Page 61 - MYCONIAN COLLECTION MAG 2021

discover|local people

Vasiliki, Asimina and Vaso Bakogia Lefteris

THREE WOMEN ARE serving the tradition of Mykonos on a plate from morning till afternoon, and it’s no
other than the three generations that are keeping alive the only authentic café of old on the island – Bakogia’s Kantenassos
kafeneio. Behind Gialos, where there once were many such establishments, Dimitris Bakogias – who had LEFTERIS KANTENASSOS
arrived in Mykonos to work in the island’s mines – took over the café that became known as Kavourotrypa USED to play the bagpipes.
(crab-hole) in 1978. No local would pass by and not wish him a good morning before going to Gialos to Kantenassos-Bambeli, the most
shop from the outdoor greengrocers and fishmongers. Mykonos locals would stop by all year round after significant duo of Mykonian
Sunday mass to relax, talk politics, and play backgammon. Dimitris Bakogias’ wife, Vasiliki, was always traditional musicians,was famous
standing by in the kitchen. She would make coffee and prepare meze to serve with ouzo – and they were throughout the Aegean. Mykonos
quite the meze. It was Vasiliki, Asimina’s mother and Vaso’s grandmother, who taught them this impressive, has six hundred churches, and on
simple craft. Fried eggs any way you like, mostra – the Mykonos version of Cretan dakos with tomatoes the night before the feast, they
and kopanisti cheese on rusks, local Mykonos sausage as well as fried meatballs, smelt, and calamari with all celebrate the day of the saint
potatoes. Any visitor finding themselves here from early in the morning can experience an authentic side of after which the church is named.
Mykonos’ daily life the way it used to be 40 years ago. Large churches celebrate with a big
“panayiri” (feast day celebration)
and smaller churches hold a more
modest celebration. The feasts are
organised by the families who serve
as the caretakers of the church.
Relatives, friends and strangers
are all equally welcome. Bread and
wine are always on the table, as is
mutton broth made from a sheep
that is slaughtered especially for the
occasion. And if it is a large feast,
there will be all kinds of delicacies,
such as meat balls, louza (dry cured
ham) and onion pie, as well as
sardines and fried salted cod with
garlic mash. In the past, during hard
times, the faithful used to entertain
themselves with banter and by
reciting playful couplets, and there
were always bagpipes, drums and
violins so the feast could come alive
with dancing. Small feasts which are
held outside of peak season combine
two elements which even today
afford visitors a rare glimpse of these
customs dating back to antiquity.
For example, the yearly custom of
slaughtering pigs, which begins
around the first chills towards the end
of October, is a tradition honoured
and prized by the locals. Despite
the fact that the main event is the
slaughtering of an animal - a ritual
said to have Dionysian influences RICH AT HEART
– the custom is “cleansed” by the Lefteris Kantenassos plays the bagpipes at an improvised feast.
THE OLD WORLD sense of community, gastronomic
Bakogia's kafeneio in Gialos is the only authentic coffee shop on Mykonos and one of the last of its kind in the Cyclades. Located in Gialos, indulgence, music, singing and the
with a view towards the small harbour and the sea, this traditional hang-out serves coffees and authentic island delicacies.
dancing that surrounds it.

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