Carnival! It is amazing how many traditions the Greeks manage to pack into the pre-Lent holiday. Today is Tsiknopemti, which means literally, "smokey Thursday." It is one of the most celebrated days and is the last weekday of eating meat during Meat Fare week.
The origins of this tradition stem back to the good ole days of paganism. The ancient Greeks wanted to please the gods, so one of the ways they did it was to send up the smells of cooking meat.
By tradition, everyone, even the poorer members of the community, is supposed to grill pieces of meat with a little fat on it so that the smoke can fill the air and let others know that this day is being celebrated. This is how "Tsiknopempti" was named. Each family cooked its meat and took it to another home, or everyone gathered in one home to cook together, sending the smell of grilled meat throughout the neighborhood.
Today most people celebrate this Thursday in local taverns with friends and family. Apparently, the younsters dress up in masks and throw confetti at others. I'm told they even hit people with plastic bats. So tonight I'm off to a taverna with Maura, Manos, and family! Kalinixta! (Goodnight!)
By the way, Happy Birthday Mom!
2 comments:
I hope you hit some people with plastic bats, too. When in Rome, eh? Party on!
Update: I've decided to make a point in everyone's journal (read: yours and Maria's) that I am writing a comment from Chapel Hill, NC. Nowhere near as exotic as Greece, but a welcome change in weather from South Bend.
Also, I hope the Greek metalheads rocked like only Greem metalheads can.
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