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Έθιμα

Easter

What to say about the Easter with the “holes” and the lambs, the red eggs, the special dishes such as “gardoumpes”, the “splinantero” and the “kokoretsi”. Kyriaki disappears behind the clouds of smoke during the early hours of the day. It appears later on bright, under the spring sun, lively, alive, with songs, dances, the wishes and the sound of the clarinet through all the neighbourhoods. It is a day full of joy and entertainment.

 

May Day

The celebration of May Day in Arvanitsa, which is organised by the Cultural Association of Kyriaki, attracts many travellers, visitors, children of any age, from all over Viotia and Attica. The smoke reaches the sky and the lambs, the “kokoretsi” and the “kontosouvli” are in intense presence. The full glasses accompanied with the traditional toast “drink one have some” completing the feast of the most beautiful May Day. There is a plenty space for everyone. The natural blue-grass - children’s cheer - for walks, running, football is waiting for you. The surrounding is impressive. It is unique.

 


 

 

Carnival parade

You have to attend the Carnival events and the float parade, and tasting the “lagana” (a kind of traditional bread), the bean soup, the wine and the other delicious dishes that offered at the special carnival firry kiosk, organized by the community, and located on the central square.

 

Wedding ceremony in Kyriaki

The wedding ceremony is the top and most characteristic event in Kyriaki. The couple unites under the benefit of clergy and the whole village is participating to the customs. The preparations start a month before, beginning with the cleaning and painting of the houses and coming to an end with wedding party. In the meantime, special interesting customs take place, as the washing out and the exposition of the marriage portion, the preparation of the bridal bedroom, the making of the traditional pie and the invitation to the best man. First of all, the families of both sides paint and clean their houses for the well-starting of the common life of their children. In continue, sprinkle with holy water takes place in bride’s and groom’s houses. Referring to the bride’s house, the procedure starts with the washing out of the wedding portion. All the women of the village participate in this (relatives, friends, neighbours). At the day when the washing of the wedding portion starts, the mother-in-law accompanied with some other women bring, not only the cleaning material to the bride, but also candies, drinks, flowers while they cross the wedding portion with silver (put coins on them). The washing and hanging out last a few days. They show the wedding portion and all the residents of the village come through and “cheer” them (put money on them or bring candies). The exposition ends one week before the wedding ceremony. The end is given by the mother of the groom who goes there, accompanied with her relatives, sees and “cheers” the wedding portion, while all the mothers-in-law dance, sing and eat. The most significant week during the preparation of the wedding is the last one, since the most of the customs happen. On Thursday, before the ceremony, they prepare the bridal bed at the couple’s house. The single girls make the bed and the groom unmakes it. This happens three times. Once they finish with the bed, they place a baby on the bed (so as for the couple to have a baby as soon as possible), rice, roses, and the relatives put money at the end.

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On Friday morning, all the women of the village make pies. The groom’s pies are made at bride’s house and the bride’s pies are made at groom’s house. The women decorate the pies with flowers, birds and other garnitures (made of dough) while singing, so as for the life of the honeymoon couple to be full of songs and delight.

On Friday night, bride’s father and brothers go to groom’s house and give the wedding portion (fields, houses, money) that they have arranged so as for the married couple to start their life. This meeting ends with a feast.

On Saturday night, groom’s relatives and friends bring the presents to the bride: the wedding dress, the pies, the presents for the mother-in-law, the father-in-law, the best man, and the nail polish. All the aforementioned presents are carried by a white horse which moves in front of the instrument players and the people move behind them, singing at the same time.

A whole performance is given at bride’s house, with the bride asking and the parents-in-law giving presents. Once again, this ends to a feast with foods, songs and dance.

And after all Sunday comes. The bride starts being dressed by the girls of the village in the morning. The groom accompanied with four more persons, music instruments, wine and with the “splinantero” (traditional food) on the skew, make the invitation to the best man. Once the bride is ready, she dances for the last time, as single, with her parents, while the relatives are touched. All of them, and the musicians as well, start going to the church for the ceremony. During the ceremony, they offer the groom’s pie to the people. When the ceremony comes to an end, all of them go to the couple’s house, where the mother-in-law waits them at the door offering a sweet, while someone holding a handkerchief pulls them in the house. In continue, a feast follows, in which all the village participate and all together become a company, even older or younger, and on that way each wedding comes to an end in Kyriaki.

In terms of wedding or other celebrating feasts, the toast “To Paron to Potiraki” (the present little glass) is rather usual. Some of the guests keep a glass full of wine (the “giomato”), cross their arms and after drinking the wine, they kiss each other, while the rest of the guests clap their hands.

 

 

To Paron to Potiraki (the present little glass)



The residents of Kyriaki keep «alive» many from their traditional customs.

«To Paron to Potiraki» (the present little glass), which is of Dionysian character, is one of the most interesting traditional feasts. It is a toast, related to the small and big charms of the residents of the area, as marriages and baptisms. Some of the guests keep their glass full with wine («to giomato» or in English «the full») they cross their arms and after they drink the wine, they kiss each other, while the others clap their hands. The accomplishment of the custom takes place under the watching of one person, for example the best man, if it is about a wedding table.