Treasures
PAPA-SPYROS, the commando priest
A clergyman, a life guard and frogman of the Underwater Sabotage Unit, a cook, a commando, an inventor, an organ donator, a human rights and environmental activist, an athlete of karate, wrestling and weight lifting, interested in Buddhism and Eastern religions, genetics and modern science. Cosmopolitan papa-Spyros is one of the two clergymen of Sikinos, making us wonder how such a versatile life can fit in such a small island
PAPA - THEODORIS, the violin player
Papa Theodoris is one of the two priests of the island of Sikinos.
He used to be a musician in night clubs. He got fed up and became a priest. Now, he is a strong cohering agent for the small society, as his violin playing is the central protagonist in the local feasts.
THE BRAZILIAN
He is a man in his 60s whose life could easily be a movie script. He left Sikinos at the age of 15, in order to be a sailor on a ship. He was found in Brazil, still a minor, without papers, he lived for months inside cardboard boxes hanging out with other kids from the favelas. At some point, he was presumed dead because of some kind of misunderstanding, but was traced by the Red Cross in Brazil and decided to return to Greece in order to join the army. At the airport he was arrested by the people of Junta over some old incident and got to be accused as a communist. He was then in his early twenties.
It would take him months to narrate his whole story, to speak about his children, his journeys, Mao (!) but also his concern about the “modern dictatorship” we live in, about love that “rules everything”, about God, and last but not least, about all the things that hurt him as he sees good old Sikinos disappearing day by day.
KALJU MIHKELSON, born in 1931-1976, village photographer in Häädemeeste, south-west coast.
KULNO MALVA, folk musician, born in 1979, Estonian from Ida-Viru county
Kulno Malva is a young folk musician who has been playing traditional music and his own interpretation of it for 12 years. He plays bag pipe, accordion and sings runo songs.
We met him as he has vast knowledge on Estonian traditional music and interesting views how to work with it.
You can listen to his music: https://soundcloud.com/kulnomalva
JAAK KÄND, STORYTELLER, born in 1955, Estonian from Pärnu and Tartu
Jaak Känd is storyteller and educator. He loves to tell old animal tales and other stories to children and adults alike. His educational games and quizzes with children have been a staple of the town of Pärnu for over 10 years now.
We met him as he was a connecting point with storytelling theme from previous meetings. He shared stories of his life and some poems too.
TIIU PUKK, MUSEUM KEEPER, born in 1940s, Estonian from Häädemeeste village
Tiiu Pukk is the mother of the Häädemeeste museum, a small coastal village in West Estonia. She has vast knowledge of her local area and is the soul and only worker of the museum and the Häädemeeste village. She is also the initiator of local community, written few books on Häädemeeste area. Her stories about the items in the museum were welcomed by the Grand Treasure group.
CELSA, HORTENSIA, AMPARO AND THE STORIES. Amparo Dobarro (Zobra-Lalín, 1931), Hortensia Taboada (Zobra-Lalín, 1931), Celsa Muradás (Zobra-Lalín, 1940).
In the long winter they all gatheres in the kitchens of their neightbour's homes to tell stories: Horror stories, funny storieas and stories about the wolf, always prowling around. It was a goo pastime, since there was no television. The houses were full of people, while women sew a little, the old people poked the fire, ther heard and learned the tales, because the had to know them by heart in order to be able to tell them the next day. Hard times but also happy!
MARÍA, EDUARDO AND THE DANCING. María Ríos Grela (A Pontraga-Tordoia, 1945), Eduardo Louzao Bello (Campo-Trazo, 1938).
Dancing was very important, not only at parties ot he village celebrations after mass. Every Sunday people gatheres at the road crossings barns if it rained. Girls started to play the tambourine and boys asked girls to dance the "muiñeira", the "pateado" and also some slow dances... There were not any other fun social activities for young people and they used them to find a partner. The better you danced, the more successul you were!
AVELINO GONZÁLEZ
Storyteller and actor. He has been one of the books in the second galician LL, “Living language”, organised by Xandobela in 2012.
In galician meeting (May, 29th, 2013) he was a helper in the MPG (Museo do Pobo Galego, Santiafo de Compostela).
Watch Videobook
RAMIRO CORTIZO TABOADA (Muras, Forcarei, Galicia. 1931-2013).
Muras' Castrator & Bagpiper
This is Ramiro's story, about how he learned the family business and how he sepnt up to 20 days away from home, going from village to village, from fair to fair, riding his mule, castrating pigs, rams and oxen. He whistled and they all knew Muras' castrator was coming: "There he comes, the castrator from Montes". He took out his pocket knife and needle and many were almost hypnotised just looking ata him.
It is also Ramiro the bag-piper's story, about how he wanted to become a bag-piper since he liked watching the musicians and their jokes. With his parents at the drums, they travelled every town's party of the sorroundings. He wanted to become a bag-piper and he managed to. The one who could play more songs in his area.
ELENA ALONSO PUNTO (Toutón-Mondariz, 1928), ESMERALDA AMOEDO FRAGA (Lordelo-Toutón-Modaríz, 1935), LINA RODRÍGUEZ CUÑADO (Toutón-Mondariz, 1952), LUCINDA BARCIA GARRIDO (Toutón-Mondariz, 1952).
April was the time to plough the land to plant the seeds. Working was hard and they spent whole weeks in each other's houses. They opened ditches with the plough: 2 of them pulled the oxen's yoke and the other guided the plough. The others came behind with a "legón, cachado a legua", the women were in carghe of planting the seed. afterwards the kept digging to close the ditch and leave it properly ended. Finally the passed the "grade".
It was a hard work, but it was easier to bear it by singing, dancins and making jokes. The neighbours competed to be the first on finishing their dtiches, and them they sang daring songs: that was called "botar unha aña". That was fun! They picked up the "legón", a stone and they kept singing! They also danced around the brach: they decorated an oak branch wth clothes, and doughnuts brought for afternoons, then a man, the best dancer, asked al the girl working the field to dance to the sound of the "legón"
MARÍA SOUTO BRAÑA (Longueirón-Meanos-Zas, 1934), MANUELA ÁNGELA TOMÉ CAAMAÑO, LUCHA (Couto de Zas-Zas, 1943), Mª BENEDICTA TOMÉ CAAMAÑO (Couto de Zas-Zas, 1947).
Those days they were always singing. There was a song for every occasion: for having fun, for looking for a partner, for not being afraid, to say goodbye, for the ones getting married, to help bearing the hard work. Everybody sang and it was common. Every Sunday, at the call of “ajrú”, the girls got together and they organised parties in the barns, as there were not any discos, and then the boys of the surroundings came, and they spent all the night singing, playing the tambourines, dancing and flirting. They had such fun with so few things.
THE GRAND-GIRLS FROM ARZÚA
The Grand-Girls from Arzúa began to playing theatre in 2006. Before that time just some kids had practiced theater in the village. Their second play, "Granny goes to party", performed for the first time in 2010, was a common creation based on childhood and teenagerhood memories. That play touched, entertained, encouraged and shared valuable truths during two years in stages along the province.
The group had its origins in Arzúa's Elderly People Club. One of the main characters among this women -Maria a Ghrila- is not with us anymore... but she is immortal thanks her role as Granny in this play.
VIDEOS:
Granny goes to party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arUTHFOPCls
The wedding: https://youtu.be/8L9j4hFCwDk
The end of the world: https://youtu.be/-Cj4Q3zxK6Y
FLOR DA MAQUÍA.
Florentino Ruibal (A Maquía. 1942)
A retailer and gallant man, with a special sensibility for music. He was 14 yeas old when he played tha galician bagpipe, it was at Ordes, 1942. After a problem with the heart, Flor cannot played the bagpipe, but he found the way to build a particular bagpipe to play.
AMABLE BREA GARCÍA, THE FOREMAN (A BREA, 1934)
He worked for the Mining Company since he was a kid until retirement. Even when the mine was closed he kept some responsabilities. He might be the person with more clear knowledge and memory of that times.
LIESMA LAGZDIŅA
Liesma was born in 1950. She is a storyteller from Kuldīga (Latvia) and one of the central persons of the Kurzeme’s storytelling festival „Ziv zup”. She participated in the first Zemgales Storytelling festival where shared her great stories and experience. She was also present during the 4th meeting in Latvia, September 27th - October 3rd , 2012.
INITA ŠALKOVSKA
She is a storyteller who represents the new generation of the storytellers in Latvia. Inita is also one of the winner of Latvian storyteller contest “Teci, teci valodiņa”. She was also present during the 4th meeting in Latvia, September 27th - October 3rd , 2012.
AELITA RAMANE
Aelita is a storyteller and participant of the “Storytelling libraries” network of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO. She is one of the main organizers of the first Zemgales Storytelling festival in Latvia. She was also present during the 4th meeting in Latvia, September 27th - October 3rd , 2012.
MĀRA MELLĒNA
She is one of the pioneers of the storytelling movement in Latvia as well as an expert of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO network “Storytelling libraries”, and head of the Traditional Cultural Society "Aprica". She was also present during the 4th meeting in Latvia, September 27th - October 3rd , 2012.
INGUNA RADZIŅA
Inguna is participant of the “Storytelling libraries” network of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO. Along with a storytelling she is also working with children – organising different storytelling workshops by using self-made puppets. She was also present during the 4th meeting in Latvia, September 27th - October 3rd , 2012.
BRUNO ASCUKS
Bruno Ascuks is a producer who introduce us with his work about Irina Pilke (lady who was drawing 40 years of her life in a diary and we seen in Greece exhibition) and the animation movie about her drawings "Little Bird`s Diary". He was also present during the 4th meeting in Latvia, September 27th - October 3rd , 2012.
ALDIS PŪTELIS
He introduced us with history, working methods and the treasures of the Archives of Latvian Folklore. He was also present during the 4th meeting in Latvia, September 27th - October 3rd , 2012.
