Carnival customs, Kyklades

In the islands of the Cyclades, the main elements of the Carnival are, as everywhere in country, the joy, the jokes and the disguises that give an opportunity for spree, wine-drinking and teasing. In the Cyclades, Carnival celebrations, characteristic and imaginative, make up the expression of a remarkable and peculiar folksy culture with influences from different cultures. During the carnival period in Cyclades, a special place got Thursday of the “meat” week, the so-called "Tsiknopempti", while the traditional celebration of the Carnival culminates on the last Sunday, the Sunday of the Tyrini, also called "Trani Carnival". The banquets that are held on that day have a merry and festive character with songs characteristic of the prevailing feelings.

In Kimolos, for example, they sing: "These days have it, these weeks, wherever friends calling them, where enemies call them, wherever foreign lands send them and bring them."

In Kato Meria of Amorgos, revives the custom of the "Captain" by the Association of the "Ancient Arkesini": in the morning of Tyrini, the young of the village, dressed in black and white, with breeches tied with belt around the waist, with flat caps and traditional vests decorated with crosses with colored ribbons, take the road to the church of Panagia the Epanochoriani. These youngsters are accompanied by musicians who sing mantinades and the "Apokrianos": "The Halloween (Carnival) is gone so do the tiranades ..."

The choice of the "Captain" is made by the priest of the village, who throws up the "vest" in the air and the one that grabs it, becomes the "Captain". The quintessence of the custom is the fact that the young person chosen or who were after to become a "Captain" can reveal his real love or convey a hidden love by singing:

"There is no heavier longing, passion with no end, just like secret love that cannon be revealed ". The Captain's horse is adorned fancy, and is dressed with formal dresses and dressed by the Captain's guard, the "Bajrahtair".

The whole event is accompanied by a meal of fish, made of good wine and mantinades. After the eating and drinking, the procession begins for the village, where the kids have already arrived from the sandwiches that rush to announce the madhat. The first child who announces the news of "Captain" is rewarded with the coveted pocket money! The residents wait for the procession in Portara, the eastern entrance of the settlement. The Captain is cheered up, improvising lyrics and mantinades for the girls he meets, and he sets up his company and the people around in his cafes, his company and the guests.

The last stop is in Lozza. There, "Bairahtaris", holding a pole, which has a loaf of bread on its top, a piece of cheese and a piece of haddock, surrounds the horseback Captain three times in the square. The important moment is when the Captain reveals his secret love by inviting one of the village's girls to become "Captain’s Woman" to which he recites a little verse and gives her the first dance. The Captain and his company continue the feast in the village's haunts, dancing and singing until the morning: "Holy Lent also came with the seven weeks ...".

On the last Saturday and the last Sunday of the Carnival in the center of Andros, in Girokomeio Square, a parade takes place in floats of groups of masked people with fireworks and dance.

In Kea (Tzia) are organized dances of disguised, carnival games and clown performances for young and old. The events are culminated in Ioulida during the last Carnival with the great Carnival parade with the participation of disguised groups and the presentation of theatrical events that satirize scenes of everyday life. The event evolves into a frenetic feast where the Municipality offers wine, souvlaki and rice with milk (rizogalo) and lemon.

In the villages of Naxos still survive very ancient elements of Dionysian worship. On "Kreatini"(Meat) Sunday the so called “Koudounatoi” appear in the streets , young with masks, who wear capes with hoods, have a series of hanging bells around the waist and chest, dancing causing a very characteristic loud noise and the locals offer them eggs. On Clean Monday, "Fustanellatoi", who are young people without masks and festive decorations, come out on the streets playing violin.

In Santorini, in the central square of Fira, on the last Sunday of the Halloween (Carnival), the Municipality of Thira organizes a Carnival with the participation of all the schools of the island.

In Serifos on Sunday of Tirini (Cheese), the "Captain's Wife" carnival custom, similar to the "Captain" of Amorgos, takes place.

Sifnos remains faithful to the traditions and keeps with a big inspiration and humor the customs of the carnival dances with the "Kamilosies", ie masked people who in the dialect of Sifnos are called "Camels". Here the protagonists are the "takimi" of Sifnos, a musical couple, where the violin accompanies the lute and the rich food in the so-called "trapezes".

Many of the carnival dances, such as the "Mr-North", date back to the Pre-Christian Times, when the people, influenced by the pagan beliefs used to propitiate the elements of nature that had striked them. The dance of "Kyr-Voria (Mr-North wind)", dedicated to the wind, takes place in the courtyard of Panagia of Konchi in Artemonas. The priest leads the dance and the residents of the island follow being disguised.

During the event, various lyrics and poems are heard, while the attendants enjoy, with abundant wine, the traditional chickpea soup, meat with spaghetti or potatoes, haddock with potato salad, listening to traditional violin and lute music.

In Syros, the Carnival of the Municipality of Ano Syros, with the revival of traditional customs in the streets of the medieval settlement, is one of the most important events of the island with masqueraders, the famous "zeibekia", dances and lively and merry carnival songs from traditional folk instruments. On Clean Monday, in the village of Galissa of the Municipality of Ano Syros, the "Koulouma" is also celebrated with a kite flying, fasting dishes and music from a local folk orchestra.

Tsiknopempti in Tinos, in the traditional cafeteria of the village of Triantaros, revives the custom of "Carnival Dance" and "The Spelling Book of Love", where the dancers, in circular order, sing in alternating, teasing verses, following, according to the first letter of each verse, the order of the alphabet. The event is accompanied by treats with local delicacies and pastries.

On the last Sunday of the Carnival in the village of Falatados, there is a carnival with a different subject every year, where snacks are offered and the attendees dance with the accompaniment of tsabouna (bagpipe in islands), violin and guitar. On the same day, in the village of Agapi (Love), is celebrated the custom of Makaronas (Pasta Boy).

The inhabitants are carrying around, keening, in the streets of the village, a manikin made of straw to finally burn it down at the central square. Then the residents and visitors gather in the parochial room to eat the traditional pasta.

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