Tamada - Qualities of A Good Tamada

Qualities of A Good Tamada

A good tamada has a number of special qualities, First of all, a good tamada is one who is good with words, who speaks clearly and cleverly, who can say in an original way things which are heard over and over again at every Supra. The best tamadas are extemporaneously poets.

Secondly, a good tamada must be able to organize well, as the fate of the party is in his hands. He has to decide which toasts to drink when and how often to propose new toasts, so a good rhythm is established. He has to orchestrate singing or dancing, if there is such, between stretches of toasting, so people stay attentive and entertained. This relates closely to a third quality of a good tamada, sensitivity. The tamada should have a good feel for the mood of the table and try to maintain a pleasant upbeat atmosphere in which all members are participating. The table should have a kind of unity, said one Georgian, which is the responsibility of the tamada. He should notice if certain members begin to pay less attention and draw them back, perhaps which a special toast or by making them “alaverdi”.

He should sense if people have drunk too much and allow down pace of new toast or if people are not drinking enough and speed up the pace. In general the pace of toasting is faster earlier in the evening and slows down once everyone reaches a certain level of inebriation. There is a special moment at the Supra, after people have started drinking but before they are very drunk, when they feel less inhibited and are particularly susceptible to appeal to emotions. The tamada should recognize when this state has been achieved and propose more abstract toasts. If the tamada knows the people at the Supra well, he will be able to excite and inspire them with the toasts he proposes (particularly at this time), thus encouraging the good feeling and leading the others to greater eloquence.

Fourthly, a good tamada has to be somewhat forceful in order to get people to pay attention to the toasting and to get everyone to drink each toast. This gets harder as the evening wears on and some people would rather talk than toast. Last, but not at all least, a good tamada must also be a good drinker; the tamada is expected to empty his glass on each toast “bottom up”. But may not get drunk, which is absolutely, universally disgraceful.

The tamada has to propose a toast to every person at the Georgian table and so have the others. Every speaker tries to distinguish the most interesting, original and praiseworthy features of a person toasted. But it should not be considered to be flattery. These are lessons of love and humanism. This tradition ennobles a person. When a person is told that he is kind and honest he will find it difficult to do evil. When he is told he is generous he will try not to be greedy. When he is told he is handsome and beautiful, there is less probability of developing the inferiority complex.