Some aspects of the integration of refugees with new reality: Based on Batumi and Gali ethnographic materials

Based on Batumi and Gali ethnographic materials

Abstract

Political processes of the post-Soviet period radically changed the ethno-cultural mosaics of Abkhazia and the social, economic, and cultural life conditions of the refugees. They had to start a new life and take a hard and interesting path of adaptation.

Several issues concerning the adaptation to the new environment are kept in migrants’ minds. Their biography reflected significant processes of this tragedy among them the most important are the social, economic, and cultural adaptation problems of the refugees. Today, after several decades of the tragedy of Abkhazia, the ethnological studies of the migrants’ memory are topical since the generation who overcame this tragedy is still alive.

The daily and traditional life of the refugees was occurring in the historically developed, traditional environment of Abkhazia. Abkhazia war destroyed that environment and the migrants had to adapt to new conditions. Although their new living area was still Georgia, historically similar ethno-cultural space, they had their own traditional culture and the order of social-economic life. Besides, the Abkhazian war also ruined social relations and migrants had to search for new social support to continue their lives.

Studying issues about the forced migration of refugees from Abkhazia is one of the fascinating directions in Georgian historiography. The mentioned problem preserves topicality till today and historical aspects of migration have the leading role in these types of studies. Of course, it is an essential direction, however, we consider that ethnographic studies of specific biographies and information kept in certain people’s memories, including social-economic aspects of adaptation to new conditions for refugee families and individuals are necessary and topical.

The presented paper aims to study and analyze the specific stories of social, economic, and cultural adaptation of refugees from Abkhazia in their main living areas. It also introduces general and local aspects of the adaptation of migrants.