tradition, even without a reason to collect lavish feasts, simply answer - they are glad that they live on the best land in the world. And the fact that this land is really the best, the Georgians confirm, as it should be - an old Georgian legend.
If you believe her, immediately after the creation of the Earth, the Almighty began to divide it, distributing certain areas to different peoples. At this time, the Georgians, according to their custom, gathered at the table to raise cups of wine for God, his wisdom and greatness. And only after the multi-day celebration with wine ended, the Georgians went to God for their land.
However, having come to the Almighty, they learned that he no longer had any free plots of land. And then God asked: "Where were you when I was distributing the land?" To which the Georgians replied: "We gathered at the table, drank wine, made toasts to You, wishing You health and prosperity!" God was so moved by what was said that he gave the Georgians the very best land that he had reserved for himself.
Traditions of Georgian hospitality
Georgian hospitality can rightfully be called, if not the character, then certainly the mentality of this people. Since ancient times, this custom has been encouraged and developed. It is not without reason that a popular Georgian proverb says: "A guest is a messenger of God himself." Legends often describe how a person who became a guest of one of the hosts, in fact, turned out to be the blood enemy of his neighbors or relatives. And when they came to take their enemy to the court, or to get even with him, the owner stood up to protect his guest. Thus placing the custom of hospitality above all other age-old laws and regulations of society.
Since the early era of Christianity, the practice of guest rooms in houses has been widespread on the territory of Georgia. Itinerant travelers, the poor and the common people could freely visit these premises. A warm welcome, shelter, food and, of course, wine awaited them all here. For the owner it was absolutely unimportant: who is his guest and where he is from. If he came himself - he was considered a messenger of God, if one of his relatives or friends brought him - then in this case the guest also became a friend or relative for the owner of the house.
Currently, this custom has not changed at all: Georgians are also hospitable and welcome guests. And their hospitality is so wide and all-encompassing that quite often people who first met him try in every possible way to avoid such close attention to their person. And at the same time to avoid the "consequences" of Georgian hospitality, which not every unprepared person can withstand.
Features of Georgian hospitality
A foreigner who visits a Georgian for the first time should immediately begin to prepare for a host of unusual things and events. And they will take place at least until the end of this day.
First, you should immediately discard any hopes that you will be able to sit in a close circle with the owner of the house. Well, or at most, with his household. A lot of people will follow you into the house, and after a short period of time everything around will resemble a previously planned noisy and cheerful feast.
No excuses or promises that you cannot participate in this holiday for any existing (or imaginable, invented) reason will not work. The host will provide many arguments that completely refute your attempts to stop participating in this feast. And the very first will be the argument of disrespect for the head of the house and all the “dearest guests”. And against the “honest noble word” that all people gathered here (and the wine was poured into decanters, the lamb was born and fed, greens, vegetables and fruits grew and ripened) only for his sake, hardly anyone will be able to resist. The same will happen, if a dear guest refuses to eat or drink, referring to a diet, an important tomorrow or a stomach ulcer. The owner and his guests will not need much time to prove that not a single, even the most miraculous, medical remedy acts as beneficial to the body as his wine and food.
How to protect yourself from the consequences of Georgian hospitality
It is unlikely that anyone will succeed in refusing the owner of his hospitality in Georgia. But what to do if urgent matters are really awaiting you the next day, and the appearance of the festive table directly indicates that the end of the feast may not happen until the morning? There is only one answer - to accept your fate and join in toasts, songs and dances. But the treats need to be treated correctly and reasonably.
If the guest takes a close look at the host and his entourage, he will see that despite the abundance of decanters, jugs and bottles, which contain all kinds of wines, liqueurs and, of course, chacha, Georgians will give preference to white wine (rkatsiteli or tsinandali). But Georgians often call red wine “black”. Like chacha, these "local" drinks are consumed in small quantities. But a guest who is not used to such doses of alcohol can quickly get drunk. Moreover, it is customary for Georgians to empty their glasses to the bottom after each toast.
The same goes for food. Even having tasted a little bit of each dish, the guest runs the risk of getting at least digestive problems.
One conclusion can be drawn: if you are not too zealous in treats, while actively participating in dances (which almost always accompany feasts), the guest has every chance to survive the consequences of the legendary Georgian hospitality. Leaving at the same time vivid memories of this magnificent ancient custom.
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