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Customs and Traditions of Karpathos

In order for one to really understand and respect the character of a people, a close look into their customs and tradition will provide valuable information. Karpathos is one of few islands in Greece which to this day maintains, to a large degree, their customs. It is interesting to note, that although the islands have been under foreign occupation for over six hundred years, the people managed to keep their old customs, language, folk songs and religion clear from foreign influence. The various customs and traditions seen on Karpathos are too many to list, however the wedding is an example of a tradition which contains many interesting events. Also illustrated is a feast held seven day after the birth of a child, called "Efta". Generally there are minor variations in customs from village to village.
Traditional Costumes of Karpathos

The hardest thing to do is to try to describe regional (folk) costumes which no one wears anymore. This may sound unbelievable, but very true, because nothing has changed so fast in Karpathos as did the costumes of men and women, especially the women's costumes.

The Karpathians are very conservative about their way of life and strong traditions, even to the point of having a distinct accent and dialect. But when it comes to their dressing habits, then there are so many changes, even within a generation, that one cannot keep track of their evolution. The never forgotten university professor M. G. Michaelides - Nouaros wrote in one of his books about and observation he made while visiting his village of Othos. He remarked that he once saw an old neighbor wear the "zipouna" (dress from Olymbos). Her daughter was wearing the "vesta" (mid-length dress) and their granddaughter was wearing the "sakofousta" (combination skirt and vest). Still another friend was wearing a more modern dress.

This way all the traditional folk costumes of the men and women of Karpathos have been lost, except in the village of Olymbos where one can find some of the traditional costumes because the inhabitants are moist conservative about the traditions of Karpathos. The richly decorated "kavai" of Olymbos is the most representative sample of the Karpathian traditional costume.

It is worthwhile to mention the symbolic nature of the Karpathian costume. More than one hundred years ago, the costume is what was used to show the person. That is, the costume was a status symbol, and it was scandalous for someone belonging to a lower class to wear the costume worm by the elite class.
Popular Folk Art

It is worthwhile for anyone to see and study the Karpathian folk art, which is really something different and interesting; a departure from the usual. Representation of the Karpathian folk art is primarily found in the home. The way the Karpathian women decorate the "karpathiko" with their best needlecraft creation, and the details of the meticulous woodwork of the Karpathian craftsmen can be seen on all wooden items in the house.

The outside of the house is quite plain in comparison with the inside which depicts the sensitive nature of the Karpathians. Silk scarves colored with bright colors which blend harmoniously depict pictures of flowers, birds, leaves, crosses and other geometric designs. Bed sheets and pillow cases decorated by hand with needlecraft designs reflect the pride of the Karpathian woman. The doors, closets, shelves, and trunks which are all hewed with artistic patience out of wood radiate a warm atmosphere within the "karpathiko". Plates with colorful designs are lined up on three tier shelves which surround the walls of the "karpathiko "

This takes us into the everyday house wares. In the wooden "stamnathaka" (water container storage area) one will find the clay urn which holds the cool drinking water supply of the house. Also in the wooden "psomothouka" (bread box) one will find the weeks supply of round home baked bread. From the ceiling hangs the "katsouna" which holds the "koulouria" (breadsticks in a round donut shape) coated with sesame seeds. One can see the "kafkalo" (round wooden basin) which is used to mix the dough.

Finally we come to the costume of the Karpathian woman, which is definitely a work of art with its rich and abundant folk art designs. The material which is made out of raw cotton is hand made and custom dyed. The head scarfs are decorated with silk. The artistic "stivania" (boots) complement the costume. Sometimes instead of the "stivania" women wear the "gemenia" (slippers) which are richly decorated.
Karpathian Musical Instruments

The use of musical instruments had its origin in ancient times and there are many ties between the music, religious and cultural ceremonies. Throughout the centuries, musical instruments served more the intellectual and cultural needs. Today, the musical instruments serve the purpose of preserving the folk song of Karpathos, and the dances during the various events on the island. Credit for this musical tradition must be given to the craftsmen who still, to this day, fabricate these instruments and to the musicians who play them.

In Karpathos there are basically three types of musical instruments, the "lyra", the "laouto" and the "tsambouna". There are however several other instruments also used in Karpathian music including the violin and the flute, which are not very widely used. All the instruments together are commonly referred to as the "lyrotsambouna". The musicians typically play in pairs; usually the "lyra" with the "laouto" or the "lyra" with the "tsambouna".

The "lyra" is an instrument similar to that of the string instruments. It has a pear shape, made out of a very hard pine wood called "katrani", and contains three strings. A bow is also provided, usually made from the same wood as the "lyra", which also has bells attached to it.

The "tsambouna" is an instrument similar to a bagpipe. There are three main parts to a "tsambouna"; the "masouri" mouthpiece, the "tsambounokafkalo", a double flute piece, and the bag which is made from goat skin. This instrument is primarily popular in the northern village of Olymbos.

The "laouto" is an instrument very popular in many places throughout Greece. This instrument has a shape similar to the Greek bouzouki by a little larger. The "laouto" usually accompanies the "lyra" and/or the "tsambouna".
Dances of Karpathos

In spite of the historical fluctuations and conquests that Karpathos endured, its dances, like its customs, religion and language and moral values, remained unchanged with the passing of time.

Describing the island's dances, one could comment that the dances reflect the character of the Karpathian, his most basic values. The dances portray strictness in the movements; group homogeneity, allowing only the leader of the dances, the "kavos" a bit more freedom in his movements. Similarities with the ancient Greek dances are obvious, especially with those of the Dorian settlements. As far as the rhythm is concerned, the Karpathian dances begin, for the most part, with a slow beat, gradually working up to and ending with a fast beat, passing through a brief intermediate phase of middle beat and rhythm. The dancer's tension follows the rhythm, maximizing the effect of the part of the dance with more nervous and vertical movement. This is exemplified particularly in the classical and most popular dance of the island, "pano horos". The structure of the Karpathian dance has, as previously mentioned, many similarities with the ancient Greek dances, as far as the shape and togetherness the group presents. The role of the "kavo", the head of the dance is to lead the rest of the line. In almost all of the Karpathian dances, the leader sings spontaneously created verses, "mantinades" especially to the beginning slow rhythm. The verses are sung to a specific fifteen syllable iambic beat. Each verse is then repeated along, with the rest of the men in the dance.

The basic dances of Karpathos are:

Pano Horos - This classical dance of Karpathos is danced without exception, in all the villages, with small and few variations between versions. Basically, it is a unification of three dances, the "gonatistos", a slow part with singing, the "kato horos", a middle rhythm and the "pano horos" .

Zervos - It is the only Greek dance which is danced from right to left. For this reason it gets its name "zervos" meaning backward. Tradition says that the "zervos" should not be danced at weddings, because generally speaking, the right is associated with good lick while the left "zervos" is connected with bad luck.

Kefallonitika - This old Karpathian dance took its name from the lyrics of the song which accompanies it. Its structure is similar to that of the "pano horos" but has different steps and a shorter duration. Unfortunately, it is one of the dances which is in danger of extinction on the island.

Sousta - This is a group dance which is danced in the southern villages of Karpathos. It is believed to have been influenced by the southern islands of Greece.

Antipatitis - This dance from Mesoxori, a village in the central part of Karpathos, is also a group dance. It is also one of the dances slowly fading from the island.

Arkistis - This dance is danced as a love/hate duel between two men who claim their affection of their loved one. It is danced at the edge of a cliff under the window of their loved one. The winner is he who manages, while dancing, to throw the other over the cliff, winning the heart of his love.