ATHENS – Ten documentaries on traditional instrumentalists of the island of Kea, the first geotechnical stability study in the Ancient Marmaros Quarries of Paros with the ultimate goal of ensuring visitors’ safety in the porticos, as well as the production of 20 podcasts of stories about the oral tradition and mythology of Kea, are the results of three programs implemented with the funding of the Cycladic Identity initiative of the Museum of Cycladic Art.

In particular, the program “Registration of traditional instrumentalists of Kea for the rescue, preservation, and promotion of traditional music as an intangible cultural heritage” was implemented by the former Public Benefit Enterprise of the Municipality of Kea and includes ten independent documentaries on the remaining elderly instrumentalists of the island as well as the children and/or grandchildren of the most important traditional musicians of Kea. The documentaries are now available to the public online: https://shorturl.at/J4Wix and at https://www.youtube.com/@KeaGreece.

The recordings of the 10 documentaries were made in characteristic landmarks of Kea such as the Holy Monastery of Kastriani, Saint Simeon, but also in natural environments such as the Fountain of Benjamin in order to simultaneously highlight the sound diversity and biodiversity of the environment. In the documentaries, there was a demonstration of the skilled playing of the traditional musicians, a personal interview, the ways of interpreting specific songs were recorded and old stories from celebrations and fairs were recounted.

The ten documentaries were articulated into a single documentary that was shown by the Municipality of Kea at an event on the island.

According to Mr. Fanis Maragkos, responsible for the implementation of the program: “The imprint of the program on the local community is evaluated as particularly important because the last traditional tsambounierides were recorded, their skillful playing at special landmarks in the countryside, as well as their personal narratives about how they started, their influences and the difficulties they encountered. The traditional musicians recorded are from different regions of Kea, with the result that the characteristics of each region are reflected in their playing. Thus, new generations of musicians will have access to high-quality and high-fidelity audio and visual material to be able to study it and highlight it through their music.”

At the same time, the “Stability and Visitability of Underground Galleries” program was completed by the AMKE Park of Ancient Marble Quarries of Paros and concerns the first geotechnical stability study in the Ancient Quarries, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the safety of visitors to the galleries.

The Ancient Marble Quarries of Paros in Marathi, and in particular the monuments of the underground mining galleries (Nymphon and Panos quarries), are the focus of a cultural heritage of global importance. The Ancient Quarries operated from the 7th century BC onwards as the famous Parian marble was mined there, which was widely used in architecture and sculpture.

During the program, a technical report was carried out, which included a complete recording of the high-risk areas at the entrances and inside the galleries.

According to Mania Ambatzi, project implementation manager: “We express our warm thanks to the Cycladic Identity Initiative both for the support and funding of this specific proposal and for our excellent level of cooperation throughout the execution of the project. This cooperation, combined with the also excellent cooperation of the two bodies with the competent Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades and its officials, contributed to the production of a high-quality application study for the necessary stability restoration projects in an important part of the Nymphon quarry. At the same time, this study is a guide for the further promotion of studies and projects for the underground porticos, and the gradual completion of which will make it possible to create the conditions for a safe visit to the galleries.”

The third program of Cycladic Identity that was completed and also concerns the island of Kea is entitled ‘Listen to the story…’ and was implemented by the Center for the Study and Dissemination of Myths and Folktales. The program aimed to recognize and spread the intangible cultural heritage of Kea in a modern and fun way, easy and accessible to young and old, combined with highlighting the natural environment, the built spaces with graphic features, and the points of cultural interest.

The implementation of the program involved the production of 20 story podcasts, with original musical compositions, related to the oral tradition and mythology of Kea. Anyone interested can listen to these stories on their mobile phone or any other electronic device, tablet, laptop, etc., by scanning a QR code that will direct them to the link of the story. The QR codes have been posted on signs which have been placed in prominent places in various public places on the island.

The podcast stories are available on Paramythofono as well as on podcast platforms such as Spotify under the title Cycladic Identity, Google podcasts, Apple podcasts, etc. In the first half of 2024, the total listenings of the stories reached 61,391 which took place by 85% in Greece and by 15% in 115 countries around the world.

According to Giorgos Evgenikos, Artistic Director of the Center for the Study and Dissemination of Myths and Folktales: “The stories from the oral tradition of our place define our Cycladic identity and at the same time they are spread through technology and become universal. We are grateful to have the treasures of our intangible culture in our hands and we can, with the help of technology, share them through podcasts with the whole world, in every corner of the planet. It was a dream, it became a plan, we served it with love and passion and it became a reality thanks to the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Cycladic Identity initiative. Because as one story from the program we implemented says, ‘in life it is not enough to believe only in your own dreams, but also in the dreams of others.’”

More information is available online: https://shorturl.at/a31Vn.

Cycladic Identity: https://www.cycladicidentity.gr.