Sunday, January 29, 2006

GEORGIAN HISTORY - "...Where a Georgians comes to..."
by Giorgi Gabeskiria

The six-thousand-year-old historical experience of humankind instructs us in the following: a fortunate development and longevity of existence of any nation totally depends on the extent of its ethnic identity and psychology, as well as on the extent of its power to defend its particular vital interests and intrinsic ethnic unity – through the utmost mobilization of the energy the nation possesses, disclosing the national concord and unanimity in selfless devotion to protect the legacy of its ancestors: the fundamental values of the mother-tongue, historical territory - the land of their country, the statehood, religion, as well as the traditional ways of life. An Indian thinker, Vivekananda is correct in his observation, that “Every nation, as well as every individual has the sole theme as the basis of his life, the central note, and all other notes of harmony assemble around it... In case the nation rejects it, in case the nation rejects the principle of its own vitality, the direction inherited from the centuries – it will die”. Ilia Chavchavadze, our great writer and public figure is right, too, in his opinion: “The nation of the sole interest and deed, under the sole historical yoke, struggling in unity, undergoing the same misfortunes and the same flukes - is strong through its unanimity and steadfastness”, “A nation possesses a single soul, a single heart, but the amount of flesh equals the number of separate individuals”. The XXth century writer, K.Gamsakhurdia believed that “If the greatest obligation of every particular individual is a Socratic self-perception, even more should be required of the whole nation - that incomparably profound and complex ideological entity to perceive the full scope of its own potential and recognize the ranges of its creativity”.
It should be said to the Georgians’ credit that long beforer many of the world’s foremost nations, they managed to solve the task of its development into a solid ethnosocial entity, and in the acknowledgement and perception - either “of the scope of their own might” or “the ranges of their creative potential” - they reached the pinnacle of their ethnocultural and ethnopolitical evolution at the time when the first heralds of European Renaissance were not even born, while the major part of the old continent was in the mean nippers of scholastic wisdom. It should be noted that in the IXth century, Georgian monks on the Sinai mountain already prayed “for peace in Kartli, for the fortification of its borders, for setting the king’s and feudals’ mind at rest, for the repelling of invaders and for the influx of the captives - and for the settling down of disastrous period”. In 1084, the authors of the Petritsoni monastery typicon proudly inferred: “We, the Georgians are alert, supported by our relations, raised by the warriors and accustomed to the life of permanent hardships” - which, in itself, was quite an early but ripe and clear demonstration of our ethnic self-consciousness. To the top
Prince Vakhushti Bagrationi particularly clarifies the national features characteristic to the Georgians in the past: In his capital study - “A Description of the Kingdom of Georgia”, he writes: “They had the ways and the habits... ever striving for the integrity of the kingdom, but when deprived of some area, regretted they a lot of the shrinking borders and attempted greatly to restore the impaired position; displayed their unyielding devotion to their kings and overpowered by some overwhelming force surrendered they not, but struggled for the regaining of the former stance, and betrayed not their Lord, and their king, and their ways”...
The quoted excerpt illustrates the existence of a perfect doctrine since ancient period, regarding the essential principles Georgian national policy, which are: 1) struggle for the independence and the statewide unification of the native country, 2) joint efforts to return the historical territories seized by the enemies, 3) ever-devoted service to the monarchy and 4) life under the conditions of national disobedience - concerning the power of foreign rulers - and strict adherence to their own habits and traditions, together with uncompromising defense of religion and statehood.
The rigorous implementation of the cited principles developed in Georgians a strong sense of statehood and a compementary - from their very teens molding in their honest character a specific sensualistic vertical love - first for God, second for their homeland, and - the traditions and ways of their forefathers, and lastly - for their kin and their own selves. However, this type of mentality transformed into an unbreakable ideological coat of mail that saved Georgians from an almost seven centuries long pitiless press of ethnocyde and spared them a nearly inevitable physical elimination, thus, the nation, small in number and pursuing its way on the hanging bridge of history, was provided with the tiniest chance of retaining its ethnic identity.
How persuasively sound our poet’s - Grigol Orbeliani’s words: “. .the courage of Georgians is a matter of general praise, and they love their fatherland the proof of which is that the smallness of kingdoms never impeded its abilities to protect its frontiers, likewise its language and religion - were it not for the exceptional bravery and love of the kings and homeland. A number of times did the history demonstrate Georgia’s knack at restoring itself again from total annihilation. Similar miracles are created only through valour and love of the motherland and religion”. To the top
Therefore, all the generations of Georgians are equally entitled to join P.lngorokva, our famed scholar, stating that Georgia is “the land of the Georgian nation, where it realized its history and where every piece of land and every corner is occupied by the monuments of the colourful Georgian culture. No one shall ever find a single piece of land, annexed through invasion or in any other way”.
It is true, that as a result of incessant expansion of foreigners, Georgia diminished and shrank, while the people of Georgia quite a few times reached an alarming stage of complete exhaustion of national energy, yet it had never betrayed the basic principles of the national policy, due to “the succession of days and cycles of intervals”, likewise, out of its own wish, it had never thrown on the scales of history the defining values of ethnic identity, the concept of Sakartvelo “ itself has never been drained of ethnographic, geographic, cultural or political contents.
In spite of the terrible repression, not a single bloodthirsty agressor succeeded in quelling of the struggle for freedom in the nature of Georgians, as well as in erasing the concept of Georgianhood” and “the entity of Georgianhood” from their ethnic memory. Even in the periods of complete deprivation of political rights, the nation did not give up its historical ideals, and in certain regions of the country it was possible to grasp the blessings and prayers for the native country:
“Almighty God, pray, keep Georgia in the radiance of happinness, within its borders. Set peace on all the four sides. The blessed one, punish all the possessors of evil eye and evil heart!” (Tusheti).
“. .Let the entire Georgia’s angels-children of God stay victorious! Let their grace and their might help the whole of Georgia - and the one who supports the whole of Georgia. “ (Mtiuleti).
“Almighty God, provide the hapinness to each epitome of Georgia, with its land and waters. May there never come their decline and end!” (Gudamakari) To the top
It is a fact, that even at the most disastrous stages of their historical development, the Georgians had never yielded to despair and never fully surrendered their traditions of fighting the ever overwhelming numerous enemies - as well as their honourable tradition of agriculture (“the land-farming” and cattle-breeding), which is expressed with an admiring simplicity in a Tushetian folk prayer: “Lord, help the wearers either of hats or the head-scarfs: females, males and youths! May Thou help the sabre-bearer (i.e. a warrior) and a crook-bearer (i.e. a Shepherd) and the plough-man, may Thou make them victorious over the enemies they have and endow them with wealth! “
So, we can hardly consider the words of our writer, A.Tsereteli, an overestimation: “A real enigma should be called the life of Georgians! When considering the story of our country, it always puzzles me that there hardly can be found a nation that after becoming stronger and invading other states, would not assault this tiny bit of a parcel-of-a-country, but hey! Isn’t it a wonder, they share the fate of huge waves, crushing against a small rock and repelling! Where are they now? - There, transformed into the matter of fairy-tales, while our small nation has survived to the present day... “
It seems, Vaja Pshavela’s opinion directly substantiates the priority of historical experience of the “handful nation” of Georgians -against that of the “fairy-tale matter” nations: “. .All nations, worthy of the name of a nation, do have a history and a past, they also possess a historical ideal - or a historical testament... The virtues of the past provide a modern nation with delight and resuscitation, cheering it up and encouraging for the achievement of a better future... Doomed is the nation lacking a history, the nation that does not regard its historical testament as its icon... If a nation appreciates its own nationhood and cares about it, it shall escape the death, whether physical or any other type. Still, it is obliged to know, observe and remember the conditions of endless life. The truth is, in case it succeeds in observing and following those traditions, it will remain in the state of eternal youth, yet be enriched by the experience of aged wisdom.” To the top
Now, as we approach the 3000th anniversary of Georgian statehood, we can definitely state that our nation, “so used to the life of permanent disasters”, has preserved and kept the “conditions of endless life” with dignity, and at the cost of immense sacrifices and losses has managed to remain “an eternal youth, enriched by the experience of aged wisdom”.
In order to evade the aging of the Georgian historical ideals in the XXI century and to prevent “the new Georgians” – molded for “a citizen of the world” mental model - from losing the habitual interest and devotion the Georgians duly feel towards their historical testament, a perfect knowledge of their own country is a must, as well as permanently keeping in memory that “the disappointed ones in their own identity and indidviduality, those who have in fact rejected their own “selfness” and torn it away from their hearts, and have become oblivious of it, shall not be able to accumulate what belongs to others, neither shall they become devoted to what is others’” (1. Chavchavadze).
The book by Giorgi Gabeskiria, “Where a Georgian comes to”, has a certain value for us because of its characteristic and very balanced apologia for Georgianhood, which invariably increases in a reader the vitality of national self-consciousness, spiritually encourages him/her and “arouses a desire to achieve a perfect future”. Although the author of the book is not a professional historian, the quality of his work vastly exceeds the level of amateurish attempts of some authors, obsessed by historical ambitions.
Although the book presents a kind of a summary of the results of a number of Georgian researches in historical ethnography and linguistics, and altogether is of a compiling nature, it nevertheless possesses considerable features of an independent science research, and above all - it is perfectly readable, since it collects an impressive multicoloured informative and cognizant material, that an interested reader can hardly find in special literature on history and ethnography, or in booklets and reference books that have been published until now. So, we can certainly state, that publications of this type, by all means provide valuable service for the growth of the sense of ethnic identity among Georgians, and it will certainly attract the attention of the majority of our compatriots, who still consider their “historical testament as a kind of icon”, the attention of those, who - unlike a few West- or North-oriented individuals - do not, of course, require to be reminded of the fact that “savagery, baseness of spirit and ignorance, do not respect the past and adulate the present.” A.Pushkin)
It is clear, that the concept of a genuine patriot does not imply a general Georgian obligation for everybody to follow G.Gabeskiria’s example and start writing, dedicated particularly to national issues, but the real patriots certainly should read this type of books frequently - in order to widen their horizon, strengthen their ethnic self-assuredness and save their sense of national esteem in this blessed part of the universe, “where a Georgian comes to.”Vakhtang ltonishvili24.07.1999 To the top
The book is supplemented with a number of maps, drafts, pictures and photos, most of which were created or utilized by a creative group that has been working on Georgian and common Caucasian themes for years. The promoter and leader of this group was Vakhtang Itonishvili. After his tragic death the creative group continued its work under the direction of Khatuna Ioseliani and completed the artistic design of Giorgi Gabeskiria’s book.
At long last the work has produced us an interesting book about Georgia and the Caucasus. Taking into consideration the current great interest in the original, multiform culture and problems of Caucasus the contribution of this creative group should actually be recognized as a great achievement which is of great use for everyone with any concern about the Caucasus Region which is called the “Philosophers’ Mountain”.
The visual material was obtained and processed by Vakhtang Itonishvili, Khatuna Ioseliani and George Mamardashvili. It is noteworthy that each picture, composition and element has been created and arranged on the basis of research of a many scientific references and sources. Each detail of the artwork is related to the relevant epoch by its symbols.
The maps have been drawn up by cartographer Alexander Nazgaidze. Most of the pictures are drawn by the artist Zaal Sulukauri. The works of Guram Mgebrishvili, Giorgi Gegechkori, Tamaz Khutsishvili, Koka Ignatovi and Sergo Kobuladze have also been used.
Translated from Georgian into English by Kote Gogolashvili.
We should like to acknowledge kind advice on certain matters rendered to us by historians Valerian Itonishvili and Levan Pruidze, linguist Tamar Kobakhidze, director Leri Sikharulidze, Manana Gabeskiria.
A part of artistic design was processed on computer by George Nakaidze and Murman Khaindrava. The book was processed on computer and bound by George Gongadze.
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