COUNTRY FAIRS
The inhabitants of Ios, being kind-hearted and hospitable islanders love to have a good time and dance. Traditional country fairs, an occasion to meet people took place at the end of the summer agricultural activities, mainly with the participation of families whose farms were located near the churches. They still take place to this date and are organized with special care and fun and everyone is welcome.
The largest country fairs last two days, the most important ones are the following:
1.The country fair of Agios Ioannis Prodromos held in the areas of Psathi and Kalamos on the 28 and the 20 of August every year.
2.The country fair for the Birth of Agios Ioannis Vaptistis at the Byzantine Church by the same name at the ruins of the ancient temple of God Appolo, at the highest mountain of the island, in the Pyrgos area on 23-24 June every year.
3.The country fair of the Birth of Virgin Mary in Agia Theodoti, at the church by the same name and in Paleokastro, at the church of Panagia Palaiokastritisa, located within the fort, on 7-8 September every year.
On the eve of the festival, the churchwardens (usually the farmers who have their farmhouses near the church), have already whitewashed and decorated the church for days, preparing dinner for the visitors – Panavriotes – with the meat offered by the churchwardens or the people of the congregation.
After supper, the priest blesses the supper and serves soup and boiled goat – skouteli- or braized goat with pasta or pulses, usually bean soup, in earthenware dishes placed on stone counters. The fair lasts until late at night, with the participation of organ players, local violinists or musicians from the nearby islands, for the entertainment of visitors.
Participants stay overnight at the church courtyard, in the countryside or in the rooms-cells of the church, and the next morning after Mass, there is a small procession and the Icon is being carried around the Church.
Smaller country fairs: the country fair of Mersinia, in honour of the Virgin Mary, on the21 August, the fair of Agios Georgios in Vourlidakia, the Fair of Agios Kosmas and Agios Etolos and Agios Dionysios of Zante at the chapel of Agia Varvara on August 24, and the Fair of Agios Vlassis held at the church by the same name in EpanoKambos on 11 February every year.
LOCAL CUSTOMS
In the rural society of Ios, September was the month of completion of intensive summer agricultural activities. Then the new crop had to be carried into the house to ensure prosperity for the next year.
The celebration of Agios Andreas, on November 30, was associated with the coming of Winter, which was welcomed by the inhabitants by lighting the fireplace while on the eve of the Saint’s celebration , on November 29, they made donuts from fresh flour, olive oil and honey, using the new crops for the first time and their preparation took the form of a ritual, following prohibitive rules (men were not allowed during this preparation, it was a “bad omen” for next year’s harvest). The custom is preserved to the present day.
December is associated with the customs of Christmas and the New Year. Christmas Eve begins with the carols of young children while the housewives prepare the pasteli (candy with nuts and honey), knead the Christmas bread for the next day’s table, where the traditional dish is boiled soup with pasta. On New Year’s Eve, they make diples ,xerotigana (fried dumplings), phinikia (type of cookies)and the cakes, tortoletia and vasilokouloura (new year’s cake), which is cut at the New Year’s table.
Traditional Easter in Ios
The customs for Easter in Ios begin on Lazarus Saturday where the housewives make the well-known “Lazarakia”, that is raisin bread in human-like shapes. On Good Friday on the island, after the Descent from the Cross, young people gather in the neighborhoods and play “botsi”, a game with small, iron red and green balls. The procession of the Epitaphs, which are decorated with flowers from the fields by young girls, takes place at night with the people of Niotissa accompanying them andchanting.The two epitaphscross each other’s route during their procession, sing together for a while and each continues his funeral procession in the streets of each parish. A big party for everyone, locals and visitors, is organized on Easter Sunday by the Municipality of the people of Ios, with roasted lamb and wine. (This has not been done for years by the Municipality).
The Custom of the “Swing”(Kounies)
On Easter Sunday, in the afternoon, the Cultural Association of Ios “Finiki” revives the traditional custom of Kounia (Swing). The young girls and boys of the island, dressed in traditional costumes, set up swings at the entrance of the village of Chora and the boys swing the girls, while the girls sing traditional love songs. Then, accompanied by instruments and the choir of the Cultural Association, the young people dance traditional ball and sirto inviting the guests to the company. The fair ends after treats with local cheeses, pastries and tsikoudia of Ios. Kounies are a Springcustom which concerned the unmarried girls of the island and was maintained until the mid-40s. It was believed that the body, by moving in the fresh air, got rid of all evil, since it “moved to have good health”. But the social dimension of the custom was more important, as it was an opportunity for young people of the island to meet each other, accompanied by reciting love couplets between them.
The water of silence if Ai Giannis
In a special way but also as a traditional celebration, we celebrate on the 24th of June Saint John the Baptist in Pyrgos. Related to local tradition was the lighting of the fire(fotara), as the locals called the fires that were lit with the wreaths of May Day (Maides) on the eve of the anniversary of the Birth of Agios Ioannis (St. John) in every neighborhood of the country and in the courtyard. Church of St. John. The young people of the island jumped over the fires. According to tradition, this is because fire brings purification and people are freed from evil. The custom is now revived in the church of Ai Giannis in Pyrgos. After dinner and Vespers, the young people jump over the fires while the girls cheer them. The party continues until late with satirical songs, traditional local wine and tsikoudia. But when the fires go out, the unmarried girls take some of the ashes left, put it on their heels and go home. Then they all gather together and go to a well from where the firstborn draws the “silent water”. Then they transport the lagini (clay vessel) with the water to the place where the “Ai Klidon” will come out and until they reach their destination the first born daughter is not allowed to speak. In the water they throw fruits marked with barley and cloves, these fruits are taken out by the firstborn. After the end of “Ai Klidon” all the unmarried girls put “water of silence” in their mouths and go to their homes. All the way from the moment they put the ashes on their feet until the moment they drink the “water of silence”, whatever male name every girl hears will be the name of her husband.
Wedding customs in Ios
In Ios, on the Thursday before the wedding, the sourdough custom takes place, that is, the ceremony of kneading the wedding breads. After the dough is kneaded and after traditional songs are sung, a celebration follows. After the wedding ceremony it is necessary to treat the guests with pasteli. The traditional pasteli are made from thyme honey of Ios and sesame. This custom aims at ensuring a sweet life for the newlyweds. This is followed by the wedding party with food, local music of the islands, songs and dancing. In the end, sarpi is offered as a dessert, that is milk cream to which yeast was added to thicken it.
References:
Othoneos Th. (1938) Η Νήσος Iος, 1stedition, Αθήνα: Ιωάννου Κ. Γαβαλά.
Spartinos M.G (2004) ΙΟΣ – Ιχνογραφώντας τη Σχέση του Ανθρώπου με το Περιβάλλον (Delineating the relationship between human and the environment), 1st edition Syros: Municipality of Ios.
Fragouli D. (2002) Νιώτικη Κοινωνία, 1st edition., Αθήνα: Ελληνικά Γράμματα.