EVENTS

By Vangelis Angelis

The Carnival (Apokries in Greek) is not only about the primitive and the dionysian element of the countryside. Besides the custom of the “bell-bearers“(koudounatoi), the “old men“(geroi), the “janissaries“ and the “boules“ (brides), there are more “urban“ events associated with it. When we say “urban“, we do not refer that much to these celebrations that take place in large cities, but especially to these which have a more contemporary (less traditional) nature; that are more “Western-like”.

Γιατί βέβαια, όσο ενδιαφέροντα και αν είναι κάποια αποκριάτικα δρώμενα που γίνονται σε μεγάλες ελληνικές πόλεις, δε μπορούν να χαρακτηριστούν ως αστικά. Ειδικά όσα πραγματοποιούνται σε πόλεις που βρίσκονται σε περιοχές με αγροτικό χαρακτήρα. Χαρακτηριστικά παραδείγματα είναι αυτά της Θήβας ή των Ιωαννίνων. Στην πρώτη περίπτωση, έχουμε τον “βλάχικο γάμο” που λήγει κάθε Καθαρή Δευτέρα, μετα αρραβωνιάσματα του ζευγαριού, την παράδοση των προικιών, το ξύρισμα του γαμπρού και το στόλισμα της νύφης. Είναι ένα έθιμο που έχει τις ρίζες του στις αρχές του 19ου αιώνα όταν,  μετά την απελευθέρωση των ορεινών περιοχών, οι Βλάχοι, εγκατέλειψαν την άγονη γη τους για να βρουν γόνιμο έδαφος νοτιότερα. Στα Γιάννενα επίσης, έχουμε τις Τζαμάλες, τις τεράστιες φωτιές γύρω από τις οποίες οι κάτοικοι της πόλης μεθούν, χορεύουν, τρώνε πίτες και φασολάδα. Πρόκειται και εδώ για μια παλιά παράδοση που επιβιώνει σε ένα περιβάλλον που σήμερα είναι αστικό. Η ίδια η ετυμολογία της λέξης (πιθανόν από το θρακιώτικο αποκριάτικο έθιμο της τζαμάλας – καμήλας) μας παραπέμπει και σε άλλα αποκριάτικα έθιμα της υπόλοιπης χώρας που γίνονται σε πόλεις που σήμερα είναι αστικά κέντρα, στα οποία όμως επιβιώνουν πιο παραδοσιακά έθιμα της αποκριάς. Στη Λαμία για παράδειγμα, γίνεται το τελετουργικό του αποκεφαλισμού της ‘άτακτης’  γκαμήλας από τον καμηλιέρη.

On the other hand, there are various traditional customs of the Carnival which with time were passed on to the “urban“ Carnival habits as well. A classic example of this, is the Maypole. It continued as a traditional custom in many rural areas and villages (as in Kallipefki of Thessaly), and then was passed on to various semi-urban or urban centres (Livadeia, Kalamata, Rhodes). It became very popular though, in predominantly urban areas of the 20th century, like Athens. This stunning cover of the magazine “Eikones“, presents us a snapshot of the time, when Athens was on the verge of urbanization: maypole in Plaka, 1957.

So in a slow pace, many urban areas incorporated traditional elements in their Carnival celebrations. An example in this respect, is Xanthi, which combines the old with the contemporary. In this city we can see the survival of the old custom of ‘burning of the Tzar,’ and up to the 1950’s, the Carnival festivities had solely a traditional character. Today, Xanthi’s Carnival has a more contemporary caracter and is organized by 34 autonomous associations.

There are of course other areas that have celebrated the Carnival in a primarily urban way, over the decades. Classical urban Carnivals came to the Greek territory in the late 19thth century, with clear influences from their Western equivalents: streamers, clowns, Western dances and processions with floats, composed their backdrop. Such Carnivals are held now in several cities of Greece.

Naturally, due to their historical roots, areas such as the Ionian Islands, adopted these types of Carnival celebrations, faster than other parts of Greece. Here, these things started very early with the so-called “Speeches”. These were short folk theatrical performances, held during the Carnival. They started before the 18th century and were influenced by the Venetian Carnival. They were based on written texts and adaptations of popular readings, which also included works of the Cretan Theatre. With the evolution of time, the Carnival events in the Ionian Islands acquired their very own characteristics. In Zakynthos (Zante), a crier goes around the island and proclaims the Carnival’s program. Throughout the Carnival, dances, parades and other events, are organised. The program ends with the “Funeral of the Mask“. This is a funeral parody in which the Carnival King, takes the place of the deceased, followed by grieving relatives. In contemporary Kerkyra(Corfu), even from the years of the Venetian Occupation, there was a great Carnival tradition. A Venetian officer assumed the responsibility of entertainment and brought ballets and operas to the island, in order to organize the Carnival, leading to the end of his term. Here too, the crier passes by the city streets with trumpeters and drummers, in order to announce the arrival of the Carnival Sior (meaning “sir“ in the Ionian islands dialect). The great procession, along with floats, bands and costumed gatherings, is directed to the Kato Plateia (Lower square) for the feast, and on the last Sunday of the Carnival, the parade of the Sior Carnival ends, with the burning of his effigy.

Perhaps, the proximity of the region to Italy, has contributed to the early adoption of Western-like carnival customs, in the Galaxidi area too. The urban character of the area and its nautical tradition, contributed to the adoption of Western habits. It is assumed for example, that the famous ‘Flour Battles’ were copied from folk festivals in Sicily. We know from the English traveler Dodwell, who visited Galaxidi in the days of the Carnival in 1801, that these Carnival celebrations already are more than two centuries old!

Μπορεί τελικά να μην είναι τυχαίο το γεγονός ότι τα δυτικότροπα καρναβάλια καθιερώθηκαν σε αστικές περιοχές που βίωσαν την Ενετοκρατία. Ακόμα και αν ξεκίνησαν αρκετά αργότερα από αυτήν, όπως έγινε στο Ρέθυμνο, φαίνεται πως οι ρίζες της ενετικής κατάκτησης παρέμειναν βαθιές. Στο Ρέθυμνο ειδικά, οι καρναβαλικές εκδηλώσεις χρονολογούνται από το 1914 και περιλαμβάνουν κανταδόρους με κιθάρες, μαντολίνα, παλιές μελωδίες, μασκαράδες που περνάνε από τους δρόμους της πόλης με τους ρυθμούς της φιλαρμονικής, ενώ οι καρναβαλικές εκδηλώσεις κορυφώνονται με τη μεγάλη παρέλαση στην παραλιακή λεωφόρο.

Ultimately, it may not be a coincidence that the Western carnivals were established in urban areas that were under the Venetian Occupation. Even if they started much later than that, as in the case of Rethymno, it appears that the roots of the Venetian conquest remained profound. In Rethymno specifically, the Carnival dates from 1914, and includes troubadours with guitars, mandolins, old melodies, maskers who pass through the city streets in the rhythms of the Philharmonic, and the Carnival festivities culminate, with a large parade on the quay.

In time, of course, other towns as well, wanted to participate in the magic of the modern Carnival. The “Carnivals of Women“ in Epirus, demonstrate a particular interest. They started in the 1960s in Preveza, another area situated opposite the Italian Coast. The distinctive quality of this carnival is obvious from its name: it is a women’s carnival! In the recent years, the Women’s Carnival of Preveza, has each time over 20 crews with 1,000 Carnival Participators. The Women’s Carnival in Arta, followed the example of the city nearby. It began spontaneously in March 1982, without having been organized by a club or an organization.

When talking of course about “Urban Carnival” we cannot omit from our talk, the most urbanized region of the country in modern history. Attica, celebrates the Carnival in its own way. The Carnival of Moschato, dates only from 1987, but has managed to become very popular, and hosts not only Carnival representatives from other parts of Greece, but also from the rest of the world! Of course, the traditional centre of Athens’s Carnival celebrations, is Plaka. Who has not been there during the celebrations of the Carnival, found in the crowd and hasn’t got a ‘traditional’ bat on the head? The old Athenian neighborhood is each time at the centre of the celebrations.

Painting at the bottom of the article: Νικόλαος Γύζης, Καρναβάλι στην Αθήνα – Nikolaos Gyzis, Carnival in Athens