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GENERAL INFORMATION ON GREECE

Culture & People

Greeks still perform plays and read the writings of ancient Greek writers. Nikos Kazantzakis wrote Zorba the Greek, which was made into a film.  Two Greek poets have won the Nobel Prize – George Seferis (in 1963) and Odysseus Elytis (in 1979).

Folk arts can be found all over Greece, and many old traditions have kept going. Greek pottery is often based on designs that were made in ancient Greece, and woodcarvers make decorations for churches that are very like Byzantine carvings from hundreds of years ago.

Embroidery, jewellery and leather goods are produced all over Greece, and are normally of very fine quality.

The National Anthem of Greece is part of the Hymn to Liberty, written by the poet Dionyssios Solomos in 1823.  Here is a translation by Rudyard Kipling.

“We know thee of old
Oh divinely restored,
By the light of thine eyes
And the light of thy sword.
From the graves of our slain
Shall the valour prevail
As we greet thee again,
Hail, Liberty! Oh, Hail!

Greek music is a mix of East and West.The most famous style of popular music is bouzouki, which is named after the main musical instrument in the bouzouki band.People dance to this sort of music at weddings and at festivals, and at some nightclubs.There are different styles of dancing n different areas of Greece, but many dances involve people linking arms in a circle.The most popular modern Greek composers include Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadzidakis and Vangelis.

Every year, Greece has many festivals for music, drama and dance. The summer Athens Festival has a varied program, which includes modern jazz, performances by classical orchestras, ballet and folk dancing.Many performances are held in the ancient Theatre of Herod Atticus, just underneath the Acropolis.

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