Soundtrack of Georgia

While staying with a Chechen family in Pankisi, my tour guide put her mp3 player to work. I wish I could have asked the locals what they thought of my half Indonesian, half German guide blasting out the national anthem of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria. Unfortunately, that opportunity didn’t arise. This might have been due to the fact that the DJ was also my translator. Below there’s a selection of the songs we listened to while staying with an incredibly accommodating and hospitable local family.

A modern Georgian pop song with an awesome music video that mixes traditional with modern dances. I wish I knew what the lyrics were about.

The former National Anthem of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria. Technically not very Georgia related, but there’s a sizable minority of ethnic Chechens that make up part of the population. Plus, it’s a catchy tune. It took me a while to find a version on YouTube that didn’t feature soldiers, Kalashnikovs or a request for Russia to go know itself in the biblical sense.

A Kist ballad: Bani Kavkasiuri. I wish I knew what they were singing about.

The sad and very famous Georgian song that tells of the pain a father feels after losing his entire family in a car accident. Part of its significant popularity might be due to his late wife being known to many Georgians as a talented entertainer herself.