we will meet under the chestnut tree

2019

Crossing the Enguri River on a bridge several hundred meters long, I also crossed the Georgian-Abkhazian border. In the weeks prior, I had crossed eleven national borders, but this one stood apart. It’s a border that doesn’t officially exist - not as a recognized state border, at least. It was the only one where I passed through three separate checkpoints: first Georgian, then Abkhazian, and finally Russian.

The autonomous region of Abkhazia lies between Russia and Georgia in the Caucasus Mountains, with access to the Black Sea. In Soviet times, it was a tourist destination and an economically important area. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, ethnic minorities have fought for independence, and only a few countries recognize Abkhazia as a sovereign state. Under Russian dominance, it remains isolated and transformed by an invader’s heavy hand. Abkhazia became a forgotten place where towns crumble, public services have vanished, and every neglected building tells a story of conquest and abandonment. Up in the mountains lies the small village of Chkhuor'tol. The houses are spread apart, surrounded by hazel bushes and persimmon trees. The village center consists of a crumbled church and a small shop selling sugar and tobacco. Cows roam the streets, pigs rest in the shade and chickens wander through the orchards.

It was here I met Gennadi. A strong man with a slightly crouched body, he lives alone in the Abkhazian Caucasus. His son left for the capital, as the village offers no future. In winter, Gennadi uses only one room. The living room becomes his bedroom and kitchen. It’s the only space with a fireplace, and the rest of the house is too cold to inhabit. When he sleeps, he keeps a knife - a gift from Soviet times - under his pillow. Years of war and prison camps have left their scars. Under the glow of the ceiling lamp, Gennadi showed me photos of his friends, loved ones and of himself in his younger years. He also shared his botanical encyclopedias, filled with detailed notes. He knows every plant and animal in the area. Nature is his greatest treasure, the place where he has found peace. He took me into his world and shared it with me. As we played backgammon, Gennadi talked about his dreams. He promised that when I return, he will take me hunting in the snow-covered mountains.