Greetings are the first thing that happens when two people meet, and in any culture, this event is of great importance. For the countries of the Caucasus region, especially Georgia, the greeting ritual is especially important.
No matter how society changes over time, cultural heritage persists - and the more traditional norms remain in daily use, the more exotic the behavior of the carriers of these traditions seems to modern people. Residents of the capital find the Caucasian rules of conduct cumbersome and complicated, but it must be borne in mind that for centuries they have been formed as manifestations of their own dignity and were created to prevent conflicts. In Georgia, the greeting is built in such a way as to show respect for the interlocutor and in no case cause accidental offense.
What they say and how they behave when greeting
An obligatory element of greeting in Georgia and throughout the Caucasus region is a handshake. This is both a symbol of your recognition in the interlocutor of a respected and worthy person, and a demonstration of trust, and an expression of your own honor. Not shaking an outstretched hand means inflicting the worst offense and demonstrating your deep dislike.
The younger one always comes up to greet and gives his hand first, then taking a step back. Traditions require keeping a distance between interlocutors - about a meter in the case of two men, two meters in the case of a man and a woman, and about seventy centimeters for a conversation between women. If the greeting takes place in the room where they were sitting before, they greet the newcomer while standing, showing him their respect.
Georgians say when greeting "Gamarjoba", which means "I wish you victory!" - this is the greeting of a man by a man, passed from generation to generation, characterizing him as a worthy and glorious warrior. If you just walk along the street and see how your friend raised his hand to his head, greeting you - repeat his gesture, but in no case take off his hat. A headdress for the inhabitants of Georgia is a symbol of human dignity, therefore, taking it off, you show disrespect for yourself. If you see that someone you know is walking behind you, stop and wait for him for a proper greeting.
Women's greetings in Georgia
The rules of etiquette are different for men to communicate with each other and with women. In Georgia, women never shake hands with a man or touch him when greeting - the only exception may be a greeting between relatives. Kisses on the cheek when they meet are also unacceptable. Traditionally, by not allowing any contact with men, a woman defends her honor and the honor of her family. If, upon meeting, a man walks past a woman, he must leave her on his right hand. If a woman walks past a seated acquaintance, his task is to rise and greet her, but at the same time she should not come too close to him. These conventions are primarily associated with the status of women in society, which, on the one hand, is traditionally lower than that of men, and, on the other hand, the higher, the more dignified a woman behaves.
