Georgia // Khatia Nikabadze

The Doukhobors are a Spiritual Christian religious group of Russian origin, originated in the governorates of the Russian Empire, in Ekaterinoslav, Voronezh and Tambov in the 18th century. The Doukhobors believed God is the same in all humans and all people are equal, thus, they did not need a mediator with God. They rejected churches, icons, liturgy, all church rituals, rejected secular authority and opted radical pacifism as a main practice of their faith. They lived in communion, prayed together and worked together. The only physical, symbolic, iconic expression of their faith and love for God was bread, salt and water. In the 18th century, the bishop of Ekaterinoslav first called them "Dukhobors", which means "fighters against the spirit", as dissidents and rebels. Doukhobors, who called themselves "God's people" or simply "Christians" chose this name, but not in the sense of warriors against the Spirit, but in the sense of warriors for the Spirit. The Dukhobors settled in Javakheti, Southern Georgia in the 19th century and by the end of the 20th century most of them returned to Russia. Today, the Dukhobor villages still exist in Javakheti and the Dukhobors also live there – in the villages of Orlovka, Gorelovka, Spasovka…

In 2018-2020, I lived in Ninotsminda, Javakheti and photographed my friend Dasha, a Doukhobor girl and her family. I took this picture in the village of Orlovka, where Dasha and part of her family come in the summer from the neighboring village of Gorelovka. Dasha and her family mostly live in Gorelovka. In this picture, Dasha and her younger brother, Ilyusha, are picking wild chamomiles for winter tea in the gradations of sunset colors.

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