Family. Life.

Staying Behind The Mountain

Georgia Aslanidou

FAMU - The Prague Academy of Performing Arts

Aslanidou Georgia, FAMU, Project ìStaying behind the mountainî.

Skiti is a village in Kozani district, Greece. Most villages of this district were inhabited from immigrants coming from turkish lands, after the massive population exchange between Greece and Turkey, during 1920s. Skiti is described from the people who live in the villages closer to the highway ìbehind the mountainî because its main body is built behind a mountain side. For this reason the villagers kept a more traditional way of living, they work with farming and agriculture and they celebrate the old customs, before immigration.

Yeoryios Diamantidis with his wife, Sophia Diamantidou live in one of highest houses of the village, just below the mountain. They have children, grandchildren and grand-grandchildren, most of which live in the same village in near by houses, and also have sheep, goats, dogs and chickens, that live in a yard next to their house. They have lost a son at the age of 23 and for this the father has a beard and the mother wears black. Still, the smile in the face and the shine in their eyes is almost unstoppable. They take care the animals like their children and they welcome every guest like a member of their family. Watching them taking care of the people and animals around them is like watching the parents of a family of 1000 members.
26.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Hand of Yeoryios Diamantidis. Photo of one of the two spaces where Diamantidis keeps his goats and sheep. He spents 1/3 of his day around this place.
    2026

  • Aslanidou Georgia, FAMU, Project ìStaying behind the mountainî. Skiti is a village in Kozani district, Greece. Most villages of this district were inhabited from immigrants coming from turkish lands, after the massive population exchange between Greece and Turkey, during 1920s. Skiti is described from the people who live in the villages closer to the highway ìbehind the mountainî because its main body is built behind a mountain side. For this reason the villagers kept a more traditional way of living, they work with farming and agriculture and they celebrate the old customs, before immigration. Yeoryios Diamantidis with his wife, Sophia Diamantidou live in one of highest houses of the village, just below the mountain. They have children, grandchildren and grand-grandchildren, most of which live in the same village in near by houses, and also have sheep, goats, dogs and chickens, that live in a yard next to their house. They have lost a son at the age of 23 and for this the father has a beard and the mother wears black. Still, the smile in the face and the shine in their eyes is almost unstoppable. They take care the animals like their children and they welcome every guest like a member of their family. Watching them taking care of the people and animals around them is like watching the parents of a family of 1000 members. 26.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Hand of Yeoryios Diamantidis. Photo of one of the two spaces where Diamantidis keeps his goats and sheep. He spents 1/3 of his day around this place.

  • 26.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yeoryios Diamantidis welcoming a neighbour passing by. In the house where he and his wife live, everyone is welcome.

  • 28.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yeoryios Diamantidis's out of the coop. Chickens are also part of the family.

  • 26.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yeoryios Diamantidis and Sophia Diamantidou in front of their fold. She comes to meet him at the end of the day and clean the yard.

  • 26.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Sophia Diamantidou brooming the yard.

  • 28.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yeoryios Diamantidis's grand-daugther holding his grand-grand son. They live in the same village, around 5 min walk.

  • 28.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Sophia Diamantidou with her sister. During Christmas period local customs take the people of all ages out of their house. They walk around the village, meet each other, eat together and celebrate life.

  • 28.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yioryos Diamantidis and friend. During Christmas period the local customs take the people of all ages out of their house. They walk around the village, meet each other and celebrate life.

  • 28.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Sophia Diamantidou with her sister.

  • 28.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yeoryios Diamantidis'sin front of the botle of the local alchool, named tsipouro, that he took out to drink with the guests.

  • 28.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yeoryios and Sophia Diamantidou. Preparing food and drinks for the guests that they are waiting is very important part of hospitality.

  • 28.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yeoryios Diamantidis's out of the fold. The sheep waits for him by the door as if she was looking for him.

  • 26.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. The space that the dog has is the yard plus the whole village and the mountain side.

  • 26.12.14, Skiti Kozani's, Greece. Yeoryios Diamantidis at the end of the day, puts the animals indoor and closes the gate. Everyday he takes them out at dawn and brings them back at dusk.

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