Voices of the Ancestors

Blessing the Village - Alive Easter With Amer-Imeri

‘When you listen to these children’s voices I think it’s the reason for happiness.’ - Magda Kevlishvili

Join Holly and Susan on an audio adventure to the Georgian village of Khovle with singers from Amer-Imeri and Mtiebi folk ethnographic ensembles https://www.youtube.com/@-amer-imeri3645 https://www.youtube.com/@mtiebi.
Walking from house to house, you’ll hear them singing Easter chants and folk songs, and calling out blessings.
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-What is ‘Alive Easter’?
How Georgians celebrate the Sunday after Orthodox Easter.
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-How do you bless a village when no-one's home?
Hear the children sing at the gates of each house, whether they open or not.
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-Have all the rituals been forgotten?
Those that remember, welcome us in with apples, wine, cheese and honey.
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Round the makeshift supra tables, we toast the families of the village, singing and dancing to welcome Easter and new birth.
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Visit the ancestral home of Tiko Shervashidze, where her grandmother played tsiko-tsiko, and a weather ritual song from the village was collected and recorded.
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A singer meets his newly-discovered family member, and we visit his homestead and meet his baby.
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Listen out for a special toast: ‘May angels walk in your footsteps.’
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Holly Taylor-Zuntz and Susan Thompson host, with guests Magda Kevlishvili, Tiko Shervashide, Mate Merabishvili and Ione.
Audio production by Holly Taylor-Zuntz

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Music in this episode:
Live recordings from the village sung by Amer-Imeri and Mtiebi:
Adghomasa Shensa
Hoi Kristi Aghdga
Kartli Chona
Chona
Nai Nai

Lazare batono by Lali Koshadze
Intro music: Makharia by Ialoni
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#harmony
#Acapella
#Folklore
#Choir
#Storytelling
#Circle dance
#Folk instrument

“It's a call for me, it’s a call to protect traditions. The Voices of Ancestors aren’t only sounds we heard from the old recordings, it’s all the traditions which our ancestors kept.”

Dr. Maka Khardziani

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In this special video episode, you can both see and hear the creative work of Nanina, a women’s group of ethnomusicologists and singers based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Our guest, Dr Maka Khardziani - ethnomusicologist and Director of Nanina - reveals how Georgian women’s voices continue to shape the nation’s musical soul.

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Together with hosts Holly Taylor-Zuntz and Susan Thompson, Maka takes us inside the Nanina Women’s Folklore Festivals: how they began, why they focus on women, and how each year’s theme builds on the next:
1st Festival: lullabies and the ancient goddess Nana

2nd Festival: healing songs and the Batonebi ritual circling the church

3rd Festival: women’s labour songs and handicrafts

Next year: ritual songs for weddings and the weather

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Far from being just concerts, the festivals bring together scholarly papers, video presentations from regional ensembles, and exhibitions of women’s handicrafts.
Maka reveals how lullabies form the root language of all Georgian song, and how healing songs once worked as powerful emotional therapy. She also discusses the challenges of reviving women’s work songs that were rarely recorded — and the joy of discovering unknown melodies in old archives.

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There’s a touching moment when Maka sings Nanila, a Svan lullaby from her home region of Svaneti. And videographer-singer Ia Andghuladze joins in to share the younger generation’s perspective on carrying these traditions forward through film and music.

> In this episode
- Lullabies and the ancient goddess Nana

- The Batonebi healing ritual and sacred round dance

- Women’s labour songs and handicrafts

- The multidisciplinary festival: music, film, scholarship, and craft

- How younger artists are continuing the work of Nanina

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🎧 Hosted by Holly Taylor-Zuntz and Susan Thompson
🎥 Video and audio production by Ia Andghuladze
📍 Guest: Dr Maka Khardziani, Director of Nanina

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>Music
Intro: ‘Makharia’, chonguri. From the Ialoni album, 'I fell in love with that sweet voice'
Maka: Sings opening phrase of Iavnana
Maka: Sings Svan Nana - Nanila
Lalkhori sing Lullabies from Svaneti
Nanina sing Meskhetian Batonebo

>Links - Film about the creative Group Nanina in Georgian with English subtitles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_y8vcWy7_E

>If you enjoyed this episode, why not buy the creators a coffee?
On ko-fi.com/voicesoftheancestors
Support the podcast on patreon www.patreon.com/voicesoftheancestors
Sign up for our email updates and never miss an episode: eepurl.com/hhgoOf
Navigate this episode with the searchable transcript, available here voicesoftheancestors.co.uk/transcripts

“So I feel Voices of the Ancestors are definitely, somehow, I don't know, kept in Georgian traditional music for me, because it's, it brings me so much energetic, like emotional information and energy er encoded in this music over the centuries, which is just because of our ancestors and their voices.”
Dr Teona Lomsadze.

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This episode covers a lot of ground, both musically and emotionally. Imagine singing with your family at feasts and the local folk youth club, then Gori Women’s Choir and in church, then being a jazz soloist and leading international workshops, all the while following your academic career, researching and writing. That’s just a taste of the life of Dr Teona Lomsadze.

- Are there rules at the Supra table?
Teo walks us through her family feasts.
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- Can a woman be tamada?
Gender dynamics at the supra table
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- Is Supra a ritual?
The sacred power of wine at the supra table
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- What songs are being sung at the protests in Tbilisi?
Hear about Teo’s research into folk song and protest, and how those politics are playing out on the streets of Georgia now.
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- Can a Christmas carol be a political statement?
How the ancient ritual of alilos were revived and are being performed as an act of resistance.
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-Can you improvise a folk song?
Hear exclusive live recordings of Teo singing in Oxford University with Nana Mzhavanadze, Magda Kevlishvili and Teo’s partner Sandro Shar.

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Holly Taylor-Zuntz and Susan Thompson host, with guest Dr Teona Lomsadze.
Audio production by Holly Taylor-Zuntz

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Music in this episode:

Intro: ‘Makharia’, chonguri. From the Ialoni album, 'I fell in love with that sweet voice'
Underscore: Teo and friends singing ‘Jer Ar Ikneba Gvian’
‘Maspindzelsa mkhiarulsa’ sung by Teona Lomsadze, Sandro Shar and Nana Mzchavanadze. Live recording by Geoff Burton
Underscore: ‘Tsaiqvanes tamar kali’ sung by Maspindzeli
‘Me var da chemi nabadi', from Imereti sung by Aidio
‘Chona Alilo’ from Imereti sung by Odila
‘Dideba chvens shekreba’ sung by Teona Lomsadze, Sandro Shar and Nana Mzhavanadze. Live recording by Geoff Burton
‘Kirialesa’ sung by Kalta Choir
‘Nainina’ sung by Teona Lomsadze, Sandro Shar and Magda Kevlishvili. Live recording by Geoff Burton.
‘Shavlego’ sung by Mtiebi
‘Khasanbegura’ sung by Kimilia

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If you enjoyed this episode, why not buy the creators a coffee?
On ko-fi.com/voicesoftheancestors
Support the podcast on patreon www.patreon.com/voicesoftheancestors
Sign up for our email updates and never miss an episode: eepurl.com/hhgoOf
Navigate this episode with the searchable transcript, available here voicesoftheancestors.co.uk/transcripts
>>
Links:
E-book of Women’s Role in Unesco-Recognised European Traditional Singing Practices, compiled by Teona Lomsadze:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qZaLqiVZWdOCwvG4QjT9KJ0u8lhM2v7a/view?usp=drive_link

Independent Georgian news sources in English:
oc-media.org/
www.instagram.com/formulaenglish/?hl=en

“How beautiful is my homeland, the more beautiful it is, the more my heart breaks.”
From the song Ra Kargi Ram Khar being sung by protestors in Tbilisi.

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Susan travels to Oxford to record a special video episode with Holly (Youtube: https://youtu.be/1sHbDZnUA9Y). Reflecting on the political situation in Georgia, while looking back at the past year and ahead to the next.

- Giving an overview of the situation through the lens of folk songs and folk singers.
- Sharing how the situation is affecting past podcast guests - Zoe Perret, Nino Naneishvili and Nana Mzchavanadze.
- Exploring what folk music means now, what songs are being sung? We answer by singing live - in two voices.
- Giving an update on 2025’s next episode with Dr. Teona Lomsadze.

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Voices of the Ancestors podcast With Susan Thompson and Holly Taylor-Zuntz.

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If you enjoyed this episode, why not buy the creators a coffee?
On ko-fi.com/voicesoftheancestors
Support the podcast on patreon www.patreon.com/voicesoftheancestors
Sign up for our email updates and never miss an episode: eepurl.com/hhgoOf
Navigate this episode with the searchable transcript, available here voicesoftheancestors.co.uk/transcripts

>>
Links:

Independent Georgian news sources in English:
https://oc-media.org/
https://www.instagram.com/formulaenglish/?hl=en

Series 2 Episode 5

“a connection which is not stopping from the past and goes and goes and maybe it’s the circle and maybe it's an unstoppable line - but oh it's a really great feeling.” Vanda Bakuradze

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Where can you catch a bear, a giant, a thunderstorm and a Bill Withers song?

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Continuing from our last episode, ‘Rituals of the Singing Village’, where we heard from the Chamgeliani singing sisters, in this episode we delve even deeper into the culture, mythology and stories of Svaneti.

- Hear from two young singers from ensemble Lalkhor, who say they could not live without ‘perkhuli’, the ritual round dance.

- Take a fireside seat to hear the legend of the pagan goddess Dali and hunter Betkil.

- Swim in the land between reality and myth at the Folk Centre.

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Susan Thompson hosts, with guest co-host Annalie Wilson. (https://www.annalie.co.uk).
With curational support from Holly Taylor-Zuntz.

Guests: Madona Chamgeliani, Lika Liparteliani, Vanda Bakuradze, Bakuri Mukbaniani.
Translators: Zoe Pérret and Givi Poti.
Audio production by Snow Lion Media https://snowlionmedia.com

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If you enjoyed this episode, why not buy the creators a coffee?
On ko-fi.com/voicesoftheancestors
Support the podcast on patreon www.patreon.com/voicesoftheancestors
Sign up for our email updates and never miss an episode: eepurl.com/hhgoOf
Navigate this episode with the searchable transcript, available here voicesoftheancestors.co.uk/transcripts

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Music in this episode:
The Chamgeliani ‘Sisters’ - Ana, Levan Bitarov and Madona from the Singing Village Album - Song - Nanila
Ensemble Lalkhor - live recording by Susan Thompson of solo concert, Tbilisi. Song - Dala Kojas Khelvajhale
Ensemble Amer-Imeri - live recording by Susan Thompson during UK tour, Sheffield. Song - Bail Betkil
The Latali singers - live recording by Annalie Wilson, Latali. Song - Riho

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Books about Georgian Folk Stories, Myths and Legends in English
Georgian Mythical Heroes and Their World ISBN 978-9941-504-09-9
Georgian Folk Traditions and Legends ISBN 978-9941-478-03-1
Georgian Folk Tales - Translated from the Russian by N. Dolidze (no ISBN)