© President of Georgian National Wrestling Federation, 2017 |
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| General Information |
Chidaoba or traditional Georgian jacket wrestling is an ancient form of wrestling practiced by a large part of the male population of Georgia. It is a complex phenomenon combining elements of wrestling, music and dance. Jacket wrestling requires the competitors to wear a jacket (chokha), which can be grasped by the opponent (Unesco, s.d.). The jacket is supposed to represent clothing and thus help develop a person’s ability to defend oneself in a street situation (Tausk 2001: 508). Tournaments take place in an outdoor arena surrounded by a large audience. They are accompanied by a wind instrument (zurna) and Georgian drum (doli) music, which marks the beginning. Wrestlers attempt to defeat each other through special holds while vibrant music enhances the dynamics of the contest. The code of conduct is chivalric, and occasionally the wrestlers leave the arena with a Georgian folk dance. In chidaoba there is an estimated number of 200 holds and counter-holds, the combination of which speaks to the wrestlers’ creativity. The practice encourages a healthy lifestyle and plays an important role in intercultural dialogue (Unesco, s.d.). |
| History/Development |
Having had a combat function until the late Middle Ages, chidaoba gradually became an entertainment sport. Chidaoba has been a cult sport among the populace throughout Georgia for centuries, particularly in the central parts of the country.Chidaoba is one of the regional martial arts at the roots of sambo, a modern wrestling style developed in the early 1920s by the Soviet Red Army to improve their hand to hand combat abilities (LinkGeorgia, s.d.). |
Transmission
(Policies/institutions) |
Bearers of the tradition include youth, city residents, sports clubs, educational institutions and amateur organizations. From early spring to autumn, the youth practices wrestling outdoors, mastering skills previously acquired by watching matches. There are wrestling sections in almost every village and city of Georgia. |
| Relevant Organisations |
- National Wrestling Federation of Georgia
www.wrestling.ge |
| Additional Materials |
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| References |
- Tausk, G.P. (2001). “Sambo”. In Green, T. and Svinth, J. (eds.) Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
- UNESCO, (n.d.). Chidaoba, Wrestling in Georgia. [online] Ich.unesco.org. Available at: [Accessed 1 April 2020].
- LinkGeorgia, (2011). Chidaoba: National Georgian "Jacket Wrestling". [online] Linkgeorgia.com. Available at: [Accessed 1 April 2020]. |
*see also sambo | |
