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There are two unique intervals of Carnival in Greece (as if one were not enough), the very first previously stretched about the "twelve days" of Christmas, and the 2nd will take location in the course of the 3 weeks earlier than the beginning of Lent.
The 1st, the "Carnival of the Twelve Days," was widespread during northern and central areas of the mainland, and unknown in southern Greece and the islands. At the starting of the twentieth century, A. J. B. Wace collected evidence of these celebrations. The observance of the festivities had at that time by now begun to break down, and they had been performed only for part of that interval, taking spot at diverse occasions in distinct spots. In some areas they had been held on the eve and pageant of Saint Basil, in Southern Macedonia and Thessaly on the vigil and day of Theofania. In some districts the carnival was observed on a number of other events.
Despite numerous regional variations, the fundamental kind of the festivities appears to have been primarily the similar. Groups of revellers would go from residence to home in costume, singing carols and often dancing. The costumes would symbolize human and animal figures, and occasionally they would be mere disguises, their authentic significance no longer remembered. The revellers would be fortified by spirits, and rival teams would sometimes engage in pleasant fight with clubs or poles when they encountered each other. This practice was variously recognized as Rogatsaria, Lykokatzaria or Kallikantzaria.
The revellers may possibly also carry out crude dramatic sketches, their costumes currently being dictated by the specifications of the drama. This was in all places essentially the identical, and in its fullest type, had three unique elements: "the Demise and Resurrection," "the Marriage ceremony," and "the Ploughing." The specifics of the real plays, collectively with their method of performance, differed from put to spot, and the names offered to the characters and their physical appearance was topic to substantial modification. In some locations a single component might be additional prominent than one more, and in most locations some of the capabilities of the normal pattern had disappeared.
The following description, in which the drama of "the Demise and Resurrection" was the most prominent ingredient, was recorded by a A. J. P. Wace from a regional informant at Kokkotoi, a modest village in Othrys, south of Halmyros, all through the final many years of the nineteenth century, at a date when that element of Greece was comparatively unaffected by the corrosion of modern day tips and attitudes.
In the direction of sunset on the eve of Theofania the youths and boys of the village would assemble in bands, normally of about twelve in quantity. Each and every group would pick out 4 of their company to play the acting roles, with the remainder getting divided into two equal choruses. The acting elements had been the Bride, Bridegroom, Moor and Medical doctor. The youths would gown for their aspect as their sources allowed. At Kokkotoi, the Bridegroom would wear a fustanella, a red fez, tie sheep bells close to his waist, and carry a "sword". His Bride would be a boy dressed in the customary bridal costume of the district. The Moor wore a black mask of sheep or goatskin and a sheepskin cloak. The Health practitioner was dressed in a black coat and hat, so as to resemble a up to date educated center class skilled gentleman.
When suitably ready, the band would go from home to residence executing their play. At every prevent, the "bridegroom" would hammer with unnecessary power on the door with his sword. When admitted, the chorus would stand in a semi-circle with the actors in the middle. All would then sing a carol: "Now is Theofania, and the enlightenment, and wonderful joys for our Lord. At the river Jordan they praise Him, and they worship Him. And there is the Virgin Our Woman, and in her surprise-functioning palms she carries swaddling clothes, and holds a youngster, and she entreats Saint John, `Saint John! Forerunner, can you baptize a divine youngster?' `I can and I will, and I worship, but let Him wait till the morning. To-morrow the heavens will open, and dews will fall, and He will solid down the idols, and will bless springs and waters."
Then the two choruses would sing a single of a range of distinct songs addressed to the householders and chosen for their suitability. Each chorus would sing two lines alternately, and at the end the Moor would shout "Ha, ha, ha!" and stamp his foot.
o a prominent man, they would sing: "Master, grasp, 5 times grasp, this village does not befit you. Only the factories in the cities befit you; that you could deal with gold and sift tiny modify. Treat the lads with the siftings, grasp treat them. They are stained with mud. Deal with them, that they may well go to the wine shop and want you nicely; that you may develop white like Olympus, and white like the pigeons. "
o a farmer they would sing: "Master, when you commence to sow, might your plough be of apple-tree, or pomegranate, and your yoke of quince, and the ox-goad you carry a rose department; your black oxen in the yoke, the white oxen in the plough, and the brown oxen in the closely-loaded threshing ground; that you could reap a hundred tallies, and three thousand okes. And once more, it is tiny that we have stated: could God make them much better. "
o a shepherd: "In these marble-paved courts may there be provided a hundred sheep, and 3 thousand goats, and the numerous active children run like ants, and buzz like bees. "
o a youth not too long ago engaged, they would sing: "Do you hear, my vigorous, slender boy with the arched eyebrows, do you listen to your loved one's bidding? Go and take your kiss, lest it rain or snow, and the river arrive down and carry away the bridge. "
The actors would then begin their dramatic efficiency. The Moor would tactic the bride in an around-familiar method and steal a kiss. The Bridegroom would object to his taking this kind of liberties, and he and the Moor would quarrel. This would culminate in the Moor killing the Bridegroom. The Bride would initially fling herself onto his human body, grieving loudly; then recover fairly, and hurry off to get the Physician. He would arrive with all the wonderful airs of a skilled gentleman, and there would be a great deal of humour in his overall performance: feeling the victim's pulse, vigorously thumping his chest, forcing soap into his mouth, and so on. Immediately after this pantomime, the Bridegroom would all of a sudden recuperate, and, leaping to his toes, dance with the other actors. Wace concluded his account tersely: "The play generally ends with an obscene pantomime in between the Bride and Bridegroom."
The performers anticipated to be rewarded for their trouble with funds, meals or wine: "but if there are any chickens about they do not hesitate to steal them," Wace reported. This was the accepted practice.
If the mummers had been not received, and the door was kept closed against them, they would sing a suitable track outdoors the residence:
"Master, in your dirty property, full of crows, 50 percent are laying eggs, fifty percent are hatching them, and half are pecking out your eyes. " The mummers would also precise revenge by carrying out at least some token harm to the owner's trees and vines just before transferring on.
Wace was himself able to go to the region himself in 1910, when it had been integrated into the Greek kingdom. He located that, "Considering that the days of Turkish rule the festival has lost much of its former glory; education, the need to be European, and the police, who object to chicken stealing, have all contributed to reduce its value." At Platonos he witnessed bands of boys trying to carry out the traditional custom while being harassed by the police. Underneath these circumstances, the performers in particular dressed for their parts had been decreased to two, the Bride and Groom. The boys who performed the Bride have been by this time dressed only in the ordinary clothes of a girl, or even with just a token girls' kerchief tied around the head; while the Groom had managed to retain his standard finery. At that time, the spectators would on their own "get liberties" with the Bride, and would on their own "kill" the Groom. Largely, on the other hand, the bands merely waylaid passers-by and sang their songs to them, although the Bride flourished an orange or apple in their faces and the Groom threatened them with his sword until finally they had paid one thing. In that district, the drama had already begun to disappear.
Clearly this ritual, or some form of it, lies behind a lot of of the customs which survive throughout Northern and Central Greece right now and are noticed for the duration of this period and into Spring. In some spots the drama has declined into mere masquerading, although in other folks it has created into a type of folk theatre, with a variety of stock predicaments.
The performers think that what they do is not simply a subject of recreation or amusement, but it is "for excellent fortune" in the coming yr, and is meant in some way to safe a very good season for the crops.
The twelve day period of the mid-winter holiday, starting with Christmas and ending with Epiphany or Theophania, had been a interval of distinctive celebration all through massive components of the historic globe. At the winter solstice in the Roman Empire the celebration of the common pageant of the Saturnalia took place. Identifying the Roman god Saturn with the Greek Chronos, the Greeks named it the Chronia. As Lucian described it, on these days only bakers and confectioners would operate. No class differences really should be evident, and roles may even be reversed, with servants being served by their masters. He wrote that throughout this interval, "Outdated guys ought to turn out to be youngsters once more." Presents had been customarily exchanged.
In Greece these festivities had been held underneath the sturdy influence of the cult of the god Dionysos, widespread all through the north and centre of the nation. This merrymaking continued into the Christian era, for the Synod of Trullo of 652 condemned masquerading, drunken merry-generating, and calling out the title "Dionysos" in the course of the winter pageant season.
Having failed to suppress the festivities, the Church attempted, by the introduction of Christian celebrations, to take through and hallow them, but this was only partly profitable. It is clear that the historic spirit long continued all over the place. In particular, the nation people, the original pagani, or "pagans", resisted any try to erode their customs, and clung tenaciously to their outdated techniques. In consequence, they have survived into the twentieth century, especially in Thessaly, Macedonia, and Thrace.
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Curiously, on the other hand, in each district, there appears to be to have arisen a distinctive "explanation" for the origin of the festivities in that specific spot. While these pseudo-explanations differ from one particular location to an additional, they tend to attach what are clearly regional survivals of a widespread ancient practice, the true objective of which may have been misplaced to the folks-memory, to some concrete historic, or pseudo-historic, occasion. The people-lore scholar George Aikaterinides points out that these various "explanations" can not account for what are clearly local variants of a common, and historical, sample. Pseudo-explanations have been made in order to account for customs which had been noticed from time immemorial, but which had been frequently subject to extremely hostile strain from a Church which noticed them as each licentious and evil. The attaching to them of some harmless "historic explanation" would seem not simply to be a product or service of the ever-present want to describe what may possibly not be at the time explicable, but also a defence against ecclesiastical pressures. To celebrate a "historic event" would seem a harmless and unobjectionable practice, really innocent of any pagan associations.
o Volaka, Drama: On January seventh, teams of five or six "Moors" (arapides) roam the streets of the city with blackened faces, sporting sheepskins and bells, and holding brief swords. Every single workforce involves a Groom and a Bride. On the subsequent day these two take part in a mock wedding, which is followed by a communal occasion.
o Neo Monastiri, Domokou: Individuals sporting animal masks dance in the village sq. and parade with a "camel".
o Pyrgi, Drama: On Theophania and the subsequent day revellers party with blackened faces, wearing animal skins and bells.
o Kali Vrisi, Drama: Communal meals are held on the evenings ahead of Christmas and New Yr. At dawn on Theophania the householders go around their houses with ashes from the midwinter hearth to exorcise the kalikantzari, the demons of winter. Following the liturgy, males dressed in animal masks gather outside the church and go from residence to house in teams. Later, little ones dressed in white bull-like head-dresses with horns and sporting pantaloons dance all around a bonfire.
o Galatitsa: There is a procession of masqueraders which prominently attribute a mock "camel."
o Grevena: Youths take out the icons from the Church, and run by way of the streets with them, led by a cross bearer. Later, they dance close to a bonfire.
o Palaiochori, Chalkidikis: Guys dressed in foustanellas execute a dance with mock scimitars.
o Lowland Thessaly: On the vigil of Theofania, young guys in costumes representing the Grandfather, Grandmother, Groom, Bride, Bear-keeper and Bear go from home to residence, in which they are provided foods and drink. Afterwards they maintain parties in their homes.
The "Moors" (Arapides) of Monastiraki, Drama On Theophania, January sixth teams of masqueraders pass by way of the village of Monastiraki, near Drama. Right here, as in several places, the component of masquerade can take the most prominent function in the celebrations.
The figures get four kinds. The most impressive, the "Moors" (Arapides) get their name from the dark character of their remarkable costume, which will take some considerable time, and the support of buddies, to place on. They gown in the extended, black, shaggy shepherds' overcoat and a tall goatskin mask, and put on three heavy sheep bells close to the waist. In a single hand the Moor holds a wood sword, and in the other a pouch full of ash taken from the hearth fires which have burned continuously around the twelve days of Christmas, which is utilised to tap passers-by for luck. They are accompanied by the gilinges, males dressed in feminine garments, the papoudes, dressed in the stylised garments of the rural male, and the evzones, or tsolides, who wear the national costume of the foustanella.
To the accompaniment of nearby instruments, the lyra and daires (a big tambourine), the teams of masqueraders make their way through the streets of the town, going to all the homes in turn, wishing householders a "great year", and receiving treats in return. When the numerous groups arrive in the primary sq., they all take aspect in a communal dance. For the duration of this portion of the proceedings, a mock bear with its keeper traditionally tends to make its look. Ultimately, a ceremonial ploughing requires spot, the arapides drawing the plough and a single of the pappoudes guiding it, to guarantee "a great new year."
On the slopes of Mount Pangaion in Macedonia lies the little township of Nikisiani. Every single 12 months on the feast of Saint John (January 7th) the "Moors" stroll the city, in a variant of the identical custom observed in Monastiraki. A tiny right after noon, businesses of among 3 and six, regularly led by a character dressed in the foustanella, could be witnessed overseas.
The Nikisianis "Moors" put on shoes produced from conceal, the calves over wrapped in cloth of ewe's wool, bound with leather strips of sheep or goat cover. They also wear the unfastened woollen pantaloons, usually white, which had been the moment nearby gown. Above, they have a knitted woollen vest with extended sleeves, and over this a brief, shaggy shepherds' cloak which reaches beneath the knees. Below this, at the again, are stuffed enough leaves of the maize plant to type a unique hump. Hanging close to the waist by a rope, which also sustains the hump above, are 4 bells. 3 are tiny, of distinct sizes and taken from the goats. The fourth and greatest, of wrought iron, is worn in the center, with an additional a single quickly on both facet. Every single "Moor" wears a black mask of animal cover, completed off with a conical-shaped headdress. This is sustained by a wicker framework within, and stuffed with maize leaves. From it is suspended an embroidered kerchief. A huge wooden knife like a sword completes his accoutrements.
When the "Moors" roam via the streets of the city preceded by a big drum, the noise of their bells echoes across the countryside. They progress alongside the alleys utilizing tiny dance actions, ringing their bells rhythmically, and brandishing their "swords". At intervals the group will pause and frisk about in a certain spot. Abruptly two moors will pretend to combat, and a single will fall down as although lifeless. All the other folks will lie on leading of him and lament. Then he will get up as although risen again. Following some time, they converge onto the primary square, in which they reenact the drama of "Dying and Resurrection" as soon as much more. Afterwards, there is dancing, which lasts until eventually the night.
Formerly this custom took location on 3 days, January 151, 6th and 7th but now it is confined to the afternoon of the final day, even though in memory of the former apply, on the other days smaller corporations of little ones roam the streets ringing sheep and goat bells.
There are many regional "explanations" sophisticated for this apply. The gown of the "Moors" is mentioned to symbolize John the Baptist, who wore bells at the baptism of Christ to make acknowledged to the entire world what was taking place. Other folks say that the bells signify the victory of Alexander the Excellent about the Indians, when bells were utilised by Macedonian troopers to frighten the elephants, triggering them to panic and unseat their riders.
It is mentioned that when, on this day one particular year, the inhabitants dressed up in their animal costumes and emerged from their houses producing demonic noises, they so frightened the Turks that they fled, abandoning the village to the Greeks.
For millennia many Greeks acknowledged as Pontians, from the Greek title for the Black Sea (Pontos Efxinos) have lived on the shores of north-eastern Asia Minor. In their isolation, they have preserved several intriguing variants of historic Greek customs. Threatened by genocide in the course of the many years subsequent the Very first Globe War, a lot of of them left their households and settled inside of the boundaries of the national state bringing their customs with them.
At this time of the year in Pontos the aspect of drama was the most prominent part of the Twelve-Day Carnival festivities, and had been produced into a distinctive art type. The Momoyeroi, or mummers, would carry out a range of short plays which had damaged totally free from the standard minimal stock of plots generally discovered in Greece appropriate.
This is striking evidence of the energy of the Dionysian spiritual festivities to evolve into recognisable drama in diverse areas at different occasions and in various methods. The Dionysian festival, which was transmuted into the excessive drama of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripedes in the theatre of Athens, advanced many centuries later into a custom of preferred satirical drama amongst the countrypeople of the Pontus region.
This form of well-liked theatre lapsed in numerous areas all through the 1950s, but it has been revived for the duration of the 1970-80s, and right now traditional performances are staged in a number of villages in the neighbourhood of Drama.
Despite the fact that Greece was, until lately really significantly a male dominated society, on the January 8th, the day of Saint Domna, patron saint of midwives and outdated girls, in some of the villages of northern Greece inhabited by refugees from Eastern Thrace, the weaker intercourse traditionally asserts itself.
In these villages the sexes exchange roles for the day. These girls who are outdated adequate to have kids congregate in the village squares and sit in the kafenions, even though the men remain at home and, theoretically at least, active themselves with housework. Any males who dare display their faces in public on this day, other than the musicians essential to entertain the ladies and accompany their festivities, are chased and doused with h2o, or in any other case harassed and intimidated. It is mentioned that the girls use their time of liberation to gather in the kafenions, sing bawdy songs and tell off-color jokes.
In some of the villages close to Nigrita, the girls take presents to the midwife. She used to get them seated on a throne embellished with orange blossom, and hung about with onions and garlic, and sporting a necklace of figs, grapes and carobs. Right now, even so, the females set flowers into her hair. They then hold a rowdy celebration. Four ladies hold the midwife by the sides and armpits as their leader dances prior to her. At the finish, they approach with her to the village spring with tune and dancing, exactly where they soak her with water.
It is recognized that comparable festivals were held in historical times. At the Skira in Athens, for just a single day the girls left their houses and met together in a mock parliament, in imitation of their husbands. It was this establishment which was the basis of Aristophanes' comedy The Parliament of Ladies. It would seem possible that today's custom is a survival of that historical tradition.
Saint Athanasios day in January 18th is a day for the performance of public animal sacrifice, adopted by a communal meal, in a lot of parts of northern Greece.
As Saint Tryfon is the protector of farmers and their crops, Saint Tryfon's Day (February 1st) is an crucial event in the countryside. Holy h2o from the church is taken to sprinkle the gardens and fields, especially the vineyards.Greek Carnivals
