Photographer Vincent Cianni

Below is an excerpt from photographer Vincent Cianni, regarding some recent photos taken at the "Lelo Burti in the country of Georgia. They warrant a look.

Every year on Orthodox Easter Sunday residents of lower and upper Shukhuti village in western Georgian region of Guria, compete in Lelo Burti, a traditional Georgian game similar to rugby, and at the same time, engage in a day-long festival with bands and entertainment. In the morning, people gather and tables are laden with food and wine, and are placed in the cemeteries to commemorate the dead. Meanwhile, the bishop sits with the men, who are competing in the game, while they drink wine and fill the ball with dirt, wine and straw, to prepare it for the rigorous game. The game, which looks more like a melee, has simple rules-the number of players in each team is not set; neither does it have a fixed time limit; the game ends only after one team successfully pushes its way through its opponent, and brings the heavy leather ball, tightly stuffed with dirt, on the outer edge of its opponents field. Then it is taken up to the respective cemetery on the top of the mountain, on the winners' side of town, where it is placed on the most recently deceased person's grave, and the flow of food and drink continues into the night.

©vincent cianni

©vincent cianni

©vincent cianni

©vincent cianni

©vincent cianni

©vincent cianni

©vince cianni