The Art of Gideli Spinning - The Past in Present and Future (ICH of Guria Region)

Saba Santeladze offers masterclasses provided by Anzor Sikharulidze. He has been residing in Shuaamagleba village within Chokhatauri Municipality for the past 70 years, where he remains actively engaged in work. After getting the education, he got married and led a family and career life all together in the same municipality. Nowadays he is a pensioner and he decided to develop his vocational skills, he didn't run any special courses, as he remembers the work he is enjoying now came to him from observation, his parents used to make some vessels from wood, initially as a young boy he had not any interest but time by time the age made him recall the activity his parents loved so much, that he will share among investigators/visitors.  Seeking authentic experience - customers may be attracted to learning about local culture they might not have been exposed to before.  Offer hands-on workshops where visitors can learn the art of Gideli spinning from skilled artisans. Providing the opportunity for visitors to create their own Gideli/baskets under the guidance of experts can be a memorable and rewarding experience, besides they can take the souvenirs prepared by them  Preparing small Gidelis for souvenir shops  Allow participants to personalize their spinning experience by choosing the type of materials they want to work with, the size and shape of the basket they want to create, or the specific techniques they want to learn.  Share compelling stories about the artisans behind the baskets, their families, and the communities where they live and work  Art/craftsmanship and Gurian Gastronomy/wine - offering unique culinary experience- farm-to-table dining and etc.

Gideli is a hollow, oblong, flat and bottom-shaped vessel made of  reeds, which has a hook for hanging on a tree. It is used to collect grapes and fruits in Maglari/the highest Tops to put the fruit in, drop it from the tree and carry it. The main support of Gidel is a trunk of chestnut, oak, which is heated on a fire and the branches are removed from all four sides. The heart of the tree left in the middle of the stem is cut and its lower part is left as the bottom of the gideli/basket. In Guria it is called Kushtuli. This is how Gideli knitting tkech/wooden lines is prepared: they cut it with a knife of medium thickness, bend it at the knee, and with the help of the middle finger of the right hand, it is gradually cut into strips. Gideli spinning starts from the bottom, performed from right to left. In the middle part, the gideli is slightly widened, for which a large tkech/wooden line is added. Gidli's head is also covered with a big tkech/wooden line. A rope handle is made on the head, on which a wooden peg/hook - ghvanghvali - is attached to hang the gideli on a branch.