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Issues

Chios

Vrontados

Spring 2024

Rocket War

An Easter Saturday.
A Ressurection in Chios

When discussing the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection at Vrontados and its inextricably linked tradition of the rocket war, something soon becomes clear: this is not just a memorable night, an essential Christian Orthodox feast, or even a spectacular tradition. When discussing the night of Easter Saturday in Vrontados, we are discussing something more profound than that…

The churches of Panagia Erythiani and Agios Markos stand facing each other peacefully all year long. But for one night only, that of Easter Saturday, they throw themselves into a sort of amicable civil war with thousands of rockets. Akin to luminous falling stars, these rockets hope to fulfil their makers’ wishes: to strike, before falling, the bell tower and the clock of the opposite church.

Chios

Daskalopetra

Summer 2023

  Figures standing strong against the passage of time, their gazes profound, wander silently around the village’s small port. They stare at the sea in a way only they know. It is as if they share a well-kept secret between them. Eager to maintain their connection to the water, they keep a small boat anchored, ready to take us—the passersby—to the open arms of the Aegean.

  Anchors carved with blossom patterns adorn the front doors of houses. Marble family crests with stormy seas are on the facades of buildings. And on the port’s edge, the small church of Saint Nicholas evokes the agony for a safe return home.All of the above are evidence that you have found yourself in one of the many villages in Chios that carry a long nautical tradition.

  The third issue of KEOS magazine sets off to explore this particular tradition through images and tales. The places and the people that dedicated their existence to the sea told us stories of worthiness and prosperity, mourning and separation.

  At the heart of this issue, you will not just find facts and details of the nautical trade, but you will discover its cultural impact on the island of Chios, whose identity and history were forged by its enduring maritime tradition. We hope that these pages will take you on a journey of the mind, similar to the one we took through the stories of the people who called the sea their home.

Chios

Summer 2022

The secrets of Mastic

In eastern Aegean,  lies the island of Chios, where mastic has been thriving for centuries. This product is associated with tradition, and cultural exchanges, and has remained unaltered. Mastic is enriched by the culture of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and it is more beneficial than ever due to its scientifically proven therapeutic beneficial properties.

It is a fact that more and more young people are turning to farm life. This phenomenon is easily seen in regions where farm life thrives. Chios is definitely one of these places. So, a lot of people from the southern part of the island, the so-called Mastichochoria, are involved in the production of this valuable product.

A resident in the village of Pirgi, the biggest village of the Mastichochoria in  Chios, is among the young people who decided to get involved in the production of mastic. He shared with us the steps followed in order to obtain that “precious” product.

According to him, the process lasts all year round, not solely during the summer months when the production of mastic takes place. 

Mastic cultivation is a traditional practice, which has remained unaffected over time. It  is  considered a family occupation. The mastic producer from Pirgi pointed out that the process of the mastic cultivation is transmitted through a combination of oral learning, observation, experience, and gradual participation in the process. In particular, the older mastic growers pass on the secrets of mastic cultivation to younger members, especially relatives.

 

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