The Russian language Georgian satellite TV channel, “PIK” published a news about the Chechen music ensemble “Daymoxk,” which is located in Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge.

According to the news, the ensemble has gained its fame through the translation of Vainakh devotional hymns into Georgian. Today it is the only translation in the world.

The Daymoxk Ensemble, which means “Homeland”, performs the Chechen Zikr, the traditional prayer ritual, in Pankisi Gorge. Pankisi is the only place where Chechen people perform Zikr in the Georgian language. Before the second Russian-Chechen war, even the former President of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Aslan Maskhadov visited them and listened to their Zikrs. The ensemble members remember that day very well, and according to them, their special guest was satisfied.

The music group was created in 1995, in the middle of the first Russian-Chechen war and it became a kind of gesture of support. The Daymoxk Ensemble is well known by the international arena and has participated in many international competitions and festivals. Now the ensemble is partially funded by the European Cultural Foundation.

Makvala Margoshvili, a Kist Chechen, is the founder and leader of the ensemble. She calls herself the guardian of “Nakh” culture.

“In the future, I want to organize an annual festival for the ‘Free Caucasus’. We will invite youth dance groups from all the corners of Georgia and, if possible, from the North Caucasian republics. The festival will be held under the slogan ‘We want peace.’ However, at the moment it is just a plan, but we hope that we will realize it soon,” says Makvala Margoshvili.

She complains that funds are not sufficient in spite of assistance. The singers and dancers are not paid, and therefore attracting new people into the team is a bit complicated. The number of the troupe’s membership is constantly decreasing. Today there are 16, although a few years ago there were more than 30 artists on stage.

The video of the news:

*Text was translated by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco