The memory of ordinary, everyday intercultural or interreligious relationships, in brief
The mixed Armenian-Azerbaijani villages of this region – Norgiughi, Metsamula, Tsopi, Khojorni, and Shulaveri, some of which also have Georgian residents – have been held up as an example to show that interethnic peace in the Caucasus, and notably between Armenians and Azerbaijanis, is possible. The whole community contributes to the celebration of Easter and Nowruz. Villagers speak each others’ languages, and common schooling means children also learn Georgian. Some old religious sites are contested by Christians and Muslims – which also means they have something of a special shared meaning as well. The villagers nurture long-established practices of friendship and neighbourliness, and at times of need, they have a track record of cooperation – for instance, in forming self-defence units against threats from outsiders.
The pressures that waves of political nationalism have placed on coexistence in these villages has also been studied by scholars. Villagers may maintain their understanding across national cultures locally as a natural state of affairs, playing together as children, socialising thereafter, while also understanding their separation as a function of wider political and economic conflicts. Members of the community come together at times of celebration, at festivals, and in times of need, regardless of ethnicity.
There is also a mixed population in the main town here, Marneuli, which is majority Azerbaijani, minority Georgian, and divided politically between several clans.
The context in which these relationships made a difference at the time
As fertile as the region of Marneuli is known to be, making ends meet can also be tough, whether in the smallest villages or in its larger settlements. Over time the population of this region has drawn in migrants of different ethnicities seeking security and new forms of employment.
Shulaveri, for instance, emerged around the train station and wool factory. Many men also have to travel away for work, leaving families even more in need of each other for support. The Christian and Muslim (Shia and Sunni) populations are also denominationally divided, and religious as well as nationalist extremists from outside have been seen to cause trouble. Outsiders failed to force Azerbaijanis to leave Khojorni, for instance, though the pressure of nationalists has reportedly affected the levels of trust across the villages.
What has happened since, which makes the memory valuable
Interviews with locals show villagers are aware that the sense of an inclusive community was stronger in Communist times (see Romashov, et al. 2018), when each settlement was organised into a collective kolkhoz, and industries were established. They speak of overcoming the difficulties of the post-Communist period, and of being affected by the rise of extremism, including in relation to the armed conflicts over Nagorny-Karabakh.
How might the memory be used in bringing people together in practice now? Onnik Krikorian writes of the conflict in Nagorny Karabakh: ‘Nationalist narratives on both sides seek to dehumanise the other and are devoid of empathy, making conflict resolution difficult and co-existence unlikely. Yet, in neighbouring Georgia, some ethnic Armenian and Azerbaijani communities live side by side, sometimes co-inhabiting the same villages, towns, and cities. They might be the only example of what Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War author Thomas de Waal calls a “third narrative on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict – a narrative of peace.”’
Additional context/Some additional reading
Hamida Giyasbayli, Marina Danoyan and Vadim Romashov, ‘Communities of Practices: Prospects for the Armenian-Azerbaijani Everyday Engagement across the Conflict Divide’, Caucasus Edition: Journal of Conflict Transformation. http://caucasusedition.net/communities-of-practices-prospects-for-the-armenian-azerbaijani-everyday-engagement-across-the-conflict-divide/
Vadim Romashov and Nuriyya Guliyeva, Tatia Kalatozishvili, and Lana Kokaia. “A Communitarian Peace Agenda for the South Caucasus: Supporting Everyday Peace Practices.” Caucasus Edition: Journal of Conflict Transformation 3, no. 1 (2018): 8-45.
Aleksandre Kvakhadze, Georgia’s Fertile Crescent: Marneuli Municipality, 2021. https://gfsis.org.ge/files/library/pdf/English-2921.pdf
Onnik James Krikorian, ‘In Georgian Village, Armenians And Azeris Find Common Ground’, https://www.rferl.org/a/25046864.html