This article is an opportunity for me to share what I have learned of the Greek culture. Culture is a word that includes a variety of concepts. Greece is a country full of cultural riches, not only because of its monuments, dreaming landscapes but also by its religion and traditions.
You've already discovered some of its rich patrimony, lets focus now on tradition aspect.
Folkloric music
Greek traditions
Know first that in Greece, the predominant religion is Orthodox religion and the majority of Greek traditions have religious nature.
The name day
The name day
The majority of Greek names come fron saints from the Christian church. This may seem surprising, but in Greece, the name day is more important than the birthday. It is a moment of exchange: the one who has his birthday invite in his home, his family and friends who make him vows and offered him gifts and he will in return offer to all its guests, pastries and coffee, etc...
Superstitions
Many Greeks and especially in villages have a fear of the "evil eye". The "caster", meaning the head of the evil eye (called: matiasma) is usually someone who envies or complimented another person.
Often "matiasma" donors are people with blue eyes. The "victim" of the bad eye feel poorly physically and psychologically. To ward off the evil eye, children wear a necklace of blue beads. Moreover they put the same collars largest course-neck mules and horses ... and for the same reasons!
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| Matiasma |
Folkloric music
Greek folk music dates from antiquity and is divided into two movements: "Akritic" and "Kléphtic"
The "akritic" style, appears to express the life and struggles of border guards (the "Akrites") of the Byzantine Empire.
The "kléphtic" style appears after the fall of the Byzantine Empire and is present throughout the Ottoman occupation. This music reached its peak during the Greek revolution which brought the independence of Greece in 1821. Its name comes from "klephtes" hero of the Greek revolution. The main themes that appear in this kind of music are those of love, marriage, exile, freedom, death...
Published the 16 of February 2014
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