When one hears the island name Mykonos, images of beautiful beaches, vacationing international celebrities, wild VIP parties, and fashionistas walking the narrow streets come to mind.
Yet, there is another side of Mykonos most people don’t often hear about. It is one that is often overlooked. That is the island in the 1960s. In the 1960s, it was still a rather traditional island of the Cyclades with life revolving around the fishermen.
The truth is that that side of the island is still there, alive and vibrant, even though it is overshadowed by the flashlights of the paparazzi, glittering smiles of Hollywood stars, and the gold of super-wealthy visitors.
Once a year, on the Greek Orthodox Feast of the Holy Apostles, the Fishermen Feast takes place. It is a celebration of the people who had been the backbone of the island for centuries. Those would be the fishermen.
The Fishermen Feast is keeping the old traditions of the island alive. It is the other side of Mykonos, namely what it could have been if the island hadn’t been discovered by some 1960s visitors who felt its charms and the mystical aura that soon made it a cherished destination. It is the Mykonos one can go back to time and time again.
The Fishermen Feast
The Fishermen Feast is an integral part of the Mykonians. It is indeed a portrayal of their real life. They adhere to the traditions and customs inherited from their ancestors and pass these on to the next generations.
With camera in hand for Mykonos Live TV, journalist Petros Nazos attended the small fishermen’s celebration taking place under the eternal landmark of the island: the much-photographed windmills.
Along with him were the people who keep the tradition alive every year: Yiannis Kousathanas (Giannaras), Giorgos Nikou (Kokkinos) and Dimitris Veronis.
Lefteris Sikiniotis (Kadenasos) roused the audience with his violin, playing the island’s traditional music. The menu included lots of meat broth in preparation for the copious amounts of wine and food that would follow. At the table were boiled meat, cuttlefish giouvetsi, shrimp, prawns and yachni. All the dishes were humble, but they rivaled in taste those of the best chefs because they were cooked with love.
However, the element that made this celebration truly one of fun and joy was none other than the feeling of hospitality that was pervasive throughout the day. Everyone involved, including locals, Greeks, and international tourists, were welcome, as is the case at every Mykonian feast.
The Fishermen Feast was attended by well-known Mykonians and friends of the island. Cyclades MP Katerina Monogyiou was present as were Mykonos Deputy Mayor Dimitris Koutsoukos and the founder of the ecological group All For Blue Katerina Topouzoglou among many others.