Gulia, Dmitry Iosifovich

Abkhazian writer and poet, national poet (narodny poet) of Abkhazia (1937). Educator, founder of Abkhaz literature.

Born February 9 (21), 1874, in the village of Uarcha, Gumistinsky County, now Sukhumi County, Abkhazia, in a poor peasant family. Studied in teacher seminary in the city of Gori. Was a teacher. In 1892, together with K.D. Machavariani, compiled Abkhaz alphabet based on Cyrillic characters. In his poetry collection (1912), the poet expressed the hopes of Abkhaz people for the beautiful future and hatred towards any injustice. In 1921, D.I. Gulia organized and headed the first Abkhaz theater group. Was an editor of the first Abkhaz newspaper, Apsny (Abkhazia). Gulia's multifarious activities reached the culmination in the Soviet times. Gulia's lyrics are penetrated with the pathos of creation, friendship, and unity of nations (epics Song about Abkhazia, 1940, Autumn in the Countryside, 1946, etc.). Gulia wrote the first Abkhaz novella Under Someone Else's Sky (1919). In the novel Kamachich (1940), he depicted the life of Abkhazians during the czarism and joyless destiny of a woman. D.I. Gulia's role in Abkhaz culture development is enormous. Authored works on language, history, and ethnography of the Abkhaz, chrestomathies and textbooks. Was elected the deputy of the USSR Supreme Council of fourth and fifth convocations. Awarded the Order of Lenin.

Died April 7, 1960, in the village of Agudzera in Abkhazia. Buried in the city of Sukhumi.