1st PAMVOTIS FESTIVAL

A Living Museum of Myths, Legends & Traditions

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Ioannina 2023

September 1st - 3rd 

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Performances  |  Storytelling   |   Role Playing Game   |   Soundscapes

 Gastronomic Experiential Experience   |  Open Conversations   |   Open Air  Photo Projection  |  Workshops

 

The 1st PAMVOTIS FESTIVAL is an innovative and multifaceted festival in Kalliergon, taking place over the first three days of September in the city of Ioannina. The festival draws inspiration from the history of the region, showcasing its rich myths and legends. The name "Pamvotis" is derived from the Homeric words "pamvotor" or "pamvotir," meaning "nourisher of all".

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This year, the festival is centered around the Late Byzantine period and the Ottoman Empire, including the reign of Ali Pasha. The festival's activities all revolve around literature and the unwritten stories that have been passed down through generations, respecting the references of the past and following the flow of time. The main body of the festival is made up of performances & storytelling and a role playing game in which visitors can actively participate. The festival also features a special open-air photo projection of female portraits, framing its range. Free interpretation depicts the Kallimarmaro Stadium. The photographic representation is signed by Makis Anastasiou. In addition, there will be open conversations about the lake's ecosystem and its protection, cultural exchanges with other countries, and a special gastronomic experience, all adding to the unforgettable experiences for everyone. Some of the festival's activities are inclusive, designed to engage all senses and ensure that more people can enjoy these unique moments.

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The 1st PAMVOTIS FESTIVAL aims to showcase the modern face of the city and focuses on one of Ioannina's greatest identity elements, the "Lake of Kyra Frosini". It serves as an important alternative tourism tool for local entrepreneurship, offering a new and competitive cultural product with a special emphasis on oral tradition, which is an integral part of our intangible cultural heritage.

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What sets today apart from yesterday is merely the surface of the lake's fresh water. The water itself is a link to centuries past. The boats that glide through its waters, tracing imaginary paths, write countless stories spanning centuries. These stories, shaped by the unwritten rules of water and oral tradition, have taken on the dimensions of "historical myths". This year, the festival pays tribute to the "womb" of Ioannina, Lake Pamvotis, one of the oldest lakes in the world and the second oldest in Europe, and highlights its feminine dimension as a life-giving spring. According to the above, the festival is dedicated to women.

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A representative photographic portrait of a mother breastfeeding her child will be the image that captures the philosophy of the festival. The photographic representation is signed by Makis Anastasiou. Additionally, three photographic portraits by Stefanos Papazapraidis, depicting women who left their mark on the history of the region. These portraits include "Kyra Frosini", "Maria Angelina Duchess Palaiologina", and the "woman warrior of Epirus". The third portrait honors all women warriors from Epirus for their contributions and sacrifices in the struggle for freedom. The background image of the poster, directed and executed by Stefanos Papazapraidis, was created some time ago and is intended for the back cover of Christina Tzialla's work 'Oui, Tropaea-Apotropaia'. The front cover was used as a poster in the first action of the Pamvotis Lake Project, which took place last January.

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The entire project is based on Christina Tzialla's recent writing project, "WOI - Tropaea FromTropaea". The title "WOI" is a common local exclamation in the Epirus region, used as an expression of heartbreak, surprise, and sometimes admiration. The subtitle is a pun that is only understood in Greek. "Tropaea" means "trophies", while "ApoTropaea" has a double meaning. As one word, "Apotropaea" means "repulsive", but as two words, "Apo Tropaea" means "from trophies". The trophies in question refer to the treasures and jewelry of the drowned women at the bottom of the lake, as well as the women themselves.

 

Under the auspices of the Municipality of Ioannina

Supporters: Island Community of the Municipality of Ioannina, Ali Pasha and Revolutionary Period Museum,

Cultural Association of Drosochori, Paguristas (Volunteers Group of Ioannina)

 

FREE entry to the main events of the festival. Special cost of participation in in parallel events.

Contact us for more cooperation options.

Associations or businesses companies that would like to share with us the same vision, collaborating and supporting -in any way- the festival,

please contact us on e-mail: pamvotisfestival@gmail.com