Lichanishoba: Svaneti celebrates birth of its sons
This is Adishi – a small village, 6,000 feet above sea level, in Georgia’s high mountainous region of Svaneti. 15 families live in this village in the Greater Caucasus Mountains throughout the year. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
In early August, Adishi has a festival to celebrate the births of male children who were born the previous year, and people pray for the birth of sons in the upcoming year. This year, more than 150 people walked or rode their horses about 3 kilometers to a small church in the hills. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Mothers and fathers bring their new-born sons to say thank you to St Giorgi, who is the patron saint of Georgia and the most respected saint in Svaneti. People even call the festival the St Giorgi Festival despite the fact it is officially known as Lichanishoba. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
People took sheep to the church. They also carried home-made wine, vodka and bread. All these items are used for different rituals that come from earlier centuries. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
High poles are one of the most important attributes of the Lichanishoba celebration. The idea is that parents who gave birth to a son the previous year create flags with these poles and kerchiefs, which are decorated with their sons’ names. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
People bring different coloured kerchiefs, trying to have the most beautiful and distinguished kerchiefs that year. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Parents are embroidering their sons’ names on the kerchiefs and hanging them on the poles. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Praying in the church is an important part of Lichanishoba festival. For about five hours Svan men prayed over offerings such as wine, vodka, bread, sheep, roasted mutton, and money. Men blessed their sheep to prepare them for sacrifice. Inside the Adishi church, village leaders passed a candle over each sheep, then walked the sheep in a circle, and prayed. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Women are not allowed in this church. They stand at the door and ask St Giorgi to bless their families and village. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
After the sheep had been blessed inside the Adishi church, men butchered them in the surrounding field. Men hung chunks of skinned sheep from a rail until the meat could be boiled in one of the two huge cauldrons. Photo by N.Alavidze.Agenda.ge.
Svan men blessed the meat also with wine and wished to have nice dinner with their families and villagers. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
This year about 30 sheep were sacrificed. The Lichanishoba festival involves sacrificing sheep to the old Svani goddess of fertility, Kviria. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Men boiled and cooked meat in two large cauldrons. Then families and friends enjoyed the meat as they gathered in small groups on the hillside for a picnic. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
While waiting for the mutton to cook, a group of younger men gathered to watch each other attempt to lift a 150-kilogram stone above their shoulders and then let the stone fall behind their backs. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The time came for the most exciting part of the celebration when men start raising their poles. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Each men took their own poles which were already decorated with kerchiefs. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The higher the pole is the more proud is the owner of it. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
This embroidered kerchief says Toma Kaldani was born in Svaneti. Photo by N.Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
These 15 raised poles means that 15 sons were born in the Adishi community in 2016. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Men trying to fix the poles firmly in the ground. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Gunter Avaliani, one of the Adishi leaders, brought an icon of St. George to the Lichanishoba fertility festival. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Towards the end of the festival, people swarmed around Gunter Avaliani to give him 5 – 10 GEL notes and names of people they wanted to be blessed. Behind Emzar, colorful flags fly from tall poles. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Flags with the names of new-born Svan boys are proudly flying high in the Adishi sky. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.