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2nd Day Tribute to the Memory of Kallimartyrs of Yesterday and Today
About the photograph
The photo shoot was originally conceived with the intention of using this image as the cover of Christina Tzialla’s literary work, OUI – Tropaea ApoTropaea | Epic Fantasy Stories. Christina herself is portrayed in the photograph. The concept and direction are by Stefanos Papazapraidis, who drew inspiration from her literary work.
The photograph now forms the cover of OUI – Tropaea ApoTropaea | Epic Fantasy Stories, published by Aparsis Editions.
A note on the title
OUI (ΟΥΙ) is a characteristic local exclamation of Epirus, used to express a range of emotions — from sorrow or distress to surprise and, at times, admiration.
The title Tropaea ApoTropaea (Τρόπαια ΑποΤρόπαια) is a play on words whose dual meaning is immediately perceptible in Greek, both visually and linguistically.
Tropaea (Τρόπαια) means “trophies.” ApoTropaea (ΑποΤρόπαια), written as a single word, means “horrific” or “atrocious” — hence the sense of “horrific trophies.” Read as two words, however — Apo Tropaea (Από Τρόπαια) — it means “from trophies.”
Within the world of the book, these “trophies” evoke the treasures and jewellery of the drowned women lying at the bottom of Lake Pamvotis, while also carrying a darker association with the women themselves.
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"Imagine you are ME!"
Model: Mikela Tsontzou
Photographer: Nikos Dalezios
Idea & Direction: Christina Tzialla
Scenography & Curation: Vasiliki Kateri
With Lake Pamvotida as its protagonist, this project seeks to move people, capture their interest, reawaken human consciousness, call for respect for human rights and, more broadly, contribute—even in the smallest way—to helping our world move towards an increasingly healthier path.
This action took place on the second day of the first part of the tribute to the women who drowned alongside Kyra Frosyni, known as the “Kallimartyres” — literally, the “Martyrs of Beauty” — according to the official designation given to them by the local Metropolis at the time. It was a way, an occasion, to draw attention to the ongoing struggle to claim and preserve women’s place at the higher and highest levels of society — and not at its bottom.
The action was also dedicated to the “Kallimartyres” of our own time, as a commentary on gender-based violence and femicide... Because history, even when it disappears into the depths of centuries past, repeats itself — in different ways, for different reasons.
May the legends written in the future carry only a joyful spirit, so that those who stirred its waters may rest in peace.
DETAILS ABOUT THE SECOND DAY OF THE TRIBUTE
On Sunday, January 22: An open invitation to the meeting at 12.00 noon Mavili Square, next to Lake Pamvotis. Those present witnessed a shocking event, a unique, original ritual!
The purpose of an Epirotian obituary by the master clarinetist Nikos Chalkias, with accordion accompaniment by the also master Miltos Diamantis.
A boatman in a wooden fishing boat (Aris Lioubos, Chairman of Pamvotis Island Community), approached the quay and placed in the hands of a man, dressed in a traditional Epirotian costume (Anastasios Vassiliou, Chairman of the Cultural Association of Drosochori), a piece of cloth that referred to the water of the lake, where in a "Kallimartyr" was "hiding".
At that time, the fateful "Margiola" by the members of the Club of Pogoni Polyphonic Song, followed the sounds of the clarinet, spreading shivers of emotion, and bringing tears to the eyes of many!
The man, with respect and awe, moved with slow steps to a plane tree at the edge of the square and deposited the cloth at its root. Another man was waiting for him there, also dressed in traditional Epirotian costume (Konstantinos Staikos, Vice President of the Cultural Association of Drosochori). Both of them together helped the "Kallimartyr" to emerge from the "water".
The interaction of the oversized project with nature was the catalyst for the atmosphere the organizers wanted to create.
Everyone received a imperceptible invitation that "floated" in the atmosphere, "Come to my place", where the title of the action.
A challenge from this Woman - Kallimartyr of yesterday?... of today?... of always?... Food for thought, for reflection, for internal dialogue...
Two boys (Christophoros Staikos and Raphael Viltaniotis) and a girl (Kleopatra Theochari) left a few wild flowers, glaucanths , at the base of the portrait and then threw the rest they were holding in their little hands into the lake, for them, in their memory . At the same time, the embroidered with silver cuffs to all those present, as a "forgiveness"...
The portrait was then paraded around the square and among the attendees, giving an even more emotional atmosphere to the whole atmosphere. Particular emphasis and appeal to emotion was given, again, by the clarinet through the purpose of epirotic obituary.
Afterwards, Popi Stefanidi recited a poem by Anna Dereka from her poetry collection entitled "Water Veins", published in 2000 by the Prefectural Self-Government of Ioannina, dedicated to the memory of those unknown women, the "Kallimartyres". Musical carpet, again, the mournful purpose of the clarinet.
In the aftermath of the two-day event: The two-day event was extremely impressive, as was the aftermath of the tribute! The goal was achieved, exceeding all expectations, justifying the organizers and those who envisioned it, leaving the best omens for what will follow.
Special thanks to photographer Konstantinos Markou and the cameraman Charis Petridis. Warmly thanks to all those who supported, each in their own way, so that this tribute could be realized with absolute success, as well as all the mass media that helped to spread such an event and the timeless messages of.
Click on the logo images and follow the links.
