My original aim in this blog was to talk about Irish citizens and Irish music in Northern Greece with some observations on Greek life thrown in. Covid has severely affected developments in Irish music. Moreover, the Irish community has shrunk since 2008 and, combined with the ravages of Covid, those of us who remain are in infrequent contact with one another. Consequently, while there is little to say about our little band of exiles, there is plenty going on in Greece. Two stories are dominating the news here: Covid and the growing #MeToo movement.
Over the years I’ve spent in Greece, I have noticed that some things are slow to arrive from the West but when they do, they arrive with a bang. For example, Greek films of the 70s have a distinct 60s’ feel about them, and most are unwatchable compared with the mainly black and white films of the 50s and 60s. As recently as five years ago Greece was still largely a cash economy. If you paid by card, you were often asked to show ID and to write your mobile number on the shop’s receipt. Now cards reign supreme. Likewise, the #MeToo movement is about three years late. Late, perhaps, but it has arrived with a fury. Accusations and denials. Male-on-male rape, male-on-female rape, sex with minors, sexual assault, sexual harassment, resignations, arrests, detention and, to use the in-word, “cancellations”. As elsewhere, there is a determination to hang people first and then try them later. Most laughable of all, is the feigned shock and horror followed by attempts from the opposition party to politicize the matter. Does anyone seriously believe that senior politicians of all stripes as well as the worlds of Greek acting and athletics were totally unaware of what was going on, some of it in plain sight?
Covid isn’t going away. Yesterday, 23rd February, only 22 deaths were recorded, yet the government is in a panic. The number of new cases totalled nearly 2,000 today with ICU beds at 90% occupancy. Current restrictions have been extended into March, and it is becoming obvious that we are being softened up for restrictions to remain in place until Easter, which is four weeks later than Catholic Easter this year. In other words, lockdown till 2nd May.
Musically, we are relying on our Sunday morning Zoom practices, which are going from strength to strength. The evening sessions emanating from Malta are a welcome change of pace and content. One lovely piece we have learned thanks to the Malta crowd is a French bourrée called ‘Crested Hens’ – ‘Poules Huppées’. Here is a lovely version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI9RhK_br6c The waltz that follows is also beautiful.