Friday, October 30, 2009

Georgian Halloween and American “Supra”

Today is 30th of October and tomorrow comes Halloween. So decided to search some info about Halloween. I googled and found out pretty nice article on wikipedia. In the end of article from religion category I discovered this sentence, which made me laugh and surprised at the same time. Here it goes: “Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Halloween for they believe anything that originated from a pagan holiday should not be celebrated by true Christians.” I could suppose the meaning of phrase “true Christian” as Protestant, Catholics or other Christian sects, but not Jehovah’s Witnesses. That’s pretty dummy.

Look, I don’t want here to insult any religious groups’ belief. I’d better continue my speech. And so when I read the article remembered my first Halloween party. That was pretty funny and nice. I had not on costume with imitated bloody or costume of monster which always makes you look like a fright in the cornfield. No, mine was cooler then others. I remember I was in black at all. I had my black top-hat, mantis and stick.  And when I walk on the street people looked at me as I was a president or wtv.

And tomorrow comes another Halloween day. I suppose people enjoy and should have a good time.

 People often express their opinion about it. Many of them don’t like it because they think it is a antichristian and pagan ritual. Georgian patriarchate has given recommendation to parish not to take part in it.  I also have read book which was explaining such kind of events as pagan ritual. So as it seems it isn’t a holly fair, as I realize. But people don’t care about, cause they are going on party for a good time and enjoy, not with an abused desires.

Anyway, I should be very pleased if I see Americans celebrations on “supra”. For cultural relationships. If anybody doesn’t know what the “Supra” means I’ll explain. Well, at first every man sits at “supra” (table on which are various foods, sweet stuff, wine of course and many other things) until the end. And they say toasts to each other especially to him who’s birthday or has happened something important. Then you can say some story from your past life, for exl. How great times were when you could get to Moscow almost freely, and there had a good time with Natasha or Jenia or smth. Like her. But that not is a whole story, than if you got women with, you should cheer her with traditional toast. Than she should say thank you and take her sit. If you do not drink you can sit still. But if you drink with campany you got to talk much. Especially if you are “tamada”, a head speaker of table (“supra”). For note tamada must be skilled chatter, who knows many stories, jokes and poems. There is such expression In Georgians –“Drink some or I pour out it on you!” So It’s your choice whether drink or not. Also there is such tradition on supra like cheering the wine. But do not make pull your face, when you drink It. No, no just drink it completly, don’t you remember the expression? Ha-ha, kidding. Also there is very interesting tradition of wine-scooper. As always wine-scoopers are eldest person from campany. Attention: If your hand quivers, while pouring on, that means you are not skilled wine-scooper, so you’ve got to train much in this job! At Supra you have to drink till you lose one’s reason and on the second day you have to wake up with heavy headache named “nabakhusevi”. That’s why so hard to keep traditions, as they say. So good luck!

1 comment: