Kists

In pictures: Pankisi valley celebrates Eid al-Fitr

By | July 8th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: , , , , |

Pankisi Valley, DFWatch – Eid al-Fitr, or the Feast of Breaking the Fast, is a major Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. This year, Eid al-Fitr was celebrated by Muslims worldwide on 6 July. In Pankisi valley, Georgia’s utmost […]

Civil society and countering violent extremism in Georgia

By | May 20th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: , , , , , , |

Mosque in Duisi, Pankisi Gorge Georgia’s State Agency for Religious Issues is accusing NGOs of fomenting radicalisation and terrorism in the country. Others, however, consider civil society vital in any attempt to prevent it. […]

In pictures: Kist Cultural Evening in Tbilisi

By | April 26th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: |

Tbilisi, DFWatch – Cultural activists from Pankisi valley stress the importance of strong Chechen–Georgian relations and the need of challenging the existing negative stereotypes. […]

Pankisi imams won’t endorse early marriages

By | March 25th, 2016|Categories: Minorities|Tags: , , |

Mosque in Duisi, Pankisi Gorge The issue of early marriages highlights existing religious divisions in Pankisi valley and competing views on the community’s relation with the Georgian state. In a conversation with local Radio WAY (‘We’ in Chechen), member of Pankisi’s Council of Elders Khaso Khangoshvili declared that early marriages won’t be endorsed by [...]

Zezvaoba – a traditional horse race between Kists and Georgians

By | June 2nd, 2015|Categories: Minorities|Tags: , , , , , |

(DF Watch.) ALVANI, DFWatch–The last Sunday of May is a day of celebration in the Tush villages Kvemo Alvani and Zemo Alvani in Kakheti. Zezvaoba is the festival to honour the warrior Zezva Gaprindauli, who lead the Tush alongside the Georgian army against Persians at the Bakhtrioni […]

Pankisi women challenge traditional law

By | November 11th, 2014|Categories: Minorities|Tags: , |

Duisi. (DF Watch.) DUISI. DFWatch–Centuries-old mountain traditions and customs still regulate daily life in Pankisi, a valley in the northeast of Georgia populated by Kists and Chechens. Now the old ways are challenged by a new women’s council. Traditionally, the highest decision […]

Ethnic clash in Akhmeta, eastern Georgia

By | November 11th, 2014|Categories: Minorities|Tags: , , , |

Jokola Achishvili. (Photo posted on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A street fight with ethnic overtones in eastern Georgia on Sunday led to people being hospitalized and several people were detained. The scuffle took place in the town Akhmeta, between local Georgians and Kist, who are a subgroup of Chechens […]

Erisimedi – a village on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border

By | May 6th, 2014|Categories: Minorities, News|Tags: , , , , , |

Ioseb Giuradze in Erisimedi says they have little contact with people on the other side of the border, but the situation is peaceful. (DF Watch.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Erisimedi is a small village right on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border with a population of not more than a few hundred. It belongs to the Georgian municipality Sighnagi, but lacks a clear demarcation of the border with Azerbaijan, which has caused […]