Ariam Alula

Georgian folk fashion. Designed by Samoseli Pirveli.

All Vine factory in 10 pictures. 40+ Kids are alive only.

My fav place and people in Tbilisi

Nigerian native, Erunz Nelson, 54, has been living in Tbilisi for the last 17 years, is married to a Georgian woman, and currently runs a covenience store. “Back in the 90s I was the local news, as at that time there were only 3-4 black people in Tbilisi. Everybody was paying attention to me. They would invite me home, set the table, pour wine. Everybody was so warm, it felt just like back home.”

“It’s a very hard work, and most people think that women cannot handle it. It takes some physical strength and endurance towards heat, especially in the summer. But I got used to it.”

She didn’t mind going back and forth a few times so I could get this shot of her bringing us the plates full of piping hot khinkalis.

The electricians working to install the lights around the St George’s monument saw me taking pictures. They suggested to take me up with them to see how they work up there. How could I say no? I was so close that I could even reach out to touch the top of the 35-meter-tall monument.

Shukhuti villagers play Lelo Burti to celebrate Easter. The Rugby-like game is between the upper and the lower village, and uses a leather ball filled with dirt and wine. The village priest blesses the ball and the game starts in the local church. There are no rules, and the whole village plays. The team that drags the ball to their part of the village wins. The winning team takes the ball to the cemetery to honor a recently passed away person.

—Mahmoud Darwish, from Memory for Forgetfulness: August, Beirut, 1982 (University of California Press, 1990)

— welovenappyhair

— welovenappyhair

Toujouine, Mauritania.

— Sue Fitzmaurice