“Hello! How are you?” – British lady asked me, to my surprise in Georgian. Lucie Gibson lives in a quiet block of East London and my university friend Tamuna Vepkhvadze contacted me with her. Tamuna chants in Georgian church in London. Before that she chanted in British-Georgian ensemble “Maspindzeli” (“Host”). Lucie has led this ensemble for many years and when she heard that the Georgian was looking for a flat in London, she contacted Tamuna.
Before leaving for London, I was boasting to have such hostess. When I arrived in London I guessed that I really had to boast. In my room there was written on shelves in English: Guest. There were shelves with more than 300 CDs of Georgian folk music. Also, there was a fanduri (Georgian musical instrument). In short, I had all conditions to feel myself at home.
When Lasha Shavdatuashvili became Olympic champion, British Georgian association of countrymen held official meeting for him. Ensemble “Shvidkatsa” (“Sevens”) from Georgia and local “Maspindzeli” sang there. Everybody was excited how well 10 British sang Georgians songs. Lucie did not sing herself but she stood near the ensemble and was crooning.
“I am not an active member of the ensemble anymore because of my child and personal affairs – Lucie Gibson told me – but I always try to be near the ensemble. I joined “Maspindzeli” in 2002. It was formed in 2001. I sang Georgian songs with my friends before that. One of the reasons why this ensemble was formed is a Georgian tragedy – Edisher Garakanidze, leader of ensemble “Mtiebi”, his wife and daughter died in a car accident. Only his son Gigi survived. He was in coma and my friends decided to take financial care of him. Concerts were held and we sent all money to Gigi. He recovered after a half year and continued his father work. We arrived in Tbilisi in 2004, 2006 and 2008 and sang at Tbilisi Conservatoire. I was very proud to sing in Georgia in 2008. War finished two months ago and many foreign ensembles did not come to Georgia. We agreed on this suggestion with great pleasure and supported your country. Gigi Garakanidze hosted us. He was a great friend of “Maspindzeli” in Georgia. Unfortunately, he died several months ago. Members of ensemble called each other. It was a shock for us. I do not want to talk about it”.
Lucie became so sad that I tried to change topic.
- Which Georgian song do you like most of all?
- It is a difficult question. I like strong and polyphonic songs. For example, “Zamtari” (“Winter”). I sing songs of all Georgian regions. Each song has its charm and history. For example, we know that song “Mze Shina” is sung to a baby seven days after his born. When I gave birth to my baby, on the seventh day the whole “Maspindzeli” gathered at my place to fulfill Georgian tradition. I sang lullaby to Peter and he knows this song well. Now he is a schoolboy and sings well. So, he will be a member of “Maspindzeli”. Georgian Tamta Turmanidze leads “Maspindzeli” now.
As for the history of naming the ensemble, Lucie said that they told Georgian wife of one of the singers to tell them Georgian words and they liked maspindzeli most of all. But she added that they knew meaning of this word. According to her, Georgians are the best hosts and remembered one week in Tsinandali village.
Lucie Gibson has CDs of ensemble “Tsinandali”. Her husband went to conference abroad and Lucie accompanied him. While her husband was doing his job, Lucie was listening to the CDs of “Tsinandali”, writing words down on paper and learning them.
Now Lucie works for TV channel. She is a sound director in BBC and is quite busy. We talked on the way to the office of the British TV channel. Then, she showed me, Tamuna and her one-year-old son Giorgi a huge building of BBC.
I had to get up at 7 o’clock to go to airport. The previous day I decided to visit Georgian in London. I returned home late. Lucie was sleeping but she put British souvenirs on my bed. I thought I would have seen her but she got up early the other day and saw me off with Georgian text.
Otar Maglakelidze
London - Tbilisi
