"Berobana" in Bazgireti

Abstract

Ancient folk theatrical performances have been preserved in villages to this day. These are the ritual performances that do not need a stage, written texts, or the hand of a professional director. This is a mass play in which everyone can participate. The origin of improvised folk theater decorated with music and masks is lost in the depths of centuries. The holiday, which has survived to this day in the ethnographic reality, is connected with the cult of nature and in its essence is a ritual dedicated to fertility and the revival of nature. While researching the details of human existence, the researcher deals directly with the culture, traditions, and way of life of this or that people, the relationship of this or that people with other cultures. This article presents the rural theatrical play "Berobana", which has survived to this day in the village of Madeni (Bazgireti). This theatrical spectacle comes from ancient times and traces of different eras are noticeable in it. A performance similar to Berobana is known in Georgia under the name Berikaba-Keenobi. It is a holiday, carnival, and ritual fun. It is significant that both "berikaoba" and "monasticism" come from one Georgian word - "monk". Bazgireti is a Georgian village in the Shavsheti district of Artvini province. The middle and older generations speak Georgian. In Bazgireti, many ancient Georgian traditions and rich oral traditions have been preserved. Shavsheti was the oldest province of historical South Georgia. Its difficult history was reflected in all spheres of life, and therefore, traces of cultural dialogue are visible in modern Shavsheti.