Lots of Kytherian News!
Dear Friends of Kythera,
I have progress to report on all fronts! Where to start? It's rained a few times on Kythera! And the rain will hopefully continue this weekend. You might find this news banal if you didn't know of the severe drought Kythera had since the beginning of the year. So rain is big news! It needs to continue if the cisterns are to fill and, more importantly, the island's groundwater is to replenish.
|
|
|
|
The waterfall at Mylopotamos, one of the most beautiful places to be on a hot summer's day, before the drought.
|
|
|
|
The Mitata Spring tends to keep flowing even in drought years. Only the brave dare to dip in its freezing waters...
|
|
|
|
A geologist on Kythera once explained to me that the island is mostly limestone which acts as a sponge when it rains. The more it rains, the higher the groundwater and the more plentiful the spring water. All springs aren't equal on Kythera. This summer there was not a drop falling at the Mylopotamos waterfall - I can't remember it not flowing in the 30 years I've been visiting Kythera. And yet, at the Mitata spring, the water shot out of the grotto as strong as ever, and that even though Mitata is at a much higher altitude than Mylopotamos. Years ago someone told me that the Mitata springs are fed from the Peloponnese, but no geologist I've spoken to since thought there was any substance to that theory. Mitata (and the nearby Gonia springs) must simply have a different subterranean water source than Mylopotamos. If there are any water experts out there, please let us know what you think! On the subject of springs, I was just looking for a picture of the Mitata or Karavas or Mylopotamos springs online and where did I land? On Kythera-Family.net of course. There I found the entry below which I had completely forgotten about:
Submitted in 2009:
We at Kythera-Family.net are putting together a map of all the fresh-water sources on the island. You can view the current map we have here:
www.kythera-family.net/download/WaterSprings1.jpg
So far we have the following sites:
1. Kaloyerou behind Agios Nikolas
2. Petrouni
3. Agios Mama (half an hour west of Petrouni)
4. Routsoinas (from Kalakathi)
5. Keramari (Karavas)
6. Amir Ali (Karavas)
7. Portakalia (Karavas)
8. Milopotamos/Neraitha
9. many pools below Neraitha
10. Road down to Pelagia
11. Spring at Mitata
12. Mudaro at Mitata
13. Gonia between Paliopoly and Mitata
14. Spring at Viarathika
15. "Sithero-Nero" ("Iron-Water") near Diakopoulanika
16. Kavpi behind Diakopoulanika
It reminded me of the wonderful atmosphere at Kythera's fresh flowing water, especially on a hot summer's day. Is the list above complete? I doubt it very much. If you know of any more please let me know!
|
|
|
By the way, if you'd like to keep up with the weather on Kythera,
the METEO SITE is probably the most accurate.
|
|
The Kytherian World Heritage Fund presents:
|
|
There are dozens of great Kythera-related titles on
sale from the Kytherian World Heritage Fund. All make
the perfect Christmas present!
Just download their ORDER FORM.
|
|
|
Many of the audience at the premiere's of Kythera mon Amour in Sydney and Brisbane asked me whether the sound-track from the film would be available. I'm happy to report that Katya Sourikova, who wrote the music, has just made it available online on her music page, where you can also preview the pieces. The full album of the 8 hauntingly beautiful pieces can be downloaded for just US$6.99, and all proceeds from the sale go directly to the composer.
Katya Sourikova was born in St.Petersburg, raised in London and currently lives in Berlin. After completing her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, she spent the next 10 years composing for and performing with various ensembles around the world. As a band leader she has released 4 albums and has collaborated with artists from Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Norway and Latvia resulting in beautiful nuanced music that embraces many genres without subscribing fully to any of them. Inspired by the music of iconic Greek composer Manos Hadzidakis, she composed the music for Kythera mon Amour in 2016, and has been engaged to score the sequel film with the working title "An Island named Desire".
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/katyasourikova4
|
|
Stephen Trifyllis' November Picture Album
click on the pictures to go to the full-sized versions with captions on www.kythera-family.net
|
|
© All photos Stephen Trifyllis 2016
|
|
The Family Tree System on KFN
|
|
Although I haven't received any death-threats yet regarding the missing family tree section on the relaunched Kythera-Family.net website, I have had more than a few conversations with people frustrated with the absence. It is thus with great relief that I can announce the reinclusion of the family trees on the site. Our itinerant and overworked Dutch programmer put it online a few weeks ago and, though not without faults (a.k.a. "bugs"), the records can be found again.
The biggest bug in the system is that many the connections within family tree have been lost. We haven't quite figured out how it could have happened, but it seems to have befallen many family trees a few years ago, so it isn't due to the relaunch. If you've put a family tree on the site, please check if the linkages between generations is still intact. If not, the best way to rectify it would be for you to send me your family tree as a gedcom file (an export format which most family tree systems use), and I will upload it in your name. By doing this we can get the system back up and running to its former state.
Visit the Family Tree Section at Kythera-Family.net.
|
|
Our Kytherian Community has done it again! How many Diaspora communities in Australia – or anywhere in the world for that matter – can muster a total of over a thousand visitors to a "home movie" evening in two cities? Probably only ours!
The screenings of Kythera mon Amour in Sydney and Brisbane were wonderful events, for me at least. Making the comedy was huge fun in itself, but hearing people enjoying it and laughing heartily during the showings were some of the highlights of my life. Thanks again to all who attended!
|
|
Technical Hiccups and Happy Ending.
The evening at the Ritz was not without its challenges. I had delivered the film to the cinema a week earlier for them to convert it into a format suitable for their digital projectors. On the night we found that the bottom of the film with the subtitles was cut off, to the dismay of the considerable number of non-Greek speakers in the audience. I found out about the problem about ten minutes into the screening and had the film stopped. This might actually have been a blessing in disguise for three reasons: first, it gave people time to look around and find friends and relatives in the audience; second, it gave us a chance to distribute the film programs which we had neglected to do earlier; and third, it lowered expectations so that when the film began again, it seemed all the more entertaining and enjoyable.
Initially it was feared that the missing subtitles was an intractable problem – that they had been lost in the conversion process. Fortunately I managed to get the head projectionist on the phone at home – one of his juniors was running the projector on the night – and he realised that the projector was incorrectly set to a super-wide-screen mode instead of one suited to our film. No-one was more relieved than I was when the subtitles appeared when the film recommenced.
The inimitable Poppy and Georgos Koroneos of Karavas stole the show with their natural acting talent, especially Poppy's rolls of drachma-notes and George's suitcase full of bees.
|
|
Being accepted to a film festival is a hurdle in itself - most submissions don't even get that far. The full-length version of Kythera mon Amour has made it into a half-dozen festivals so far and, last month in Oregon, we received a silver award. It actually sounds better than it is - a dozen other films received a silver award too. But still! Scores if not hundreds of people in Oregon – and in the other festival cities in India and Canada etc. – saw our island on the big screen! Who knows how many of them fell in love with Paliopoly or the church in Araioi which features prominently in the film? Perhaps we'll meet some of them at the Livadi market next year?
|
|
Poppy and Georgos will return!
With your help.
|
|
If you liked Kythera mon Amour, you might be pleased to know that I am now working on the sequel: "An Island named Desire". The first film was like a "pilot" or a "test of concept", and the overwhelmingly positive response indicates, to me at least, that the test was a success. On Friday I spoke to the stars from the first film, Georgos and Poppy from Karavas, and they are looking forward to playing leading roles in the new film which we will shoot next July on the island. The sequel will be a fully-fledged feature film, about 2 hours long, produced with the assistance of sound, editing and post-production professionals. The beauty of Kythera will again be showcased, along with the original cast and a few new authentic Kytherian characters. To achieve a top-class result this time we'll need to up our budget from the $5000 "shoe-string" one we used for the first film to a "bargain-budget" one of $48 000 for the sequel. That will enable us to pay the actors, technicians, editors and other professionals for their work as well as finance costumes, props, and the soundtrack. We've already raised the first 37% of the budget! But we still need your help!
The ever-supportive Kythera Association of Australia, together with the Feros, Notaras and Cordato Families have already become "Executive Producers", together having contributed the first $18 000 to the budget. If you'd like to see the new film come to fruition, you can join our crowd-funding campaign and become either a "Bronze Beekeeper Supporter" for just $20, a "Golden Aphrodite Sponsor" for $100, a "Poppy and George Special Benefactor" for $500 or even an "Executive Producer" for $5000. Each level of support is rewarded with first viewing rights and premiere tickets to the openings, and the more prestigious sponsorship levels bring with them perks like a personal dinner date with Georgos and Poppy or even, as an executive producer, you will become a valued consultant on the film itself, receiving the script for consideration in advance of the filming and of course be welcome on the set itself. I'll even arrange a cameo role for you as executive producer if you wish! You can become a sponsor online with a credit card or paypal, or give Kathy Samios in Sydney a call on 9349 1849 (email: samios@live.com.au) and arrange your contribution in person. Then, come next October, it will be your film too on the screen!
|
|
If you haven't seen the film or even the trailer yet, you don't have to miss it! You can either rent or purchase it and view it straight away online here, or, if you don't mind waiting a week or two it to arrive by post, purchase the DVD at the Kythera-books.com site.
|
|
Rent or purchase Kythera mon Amour online here:
|
|
Highlights of Kythera from the Air is available for rent or purchase here:
|
|
Breaking News:
Our official reporters in Perlengianika report that, by the light of the recent Super Moon, wild goats have strolled into the village and done damage to historic trees and precious spinach crops. The villagers have come out in droves brandishing their walking sticks to drive the marauders away. The full extent of the damage is yet unknown, but I hope to bring you an update in the next newsletter.
|
|
|
Wild goats invade Perlengianika during the full moon.
|
|
Recent Entries on Kythera-Family.net
|
|
Mail: John T. Conomos from Theodore Koukoulis
in regards to the history of the Magalocnomos family.
(Posting at the request of John T. Conomos from California)
From: Theodoros Koukoulis
Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2016 1:09 PM
To: John Conomos
Subject: The history of Megaloconomos family
Dear Mr Conomos,
I am writing to you after nearly 5 months and I am realy very sorry that I have been so late in fulfilling my promise to inform you about the history of your surname. So today I will write a few things about it. First of all I must let you know that the surname Megalooekonomos (Μεγαλοοικονόμος) or Megaloconomos derives from the word 'Οικονόμος' (Oeconomos) which already from the 4th c. A.D. was used to denote a person holding a high rank office at the Orthodox Church. This person was responsible for the administration and the management of the church property. This title was used from the 4th up to the 11th c. continously. At the 11th c. more persons were employed for the administration of the Church property,
Read the rest of the entry here.
|
|
|
Entry on Kythera-Family.net
Sophia (Cominos) Paris 1925-2016
The Kytherian Society of California mourns the loss of long time member Sophia Paris who passed away gently in her sleep on November 1, 2016 at the age of 91. She was a devoted member of the Kytherian Society of Californiafor many many years and always attended our luncheon Panigyri’s and functions. Sophie’s father Harry Cominos, was one of the founding members of the KSOCA, and partner in the renowned Hotel Cominos in Salinas, CA. She will be dearly missed by all. May her memory be eternal.
Sophia was born in Salinas, CA., and lived in Hayward for last 60 years. She is survived by her husband of 69 years, George; their children Alex Paris of Walnut Creek, CA and Elena Milan (Rich) of Arnold, CA and grandchildren, Lisa and Marc Parisas as well as Matthew, Alex and Aaron Milan. She is also survived by her loving brothers Theodore and Andy Cominos. Preceding her in death were her brothers Nicholas and George Cominos. She was adored by all her many nieces and nephews. Sophia was filled with joy to the day she passed. All who knew her, loved her. Her joy will shine in our hearts forever.
http://www.kythera-family.net/en/people/obituaries/sophia-cominos-paris-1925-2016
|
|
|
|