Every Georgian feast, or supra, is presided over by the tamada, a toastmaster chosen for eloquence, stamina and the ability to hold the table together. No one drinks wine until the tamada has delivered a toast. Between toasts, the glass stays on the table. The tamada speaks on an assigned theme, sometimes for a minute, sometimes for five; others may add to it, after which everyone drinks together. Drinking without a toast is not done.
Men are expected to empty the glass with every toast; a guest need only take a sip, but must always raise the glass. The main mistake at a supra is to drink on an empty stomach, so it is essential to eat. New dishes keep appearing on the table.
The themes of the toasts follow a strict order. The first is to God or to peace. Then comes the toast to the occasion that has brought everyone together: the harvest, a birthday, a guest's arrival. The third toast is to Georgia. After it, people drink to the departed: ancestors and deceased family members. This toast is delivered standing, often in silence, and it is a moment of genuine depth in the midst of a noisy evening. Next come toasts to parents, to children and the future, to the women at the table, and to the guests, each spoken of separately and sincerely. Toward the end of the evening, glasses are raised to love and friendship, to the tamada himself (this toast is proposed by someone else) and, finally, to the departed guests and a safe journey, which signals the end of the feast.
A guest will certainly be asked to give a toast. In that case, stand, raise the glass, thank the hosts and say something sincere about the country or those gathered. Brevity is acceptable; sincerity is essential. A great honour is the "alaverdi," when the tamada passes the floor to a guest to continue the toast. One adds a single sentence and then either passes the floor on or drinks. One should not leave the table before a toast "for the road." Toasts are also not made with beer at a Georgian feast.
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