By Edith McClintock
Below are historical drawings of Georgian folk costumes (with hats) grouped by ethnicity, region and class, followed by current versions of folk costumes from a Georgian youth dance festival I attended a few years ago. Can you sort out what region the Georgian youth folk dancers are from based on their costumes? There is one male costume that is similar to all three regions. Do you see it?
It dates from the Middle Ages and is called a chokha. It's calf-length with a tapered waist and bandoliers (shoulder-belts with loops or pockets for cartridges) sewn across the breast. Accessories typically include a hat (which can be felt or shaggy--see my friend wearing a shaggy tourist version at the very end), tall leather boots, and a belt that holds a dagger called a khanjali.
East Georgians: Kartlian peasant, townsman-craftsman, townsman-merchant, upper class Kartl-Kakhetians and Ingilos
West Georgians: Megrel-Gurians, Imeretians and Acharians
Georgian Highlanders: Tush, Khevsurs, Svans and Rachians
Below are historical drawings of Georgian folk costumes (with hats) grouped by ethnicity, region and class, followed by current versions of folk costumes from a Georgian youth dance festival I attended a few years ago. Can you sort out what region the Georgian youth folk dancers are from based on their costumes? There is one male costume that is similar to all three regions. Do you see it?
It dates from the Middle Ages and is called a chokha. It's calf-length with a tapered waist and bandoliers (shoulder-belts with loops or pockets for cartridges) sewn across the breast. Accessories typically include a hat (which can be felt or shaggy--see my friend wearing a shaggy tourist version at the very end), tall leather boots, and a belt that holds a dagger called a khanjali.
East Georgians: Kartlian peasant, townsman-craftsman, townsman-merchant, upper class Kartl-Kakhetians and Ingilos
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| Ethnographic Drawings by Nino Brailashvili, 1930s-1980s |
West Georgians: Megrel-Gurians, Imeretians and Acharians
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| Ethnographic Drawings by Nino Brailashvili, 1930s-1980s |
 |
| Ethnographic Drawings by Nino Brailashvili, 1930s-1980s |
Georgian youth folk dancers:
Dance version of chokha with shaggy fur hat:
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What interesting drawings and photos. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos! Makes me long for khachipuri!
ReplyDeleteReally lovely photos, Edith. And so much cultural diversity in a small country. That dance festival must have been a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteLove all of these images, Edith!
ReplyDelete