National traditions of Georgia. Habits, mentality and the way of living

The main character traits of the Georgian people dating back history are; spontaneity, sincerity and self-esteem. According to legend, it was these qualities of their national character that God liked so much that when creating the world, He gave Georgians the best lands that He originally wanted to keep for Himself. One of the main cultural traditions of Georgia is her local hospitality. The cordiality in relation to guests is perceived as an obligatory attribute of anyone who considers himself to be a decent person. According to a Georgian proverb, guests are sent by the Creator. Therefore, hospitality is considered to be much more significant than courage or fortitude.

Feasts in Georgia usually involve a large number of guests. One of the main functions is performed by the toastmaster whose task is to maintain the unity and excitement of those seated at the table. Often times, the host himself acts as the toastmaster. The Georgian feast is accompanied by toasts. If you are present during a toast, it is expected that you empty your glass cup after a toast has been made. Toasts are pronounced on various occasions: for the owners of the house, family, love ones and women. A birthday celebrant is congratulated with a toast. As a rule, the celebration lasts until late in the evening. After the official reasons for toasting are exhausted, further ideas are generated to keep the toast tradition going. Such meetings in Georgia are quite fun and are accompanied by songs and dances to music. Almost everyone present usually partakes in these activities. If a hospitable reception is expected from the host, then the guest should be modest, courteous and self-restrained.

Georgian culture is based on masculinity, so the man assumes the role of defender of the family and the fatherland. Boys from early childhood are taught masculinity, determination and courage. From this, they develop their willpower, learn to properly handle weapons and protect not only themselves but others in need. Such traditions of upbringing are conditioned by the historical militancy of the Georgian people who were often faced with the need to defend their homeland and their own dignity from enemies. Georgians, like anyone else, hold dear the notion of patriotism and a sense of national identity. Women in Georgia are traditionally considered as homemakers, loving wives and mothers, taking advantage of respectful attitude and reverence from men. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Work is highly valued in the country. Conscientiousness and perseverance in work help the Georgians achieve their goals and thereby demonstrate tremendous effectiveness in any circumstance. Education is considered as the basis of life success in Georgia. The desire to get a good education which is widespread among the young demographic of the Country’s population, has led to an increase in the number of skilled workers. Georgians often show wit and ingenuity in their work. They have excellent memory and a high ability to adapt to different working conditions. Friendship is of great importance for every Georgian. A friend often takes first place in his life while relatives and associates are in second place. The importance of friendly ties is vividly presented in the Georgian language where there are special references to friends who became brothers or sisters to each other: “dakali” – “sister-woman” and “dzmakatsi” – “brother-man”.

The Georgian people are very optimistic. They are no strangers to philosophical view of things, including life’s troubles. A special sense of humor is often helpful when handling gloomy Georgians. People in Georgia do not like to put themselves under stress, which sometimes leads to unpunctuality. It is par for the course here to be late for work for seemingly ridiculous reasons or to leave early, not fulfilling their promises, or wishful thinking, or to sugarcoat bad situations and gloss over people’s errors. If the Georgians vouches to do something in an hour, you can expect the fulfillment of the obligation the day after. “Tomorrow” here often means “a month”.

A sense of self-worth is manifested in relation to work. The problem of unemployment in Georgia is acute. Nevertheless, the Georgians themselves are not in a hurry to be hired as a builder, repair worker or a janitor, as they regard such activities as not prestigious and inappropriate to their position. Such vacancies are usually left for migrants. Enduring hardships, Georgians would rather go trade their belongings in a flea market or get into debt than decide to sweep sidewalks or wash dishes in a restaurant. Georgian men prefer to spend their free time playing backgammon, cards or dominoes. Women on the other hand like to gossip about common acquaintances or just talk about life with neighbors, relatives or girlfriends.