christenings and weddings
TRANSCRIPT
Christenings
and Weddings,
Traditions bring us
together.
1
INDEX
COUNTRY
Cyprus
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Slovakia
Spain
Turkey
PAGE
1
75
141
146
168
179
206
219
1
CYPRUS DIMOTIKO SCHOLEIO STROUMPIOU, Stroumbi
The baby’s birth
A girl was born on the
29th of May 2011!
2
The baby’s naming
According to Cypriot traditions, parents name their
children after the grandparents’ names. Therefore
Eleonora was named after her grandmother’s name.
3
The child’s first churching
40 days after her birth, Eleonora
is taken to the church for the
first time. This ritual survives
from Jesus Christs’ time.
According to history, He was
taken from his parents to the
church for the first time after a
40-days interval. The ritual is
known as «The Christ’s
Candlemas».
4
Choosing the child’s
Godparents
The next step is choosing the child’s
spiritual parents. The godfather is
supposed to spend quality time with his
godchild, and be responsible for his/her
instructing and care. Even though it’s
not obligatory, traditionally parents
assign the child’s christening to the
groomsman.
or the bridesmaid. In
Eleonora’s case, the parents
chose a good friend of them.
5
The necessity of being
christened
• A few months later, Eleonora’s
parents organize their daughter’s
christening.
• According to religious tradition,
christening exempts the newborn
from original sin, making its soul as
pure as snow.
6
Organizing the child’s
christening Initially, parents have to choose the place
anddate of the ritual. In former times, the
ritual was executed forty days after the
child’s birth. Nowadays, children are being
christened sometime before they reach
their first year.
Usually, parents choose a chapel, which was
what Eleonora’s parents did.
Ayios Neophitos Chapel
7
Reception
The next step is choosing
the place where the
reception will be conducted.
Nowadays, parents choose a
restaurant or a hotel. In
older times, the ceremony
was conducted in the
parents’ home.
Eleonora’s parents chose to
follow the traditional custom
and do the ceremony in their
house.
Invitation
• The next step is composing the guests’ invitation.
In older days, the guests were being invited orally.
Nowadays, invitations are being written, and great
attention is given to the invitation’s styling. Parents
try to be as original as possible in composing the
invitation, choosing constructing-like styles.
8
The christening’s ‘theme’ • Usually parents and godparents choose a
theme according to which the christening will
be organized (invitations, cake, decor, guests’
gifts). Τhe expenses are supposed to be
covered by both parties. This habit was
established in recent years.
Τhe godfather’s obligations Τhe christening cross is the first gift that the
godfather will give to his godchild. This cross will be
the child’s companion, protecting him/her for the rest
of his/her life.
Also, the godfather has to buy a sort of witnessing
gifts which are given to the christening’s attendees.
9
The godfather prepares a sort of box, in which the
parents store the child’s towels, clothes and accessories.
In older times, the godparents were choosing a white
suitcase for the purpose. Nowadays, they prefer buying a
chest, which is later used as a decoration item in the
child’s bedroom. According to religious traditions, the
child’s christening clothes need to be white. The white
colour symbolizes purity, and the Holy Spirit’s force
which protects the newborn.
The christening’s candle
is accordingly white. It
symbolizes Jesus Christ’s
light which will guide the
child and illuminate its life. A
few days before the ritual,
the godfather chooses a boy
or girl that will hold the
candle throughout the
christening. Eleonora’s little
cousin was chosen in this
christening.
10
Also, the godfather chooses the bonbon that will
be given to every family as a memorial gift. Usually,
godparents choose smart gifts such as teacups,
frames, money boxes, saltshakers etc.
Finally, the great day is here!
The parents hand over the child
to its to-be godparents.
According to Cypriot tradition,
the child’s parents aren’t
supposed to participate to the
ritual.
The godfather stands at the
chapel’s entrance, holding the
child in his hands. The priest
reads the appropriate
recommendations, and the
indoctrination of the ritual
begins.
The christening’s stages
11
The godfather is supposed to
read the Creed for three times.
Being the child’s representative,
the godfather rebukes Satan to
draw away from the child, and binds
himself with the principles of the
Orthodox Christian Church.
Soon after, the priest and the
godfather with the child move in the
centre of the chapel. There, they
stand next to the font, and the priest
reads further recommendations.
Right after, the godfather
undresses the child. The priest
uses holly oil to mark the child’s
ears, hands, feet, and head with
the sign of the cross..
The priest submerges the child
three times in the font.
The purpose of this procedure is
the symbolical death of the sinful
soul, and its replacement with a
new, Christian soul.
12
The godfather holds the
child in his hands, the priest
cuts off some of the child’s
hair, forming the sign of the
cross on its head.
Thencomes the child’s
anointment. The priest
suffuses the child with a
kind of holly essence.
The next step is dressing
the child with its
christening clothes which
have been sanctified
during the ritual. Also,
the godfather gives the
child its christening
cross.
13
godfather performs
three circles around the
font, holding the child in
his hands. They are
being followed by the
priest and the child
holding the candle.
Then, the child tastes the
Holy Communion for the
first time. The godfather
is supposed to escort the
child in church for the
following three Sundays.
The godfather hands
over the child to its
mother . The mother
kisses the godfather’s
hand showing in this
way, the appreciation
and respect she owns
to him.
After the ritual’s
completion, the guests
offer their wishes to
the parents and
godparents of the
child.
14
• The feast begins soon after the completion of the
ritual. Eleonora’s party takes place in her home
place. A food and drink supplier is responsible for
the party’s catering. In previous years, the child’s
parents and their relatives were responsible for
the preparation of the party.
The feast
• Σύμθωμα με ηημ πξιζηιαμική παξάδνζη, ην μωξό
δεμ κάμει μπάμιν για 3 μέξεπ. Τημ ηξίηη μέξα ν
μνμόπ κάμει μπάμιν ην μωξό. Αοηό γίμεηαι γιαηί
αοηόπ πνο λαδώμει ην μωξό πξέπει μα ην
μελαδώζει. Ακνλνοθεί θαγνπόηι.
Τν λνύζιμν ηνο μωξνύ
15
• From now on a special
bond will unite Eleonora
with her godparents.
• The most important
obligation of the
godfather is taking up
the child’s education in
religious matters.
• Additionally, gifts and
clothes are given to the
child from its
godparents in every
special occasion.
16
through history, mythology and
tradition
CYPRIOT
WEDDING
17
PREHISTORY
– CLASSICAL TIME
(10 thousand B.C. – 4 th century A.D.)
According to the Greek
Mythology, Pygmalion was the
son of a king of Cyprus. He
was a great artist and created
a female sculpture which he
called Galatea. The sculpture
was so beautiful that he fell in
love with it. Aphrodite, the
goddess of love, felt sorry for
him and gave life to the
sculpture. Pygmalion then
married his darling Galatea. They even had a daughter, Pafos. A town was, in fact, named after Pafos.
Pygmalion and Galatea
18
BYZANTINE ERA
(315 – 1192)
Akanthou
According to the tradition, Saracen pirates, dressed like
natives, intruded during a
weddinginCyprus. However, they got drunk
and they revealed the plan
they had to steal the bride, called Anthousa. Then the
bride and groom hid in the
thorns until the Saracens
left. That’s where a new
village was built, called
Akanthou – after the name
of the bride and the thorns
(in Greek agkathia).
19
FRANKISH – VENETIAN RULE
(1192 - 1570)
James II, king of Cyprus was
convinced to marry Catherine
Cornaro from Venice. The king
sent a delegate in Venice to
ask for Catherine’s hand in
marriage. Venice endowed
Catherine and sent her in
Cyprus for the wedding. After
James II died, Cyprus, through
Catherine, was ruled by the
Venetians.
Catherine Cornaro
20
OTHOMAN RULE
(1570 - 1878)
Mastership and walk
The grooming of the bride
was usually the responsibility
of an old woman, the
masterwoman, that had a
specialty in this section. She
was grooming the bride
secretly in some inside room. The Christians were not
allowed at the time to wander
around on horseback as the
‘masters’. So, if the groom was
not from the same village as
the bride, had to reach the
bride’s house on foot.
21
ENGLISH RULE
(1878 - 1959)
Dowry agreement
Dowry agreement was
some kind of contract that
was signed before the
wedding,amongthe
parents of the bride and
groom. This determined in
details what was offered by
each side to the bride-
groom to be: land, animals, trees, linen, cloths and
house utensils. The contract
was accepted by everyone
and it was very difficult for
someone to break it.
22
REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS
(1960 - today)
Weddings nowadays take
place on a more modern
line. Often, bachelor and
hen parties precede the
wedding for men and
women respectively. The
bride throws the bouquet to
indicate who is the next girl to get married. The
reception usually takes
place at some hotel with
nice flowers and live music. Many even choose to get
married with a civil wedding
at the ministry.
Modern weddings
23
2012 CALENDAR
TRADITIONAL CYPRIOT WEDDING
Stroumbi Primary School
24
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Our school has participated in a school project within the frame-
work of the Comenius European Programme. We cooperated with
schools from different European countries (Lithuania, Slovakia, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Poland, Latvia). The topic we focused on was "Back to our
Roots: Traditions and Customs bring us together". In specific, we
had to give an oral presentation of a project regarding our wedding tra-
ditions and customs in Cyprus.
On our effort to deliver the project at its best, we, the pupils of the
Stroumbi Primary School, created our own 2012 Calendar entitled
"Traditional Cypriot Wedding". Having studied everything related to
the Cypriot wedding, we divided the customs in 12 stages, as many as
the months in a year. We wrote a few comments for each custom and
painted our own drawings to accompany the text. Finally, we put each
stage in a logical chronological order. Here is our Calendar!
The pupils at the Stroumbi Primary School
25
January 2012
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
The Custom of entering the village on foot In the case that the groom was from a village other than the bride's, he would have to go the bride's village along with his guests, usually on an animal like a donkey. In order to show respect and submissiveness to the new community he had to enter the village on foot.
30 31
26
February 2012
Mon Tue Wed
1
Thu
2
Fri
3
Sat
4
Sun
5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
T The Prenuptial marriage agreement The Prenuptial marriage agreement was a type of contract that was signed before the wedding, between the bride's and groom's parents. This agreement determined what each side would give to the future newlyweds.
27 28 29
27
March 2012
Mon Tue Wed Thu
1
Fri
2
Sat
3
Sun
4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
The Engagement The engagement would last three to four years so that the house and the dowry would be prepared. The bride and the groom would stay separately, each at their parents' places. The engaged couple would only meet under the supervision of their mother-in-law.
26 27 28 29 30 31
28
April 2012
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
The Invitation Process The couple's parents would go along the village with the aim of inviting villagers to the wedding. To invite them, they used to give a candle to each guest and spray them with cologne.
30
29
May 2012
Mon Tue
1
Wed
2
Thu
3
Fri
4
Sat
5
Sun
6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
The Dowry Dance While the bride was being prepared at her parents' house, her friends and relatives would dance in so that they would show the dowry the bride would later take to her own house.
28 29 30 31
30
June 2012
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1
Sat
2
Sun
3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
The wedding mattress While the dowry was shown, seven women who had been married once initiated to sew the wedding mattress, filling it in with wool or cotton. The bride's brother would then take the mattress on his shoulder and dance with it.
25 26 27 28 29 30
31
July 2012
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Handing Over the Bride Once the bride was ready, relatives and friends would accompany her to the church where the bride's father would formally "hand her over" to her future husband.
30 31
32
August 2012
Mon Tue Wed
1
Thu
2
Fri
3
Sat
4
Sun
5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
The Wedding The day would begin with the bridal grooming process at the bride's house as well as the bridegroom's shaving at the groom's place. Both preparations were done with musical instruments playing traditional songs for them. As soon as the bride and groom were ready, they would set off to the church, each with their own relatives and friends
27 28 29 30 31
33
September 2012
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
Sun
2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
After the Wedding Ceremony Before the wedding dinner, the bride had to say a dirty word in order to indicate that she has now joined the mar- ried people's club. Right after the ceremony, the couple's parents would visit the groom's house to give their best wishes.
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
34
October 2012
Mon
1
Tue
2
Wed
3
Thu
4
Fri
5
Sat
6
Sun
7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
The In-Laws Dance The parents in-law used to dance together: the groom's father would dance with the bride's father; while the groom's mother would dance the so called 'sirtos' with the bride's mother. This dance showed to the guests that the two families were happy and respected each other.
29 30 31
35
4
November 2012
Mon Tue Wed Thu
1
Fri
2
Sat
3
Sun
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Dancing next to each other At every social event, men and women acted separately. Even while celebrating, men and women were not allowed to dance together. Mixed dances were forbidden, thus males would dance together with males; so would fe- males.
26 27 28 29 30
36
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Monday's Celebrations The night after the wedding day, 'Monday's Wedding' would take place. The guests brought their own food (called 'kassini') and the newlyweds danced a special kind of dance during which the guests pinned paper money on their clothes as wedding gift.
December 2012
2 1
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 13 14 15 12 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
27 28 29 30 24 25 26
31
37
Ο ΚΣΠΡΙΑΚΟ ΓΑΜΟ:
ΗΘΗ ΚΑΙ ΕΘΙΜΑ ΑΠΟ Ο
ΠΑΡΕΛΘΟΝ
THE CYPRIOT WEDDING: CUSTOMS
AND TRADITIONS FROM THE PAST
38
Α ΠΡΟΞΕΝΙΑ
The matchmaking
Σεει θεγάηε ελπν πηεελοεζία
λε γάθλε δει γίιλιεαι από
έμζεα, αηηά ζαιλιίδλιεαι
από ελπν γλιείν, δπιήδζν
ξζμίν ια δεεεδεί ε γιώθε εζι
θεηηλιύθζζι, αζλύ απελί δαι πελ ώμεθλε δα ήκεμαι
ζαηύεεμα πελ δα ήεαι ελ
δπθζέμλι εζι παεδεώι ελπν. Αι ηλεπόι ζάπλελν ιέλν
ειδεαζεμόεαι γεα ζάπλεα
ζλπέηα ή αι λε γλιείν ελπ
πίδεεπαι πζν θεα ζλπέηα δα
ήεαι ζαηή γεα απεόι έπμεπε
ια δεείηεε «πμλκέιεα». Υπεύδπιε γεα απεό δπιήδζν
ήεαι ε πμλκειήεμα (πλπ
ππήμξε δε ζάδε ξζμεό) ε
λπλία θεεέζεμε εα ιέα δεει
λεζλγέιεεα εεν ζλπέηαν, ζμλιείδλιεαν ια παειέοεε ελι
ππλοήζελ γαθπμό.
The majority of weddings were not the
result of people falling
in love and were usually
arranged by parents. Being older and wiser they were considered to
know the best choice for their children. If a
young man was
interested in a young
woman or if his family
agreed that a young girl was a good bride to be
for their son, they
should send a message
asking her to be their son’s wife (“proxenia”). A woman in each
village (called
“proxenitra”) was
responsible to take this
message to the girl’s
family and tried to
point out all the good
reasons why they
should accept.
39
Ο ΠΡΟΙΚΟΣΜΤΩΝΟ
The dowry
Tλ πμλεζλδύθζζιλ, ήεαι έια είδλν δπθβληαίλπ ελ λπλίλ ζαδόμεδε εα πεμελπδεαζά δελεξεία εα λπλία δα έδειαι δελπν θεηηόιπθζλπν λε γλιείν ελπν. Φζμάζεα, δπίεε, δώα, δέιεμα, δειεόιεα, μλύξα ζαε λεζεαζά δζεύε. Τα πεμεδδόεεμα εα έδειαι λε γλιείν εεν ιύζεν. Καεά εε δπθζζιία έπμεπε απαμαεεήεζν ια είιαε παμώι - εζεόν από ελπν δπθπεδέμλπν - λ εεμέαν εεν ζλειόεεεαν, λ ζλειλεάμξεν ζαε ζάπλελν γμαθθαεεδλύθειλν, δπιήδζν λ δάδζαηλν. Μεμεζέν ζλμέν γίιλιεαι δζηεμά παδάμεα θεεακύ εζι δπθπεδέμζι, ζαε όεαι εεηεζά δπθζζιλύδαι έθπαειαι ππλγμαζέν ζαε δζμαγεδόεαι ζαε από ελι ζλειλεάμξε. Τλ πμλεζλδύθζζιλ ζπηαδδόεαι δεει εζζηεδία εεν ζλειόεεεαν ειώ λ εεμέαν δεαδμαθάεεδε μόηλ δεαζαιλιεδεή δε πεμίπεζδε δεαζζιίαν .
The dowry given to the couple was determined
by a special kind of contract (called
“prikosimfono”). Any property or real estate
should be written down in details on the
contract (even the number of clothes, sheets, utensils, and farm animals). Most of the dowry
was given by the parents of the bride to be. When coming to an agreement, the contract was signed by parents of both sides as well as
by the community authorities and always in
the presence of the priest, the mayor and the
teacher of the community. The contract was
kept in the church by the priest who would also
mediate in any case of disagreement or misunderstanding.
40
Ο ΑΡΡΑΒΩΝΑ
The engagement
Ο αμμαβώιαν γειόεαι θε θεα
δύιελθε εεηεεή από ελι εεμέα
δελ δπίεε δπιήδζν εεν
θέηηλπδαν ιύζεν. Παμόιεεν
ήεαι θόιλ λε γλιείν ζαε
ζάπλελε πληύ δεειλί δπγγειείν. Σε όηε εει
δεάμζεεα ελπ αμμαβώια πλπ
θπλμλύδε ια ζμαεήδεε έζν
ζαε εμία θε εέδδεμα ξμόιεα- θέξμεν όελπ εελεθαδελύι εα
πμλεζεά ζαε ελ δπίεε- λε
αμμαβζιεαδθέιλε δει έθειαι
θαδί, αηηά δεα παεμεζά ελπν
δπίεεα. Μπλμλύδαι όθζν ια
δπθθεεέξλπι θαδί δε
λεζλγειεεαζέν δπγζειεμώδεεν, δε γελμεέν ή δε δεάζλμεν
δλπηεεέν δεα ξζμάζεα, αηηά
πάιεα ππό εει επεεήμεδε
εζι γλιεώι ελπν.
The engagement was a small ceremony
performed by the priest of the community
and usually took place in the house of the
bride to be, in the presence of parents and
few close relatives. During the engagement, that could last up to three or four years
(until the house and the dowry were ready), the couple would live separately. They could
attend family gatherings or community
festivitiestogether,butalways
accompanied by their parents.
41
Ο ΚΑΛΕΜΑ
The invitation
Τλ ζάηεδθα δελ γάθλ γειόεαι θεμεζέν θέμεν πμει, δπιήδζν από ελπν γλιείν λε λπλίλε γύμεδαι από γεεελιεά δε γεεελιεά ζαε θλίμαδαι από έια ζεμί δελι ζάδε ξζμεαιό, μαιείδλιεάν ελπν θε ζληόιεα από έια δλξείλ (εε «θεμμέξα») ζαε ζαηώιεαν ελπν δεεν ξαμέν εζι παεδεώι ελπν. Κάπλεεν ζλμέν θαδί θε ελ ζεμί έδειαι ζαε έια είδλν ζλπηλπμελύ, εε «γηπδεαμζά» ή «γπμεδεαμζά» ή έια είδλν οζθελύ, εει «ζλπθλπηεά» ή εα «ζλύθλπηηα». Απεό δήθαειε πζν ελ δπγζεζμεθέιλ άελθλ ζαε ε λεζλγέιεεά ελπ ήεαι ζαηεδθέιλε δελ γάθλ.
The invitation to the wedding took place few
days before the wedding day. The parents
would go from door to door and give each
fellow villager a candle while sprinkling them
with a special cologne from a vessel called
“merrecha”. Often they would treat them with
a special kind of crispy round bread roll called
“glistarka” or “giristarka” or a type of bread
called “koumoulia”. This meant that a certain
person and his/her family were invited to the
wedding.
42
Προετοιμασίες για το γάμο
Wedding preparations
Το Σάββατο, την προηγούμενη
μέρα του γάμου -που γινόταν
πάντα τις Κυριακές– κατέφθαναν
οι μουσικοί και κατευθύνονταν
στο πατρικό σπίτι της νύφης. Εκεί
ακολουθούσε το ράψιμο ή
γέμισμα του στρώματος του
κρεβατιού και η επίδειξη των
προικιών. Η όλη διαδικασία ήταν
σωστή ιεροτελεστία.Επτά
γυναίκες έραβαν το νυφικό
κρεβάτι προσθέτοντας στις
γωνιές του τέσσερις σταυρούς με
κόκκινη κορδέλα. Όταν
τελείωναν το ράψιμο, κυλούσαν
στο κρεβάτι ένα μικρό παιδάκι,
συνήθως αγόρι, για να είναι το
αντρόγυνο καρπερό αλλά και το
πρώτο τους παιδί να είναι αγόρι.
Στη συνέχεια οι κουμπάρες και
συγγενείς της νύφης έπαιρναν το
κρεβάτι στους ώμους τους και με
τη συνοδεία μουσικής χόρευαν.
On Saturday (a day previous the wedding which
was always taking place on Sundays) musicians
and relatives of the bride would go to her house, where the stuffing and the sewing of the couples’ first mattress took place. This was a kind of ritual having to do with the fertility of the couple. The
bride also used to show off the trousseaus given to
her by her family. The mattress would be stuffed
with well cleaned sheep wool and then sewed by
seven women. Four crosses with red ribbon – one
in each corner of the bed-would complete the
procedure that was accompanied by songs and
cheering. When the mattress was ready a young
child (usually a boy) would be thrown on it, symbolizing fertility. In the end, bridesmaids and
relatives of the bride used to lift the mattress upon
their shoulders and dance around the room.
43
Προετοιμασίες για το γάμο
Wedding preparations
Τλ Σάββαελ πμει από ελ
γάθλ γίιλιεαι ζαε λε
πμλεελεθαδίεν πλπ
αζλμλύδαι δελ ζαγεεό πλπ
δα πμλδζεμόεαι δελπν
ζαηεδθέιλπν. Εζεόν από ελ
λζεό ζαε εεν παεάεεν πλπ
οήιλιεαι δεα ζλπμιεά, εελίθαδαι ζαε έια εεδεζό
πεηάζε θε ζλεόπλπηλ ή ζμέαν
ζαε δπαδθέιλ δεεάμε πλπ
λιλθαδόεαι «μέδε». Επίδεν
δει ήεαι δπάιελ λε
πμλδζεζηεθέιλε ια έμξλιεαε
δελ γηέιεε ζέμιλιεαν λ
ζαδέιαν εα ζαγεεά ελπ, «ελ
ζαιίδδει» όπζν ελ έηεγαι, βλεδώιεαν θε απεό ελι
εμόπλ δελ ια θει
επεβαμπιδλύι λεζλιλθεζά λε
ιεόιπθζλε.
The day before the wedding the food for the
guests should be prepared. This included baked
meat (called “ofto kleftiko”), potatoes and a
special pilaf made of boiled meat and smashed
wheat grains (called “resi”). Often the guests
would contribute to the expenses, by bringing
their own prepared food on the day of the
wedding. This food brought as a present to the
newlyweds was called “kanishin”.
44
Η ΜΕΡΑ ΟΣ ΓΑΜΟΣ
The wedding day
Η θέμα κεζειλύδε θε ελ δεόηεδθα εεν ιύθζεν, ελ κύμεδθα ζαε ιεύδεθλ ελπ γαθπμλύ, πάιεα θε εε δπιλδεία θλπδεζήν – βεληί ζαε ηαγλύελ. Μεεά ιεύδεθλ ζαε ελ δεόηεδθα έιαν έιαν λε γλιείν ζαε λε πληύ δεειλί δπγγειείν εεν ιύζεν (άηηα ζαε ελπ γαθπμλύ κεξζμεδεά) ελπν ζάπιεδαι θε εηεά ζαε ελπν έδζιαι θε έια ζόζζειλ θαιεήηε γύμζ από εε θέδε γεα ια είιαε πάιεα επηλγεθέιλε ζαε γόιεθλε. Σεε δπιέξεεα, λε θεηηόιπθζλε δε δπλ ξζμεδεέν πλθπέν, από εα παεμεζά ελπν δπίεεα κεζειλύδαι γεα εει εζζηεδία θε εε δπιλδεία εζι γλιεώι, δπγγειώι ζαε ζίηζι. Μεεά ελ θπδεήμελ, αιεμόγπιλ πεα, θε ελι εεμέα ελπ ξζμελύ επεζεζαηήν, ζειλύδαι όηλε θαδί γεα ελ δπεεεζό πλπ δα δεέγαδε ελπν ιεόιπθζλπν δεε ιέα ελπν ζλειή δζή. Σελ ζαεώζηε ελπ δπεεελύ λ γαθπμόν έδπαγε, μίξιλιεαν δελι ελίξλ, έια μόδε. Η ειέμγεεα απεή είξε δπθβληεζό ξαμαζεήμα. Είξαι εει πεπλίδεδε πζν έεδε εκαδζάηεδαι εει επηλγία, εε γλιεθόεεεα ζαε εει αζδλιία αγαδώι.
On the day of the wedding, the bride was dressed
and prepared by the bridesmaids and the groom
was shaved by his friends, always with the escort
of music. After that the parents and few very close
relatives of each the bride and the groom would
use a censer with olive leaves to chase away all
bad spirits and tied a red scarf around their waste
that symbolizes fertility. After that in two separate
groups, parents, relatives and friends used to
escort the bride and the groom to the church.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds accompanied
by the priest used to go to their new house, on the
doorstep of which the groom crushed a
pomegranate as a symbolic action for good luck
and abundance of goods.
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Η ΜΕΡΑ ΟΣ ΓΑΜΟΣ
The wedding day
Μεεά εει εεηεεή
αζληλπδλύδε γηέιεε θε
θλπδεζή ζαε ξλμό. Οε
άιεμεν δπιήδεδαι ια
ζάδλιεαε δε κεξζμεδεά
εμαπέδεα από εεν γπιαίζεν. Φόμεπαι λε ζλπθπάμλε, λε
δπθπέδεμλε, λε δπγγειείν
ζαε λε ζίηλε. Επίδεν
εμαγλπδλύδαι, έζαιαι
δεαγζιεδθλύν εδεαεεεδεώι
ζαε δεαδζέδαδαι θέξμε εεν
πμζειέν ώμεν.
After the ceremony there was a big
celebration escorted by music and dancing. Men and women used to sit at separate
tables. Friends, relatives and in-laws were
eating, drinking, singing and dancing until late. They also used to make contests where
many people improvised small rhyming
poems (called “tsiattista”).
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Η ΕΠΟΜΕΝΗ ΜΕΡΑ
The day after the wedding
Τε Δεπεέμα θεεά ελ γάθλ ελ
γηέιεε δπιεξεδόεαι. Όδλε
παμεπμίδζλιεαι έζεμιαι ζαε
πάηε θεμεζά ζαγεεά ή δεάζλμα
άηηα δώμα δελ δεπγάμε όπζν
δειεόιεα ή μλύξα. Ή ιύζε
έβγαδε ελ ιπζεζό εεν ζαε έβαδε
έια άηηλ ζόμεθα δε δζλύμλ
δπιήδζν ξμώθα πλπ
λιλθαδόεαι «δεπεεμζάεεζλ». Τε θέμα απεή ζαεά εε δεάμζεεα
ελπ γηειεελύ ελ αιεμόγπιλ
ξόμεπε ζαε λε ζαηεδθέιλε ελπν
«πηλύθεδαι» ελπν
ζαμζίεδζιαι δεηαδή
ξαμελιλθίδθαεα πάιζ δεα
μλύξα ελπν ζν δώμλ γεα ελ
ιέλ ελπν ζλειό κεζίιεθα.
The Monday following the wedding, the
celebrations were continued. The guests
would bring again food and presents for the couple, such as sheets or clothes. The bride would wear a different dress
(which was called “defterkatiko” meaning “the Monday dress”). On
Monday the couple would dance a
special song and the guests would pin
money on the couple’s clothes as they
dance to give them the best start to
their life together.
47
Traditional Cypriot
Wedding:
Children s’ point of view
Authors
Pupils of grade E’ & St’
48
49
Maroulla’s and Antriko’s
secret diary
Every summer I use to visit my grandfathers’ and grandmother’s house in the village. My latest exploration was an old diary.
In the first page, it was written the : “The secret diary of Maroulla and Antrikos. Maroulla and Antrikos are my grandparents, who are now about 70 years old.
I opened the secret diary and full of curiosity I started reading it.
In the following slides, we tried to paint what was the story about.
Hope you enjoy it too!!!
50
The first meeting
Monday, 23 August 1962
When I first showed Maroulla, I knew that this girl would become my wife one day. I met her on the traditional tab -fountain of the village, while she was trying to fill her jug with water …
After waiting for a while, I took a flower and I gave it to her…
Antrikos
51
The matchmaking
Friday, 27 August 1962
All those nights I can’t sleep…. All the time I am thinking of Maroulla. Tonight is a big night because , after conversation with my parents, wedecided to send to her parent sthe matchmaker of the village to ask her hand. I hope that everything will be ok.
…. Finally, the matchmaker came back and asked from my parents to accompany her to Maroulla’s house because the answer is positive. Most probably now the are signing the dowry contract.
Antrikos
52
Manufacturing process of resi
Friday, 27 October 1962
Today I get up early to write a few words because today we have to wash the wheat and reach it out to drain.
More precisely, accompany with music we will go to the traditional fountain of the village to wash the wheat. After wards we will come back home and reached it to drain. Finally, we will grind it with the quern.
Antrikos
53
Sewing the bridal mattress
Thursday 27 October 1962
From my window I am watching my friends preparing the layer of the bridal bed, filling it with wool. I noticed that as the women sewed the mattress, attendants threw bronze or silver coins sewn into it.
Oh my Good, I still don’t believe it that in a few days I will get married with handsome Antrikos!!! Maroulla
54
The dressing of the bride
Sunday 30 October 1962
Today I am very nervous and anxious. My bridesmaids will come early at my home with the musicians and will dance my clothes in a basket turning 3 times around me, symbol of the Holy Trinity.
Maroulla
55
The dressing of the bride
Sunday 30 October 1962
…While my bridesmaids were making my make up and fixing we hair, I closed my eyes and I was thinking that in a few hours I would become Antriko’s wife.
Maroulla
56
The groom’s shaving
Sunday 30 October 1962
…I can’t wait meeting my dear Maroulla !!!Ouf… they will finish shaving in order to start going to the church….
Antrikos
57
Isaih’s dance
Sunday 30 October 1962
…At the church I feel my heart beating quickly… I can’t understand what is going on around me. I see roses and rice to be thrown in the church. I just hold tightly the hand of Antrikos and we together with the priest we are moving around 3 times.
Maroulla
58
The sewing of the bridal
mattress
Sunday 30 October 1962
…After the church, we went back home for the sewing of the bridal mattress. There my bridesmaids started sewing four cross at the four edges of the bed in order God to bless our wedding and soon to have a lot of descendants. Some of our guests put money on it…
Maroulla
59
Dancing the bridal mattress
Sunday 30 October 1962
…Afterwards my brother took the mattress and
danced it accompanied with the musicians.
Antrikos
60
The party
Sunday 30 October 1962
…Finally we started eating and drinking. Everybody was looking satisfied. Our guests all the time were proposing to us. Also, during the night were organized “song contests”. The best impromptu couplet either for the our wedding either for us, won enthusiastic applause.
Antrikos
61
The newly married dance
Monday 31 October 1962
…We gathered again to celebrate our wedding. We ate and we begin dancing with Antrikos. While we were dancing our relatives hung us money as our weeding present.
Maroulla
62
The baptism
Sunday 30 June 1963
…Today is the most special day in our common life. Our marriage is blessed by the birth of our daughter, Katerina, who we baptized today. Katerina is the rewarding of our life.
Antrikos
63
Traditions and customs
bring us together
Photo album of
our activities
64
Collecting photos from Weddings in the
past…
65
Writing down the authentic
recipe of ressi
66
Demonstration of the tools we need to
cook ressi
67
Ressi
Ingredient • 2 1 / 2 pounds veal or lamb or pork or chicken, according to your preference [ • 3-4 kg wheat • Salt • water
Instructions: • Wash well the meat, so no trace of blood or and place in bottom of a deep pot. • Wash the wheat that goes over the meat. • Calculate n 'leave a distance of approximately 10 million below the rim of the pot. • Add water to cover materials. • Place on low heat and some distance from the eye. • Not mix, but add water periodically. • Once cooked materials, start mixing and add salt. • If you need another water periodically add, one cup at a time. It is to melt the material and make a thick porridge. • Then remove from the heat and cover the pot in order to absorb any liquid and serve the department until cool.
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Cooking ressi
69
Cooking ressi
70
Testing ressi
71
Painting
Eva Maria
72
Painting
Konstantinos Savvas
Konstant
73
Painting
Agni Nicoletta
74
Painting
Peter George
75