This episode is dedicated to the masquerades taking place during the Twelve Nights in Eastern Macedonia. Through a comprehensive review of these customs in all of their variety, Domna Samiou presents the masquerades rituals in four different villages: Nikisiani, Kavala; Monastiraki, Drama; Xiropotamos, Drama; and Kria Vrissi, Drama.
In the village of Nikisiani the masquerades are called 'Arapides' and the celebration is held on St. John’s day, January the seventh. Here we can watch shots from their dressing up, their ritualistic dance in the main square of the village, their procession around the village accompanied by shawms and davuls, and the symbolic death and resurrection of a member of the Arapides group [watch the video in Multimedia section].
In the same village, in recent years, apart from the Arapides masquerades, people dress up with ‘old’ clothes from their ancestors and perform a dancing circle in the main square of the village. Here we can listen to the song A blue dove sung by Vangelis Daskaloudis [watch the video in Multimedia section and the song A blue dove in our list of songs].
In the village of Kali Vrissi the masquerades are called 'Babougeri' and the celebration lasts for three days commencing on January the sixth. Its apogee is on the last day, January the eighth, when they hold a mockery of a wedding which leads to a big feast where all the locals participate. Here we can watch shots from Babougri’s procession all around the village, from the wedding representation and from the feast that follows [watch the video in Multimedia section].
