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The Living Tradition and Folklore

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The Living Tradition and Folklore The Living Tradition and Folklore Greek identity is determined “not only by the inanimate structures that belong to bygone times but by the living tradition" Ahrweiler-The Making of Europe The ppy,roblem of historical continuity, of succession, and of cultural heritage was posited quite squarely by and to the Gree ks both bfbefore and after the peridiod of national regeneration. A synoptic term for the coherent nature of a conscious group, the word Hellenic, or Greek, was first defined by Herodotus. Herodotus' definition, which for his day might well be considered an accepted one, specifies hihomaimon, that is, akin or of common blood; but at once adds a common religion, a shared character, and a common language as being of equal force and the basic traits of Greek identity. Isocrates Evidence of participation in patterns of Greek life was determined not birth or Greek descent, but chiefly, by participation in a generally, Greek education which of itself allowed unimpeded access to works of Greek literature. Due to the gggpeographical formation of Greece, Greek folklore traditions are often highly localized with obvious distinctions between the various geographical territories. However some elements are accepted at large, especially the ones related to the tradit ions of the GkGreek OhdOrthodox Churc h. Christmas (December 25) Christopsomo or Christ Bread was/is the centerpiece of traditional Greek Christmas table, as well as large quantities of dried figs, nuts and honey. http: //gree kfoo d.a bou t.com /o d/gree kbrea d spitas/r/christopsomo.htm Singgging carols from door to door is a tradition that is still widely observed even in city areas where the traditional heritage seems to fizzle out more qqyuickly. Traditionall y children sin g from door to door as a way of announcing the arrival of the 12 days of Christmas, firstly offering their compliments to the house and residents and ending with requests for gifts, which in older days came in the form of sweets and biscuits, while nowadays cash - is definitely more appreciated. Carols are sung on two date (December 24 for Christmas and on December 31 for New Year’ s Day) Greeks traditionallyyg exchange their season's g ifts on New Year's or Agios Vassilis' (St Basil's) Day. According to Greek carols and customs, it is this Greek Orthodox holyyy,g martyr, hailing from the depths of Asia, who has the lucky gift-giving task - not St Nicholas. In older days, families would ppggplace a large log in the fireplace for Agios Vassilis to step on as he slipped down the chimney with a bag of toys. And in some areas of Greece it was believed that Christ himself visited via the chimney to check on the preparations for the Christmas feast. The chimney was,,, and to some still is, the passage through which the cunning and quasi-sinister kallikantzari would arrive to cause havoc to naughty children, drunks and the lazy. The kallikantzari are imagined to be tall, black and ugly goblin- like creatures, with red eyes and hairy bodies. For Greeks, keeping the fire burning during the 12-day period from Christmas Eve through to the Epiphany on January 6 was once a way of keeping the kallikantzari at bay. EEaster,aster, ‘PPaschaascha’ in Greek,Greek, isis thethe mostmost sacred and celebrated of all Greek holidays. The word ‘Pascha’ comes from Hebrew and it means ‘pass over’. Easter begins with a 40-day fasting, ending within the Holy Week during which a complete fasting diet is followed. No meats, dairy, fish, poultry or dishes that are prepared with these foo ds can be eaten. The Greek Orthodox Church does not always celebrate Easter on the same date as the Catholic or Protestant Church does. The reason is that the OhdOrthodox Churc h uses the Julian calendar when calculating Easter. Good Friday Most shops and businesses are closed and flags are flown at half-mast in commemoration to Christ. On Friday evening the coffin of Christ is decorated with gold cloth and fresh flowers, where the faithful bow and stoop to kiss the symbolic body of Christ. After this follows the procession of the ' Epitaphios' which is carried out of the church and paraded through the streets in a lengthy funeral procession. 'Anastasi' - resurrection is the most important day of the Easter calendar. At midnight all the lights are extinguished in the church and the priest comes from behind the doors of the altar carrying a candle. He walks to somebody in the front row and lights their candle, this person with his pass the light from candle to candle and the light fills the church. The light is a symbol of the resurrection. Everyone kisses one another and say 'Christos Anesti' - Christ has risen, 'Alithos Anesti' - truly He has risen. The candle is carried back home, taking care the flame is not extinguished. At the house 3 crosses are made with the flame above the entrance door, in order to bless the house and its inhabitants by the light of Christ's resurrection. It is also customary to light a huge bonfire in the churchyard to burn Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus It is tradition after the mass,,ppg when the people go home they sit down and eat 'mageiritsa' a soup made of lamb's innards bringing the fasting to an end. After the 'mageirista' dyy,ed red, hard-boiled eggs are brought to the table. The egg is a symbol of Resurrection, representing the emergence of Christ from His tomb to everlasting life. The red color signifies the blood of Christ. The tradition is that people rap their eggs ag ainst their relatives' egg s and the owner of the last un-cracked egg is considered lucky. The costumes of Greece are a beautiful part of a very rich cultural history Some of the characteristics of Greek folk costumes can be traced back to elements in ancient Hellenic and Byzantine costumes. The costumes of the mainland and of the islands are different. Very little has survived to give us an indication of what ancient Greek dance or music was like. No secular music was notated during the Byzantine Empire. Nikolaos Politis, the greatest Hellenic folklorist of all, documented and published the most extensive works of folklore traditions and customs. Politis believed that a significant amount of present-day traditions were based on ideas that were virtually timeless, but were distinctive and unarguably Greek in the way in which they were expressed. Greek dancing unites the Greeks to each other and reinforces the essence of community. The circle dance has been danced in Greece since ancient times. Researchers have found many artworks depicting dance poses from the ancient and Byzantine periods which bear a striking resemblance to the Greek dances of today. Indeed, certain dances (Hasapiko, Kalamatiano, Serra, & Tsakoniko) can be traced back hundreds or thousands of years. The Evil Eye Matiasma, malocchio, mal de ojo. Greek, Italian and Spanish for the evil eye. Its modern presence can be felt most strongly in Mediterranean nations, as well as in India and the Spanish-influenced South American countries. To most Greeks, those who cause matiasma are not bad people, though some do believe that only malicious, envious individuals cause the ailment. The afflicted become sluggish and nauseous and suffer from a feeling of “having something inside you” – a lump in the throat. Some believe that matiasma can kill or maim livestock, cause mechanical failure in machinery, even topple carts of fruit and brick walls. Infants are especially susceptible. A young baby can die if the cure is not administered in time. Those who are aware of the dangers of praise often spit after paying a compliment. They may make a spitting motion or sound when offering praise to a newborn, or mutter “let it not be bewitched.” For adults, matiasma is not usually considered to be life-threatening. The cure – xematiasma – is relatively simple, though it varies from person to person, as does the manner of diagnosis. If someone is afflicted by matiasma, a drop of oil placed in a glass of water sitting before the patient will dissolve rather than float on the surface. The Gree k Ort ho dox Churc h also be lieves in the evil eye, and they refer to it as "Baskania". NeveNeverr hhandand somesome oneone a knife.knife. Set itit downdown and let them pick it up, or else you will get into a fight with that person. Gree ks bblielieve very much in the power of garlic to keep evil away. You will usually find beautiful braids of Garlic, or some huge, one of a kind head, dangling in the entrances of shops, restaurants and homes. It is thoug ht tha t garlic not only wards off the evil eye but also keeps away evi l spiri ts an d dem on s. Bread is considered a gift from God. No bread is ever thrown away. If it is not eaten in some way or another, it is fed to the anilimals -chic kens or pigs, and even dogs, as it would be a sin for it to end up in the garbage and has to be consumed by some living creature. Greek Orthodox priests are very revered. When greeting one, it is customary to kiss his hand or ring in respect. But it’s considered a bdbad omen to see one walking in the street, and most folk whisper ‘Skorda (garlic)’ under their breath. Greeks spppit for a number of superstitious reasons. The most common is to keep evil away from you.
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