‘Peope rarely drink in Georgia without toasts’

Acclaimed writer Nino Haratischwili, known for her bestseller The Eighth Life (for Brilka), will kick off Forum on European Culture with a supra, a Georgian feast. Expect music, food and plenty of Georgian wine. We spoke with Nino Haratischwili about how she reinterprets this festive tradition.

What exactly is a supra?
‘A supra is a traditional Georgian table where many people often come together and eat, and drink and sing. There can be various occasions: celebrations, weddings, birthdays. There are long tables with many different dishes on them. Traditionally, there is always a kind of leader, called a Tamada, who is always a man. He holds toasts and sets the agenda, so to speak, which everyone then gets talking about. Sometimes it can be very tiring because the toasts are often predetermined, but if it’s a good Tamada – then it can be a very stimulating evening full of anecdotes and laughter. Actually, the idea is that when so many people come together, some of whom don’t know each other, they are all brought together by one person.’

What meaning does this ritual hold in Georgia?
‘It is a very old and very popular tradition. Peope rarely drink in Georgia without toasts. Simply raising a wine glass and drinking is not common, not even among the less traditionally minded. However, this does not mean that a tamada is always present at every celebration and that this ritual is always observed. Of course, you can also celebrate a little more casually.’ 

How do you reinterpret the traditions of the supra during the event at De Balie?
‘My intention with our project was to question this tradition from a female perspective, because women are often the subject of the toasts – their beauty and their dignity – but in reality they are often the ones who set the table and cook and serve. Moreover, Georgian women are often the ones who keep families together. Work, taking care of children and elder ones and even earning money. Especially in the last 34 years since the independence and the challenges that have followed. In addition, the toasts usually emphasize the beautiful and good sides of life and the sayings end up in templates. I wanted to tell the real stories behind themes like homeland and love from the women’s point of view.’

What kind of performances can people expect?
‘The special thing about our performance is that there is no separation between the audience and the performers. Everyone sits at the table, as is the case with the classic supra. It is modeled exactly on the real format: with food, drink, singing. Except that we tell completely different stories and it’s all women: the singers and the players. They are all tamadas, if you like. And the texts are a kind of collage of my novels and plays. The songs consist of popular chansons that are sung at the supras.’