Routes in Marpissa 2016 / Press Release

On 26, 27 and August 28, volunteers and visitors of the cultural and experiential festival “Routes in Marpissa,” traveled for the seventh consecutive year in the traditional settlement of Marpissa and experienced moments of joy, emotion and creativity.

For three days we traveled “with destination” Paros, as a point of reference and as a point of connecting nautical, trade and cultural routes through centuries. Both residents and visitors of the island lived a unique experience, guided by the thematic routes of “Maistros, Garbi, Ostria and Horizon”, while participating in experiential activities that had been prepared by the voluntary organizing team.

The streets of Marpissa were filled with the happy voices and sounds of children playing the game “Shall we Travel?” which marked the start of the festival on Friday, August 26. In parallel, the workshop of ancient techniques for marble processing “On the Trails of Daedalus”, presented by the Museum of Cycladic Art astonished the audience, and the evening was completed with a concert by George Xylouris (Psaroyiorgis) in the picturesque “Christos” square.

The second day started early in the morning in Piso Livadi with stories and memories of the trips made by seafarers from Marpissa. In the afternoon our young friends made “a journey to the pages of most bizarre book!” in collaboration with the Greek IBBY – Circle of the Greek Children’s Book Association, while at the same time teenage visitors designed their “own map of Marpissa” under the guidance of Niovi Zarabouka – Hatzimanou. In the evening, Yiorgos Kaloudis, cellist, enchanted the audience and then the band Encardia introduced us to the rhythms of tarantella dance and invited us to sing the melodies of the Greek-speaking villages of southern Italy. At midnight, Fiori – Anastasia Metallinou, of the Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing, National Observatory of Athens, navigated us through the starry summer sky.

On Sunday August 28, both younger and older visitors created “boats, small boats’” with recyclable materials and Lambros Liavas presented musical networks and routes in the Aegean with his lecture” Happy that he made the journey of Odysseus!” Tsampouna and toubaki folk music with musicians from Paros and Antiparos led people to the pathways of the village, dancing and singing up to the central square, where Nikos Economides and Kyriaki Spanou continued the authentic traditional feast, which lasted until early in the morning.

Throughout the three days of the festival, the visitors had the opportunity to explore the art group exhibition “Clumsy Routes” curated by Despina Zefkili and presented by the artists Paki Vlassopoulou, Natasa Biza, Persefoni Myrtsou, Apostolos Delakos and Constantinos Hadzinikolaou.

The festival was honored by the presence of the Vice Governor of culture of the south Aegean region Mr. Stelios Brigkos the Mayor of Paros Mr. Markos Koveos, the District Officer of Paros Mr. Costas Bizas, the head of KDEPAP Mr. Athanasios Marinopoulos the head of the Municipal Community of Marpissa Ms. Anna Antonopoulou, chair and members of Municipal and Local Communities and representatives of associations and organizations of Paros. The presence of Manolis Glezos was particularly heartwarming.

The organizing team of  “Routes in Marpissa” warmly thanks the Region of South Aegean, the Municipality of Paros, the KDEPAP, the Municipal Community of Marpissa and especially residents and professionals for their valuable contribution.

Finally, we thank all those who came and walked with us in Marpissa for one more year.