SKYROS CARNIVAL

 

What connects the Artists’ Collective for Social Change and its underserved at-risk populations to European pagan carnivals? ACSC believes that the relationship between people, art, and environment express the vitality of a community and its culture. Respect and celebration for one’s life and surroundings improve the meaning of one’s existence. The timeless traditions of Skyros, Greece and Bielsa, Spain expose a conscious and harmonious interplay between people, their environment and creativity. Is this not what we want to achieve for our students? The at-risk population tragically under the influence of loss and alienation from dysfunctional homes need to learn how to make an investment in themselves and their surroundings in order to restore respect and vitality to their lives.  ACSC arts programs offer instruction for activities and rituals giving expression to the person they would like to become. Students have an opportunity to develop positive relationships to their adopted surroundings. Research into these two Carnival traditions brought to life a greater understanding of the ACSC goals in addition to implementing a cross cultural exchange on the island of Skyros. The following text and photos documents an abbreviated glimpse of these two traditions.

Carnival on the Greek island of Skyros is the only event in the year when the entire community comes together in the streets. It is very important to the village. To quote a resident, “Christmas is simple but Easter is family.” Skyros Carnival is celebrated the three weeks before Lent. Food is integral to the celebrations. Food becomes short at the end of spring. Food has come to fruition and completion. During the first week pies are made with grain. A sweet grain is used when someone dies. grains of life....from death comes life. During the second week meat pies. The Thursday of the second week is a special meat pie. The third week pies are made with cheese.

Carnival is an opportunity for satire - political and social. Carnival is for Dionysus and Persephone. Much of Carnival is about the relationship of environment to its people: a time to honor spring and wake up the spirits of the earth.

In Skyros, Greece, the goat dancers (Geros) are men who wear woolly shepherd coats, woolen pants, traditional Skyrian sandals, and carry a large staff. Staffs for goat dancers are made according to the size of the man. However, the dancers true show of who they are is centered on the 25-60 large bells (trokonia, plakara, and koudounia) that are tied about the waist. The bells on the goat dancers are for waking up strong spirits.

The goat dancers come out into the village in gangs to the center of town, up the hills towards the village monastery, and back down into the town in a constant procession of solo, group, and challenge dances. Masks made from the skin of a baby kid cover their faces. The Geros is the symbol of survival, endurance, strength, and darkness. He is costumed in such a way that there is no mistaking the symbolism.

Goat dancers used to sing traditional Greek songs when stopping to mingle among the local people. This is not as frequent and the older people feel the loss of tradition. Everyone used to meet in tavernas to eat, drink, enjoy each other, sing, dance and hear traditional music. Or they would go from house to house. the women had to be prepared at anytime with food. Old women are used to having the men out of the house. They enjoyed it. Now the men are underfoot. Social structure is transforming. Only in the last ten years women have been enjoying a sense of independence and individuality. They frequent the bars by themselves and enjoying male companionship. On a street a woman still might not acknowledge a man until he has said hello to her.

Though thousands of miles apart, these goat dancers of Spain and Greece are unusually similar. Or is it the custom of honoring and revering the goat, an animal of endurance? The goat is a strong resilient creature needing little to survive. People take on this energy through imitation.

It has been said of both Skyros and Bielsa Carnivals that they are timeless. No one knows exactly when they began. As pre-Lenten events, both carnivals celebrate the coming of spring. In a more profound sense they are remembering and honoring life and the joy of life as an interconnected and holistic experience.