Watching the Georgian National Folk Choir and Dance Ensemble "Rustavi" at Hiroshima Bunka Gakuen HBG Hall.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

This year, there were two tickets I bought as soon as I heard about the performances: one for Gergiev's Mahler and this one for the Georgian dance.

When I visited Georgia, I didn't come with any particular interest in the country; in a sense, I experienced it as a companion. I was surprised by the roughness—the roughness, the roughness—of the national character, the way they drove, the low-growing plants eaten by the land, the people in restaurants eating an incredible amount of khinkali, and the livestock roaming freely everywhere. I felt like I understood why this country had a special charm, yet it was hard to grasp.

"Aaaaaah!" People in the Svaneti region, in their conversations with one another, would let out an "Aaaaaah!" with tremendous volume and intensity if they couldn't catch a word or were responding to something. In shared cars, they would keep playing fast-paced Georgian music at an incredible volume, regardless of the fact that the speakers were blown out.

On the mountain slope right in front of the rest hut, pigs were taking a nap.

I am left with the impression of a dizzying trip, being constantly urged to drink homemade wine and a strong distilled spirit called chacha.

After leaving Georgia, the person at the house where I stayed in Azerbaijan happened to love folk dance, and it was through a video they showed me that I learned about Georgian dance.

I was moved and thought it was amazing.

What would it have been like if I had been taught the good parts of this country from the beginning before visiting? If you visit this country without any prior knowledge, you will be constantly surprised by a strength of vitality different from that of India. India is vast, majestic, cunning, and rich in a surprising variety of humanity. It is like a natural expression of overflowing vitality.

However, the vitality of this country is a proud, brave, and fierce vitality, nurtured by an ancient history and a land that cannot help but be involved in conflict. It is also related to the blood of mountain tribes, a quality that shares similarities with the boldness of Tibetans born from the harshness of nature, and the masculinity of Afghans born from the invasions of various peoples. It makes one feel that the determination to see things through from the dawn of history still resides in the people of this country.

The songs and dances of such people show the uniqueness of each region existing in a not-so-large land, clearly conveying that they were nurtured by the rugged Caucasus Mountains.

They are extremely powerful, graceful, and full of vibrant life. It proves that it is the strength of nature itself.

Starting from the video I saw in Azerbaijan, the dancing and choral singing expanded into a dream through repeated YouTube viewings, and as expected, this performance was an overwhelming display that left me in tears. I still can't believe I was able to see it in reality.

I would like to thank all the organizers, sponsors, supporters, and everyone involved. I am truly happy that Georgian dance and song can be seen in Japan.

It was a truly wonderful time.