APOKRIGIOMATA IN GERGERI VILLAGE - GREECE
47 images Created 10 Jul 2019
Apokriyomata in Gergeri village of Crete island, Greece.
A time to enjoy and forget trouble and the Greek economic crisis, during a traditional festival with ancient roots.
At the village of Gergeri located in the mountains at the center of Crete island in southern Greece, every year traditional customs that have their roots in ancient times are reenacted under the name “Apokriyomata”. The name of the festival, comes from the word “Apokria” or in latin “carnem levāre” ("take away/remove meat") and in English “Carnival”, and it means the abstention from eating meat. The festival is held in the last days before a three week fasting in preparation for the Greek Easter, and mainly on the first Monday of the fasting, also called “Clean Monday”. During Apokriyomata, the actors dress in costumes made by goat furs and big bells that are usually worn by animals in farms, they parade in wooden masks, they reenact the tillage, a wedding and a funeral, while constantly joking, drinking, making noise with their bells, teasing people and dancing. The viewers are also called to participate by smudging their faces, drinking a local strong alcohol called “raki”, eating the offered food or by being taken in to the acts, and finally by joining the circle dance in the center of the village together with everyone else. The roots of the acts of this festival can be traced in ancient Greek Dionysus ceremonies and in local agricultural ceremonies that where meant to celebrate the coming of spring, the fertility of nature and people, to pray for good crops and to keep away evil. Similar festivals happen in many villages of Greece, either in the same time or in the beginning of January. Gergeri’s festival is quite particular as it is consisted by many different acts, of which some are native to Gergeri or to nearby villages and some are invited from other parts of Greece. The group of each act parades through the village until they reach it’s center where they perform the main part of their act. They joke and lough and in the end they all join a circle dance on the music played by local musicians.
A time to enjoy and forget trouble and the Greek economic crisis, during a traditional festival with ancient roots.
At the village of Gergeri located in the mountains at the center of Crete island in southern Greece, every year traditional customs that have their roots in ancient times are reenacted under the name “Apokriyomata”. The name of the festival, comes from the word “Apokria” or in latin “carnem levāre” ("take away/remove meat") and in English “Carnival”, and it means the abstention from eating meat. The festival is held in the last days before a three week fasting in preparation for the Greek Easter, and mainly on the first Monday of the fasting, also called “Clean Monday”. During Apokriyomata, the actors dress in costumes made by goat furs and big bells that are usually worn by animals in farms, they parade in wooden masks, they reenact the tillage, a wedding and a funeral, while constantly joking, drinking, making noise with their bells, teasing people and dancing. The viewers are also called to participate by smudging their faces, drinking a local strong alcohol called “raki”, eating the offered food or by being taken in to the acts, and finally by joining the circle dance in the center of the village together with everyone else. The roots of the acts of this festival can be traced in ancient Greek Dionysus ceremonies and in local agricultural ceremonies that where meant to celebrate the coming of spring, the fertility of nature and people, to pray for good crops and to keep away evil. Similar festivals happen in many villages of Greece, either in the same time or in the beginning of January. Gergeri’s festival is quite particular as it is consisted by many different acts, of which some are native to Gergeri or to nearby villages and some are invited from other parts of Greece. The group of each act parades through the village until they reach it’s center where they perform the main part of their act. They joke and lough and in the end they all join a circle dance on the music played by local musicians.
