TransCaucasus (original) (raw)

I spent a wonderful week up in Tusheti, travelling to Tsovata via the Gometsari valley with two friends - Peggy Scremin, the "Attachee de Cooperation" at the French embassy in Tbilisi, and Lali Laliashvili, a French-speaking half-Tush girl from Kistauri. We were the guests of the three "shulta" ("hosts") of this year's celebrations: Zura Garsevanidze (the former mayor of Zemo Alvani), Besik Kaishvili, and Petre Ushurauli (the master shepherd!).

Our driver (a Tsova, naturally!) tops up the Niva's tank with a jar of moonshine petrol in Kvemo Alvani before we embark upon the epic drive over the mountains into Tusheti.

The road up to Tusheti (looking from the Caucasus mountains down towards the Alazani Valley and Kakheti).

The compulsory glasses of chacha (Georgian grappa - triple-distilled grape mush from the bottom of the wine press) on top of the 3,000m Abanos Pass which separates Tusheti from Kakheti. Because of the pass' high altitude, the road to Tusheti is only open to cars from mid-June to mid-September (and only passable to shepherds and horses from mid-May to late September).

The (superb) view from the Abanos Pass down into Tusheti.

The Sulak river basin, with Omalo ("the capital of Tusheti") and its fantastic castle in the background.

The end of the road: Pati's fabulous guesthouse in the hamlet of Djvarboseli, "the byre of the Cross", where we spend the night on our way to Tsovata.

The superb view down the Gometsari valley from Pati's guesthouse, as photographed from the bathroom [i.e. loo].

The view from Pati's guesthouse up the Gometsari Valley, with the path to Tsovata in the foreground.

The next day: Early morning preparations for the ride/walk to Tsovata.

Even Nivas (!) can go no further.

A pack-horse.

The path that leads to Tsovata, looking down the Gometsari Valley back towards Djvarboseli.

The Tsovatistsqali River (a tributary of the Gometsris Alazani), looking towards Tsovata.

Our host in Tsovata: Mirza. (Looking festive, as usual.)

Nightlife in Tsovata: The young Tsovas compete in lifting weights on their hand made bench-press.

What dreams are made of (for young shepherds in Tsovata).

The eve of Dadaloba. Mirza and his horse, with k'en sameb, "the old [church of the] Trinity" on the sacred hill in the background.

Another, better view of the old church of the Trinity and the sacred hill. (Note the "stone man" on the latter's summit.) Women are not allowed to walk upon the hill, and it is not considered proper and respectful for them to even approach its flanks.

Celebrating the victory of Mirza (black t-shirt) in the "doghi" ("horse race"), a ritual horse race which is held yearly, and is the high-point of the Bats festival of "dadaloba", "the Feast of God the Father".

Zura Garsevanidze, the former mayor of the Bats village of Zemo Alvani (in Kakheti), and one of this year's three "shulta" ("host"). His saddlebags both contain a (live) sheep, which will be taken down the Tsovatistsqali valley from Indurta to Tsaro, where their sacrifice will mark the beginning of the "doghi" ("horse race").

Rezo, a Bats who works as an airline pilot in China, was this year's "tamada" ("toast-master", i.e. master of ceremonies). Here he stands, addressing the (male end) of the table during the feast which follows the "doghi" ("horse race").