The Struggle Against Soviet Occupation (Zaira Arsenishvili’s “Va, Sofelo…” and Nodar Macharashvili’s “Keipi Sololaki”)

Abstract

In 1921, following three years of independence, Georgia was occupied by Soviet Russia. The Georgian people did not easily accept this treacherous occupation. Small armed units were formed, initiating a resistance against the occupiers.
The August 1924 uprising ended tragically, yet it remains a symbol of heroism, defiance, and uncompromising resistance. The uprising’s leader, Kakutsa Cholokashvili, was branded a bandit by the Soviet authorities, and even the mention of his name was prohibited. Only in the 1980s and 1990s did it become possible to speak openly and fearlessly about this uprising and its various aspects, which naturally found reflection in Georgian literature.
One notable novel portraying Kakutsa Cholokashvili and his unit’s fight against the occupiers, as well as the cruelty inflicted on national figures by the ruling power, is Zaira Arsenishvili’s „Va, Sofelo…“ . The uprising was preceded by smaller skirmishes, whose participants helped lay the groundwork for the August 1924 events. Among those affected by the 1923 repressions was General Kote Abkhazi, a key historical figure and the protagonist of Nodar Macharashvili’s long narrative „Keipi Sololaki“,
which skillfully intertwines historical facts with the author’s creative imagination.
Crucially, both works vividly present, with artistic credibility, two opposing worldviews and conflicting ideas: loyalty to the homeland versus servitude to the enemy. These texts are interconnected by invisible threads, reflecting Georgian writers’ enduring interest in events of a century ago. They remind us that the idea of the struggle for freedom is timeless and continues to hold relevance today.