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Livestock-farming, lively described by Vitsentzos Cornaros in “Erotokritos” and in many other works of Cretan Literature, is contemporary of man in the island. Sources of history dating from the Minoan era certify that the oldest Cretan profession is the one of shepherd.
However, sometimes history is superfluous. The close, non-verbal communication between every Cretan “voskos” (=shepherd) and his “oza” (=flock) demonstrates the deep roots of the pastoral way of life in Crete.
There are many changes in this way of life nowadays, of course. Motorways have replaced the steep paths, the shepherds ride fancy four wheel drives, cell phones are present even at the “ori” (=mountains) and it is rare to meet somebody carrying the traditional “verga” (=walking stick) and “vourgia” (=hand-woven bag) with some “ntakos” (=barley
rusks) and “athotiro” (=traditional Cretan cheese).
However, every voskos, in the forced loneliness of his stockyard, can’t avoid a meeting with his most primitive substance. His only companions are his
"oza” with which he communicates in a way hard to believe if not seen…
RIKI
MATALLIOTAKI
Full
text (in Greek) in STIGMES issue no 80
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