A Cultural memory

OCTOBER 28, 2020

Translated by Steve Taylor

A Cultural memory

By the term cultural memory, introduced by the Egyptologist Jan Assmann, we do not mean the remembrance of recent events, but the traditions that are transmitted orally or in writing to members of a community.

The Community of Katouna, in honouring the art of their traditional style of fishing, have made an exact copy of the light boat which used the fishing techniques of that time. The boat is in the port of ligia.

 

 

This article is dedicated to the following solitary fishermen of the past:

Makia, Beko, Zematoura, Gogakia, Patsoura, Sofroni, Koutroubis, Stefani, Giakovi, Bourtzouna, Moutzourila, Foti Tzanoli, Abzi, Stavrangelo, Kotrotso and many others.

Gerasimos Santas (MAKIAS) is one of the last Lampadoros alive

Primary production

Fisheries sector registration
Historical archive of the Community of Katouna

Λαμ’παδόρος (Lampadoros)

A fishing style and tradition that no longer exists in Lefkada, except in our memories!

Purse seine is a fishing technique based primarily on light, a large seine (fishing net) which may be drawn into the shape of a bag, used for catching shoal fish.The majority of marine invertebrates respond positively to light sources at night, a property we call positive photomodification.”

The Gri Gri consisted of the largest boat called Large, a smaller boat the Pisno and 4-5 smaller boats called Lampovarkes or Lamps of the Boti or Gaita type.

(The size of a Lampovarka rarely exceeds 6 meters. It’s bow pedestal is less convex than that of the trident. In general, the gaita has a longer and narrower hull than the trident)

The pilot of the largest boat was the Captain (usually the owner), at the rear of the second.
The Lampadors worked on the boats with the lights.

The technique was completely based on the light on the boats, so the work was done on the moonlit night, lasting about 25 days a month (Darkness) and the following days, Baiduzi, were days of rest and repair of the nets.

Liokrisi – Full Moon

A period that is engraved in the minds of all of us. 25 days of darkness and 5 days of joy, reward, rest. This is how we grew up, this is how we were nurtured and this is how Baiduzi, the joy, the return of our own people still comes to our minds.

The incredible toughness of the lampadors work caused many fishermen to avoid it, even though the lampador received 2 and 1/4 of the share in the catch distribution.

At 4-5 in the afternoon the Port of Lygia was buzzing with life, the fishermen with the baskets and the bakratsa (aluminum containers, for the food of the night) in their hands began to gather.

The crew consisted of men from the village, descending on foot from Katouna to Lygia, about 3 km on rugged roads. The cafes were filled with customers.

From 4-5 in the afternoon until 8 in the morning, about 15 working hours daily led the grizzlies (the local fishermen and lampadoros) to develop a special play between them, in order to raise their morale and to pass the excessive working hours.

Their oral speech consisted of incredible stories reminiscent of the past – Do you remember then – Do you remember then !!

The captain’s would give the order to leave. The paddle lamps are lined up tied one behind the other. The journey could take many hours, depending on the destination. The journey to the fishing grounds were often torturous depending on the weather and the distance e.g. Patras – Messolonghi – Corfu – Cephalonia, a 7-8 hours journey. And here began the loneliness of the torch.

The crews of the boats were chatting, they had companionship. The lampadoros were alone in the open sea.
Wilderness was a possible destination! That was the name of the Ionian sea north of Lefkada.

When they reached the fishing grounds, the scurrying started, finding the point where the boats would expand. Amola! the captain shouted and each boat untied the rope, the torchbearer (lampodoro) threw the iron into the sea. The depth was often scary 80 – 100 orgies (about 180 meters)

The boats had no machines, without telephones and accessories, alone in the sea. The preparation for the coming darkness was beginning.

Pumping the bottles to gain pressure. Lighting the malt, which carried the fire to the asbestos the characteristic (to those who have fished with a firecracker) whistle began.

We can imagine these nights, open boats in Kathisma or Sesoula, where there was no light on land. Lampadoros alone, with the sounds of the sea. The breaths of dolphins, the whistling of the wind, the splash of the waves.

The boat was their bed, it was the place that protected them. The food in Bakratsi, (fried fish, tomato, wedge of cheese, some bread and some fruit).
The sleep was interrupted, the gas bottle often rattled, the Captain every now and then shouted “See nothing” !! Meaning if fish have been caught under the boat. The signals were based on ancient observations.

Watching for fleeting Gavros, continuous watching Frissa, “Bourblo” (Bubbles under the boat) which may have been Sardine or Kolios or “Bourblo” thick Stavridia.

You hear the command in the middle of the night “Leva”, The Lampadoros lifts with his hands the anchor weighing several kilos from great depths. Rowing in order to stay in the centre of the circular net, often with strong winds and strong currents.

Depending on the indications of the fish, they were all mixed together in a basket. And the same scenario could be repeated several times in one night.

Changes are coming. Bottles with propane, Sounders, Lifts. Due to the costs and the changes of technique, the purse seine was transferred to a single boat.

Robots replace Lampovarkes and Lampadoros are forever in the realm of history.

Dedicated to solitary fishermen:

Makia, Beko, Zematoura, Gogakia, Patsoura, Sofroni, Koutroubis, Stefani, Giakovi, Bourtzouna, Moutzourila, Foti, Ambzi, Stavrangelo, Kotrotso and many others.

Glossary of local terms used almost exclusively by the Lampodoros of Katouna/Lygia

Bulb or Lamp: Glass hemispherical part of the lamp, caused better diffusion of light produced by asbestos

Asbestos: The flame of degassed oil first and later gas, glows a spherical network of asbestos, which contains oxides of rare earth Thorium and Demetrius and which when heated radiate strongly.

Float: Clay base where asbestos was bound

Injectors: are the components through which the fuel is dispersed in the combustion chamber of the clay

Hump: Injector and Clay connection pipe

Needle: Beck cleaning tool

Bottles: Container bottles that originally contained oil. By blowing, they pumped air with a manual pump and due to high pressure, the oil was vented and pumped to the nozzle.

It was later replaced with propane

Grill: The base of the Lamps

Towing: Italian. cozzare: connect, attach, rib The mooring of boats in a row with 20 rope orgies between them for towing

Orgy: “anthropometric unit of length” and is defined as the length of the opening of an adult’s hands, ie about 1.8 to 1.95 meters. »

Handrail: The upper part of the walls of a boat or a boat, where there are special slots for oars

Bunia: Handrail holes that allow the water collected there to return to the sea

Skarmos: The wooden support of the oar

Strombos: the rope where the oars were tied to the body

Papas or Bida: Upright, thick, hexagonal wood placed perpendicular to the bow of the boat to support the tow rope

Moravia: Italian moravia: fine paint, extremely durable paint used to paint boat reefs

Aganta: agantaro: I endure, I endure

Apikou: Italian a picco: vertically, the position of the anchor at the time it is to be detached from the bottom (I am expensive above the anchor)

Arodo: Italian a rota: The boat that is off the coast and waiting to leave

Malastoupa: it is generally the wet lint

Senio: Italian. a segno: ready in its place – in order, decency

Verina, the: French verine: knot, twisting of ropes

Βιράρω: ιταλ. virare: I pull the rope to raise the anchor, I leave

Iron: The anchor

Γάσσα,: Italian gassa: nautical knot, rivet with which the addition or connection to another rope is made

Kavatzaro: Venician: cavetzar: bypass cape

Kalada, the: Venecian. calada: sinking of nets.

Kavos, ο: Italian. cavo: steep cape – thick rope

Cauliflower: Italian. calafatare: I piss the gaps that were created in the woods

Kotsaro: Italian. cozzare: connect, attach, side

K’verta, the: Venician. coverta: the deck

Matizo: I unite, I patch

Barkaro: Italian. imbarcare: I get on board, we become a crew

Nicerada, the: ital. incerata: waterproof from tarpaulin

Orza: Italian. orza: turn the bow towards the wind

Podizo: – I turn the bow away from the strong wind

Splono: I live temporarily in a sheltered place due to bad weather

Scandagiaro: Italian. scandagliare: dredge, throw scantagio (= dredging instrument)

Skantza shift, the: ven. scansa la vardia! : change of shift

Tsima, the: ital. cima: the top, the edge

Founto, the: Latin fundus: o bottom – sinking, sinking

VOGA: Push

Crow: The upper part of the footrest bow

K’verta: The upper part of the boat

Primatsa: Ropes of the stern

Ferma: Stretch

Awning: triangular construction from tarpaulin at the entrance of the barn

Shopping: daily portion of fish

Pinch the anchor mats with a light rope so that when the iron gets stuck they pull it upside down

Dukia, from the Venetian ducia. Means: I gather, coil, arrange (so that they do not get confused), the ropes are ready for the next use

Porcado: When they were away from home eg PATRAS – MESOLOGGI – CORFU – KEFALONIA they took extra