Supra

Ritual Feasting in Georgian Culture

The Georgian Supra (literally meaning tablecloth) is a fundamental institution in Georgian social life, functioning as a deeply rooted cultural ritual far exceeding the definition of a simple communal dinner. It represents the quintessence of Georgian hospitality, celebration, and community connection, acting as a crucial mechanism for strengthening social ties over centuries.

The Supra is structurally defined by four foundational elements: Toasts led by the Tamada (toastmaster), Wine, Bread (often including Khachapuri), and Song (frequently featuring traditional polyphonic singing).

Feasts are categorised into two main, formal types: the festive Keipi (or lkhinis supʰra) for joyous occasions, and the sombre Kelekhi (or tʃʼɪrɪs sʊpʰra) held following burials.

Preparatory Steps and Organisation

The success of the Supra hinges upon meticulous organisation and an immense effort in culinary preparation. Setting out the tablecloth (supra) is paramount, as it honours the guests and signifies the special nature of the occasion, differentiating the highly ritualised consumption from everyday eating.

Female Agency and Culinary Labour

The existence and quality of the feast are fundamentally dependent on the massive effort and logistical organisation provided by Georgian women, whose involvement in cooking is a colossal enterprise. Women manage the complex cooking process, often coordinating large teams of female helpers, including close relatives and neighbours, ensuring the table is characterised by abundance and variety.

A key figure in this undertaking is the gamge, or female organiser/manageress, who is often elected by other women for her knowledge and skills, directing the preparation process and coordinating the kitchen team. Although the man may exercise symbolic authority during the feast through oratory, the woman wields foundational, physical authority through the labour and matter of the food.

Setting the Table of Abundance

The philosophical underpinning of the Supra demands overwhelming abundance, symbolising the host’s generosity, prosperity, and dedication to the Christian virtue of hospitality. The table must be covered with more food than guests can possibly consume, often reaching twenty or more different dishes throughout the evening.

The presentation is designed to be visually impressive, piquing the palate through contrasting colours, textures, and flavours. Dishes are laid out in a specific pattern, sometimes placing one type of food for every four or five expected guests to ensure comfortable access. Mid-sized plates are typically placed atop a larger charger plate, and the hostess continually replaces the mid-sized plate during the feast to remove leftovers and prevent flavours from mixing. Guests are expected to taste everything offered, and hosts constantly replenish food, as an empty plate is considered shameful.

The Ritual Steps of the Feast

The Supra follows a highly structured sequence of events, governed entirely by the Tamada, who ensures the ritual order is strictly maintained.

The Role of the Tamada

The Tamada (toastmaster) is the essential, leading male figure, acting as the governor of the table. He is selected by the guests or chosen in advance by the host for formal occasions. The candidate must possess exceptional qualities, including intelligence, eloquence, rhetorical skill, a sharp wit, and a good sense of humour.

The Tamada is entrusted with setting the rhythm and pace of the feast. A critical expectation is the paradox of disciplined consumption: the Tamada is expected to empty his glass for each toast, sometimes consuming more than three litres of wine during a full-length Supra, yet it is considered shameful and disgraceful for him to become visibly drunk. He is often assisted by a Meriqipe (wine pourer), who is responsible for ensuring wine glasses are filled for all guests.

The Toasting Cycle

The ceremony proceeds through sequential rounds of toasting, transforming the consumption of wine into a philosophical and social performance.

1. Commencement of the Toast: The Tamada introduces a toast on a specific topic, speaking at length. Guests are expected to listen intently, as talking between guests during a toast is considered impolite.
2. Affirmation: After the Tamada finishes, guests raise their glasses, typically saying Gaumarjos (To victory!) for a festive Supra.
3. Participation and Consumption: Following the Tamada, male guests are expected to speak an individual toast on the same theme, striving for originality and emotional depth, before draining the entire glass of wine. If a guest does not wish to speak, they may drink after hearing words that resonate with them. The process continues around the table, often in a counter-clockwise direction, until everyone wishing to speak on the theme has done so.
4. Recommencement: Once the round is complete, the Tamada proposes a new toast, and the cycle begins again.

Sequence and Content of Toasts

While regional and circumstantial variation exists, toasts follow a traditional hierarchy that reflects theological and cultural priorities.

• To God: The mandatory first toast is always dedicated to God, establishing the divine foundation of the gathering.
• To the Nation and Peace: Early toasts are typically dedicated to the nation (Sakartvelo) and to peace, reflecting Georgia’s pride and history of struggle.
• To the Deceased and Regeneration: An essential mid-sequence toast is devoted to ancestors or those who have passed away, often requiring men to stand. This solemn moment is immediately followed by a toast to life, children, and the new generation, symbolising continuity.
• Social Bonds: Later toasts secure social cohesion, dedicating time to parents, women, guests (honoured as a blessing from God), friendship, and love.
• Event Specificity: A toast identifying the reason for the gathering, such as a wedding or birthday, is also integral to the sequence.

The toasts themselves are eloquent and often poetic, functioning as a mechanism for social engineering where the public praising of a person’s good traits places a social obligation upon them to uphold those virtues.

The Tamada is also granted Alaverdi, or permission, to delegate a guest to deliver a toast immediately following his own.

Drinking Vessels and Etiquette

Wine is the main alcoholic beverage, honouring Georgia’s position as the world’s oldest wine-producing region. The use of the Kantsi, a traditional drinking vessel made from a goat or ram horn, is reserved for ritual toasting.

Because the horn cannot be set down once filled, tradition dictates the user must drink its entire contents in one go, transforming the act into a physical vow of commitment to the spoken toast.

Toasting must be done exclusively with wine or occasionally brandy (chacha); toasting with beer is strictly forbidden and is considered an insult.

In between rounds of toasts, spontaneous traditional polyphonic singing and dancing often erupt, reinforcing the communal spirit of the Supra.

Ritual Closure

The lengthy duration of the Supra often requires the Tamada to modulate the pace, increasing the number of toasts early in the evening before slowing down as the feast progresses.

The final toasts are dedicated to the evening, the host family, and future gatherings. In a somber Kelekhi feast, the final dish served, Shila Plavi (a rice and meat dish), serves as a non-verbal cue that the ritual is concluding and guests may depart.

Women may assume a controlling function during the feast by initiating the collection of food and dishes, sometimes even while toasts are still being raised.