Traveler's Guide

East Macedonia & Thrace

"Arapides" of Xiropotamos

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In Xiropotamos, every year, on 6 and 7 of January the happening of Arapides is performed. The members of the troupe (tsetas) are the Arapides, the traditional soldiers, the Clowns, the mangos (ashen) and Gkeligkes who gather in groups of 6-7 men in each neighborhood of the village in the house of a member, to be disguised. The Arapides wear pelerines, on their heads they bear a tall mask, they paint their face, they hold in their hands a wooden sword, while they tie in their waist large doorbells. The traditional soldiers with known foustanela. The Clowns are dressed in the traditional apparel and bring custom in their heads of goat"s skin. The Gkeligkes are men disguised as women wearing traditional clothing. The ashen wears a white costume with a hump, black socks on his head, and small doorbells in his waist, while keeping ashes in a bag and a walking stick to beat anyone he meets. On January 6, the Tseta goes around the whole village to wish the people many years. The same does on January 7, at all the houses that a person named John lives in them. The event culminates in the central square of the village on January 7, at 3:00 pm by setting up a big dance, where the virtual plowing and sowing take place. The happenings of a bear are next, where a bear man keeps chained to a disguised bear, dancing to his rhythms.


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