In the 1970's Nodar Dumbadze wrote a story which claimed that the tradition of the Georgian table at some point began to contradict modern times and the European direction of society's development.
Several years ago the ambassador of France to Georgia called the Georgian table “too schematic.” The strict hierarchy of pledges, the institution of toasts and so on are unusual for Europeans, who prefer entertainment over ceremony.
But why should the Georgians reject the tradition, just because it is not understandable to other peoples? People of a progressive state of mind say that any traditional ceremony can be pernicious, as initially it has a cultural code. For example, Estonia was welcomed into the EU a few years after getting independence, whereas Turkey has been trying to become an EU member since the mid 60's. Maybe the point is in cultural codes?
One more aspect of the problem is the influence of the tradition on the social and political life of Georgia. If two Georgians meet at one table and chatter away as parents, they become close people with particular moral duties. Thus, representatives of the opposition and the ruling party would never sit at one table.
Times go by and changes are obvious. Evenings a la fourchette and cocktails became popular and nobody is surprised at that fact. At traditional tables, the master-of-ceremonies, the tamada, breaks some rules and lets all the guests raise toasts. All these changes confirm that no tradition can resist globalization.
Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to VK.
