16/06/2023
🦋 will introduce you to another important Georgian woman, Ekaterine Gabashvili - Georgian writer and public figure.
June 16 is the birthday of Ekaterine Tarkhnishvili-Gabashvili, the most beloved writer for the Georgian nation. Kato was born in 1851 in Akhalkalaki. After the death of her mother, 5-year-old Catherine was entrusted by her father to her grandmother, who, despite not lacking care, tried to restrict the young woman by conservative methods. The grandmother thought that the education she received at home was enough for her daughter. It was at this point that Catherine's first feminist aspiration began - a woman could be educated as well as a man. Despite her grandmother's resistance, Ekaterine was educated at a German private school in Tbilisi. As a matter of fact while studying at the boarding school, she met Iakob Gogebashvili, who gifted her his book “Deda Ena”.
After finishing her boarding school, upon her return to Gori, Ekaterine was actively involved in educational activities. Kato trained the children at home for free. She made her debut with the letter "The Peasant's Thought on the Public School", which was published in 1870 in the newspaper "Droeba". "Learning is a great jewel for a man, and learning alone can bring people out of the ignorant state in which they are immersed ..." . It is also important that Kato played a major role in the development of Georgian children's literature. She established a style of short stories and novels.
In fact, in 1871 she married to Alexander Gabashvili. Catherine and Alexander had 11 children. Six of them died in early childhood, which was certainly a big trauma for Kato. However, at the end of the 80's, Ekaterine returned to the literary arena with extensive short stories "Roman Didkheva" (1881), "Kona" (1882), "Or-Ena da Kuche" (1883), which were highly praised by Ilia Chavchavadze. Additionally, since 1882, Catherine has been a member of the board of the Society for the Promotion of Literacy among Georgians.
As for her feminist activities, Kato was constantly fighting to spread education among women. In 1895, Cato opened a sewing school in her own home, where she taught poor
