In Voulismeni, folk festivals have their own place in the cycle of the year. Alongside the major religious holidays and village festivals, there are days that bring games, laughter, costumes, food, gatherings, and old customs that connect people to the everyday side of tradition.
Apokria, Clean Monday, Klidonas, and May Day are not like the major religious holidays. They are more down-to-earth, more open, and more playful. They rely less on formality and more on participation. They require people, neighborhoods, groups of friends, teasing, and a festive spirit.
Carnival in Voulismeni
Carnival in Voulismeni is associated with masquerades, laughter, visits, and traditional Carnival foods. The village breaks away from its daily routine and allows people to play, tease one another, dress up, and have fun before Lent begins.
Costumes hold a special place in the village’s Carnival celebrations. People transform themselves, change their appearance, play pranks, and create little scenes of laughter within their neighborhoods and among friends. A costume is not just an outfit. It’s an excuse to have fun, to tease others, and to join in the day’s festivities.
In the traditions of Voulismeni, Carnival is also associated with food. Notable dishes include «askioufichta makarounia» and fragrant mizithropites, foods that give the day its own distinctive flavor. The table, the treats, and the company all contribute to the Carnival atmosphere.
The Masquerades
Costumes are among the most iconic images of Carnival. They give people the freedom to have fun, to hide behind another persona, and to briefly turn the normal routine of everyday life on its head.
In Voulismeni, masquerades don’t require much staging. They rely on imagination, spontaneous teasing, and the joy of being together. Disguise becomes a means of communication. People laugh at one another, neighborhoods come alive, and Carnival takes on its own folk character.
The custom also preserves an old photographic record of the village, featuring masquerades from the early 20th century. This image shows that the carnival spirit is not a recent phenomenon, but rather a part of social life in Voulismeni.
Clean Monday
Clean Monday marks the beginning of Lent, but in Voulismeni, it’s not just about food and changing one’s diet. It’s a day for going out, socializing, and having fun.
This day marks the end of the carnival season and the transition to a more austere time of year. At the same time, however, it retains a joyful and communal spirit. People get together, joke around, eat, drink, reminisce, and carry on old traditions.
Within this context, one traditional game from Voulismeni stands out: tapaletia.
The Tapalethia
The tapalethia are among the most distinctive customs of Clean Monday in Voulismeni. The game takes place in the schoolyard, and the men become children again for a little while.
A piece of wood, called the «moutsos,» is driven into the ground on one side. On the other side, about ten meters away, a line is drawn. From there, the players throw the tapalethia, aiming to get them as close as possible to the wooden stake.
Two teams of equal size play against each other. Each player takes turns throwing the ball multiple times, alternating with a player from the opposing team. A team wins when one of its players’ tapalethis comes closest to the moutsos. If there is a dispute over the distance, the players take another turn.
The tapalethia themselves are round, chiseled stones, with a diameter of about fifteen to twenty centimeters. They are usually made from ironstone, which the opponents select and chisel days in advance. Thus, the game does not begin only at the moment of the throw. It also involves preparation, material selection, care, and competition.
At the end, the losers carry the winners on their backs and take them all the way to Papadakis’s hut, teasing them and joking along the way. There, they’re treated to raki, and the party goes on until late.
The tapaletia clearly reflect the spirit of Clean Monday in Voulismeni: play, competition, laughter, camaraderie, and treats. It’s not just an old game played with stones. It’s an entire little ritual of joy.
May Day
May Day is also one of the folk festivals that are part of the village’s festive cycle. It is a day associated with spring, nature, going outdoors, and the changing of the seasons.
In Voulismeni, May Day stands alongside Klidonas, Apokria, and Clean Monday as yet another occasion for a community gathering. It lacks the solemn character of major religious holidays. It has a lighter atmosphere and is one of those days that draw people out of their homes and bring them closer to their neighborhood, their friends, and their community.
Celebration, fun, and good company
These customs reveal a side of Voulismeni that is full of life. Carnival brings with it masquerades and traditional Carnival foods. Clean Monday brings tapalethia, raki, teasing, and revelry. Klidonas brings mantinades, singing, and social games. May Day brings outings and a springtime mood.
All of these are not separate, unconnected pieces. They stem from the same need: for the village to come together. To laugh, play, eat, sing, tease, and remember.
In Voulismeni, tradition isn’t just about major dates and official holidays. It’s also the simple days filled with people. It’s the games in the schoolyard, the Carnival masquerades, the myzithropites, the teasing, the raki, and the company.
These celebrations keep Voulismeni alive, because they don’t just tell the story of its past. They speak to the way people continue to come together, recognize one another, and share their home.