That day

So that day has come... 21st of may... The memorial day for the exile of Caucasians from their homeland. Some people oppose to the use of this term "exile". They say it was a chosen migration. They say the Muslims migrated. They say people went for better harvest. Some say the elite sold or convinced or took their people... Some say that it was not an exile but a deportation with agreement of parties... Some argue they had choices... Whatever they say, today the day that marks the end of the Russio-Caucasus wars, that is 21st of May, which was a day of celebration for Tsarist Russia of victory in the Caucasus, is a day of remembrance for the people who died in this event of the 19th century.
The family histories, and records of official archives, say that people were put on ships. The ships were overloaded, and many sank on the way. Many people died of hunger and diseases on the ships and after arrival.
The territories shown to migrants were not suitable for settlement, many more died in the next months.
The last couple of decades, the remembrance day, 21st of may, has been the most important event of all political-cultural organizations of the Diaspora. Before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the memorial day was also a big event in Abkhazia. Last year they showed on TV how people travel from all regions, in buses, and how crowded it was. The president of the time -Bagrat Shinkuba, the writer of the famous book THE LAST OF THE DEPORTED- was making a speech about the exile.
Just yesterday, an early returnee was telling me how crowded it would be and how they would throw flowers with candles to the sea from a ship, and even on the most wavy day the flowers would float away to Black Sea...
Three years ago when I came, the event was just a flower putting ceremony on the morning of the 31st. It was very interesting to learn that, in Abkhazia, it was suggested during the war by president Ardzynba, that it should be on the 31st. The Adyghe brothers will do their ceremonies in their hometowns on the 21st, and they would all come to Abkhazia and on the 31st it would be a bigger ceremony all together. Besides, Abkhaz were exiled 13 years later than Adyghe. So it was decided and memorial was on the 31st. The first year I was in Abkhazia, I wanted to memorize Shish Nanni and read it, but they told me nobody makes here such events.
The second year, Naala did organized one. All alone, I mean without any government or institutional support, just with her friends, and with an economic support by Aquafon, she arranged the first memorial day. It was sometime in June, but it did not matter. A group of people came. We made the tailors sew 20 red-green-white akhtarphas, like the Abkhaz flag, within 4 hours! Lana Copua was reading a poem, Nona and a few others were singing Shish Nanni. Some people made speeches, Bagrat Shinkuba's grandson Lavan was there; Hayri Kutarba was there. Kamma had a big Abkhaz flag. Later when we went to drink something at than new Apra Cafe, from all the tables they sent us champaignes since we were talking in Abkhaz (trying) and we had aktharphas and flags. At the event, we were promised to be supported by the Repatraition Committee in the coming year.
The second year, ofcourse, they were hesitant to keep their promises. But in the end, we organized with Lana Agyrba an exhibition called Abkhazia and Diaspora: Understanding each other... We also shot a short symbolic movie on exile and return... The event was big. More than a thousand people and both TVs came to shoot. We had the sound system, screen, the first and only concert of the chorus apsadgyl (homeland) with Ivana Shamba, we had the white aktarphas (again 20), we had the torches prepared by Syndukh Ergun and the youth, again Lana Copua reading a poem, and many others... The event was very spectecular... We even made a protest for not building of a statue in the memorial. The events were supported by Repatriation Committee, Committee of Sports and Youth, and even Ministery for Foreign Affairs.
This year Ozlem and Naala, organized again with the Committee of Sports and Youth but in the last minute, the government opposed the ceremony to be made on the 21st. The SMS were sent by both mobile phone companies, and a few hours later messages came saying it will be on the 31st. However, without any state representative, without any TVs to record, without any sound system, without half of the planned speakers, the youth did it again. There were only about 100 people to watch. But they were there all from heart. That was good. There were new aktarphas, mainly black but also green and white. I do not know the number since I was not in the event organization. (I had been away for a while, and the last two weeks I have a terrible throat infection which keeps me back from taking place in aything!) Naala was in a traditional dress so was Dijin who was playing the flute (an Adyghe from Turkey who lived in Nalchik for over 15 years). Ivan Bakij, our famous singer who returned from Jordan was wearing an akhtarpha over his shoulders as he played his guitar. Taha Gecba was dressed all in black, as he sang songs in Adyghe. Little Ozan was again reading a poem in Abkhazian. There were short speeches by some attendees. The youth walked with torches again and made the nart fire! No matter what people say. No matter what people fear. No matter how, no matter what, no matter why... If some people believe in what they do: the result is unforgettable... This is how that day was in Abkhazia... For those who wish to know... (For those who wish to see more photos press here)
Oh and I forgot to tell, there was the Yearly Dance Contest Adyzh and the view was spectecular as they walked through the city on that day...

From dance

Victory Day

It is again the time for smiling faces, increasing number of flags on the streets, fireworks, concerts, a lot of guests from the diaspora, and many more returnees... It is AYAYRA AMSH- VICTORY DAY!!!
Though I am a social scientist I have not believed many things written in history books since my high school history lessons, where we had to read "the Ottoman Emperor died because his nose was bleeding". I dont like listening to history lectures nor watching historical films. However, my feelings are different for life histories. The truth of ordinary people. And I met many telling me short realities of the war and how much these people suffered. So 30th September is not simply a day of Victory, it is a day of Remembrance of the martyr, it is the Independence Day, it is a day of national revival for which many have suffered 16th years ago.
Many people heard of Abkhazia (and South Ossetia) very recently, when Russia after 15 years recognized her independence and sign mutual agreements. Many people are surprized to see the 16th year of independence words around.
Anyway, my topic is neither the war nor the suffering not even the recognition. The topic is Victory Day.
This is my third Victory Day in Abkhazia. And I realized I have never wrote about it. Though I had uploaded photos in picasa in 2007- though I did not do even that last year because of lack of quality internet and I gave it to friends and they uploaded to facebook.
Here Victory Day celebrations start with the arrival of the Diaspora around the 25th of September. They come in huge numbers, 100s. In 2007 it was about 300, and lat year (since it was 15th and just after independence) 500, this year about 300 again.
The importance of the day is reminded with ongoing every evening TV programs about war from mid August. (14 August is the Remembarance Day and the Starting Day of War in 1992). We watch scenes from the time of war, documentaries about the war, women in black still mourning for their martyr sons and husbands and fathers....
The 27th of September is the day of Victory for Sukhum city. In 2007 they made a great activity in the University. Oratorio, fireworks, documentaries on screen, flags, all youth took part in the event. It was a meaningull agenda all and some best students received certificates of success.
Than it was concerts and fireworks in the city. (The university is not in the city centre but on a hill looking at the Blacksea in a district called Kelasur).
Anyway, this year there was a different event in Sukhum's 16th Victory Day. It turns out that relations with Diaspora results in change in National Symbols. Or better to say in the intensity and use of National Symbols- namely Flags in this case.
The story is this- last year 20 selected young Diaspora representatives came to visit their sisters and brothers in the homeland. So another group of 20 went to Turkey to visit them. A project develeoped so thatthey will understand each other better. What the youngsters saw in Turkey was the use of flags all around. (I dont aggree there is so much necessity to have flags all around the year in ordinary homes and as some kind of facist reaction to something- as it turned out to be in recent years- but as the representative of the nation state it is a necessity since everyone around the world evaluate the level of nationalism by such symbols- am I wrong?) The youngsters together with the support of the Aquafon (a local mobile phone line) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Abkhazia, as well as the Diaspora and Returnees (mainly our firm Bazala) build up a 20 meter flagpole on the port in Abkhazia. And then they brought a 30-60 m flag to put on the burned down parliament building. In 2007 they had brought a big one- dont exactly know the size- which turned out to be really small in comparison to the size of the building.
Last year for the celebration of recognition Amobile (the other local mobile phone line) presented many people with flags for front of shops and cars. On the day of the recognition everyone crashed into the only local flag making point- Dome Mode- Fashion House. Howeveri even if they would ask to pay double price or accepth to wait there for hours as people celebrated all were not able to get it. (I had presented my 1st flag to the library, the second was taken by an unknown person in the meeting for recognition and the third was really made for a nice Abkhaz lady in Dome Mode on the Recognition day and she decided to give her turn to me since she had seen me 4 days ago in the big meeting and said she can wait for another hour).
Anyway, people took flags from their offices, from top of the buildings and get on the cars going around the city. I think last year was the real turn point in terms of flags for ordinary people but it has gained importance in a more representative -state -country level this year.
Tomorrow, I guess as it always happens at 10 oclock people will put flowers on the Martyrs Park. Than there will be a parade of military and other security personnel in the Freedom Square infront of the old Parliament (or in other words in front of 30x60m Abkhaz flag).
Than people will be enjoying themselves all around cafes, and if the weather will be good by the sea side and all around. At 6:00, the youth will walk around Sukhum with flags and at 8:00 will be concert in the Freedom Square.
I am too tired to tell more for now. (I forgot we were in horse games in Muk on Sukhum's independence days. There is a necessity to explain the role of Polo and horse race in Abkhazia so let me leave it for later. I had been to another one last year in Lyhny- I also need to tell about these two holy places. But later)
Wait for news after the independence day....