Among the efforts of rekindling the population with local customs and bringing out local culture, the reverend Archbishop of Kissamos – Selinos, Irineos Galanakis held in 1996 the re-enactment of a traditional wedding of Kissamos, the way it was done up until the 1950’s. This is a custom that repeats summer after summer, attracting crowds from all over Greece and abroad, organised by the ‘Gramvousa’ Promotion Club of Kissamos. A wedding, back in those days, would last three days, Saturday to Monday. Its present-day version though is just a one-day happening.
The bride’s dowry is carried to the groom’s house on adorned horses and the procession is followed by family members and friends of the couple accompanied by traditional Cretan singsong and instruments. Then, the procession goes back to the bride’s place and as the parents give her away to the groom, church bells toll to direct everyone towards it. Bride and groom are brought on horses or a carriage to the church. After the end of the ceremony the couple is offered honey with walnuts as a token of fertility and sweet common life and then, the feast is on!
First up, Rizites, the groomsmen sing their songs (Rizitika tis tavlas = songs of the mountains’ roots for the wedding table) and later, accompanied by lute and violin, they all dance together.
DISCOVER ALSO
Culture
FOLKLORE CULTURE Folklore is a culture defined by its namesake: everything the people of a land say, do and act collectively and as a society. Folklore roots across the region of Kissamos are lost in the haze of time, back to Minoan Civilisation times. FOLK ART MUSIC Music and singing are strongly connected to all sides of everyday life for the inhabitants of the area. Traditional musical instruments of Kissamos are the lute and violin, instead of the lyre found in other regions. Locals have dubbed them ‘zygia’ and they are a vital part of days-long celebrations of joyous events like weddings, fairs, engagements, christenings and more. The dancing activities of the people of Kissamos is abundant too, who stomp…
Gastronomy
THE KISSAMOS DIET Kissamos locals, as do all Cretans, are traditionally gourmand and enjoy good, quality food. Their land’s trademark produce is the cornerstone of Mediterranean Diet. Local cuisine is, at its foundation, indigenous and the rule of thumb is the use of olive oil on every dish, with tomato and oregano assuming starring roles. The dietary habits of today’s locals are close to those in ancient times, something that is documented by inscriptions on Linear B tablets regarding cheese, olive oil, honey, wine, herbs and spices, meats and grain. Its basic features are simplicity, sparsity, making use of local and seasonal produce, all cooked with imaginative variation. OLIVE OIL No matter where you land on Crete, be it high…
