Fridon Khalvashi's ballad about Ahmed Melashvili

Abstract

The history of emigration and the life of the descendants of Georgian emigrants is interesting from many points of view. From the end of the 19th century to the present, the above-mentioned topic has been touched on by many journalists or scientists, publicists and writers.

Emigration was widely reflected in Fridon Khalvashi's work. The work analyzes his ballad "Musa Burseli", in which the artistic face of Akhmed Melashvili is drawn with impressive skill. Akhmed Melashvili was a descendant of Klarj Muhajirs, who lived in Bursa, and who made great contributions to the fight for awakening the national self-awareness of Georgians living in Turkey.

Fridon Khalvashi met Ahmed Melashvili in 1968, during the visit of a delegation of Georgian writers to Turkey. Another meeting took place in the 70s when Melashvili was in Georgia. The ballad "Musa Burseli" was written in 1975.

The specificity of the motive of emigration is determined, first of all, by historical reality. Muhajiroba was a generational tragedy. All its stages were full of pain: making a decision, preparing to leave, traveling, settling in a new land, the irreversible process of assimilation, etc.

The ballad is an appeal to Musa Burseli. The poet seems to be talking to a devoted subject and presents his greatest merits accompanied by pure emotion. The author revives the pictures of the life of the descendants of the emigrants and talks about the immeasurable importance of the unity of Georgians.