About Events – Lamproba Celebration
Lamproba (Georgian: ლამპრობა (სვან. ლიმპჲარ, დეცეშ ლამპრობ, სუიმნიშ, სუიმნიშლამპრობ) is an old celebration that has been preserved in the Svaneti region of Georgia. Traditionally held annually on 1 February it marks the time between winter and spring and asks for good weather, fertile reproduction of animals and people and a good harvest.
Birch and oak branches are collected, dried, cut into staves and bound together to make wooden lamps called “lampari”. There is one lamp for each member of the family.
Collecting wood to make “lampari”
Making “lampari”
The “lampari” are placed in the ground and lit to mark the beginning of the Lamproba celebration.
Candles are also lit. Traditionally, the house of the organizer of the Lamproba is visited by people from the community who circle the house hearth holding candles. The candles are then taken to cattle briers and placed there.
The men of the community gather around a large fire and sing songs.
The men also dance around the fire in a dance called “lampruli”.
Lampruli dance
Food and wine is prepared for the Lamproba feast.
The celebrations would also include wrestling and throwing contests and drinking contests. Lamproba is still celebrated in Mestia in Svaneti region.
Mestia in Svaneti Region
All photos are of the Lamproba celebration held in Mestia in Svaneti region. Photos courtesy of the Georgian National Tourism Administration.
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