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HERE'S CARNIVAL!!!

,  With its roots in Ancient Greece and an atmosphere redolent of Venice, the Corfu Carnival wears old and illustrious clothes frm Corfiot history and culture: from Barbarosa and Tartufo to Don Bazilio and Katona as well as from contemporary citizens who give prestige to the island. Personalities and events from current affairs as well as past ones are satirized with dismissive humour, and none of the masked participants are in the mood for discretion towards their victims. 
And if you gain an unexpected and unusual first impression of the island at this time, in the tavernas, the bars, the alleyways and the villages you will come to know the lunacy of the season, and the grandeur of parties in the Ionian islands.
Carnival developed from Ancient Greek roots, from rites in honour of Dionysios, God of Wine, which occured at the start of  Spring in order to procure a good harvest, and successful breeding amongst the animal stock. In the passage of time, the Carnival celebration was widened, and here in Corfu was enhanced with Venetian influences. 
The inspiration, the work and in general all the preparations for the floats which each them displays begin a year beforehand at banquets in tavernas and private houses. Here the craziest ideas are put forward, and the one which is chosen is kept totally secret until the moment of its first appearance on the streets of the town. Celebrations begin on the first Sunday of Carnival, Asotos (Dissolute) Sunday, with a trial-run of the Carnival processionthrough the town to check out the floats, to start off the fun and to get the people into the right mood. On Tsiknopempti (the last Thursday of Carnival) tavernas all over the island fill up with songs, glasses fill with wine, and the streets with confetti.
The Corfu Petegoletsia or The Gossip takes place in the Old Town centre; a very old tradition of street theatre during which, from windows in the alleyways of Town, the women exchange gossip about what's going on locally, in authentic dialect. The performance finishes with traditional singing (kantades) and majorette troupes.
The climax of the celebrations is the impressive procession of King Carnival on the third and final Sunday. King Carnival is the "one who takes on the burden of sins" of the authorities, responsible for whatever bad things have happened during the previous year. He is brought to trial, and sentenced to death by fire, so that evil is burnt with him. Thus, the procession concludes with a bonfire in which King Carnival is cremated, then his "Will" is read and a great party with music and dancing follows.
However, where thw Carnival really returns to its roots is in the coutryside and the villages.
Traditions which come down directly from Ancient Greece, people with truly mocking humour, authentic, unaffectated and genuine.
In the village of Episkepsis, on Tyrofagos (Cheese-eating) Sunday in Agios Vassilis Square, a unique tradition is conducted - the Dance of the Priests. The village priest leads off the dance called "Doxa na...." All the men of the village follow, each according to his age and his rank in the village. It is danced without instrumental music; the priest who leads chants the lines, and the rest of the dancers repeat them. At the end of the dance, old women with musical intruments begin playing, and then break into the traditional circular dance of Corfu.
This tradition can be found in other villages of Oros, but nowhere else in Greece. Karolas Klimis in his book "Customs of the People of Corfu" regards the dance as a survival of bacchanal rites dating back to around 500 b.C.
In Klimatia, Hlomos, Marathias, Kritika, Giannades and other villages, they perform the "Holy Wedding". The ceremony of the "Carnival Wedding", as it was called up until 1960, used to be held in most of Corfu's villages, but it slowly died out in most places, remaining just as a memory. 
But fortunately in other locations it has been preserved. It takes place on Cheese-eating Sunday, the last before Lent, and starts in the morning when the men of the village gather in the house and dress the bridegroom. Meanwhile in another neighbourhood, the women are dressing the bride. The fact that the bride is actually a man, and bearded, probably owes itself to the patriarchial society which forbad women to have an active position in the community. A demon in the form of a satyr also takes part in the marriage rite, trying to spoil the wedding. During the whole ceremony the villages shout obscenities without a break, teasing each other constantly.

For any information or reservation write to:Vincent Soueref

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