Chidaoba recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

The art of traditional Georgian wrestling, chidaoba, has been inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list by a decision of the international body’s committee in Port Louis, Mauritius.

The phenomenon, known in Georgian as chidaoba, was added to the list at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage yesterday.

The practice is a complex phenomenon that combines elements of wrestling, music, dance and special garments (‘chokha’)”

"[Chidaoba] tournaments take place in an open-air arena, surrounded by a large audience [...] wrestlers attempt to defeat each other through special holds, and vibrant music enhances the dynamics of the contest," Agenda.ge cited a release by UNESCO as saying.

Chidaoba received a national status of intangible cultural heritage in Georgia in 2014, prior to its nomination for the UNESCO list.

The national wrestling now joins Georgian polyphonic singing, ancient Georgian traditional qvevri wine-making method and living culture of three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet in the international roster of intangible heritage.