Dumbadze Nodar
Dumbadze Nodar (14 July 1928, Tbilisi – 14 September 1984, Tbilisi) was a Georgian writer and a public figure. After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at Tbilisi State University (1950), he continued working at the faculty and from 1957 he collaborated with the “Tsiskari” magazine. Between 1967 and 1972 he was a member of the board of the “Georgian Film” studio. In 1967-72, he was a deputy chief editor or “Niangi” magazine. From 1972, he served as a secretary of Georgian Writers Union and from 1981 until his death he was the chairman of the union.
Dumbadze started his literary career by writing lyrical poetry and many of his poems later became songs. He wrote witty and comical short stories and published them in “Niangi”. Dumbadze’s unique world that captured the attention of both Georgian and international readers, was created in his novels and collections of short stories written over a quarter of a century (1959–1984).
The writer gained recognition with his very first novels: Me, Grandma, Iliko and Ilarion (1960) and I Can See the Sun (1962). Alongside other writers of his generation, Dumbadze initiated new tendencies in Georgian literature. The main characters in Dumbadze’s works are ordinary people with defined individuality.
Following the first two novels came Sunny Night (Mziani Ghame) (1967), Don’t Be Afraid, Mother! (Nu Geshinia, Deda!) (1971), White Flags (Tetri Bairaghebi) (1973), The Law of Eternity (Maradisobis Kanoni) (1973, awarded the Lenin Prize in 1980), and a whole cycle of short stories.
For White Flags and his short stories, the writer was awarded the Shota Rustaveli State Prize (1975). Dumbadze mainly wrote based on his persona experience [short stories include: Didro, The Dog (1973), The Sun, Corrida (1974), Kukaracha (1980), Khazarula (1981), and others].
The idea to establish the children's city Mziuri in the Vera River gorge between Tbilisi and Betania was his own. The first phase of the city’s construction was realized thanks to his efforts.
Several films were made based on Dumbadze’s novels and stories: Me, Grandma, Iliko and Ilarion (1962, directed by T. Abuladze), I Can See the Sun (1965, directed by L. Ghoghoberidze), Kukaracha (1983, directed by K. Dolidze), and others.
Dumbadze’s works were also staged at the Rustaveli State Theatre: Sunny Night (1966, directed by R. Sturua), The Accusation (1973, directed by R. Sturua), Me, Grandma, Iliko and Ilarion (1977, directed by R. Sturua); and at the Marjanishvili State Theatre – Me, Grandma, Iliko and Ilarion (1958, directed by G. Lortkipanidze), I Can See the Sun (1960, directed by G. Lortkipanidze). TV productions of Kukaracha and The Law of Eternity were directed by T. Chkheidze. His works were also staged abroad. Dumbadze’ works have been translated into foreign languages.
In 1987, N. Dumbadze’s house museum was established in Tbilisi.
He was initially buried in Mziuri, the children’s city, but on September 14, 2009, his remains were reinterred in the Mtatsminda Pantheon of Writers and Public Figures.
Literature: ბაქრაძე ა., „სევდა, რომელიც იცინის“, წგნ. თხზულებანი, ტ. III, თბ., 2004; ი მ ე დ ა შ ვ ი ლ ი კ., მიჯნა, თბ., 1987; კოტინოვი ნ., ნოდარ დუმბაძის ცხოვრების გზა და პერსონაჟთა პროტოტიპები, თბ., 2013; კუპატაძე მ., მორალი, ზნეობა და სამართალი ნოდარ დუმბაძის შემოქმედებაში, თბ., 2020.
G. Gverdtsiteli
