Mural on the a public school wall in West\nVillage, in Manhattan, shows portraits of five immigrants who arrived in New\nYork about a century ago. The wall painting is the part of the “Colors For\nFreedom\u201d series and Brazilian muralist Eduardo Kobra painted it last year. The\nMural is monumental and the faces of immigrants are painted over 800 square\nmeters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researcher Irakli Makaradze has identified the\nface of horseman Mshvidobadze, who came from Guria region of Georgia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Irakli Makharadze has been studying the history\nof horsemen from Guria region for 20 years. According to Makharadze, Gurian\nhorsemen were extremely impressed with the Western World and the US. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am interested in the advantages of the\nGurian horsemen, especially when old people were telling them\u2026But I started a\nserious work on this issue about 20 years ago. I have obtained a lot of new\nmaterial in Georgia as well as at the archives and museums of the US,\u201d Irakli\nMakharadze said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Western glory of Gurians <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the information, provided by Irakli\nMakharadze,<\/strong> the first visit of Gurians to Europe took place in\n1892 when they arrived in England. The American showman Buffalo Bill was\nlooking for horsemen all over the world. His representatives selected only\nGurian horsemen within the Russian empire. In 1893, the horsemen visited the\nUS. The Gurians used to participate in\nBuffalo Bill\u2019s shows and circus by the name of \u201cRussian Cossacks\u201d more than 30\nyears. According to Irakli Makharadze,\nsince Americans found it difficult to pronounce Georgian names, Gurian horsemen\nwere given fictitious name.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most historical sources identify Gurian horsemen\nwith Russian Cossacks. With the help of Irakli Makharadze, the title Russian\nCossacks have been replaced by Georgian horsemen in a number of museums in the\nUS and will gradually be replaced in every source.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn modern American historical sources (for example:\nLouis S. Warren Buffalo Bill\u2019s America William Cody and the Wild West Show,\n2006, Tom F. Cunningham Your Fathers the Ghosts Buffalo Bill\u2019s Wild West in\nScotland, 2007, Steve Frisen Buffalo Bill Scout, Showman, Visionary, 2010)\nthere is written that the horsemen were Georgians and not Cossacks,\u201d Irakli\nMakharadze told the “Voice of America”.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gurians were forbidden to enter Western World after\nthe Soviet Union was established. Bolsheviks either imprisoned or exiled newly\narrived Gurian horsemen. In order to save themselves and their families,\nGurians burnt letters and photos. Consequently, numerous photos of Gurians got\nlost.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Eduardo Cobra’s work is the part of a great project.\nThe project was implemented in partnership with the Immigration Museum located\non “Elis Island.” This is the island through which more than 12\nmillion immigrants arrived in the US. The Immigration Service was opened in\n1892 on “Elis Island\u201d and an average of 5,000 immigrants, including Georgian\nimmigrants, were received every day. <\/strong><\/p>\n