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Gulo was born in the village of Avenisi on the banks of the Aragvi River1 in 1940. She grew up singing with her older sister Tamar, and later married her childhood sweetheart from across the river and moved to his town, the historical Ananuri, home to a magnificent castle complex.
The building of the Zhinvali Dam in 1985-1986 affected the valley enormously, and today there is nothing left of Avenisi but the graveyard where Gulo’s family is buried.
1The major river of the eastern Georgian highlands of Khevsureti, Pshavi and Mtiuleti. The 112 kilometer long Aragvi was dammed in Zhinvali in 1986, forming the Zhinvali Reservoir which provides power to much of Georgia. The river eventually flows into the Mt'k'vari at Mtskheta.
A shepherd song.
In reference to this folk poem, Donald Rayfield in "The Literature of Georgia: A History" says:
The poetry that teases shepherds reflects the conviction, expressed in the definition of 'man' in a Tsova-Tush-Georgian dictionary, that a man is 'one who does not go among sheep.' Shepherds lack the charisma that Hellenic or Christian legends give them. In Tush poetry the shepherd is made to say:
I'm not fed up with the mountains
Nor do I long for the valley,
Nor to sleep and lie with beautiful women,
Nor to talk with them.
I prefer the red-eyed ewe
And tugging at her forelock.
To hear other versions of this song, visit the pages of Leila Lachisvhili and P'avle Burduli.
Mtas Qopna
(scroll down for English translation)
Mtas tovli mohk’idebia
Mts’qemso ahqare tskhvaria
Adek da barad chamodi
Bich’o sheirte kalia
An ar mogts’qinda mtas qopna
An ar moginda baria
An lamazi kaltan alersi
An mastan saubaria
Arts momts’qinda mtas qopna
Arts mominda baria
Arts lamaz kaltan alersi
Arts mastan saubaria
Tval ts’itel shishak mirchevnis
Chemi parekhis taghia
Barbalos nisli ts’vims islit
Kalis alersis daria
Translation:
To Be In The Mountains
There is snow in the mountains
Shepherd, take your flock
Come down to the plains
And find a woman to marry
Are you not bored of the mountains?
Don’t you want to be in the plains?
Don't you want to caress a beautiful woman?
Or at least talk with her?
I am not bored of the mountains
Nor do I want to be in the plains
Or to caress a beautiful woman
Or even to talk with her
I prefer my red-eyed sheep
I prefer the arch of my flock
And the fog of Borbalo1 that rains dew
Similar to a woman’s caresses
1At 3,294 meters Borbalo is highest peak in Pshav-Khevsureti.
This poem was written during World War II by the famous Georgian poet Irak’li Abashidze (1909-1992). The poem is about Captain Bukhaidze, a war hero who died in Balkaria.
In her book, ''Anthology of Georgian Poetry,'' Venera Urushadze states: ''All of the characteristic traits of Abashidze’s poetic talent are fully reflected in [Captain Bukhaidze] – a sincerely lyrical tone, truthfulness and spontaneity, clearness of form, a loft simplicity and popularity of poetic craftsmanship.''
The text that Gulo sings is very close to the orginal poem of Abashidze's, except for a change in the order of verses.
K’ap’ita’ni Bukhaidze
(scroll down for English translation)
Me kartveli bukhaidze,
Kavkavsis mtebshi vts’evar
Rom shemedzlos saplavidan
Dzmebo mkhrebis ts’amots’eva
Ar vushvebdi darialtan
Gaaptrebul qvitel gvelebs
/Me saplavshi k’i ara vts’evar
Ak darajad damaqenes/
Me sitsotskhles khelmeored
Shevts’iravdi mshobel mkhares,
/Shevts’iravdi imav mits’as,
Dghes rom gulze damaqares/
Vints damkhedot, gadaetsit
Sakartvelos mtebs da velebs
/Rom misi dze, bukhaidze
Aka vzhlet’di siskhlis msmelebs/
Da vubareb qvela kartvels:
Misi ts’minda vali ari -
/Mok’vdes, magram mk’erdit shehk’ras
Derbent’i da dariali/
Translation:
This translation comes from Venera Urushadze's 1958 ''Anthology of Georgian Poetry.'' Read more in ''About.''
Captain Bukhaidze
I am a Georgian, named Bukhaidze,
Buried upon a mountain high.
Could I but rise again, my brothers
From the dark grave wherein I lie!
I am no more, for I am dead,
But gladly would I sacrifice
My life once more for that sweet earth
That now upon my bosom lies.
Tell Georgia's spreading fields of green,
Snow-covered peaks and azure sky
That here, on Balkhareti1 mount
Bukhaidze crushed the enemy.
I barred the Pass of Dariel,2
Struck down the serpents with this hand.
Then I fell dead. But no! I live!
I live, and guard my motherland!
Georgians! your duty is to serve
Your land and for her rights to brave
All woes! The glory of dying
For Georgia illumines the grave!
(Ts'utisopeli has added the following footnotes:)
1Today it is called the Kaberdino-Balkar Republic. It is a federal subject of Russia in the North Caucasus.
2The Darial Pass in Khevi, Georgia (1,450 meters) is the historical pass of the central Caucasus that connects Vladikavkaz in Russia to Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital.
Gulo remembers singing joke songs with her girlfriends as a child in Avenisi. Each girl would improvise a verse, sometimes so random that it made them all laugh.
Sakhumaro Avenisze
(scroll down for English translation)
T’irian tushi kalebi
Ar mogvividnen kmarebi
Vai nu dakhotses lek’ebma
Daaqrevines tavebi
Net’avi momk’la mtashia
Dammarkha bunebashia
Net’avi gamagebina
Ra gidevst gunebashia
Kalav gushin da gushints’in
Deda rad gijavrdeboda
Mesmoda sheni kvitini
Vakhshami mimts’ardeboda
Chamoskhdebian khevsurni
Ludis sasmelad banzeda
Kalau chventan gadmodi
Nu gamirbikhar ganzeda
Net’avi radme maktsia
Bulbulad gadamaktsia
Masts’avla bulbulis ena
Tkven baghebs shemomachvia
Kalav gushin da gushints’in
Deda rad gijavrdeboda
Mesmoda sheni kvitini
Vakhshami mimts’ardeboda
Khorkhor dagvt’oveb t’ialo
Ts’iplano da khilianao
Gadmogiare jijeto da
Serebiano t’qiano
Visi khar kali lamazi
Tvalch’relo ts’itelmiano
Visi khar kali lamazi
Tvalch’relo ts’iteltmiano
Translation:
A Joke Song From Avenisi
Tush women are crying:
Our husbands have not come back to us
May they not be killed by the Leks!1
May they not be decapitated!
I want to die in the mountains
And be buried in nature
I wish I understood
Why you are so upset!
Woman, yesterday and the day before
Why was your mother so mad at you?
I heard you sobbing
And it ruined my supper
Khevsurs were sitting
Drinking beer on the rooftop, saying:
''Woman, come over to my house
Don’t run away from me!''
I wish I were something else
Turn me into a nightingale!
I will learn the nightingale’s language
And show up in your garden
Woman, yesterday and the day before
Why was your mother so mad at you?
I heard you sobbing
And it ruined my supper
Khorkhor left us, what a shame
Beech trees and fruits
I passed through Jijeti2
With its hills and forests
Whose are you, beautiful woman?
With dappled eyes and red hair
Whose are you, beautiful woman?
With dappled eyes and red hair
1Leks / Lekebi = Hinukh people: One of the many tribes (together with Avars and Dargins) living in the North Caucasus region that is today called Dagestan. Leks were traditional enemies of Georgians during the 18th century, regularly invading and raiding the valleys of Kakheti. Today, Georgians refer to as ''lek'' all the tribes from Dagestan.
2A beautiful village in the hills of Erts'o-Tianeti.
Telavze
(scroll down for English translation)
Sakartvelos qvavilshi t’urpa vardi khar
Mag p’at’ara silamazit martlats k’argi khar
K’akhetis gulis mshvenebao lamazo mkharev
Chven k’op’ts’ia telavo shen gaikhare
Vit deda shvilebs oblebsa tavs gadahqurebs
Rats dro gadis jeildeba aba uquret
Ramdeni gmiris ak’vani shen daarts’ie
Kvit k’iris galavniano shen genatsvale
Nadik’vari niavi tu tsivi mtebia
Qvelaperi uk’etesze uk’etesia
Mit’oma msurs t’k’bili khmebit guli vijero
Chemo k’op’ts’ia telavo, sul shen gimghero
Sad aris erek’les khmali sakartveloshi
Bashi achuk’ze tkmuleba dzvel shuamtashi
P’at’ara da k’okht’a kalo chveno telavo
Itsotskhle mravalzhamier t’urpa telavoa
Translation:
Telavi1
You are a rose among the flowers of Georgia
With your beauty, you are truly good
The charm of the K'akhetian heart, your land
Is our treasure, you shine with content
Like a mother watching after orphans growing
Look how it blossoms as time is flowing
How many cribs of heroes you gently shook
Surrounded by stony walls my admiration you took
Be it the Nadik'vari2 breeze or a cold mountain rest
All of you is the best of the best
That’s why with sweet voices my heart shall ring
My tiny treasure Telavi, for you I sing
Where is the sword of King Erek'le3
In Georgia to be found?
The tale about Bashi Achuki4
In ancient Shuamta5 goes round
Our small and beautiful lady Telavi
Long shall you live, beautiful Telavi!
1The administrative capital of the eastern province of K'akheti, Telavi is considered by many to be the ''heart'' of the region.
2A beautiful place in Telavi that overlooks the rest of the town as well as the Alazani Valley.
3 The last king of Georgia, King Erekle II (1720-1798) before the country was annexed by Russia.
4A legendary 17th century Imeretian rebel, famous for fighting the Persians. His story inspired authors like Ak'ak'i Ts'ereteli, who wrote a book about him.
5Located 7 km from Telavi, Old Shuampta, a Georgian Orthodox Monastery was originally constructed in the 5th century.