What exactly of your own social data one Clift seemingly have taken from Taktikou?

Dusk are shedding due to the fact Tsirigoti along with her spouse Nikos – and additionally an excellent physics professor – come to my resort, and we also cam from the backyard courtyard, not as much as a good bougainvillea that’s only a shadow lighter than Tsirigoti’s magenta-coloured hair. From the confronts of each other Tsirigoti and Koulianos I’m able to discern outlines of your strong attributes of their maternal grandmother, once the captured inside an image removed by the Australian artist Cedric Flower, which entered Clift and you can Johnston to your Kalymnos for some months during the summer regarding 1955.

Just how real would be the fact?

Georgia Tsirigoti, a physics teacher with the Kalymnos, claims you to definitely now into the area, just as in her granny Sevasti Taktikou’s day, “the ladies certainly are the employer of the home”. Credit: Nadia Wheatley

“I have way too many pictures regarding the woman – wry, sardonic, romantic, gentle, raffish, unfortunate,” Clift composed away from Taktikou. “But real time, every one of them, enjoying and you may respiration and you can alive.”

Correctly, when you look at the Cedric Flower’s photograph, Taktikou is waiting around in order to Clift a bowl of fresh fruit, because if she was brand new archetypical Environment Mother; it is obvious one to to your Australian lady, newly found its way to a bewildering, alien culture, brand new earlier Greek lady was the fresh surrogate mother exactly who educated the woman to shop and you bu adamlara uДџrayД±n can prepare and continue maintaining family throughout the regional style.

Georgia Tsirigoti spent merely a year out-of their young people towards Kalymnos; the lady dad’s profession since the an officer caused him to go his relatives about, involving the area out of Rhodes, the fresh new Peloponnese, and the town of Thessaloniki. Offered Tsirigoti’s comprehension of the rest out-of Greece, I’m especially curious to acquire their take on new island’s societal organisation. I begin: “In the guide, Charmian claims you to definitely, beneath the strength you to Kalymnian guys appear to have . ”

“Yes! Since the majority of one’s males was traveling, because of the sponges. Even today, many men work because sailors – captains otherwise aspects. It traveling a lot. ”

We recount my earlier day’s conversation that have Hatzismalis and his spouse, and i offer Hatzismalis’ denial you to definitely “We Kalymnian guys are happy.”

Again, Tsirigoti spontaneously agrees. “Sure. Because they have nothing to bother with. Every tough conclusion is taken of the ladies – the newest wives – perhaps not of the boys. The new guys are liberated to go away to be effective, also to return to Kalymnos and you can live a bit that have people they know, and then leave once more. And this is how it was, even today.” We select Tsirigoti’s husband, who is Athenian, silently agreeing.

“All of the tough decisions are pulled by the people – the fresh new spouses – perhaps not by boys … This is one way it is, even today.”

It bargain anywhere between folks is actually indicated maybe not from inside the a composed pre-nup however in something that is normally literally real: property. Immediately following discussing the fresh new lingering energy of your Multiple Goddess, Clift produces inside the Mermaid Vocal: “The fresh new obvious facts out-of male supremacy need to be set resistant to the elderly and tall simple fact that assets right here descends from the lady line, from mom to help you oldest child.”

“Yes.” Shortly after certain conversation when you look at the Greek that have Nikos, she explains: “Even now – not very strictly now, however, even today – it’s customs giving all child a property.”

So the women can be the brand new employer of the property

It house is brand new bride’s prika, the girl dowry. Following marriage, the bridegroom actions for the. And if the wedding can not work, Clift told me, “this isn’t this lady that is turned out of house”.

Nothing ponder, In my opinion, you to definitely toward Kalymnos, some one talk constantly from property, but not once we perform around australia, while the an issue of monetary value. Here the house is the way to obtain a woman’s energy, into the real terminology.