Korakiana village

KORAKIANA VILLAGE

View from the yard of the church of Ayios Thanasis.

The village of Ano Korakiana, in the distance, looks like it is embraced by the mounts Korakio and Korendi that are located in the north-central Corfu and are 18 kilometers away from the town of Corfu. The inhabited area of the village maintains a lot of traditional aspects from medieval times, and still shows resistance to the time and pressure of the modern lifestyle. However, the houses and the natural environment of a place are not the only aspects that define it. The people living in it are those who actually leave their indelible mark on it. Today, the decrease in the village population is evident, despite the settlement, either temporary or permanent, of foreign families. As a result, a village that has got a dynamic presence, is within easy reach of Corfu town and other areas, is near the developed tourist resort of Dassia-Ipsos, starts getting affected by the modern trend of urbanization. The only hope that remains is the activation of some clubs and organizations such as the historic Music Association ‘SPIROS SAMARAS’, as well as the new generation of youths who choose to settle down here, thus going against the grain. Since 1998, the areas of Ano Korakiana and Poulades (which is a few kilometers away) have been the public district of Ano Korakiana of Feakon Municipality. Through history, Korakiana had the same fate as the rest of Corfu. However, at two historic moments of Corfu, Korakiana was severely damaged and its population decreased considerably. The first (and the worst) was in 1537, when the Turkish army of Highredin Barbarossa destroyed Korakiana. The second was in 1716 when he attacked the village for a second time. The population of the village was renewed many times due to the settlement of people from other areas of Greece that were under foreign occupation (Aegean islands, Crete, Peloponissos). A large part of the village population, right after 1204, came from the seaside towns of Small Asia and Thrace, while during the Venetian occupation, from the Aegean islands, Peloponissos and Epirus. The oldest families still existing in Korakiana are those listed below: Savvanis (since 1473), Vradis, Mandilas, Ionas, Markos, Metallinos, Laskaris, kaloudis, Linosporis, Reggis, Balatsinos, and finally, Kendarchos and Kefallonitis during the first half of the 16th century. The village has got a considerable number of churches. There are 28 churches in the district of Ano Korakiana. During the English ‘protectorate’ many local residents boomed in Corfu town working as owners (or workers) of bakeries, but generally, thrived in trade and are still keeping it up till now. This economic booming brought along spiritual and educational growth, thus many children started following careers in education or science all over Corfu, as well as in the rest of Greece after the union with the mainland. Korakiana was also affected by this educational booming and the high educational level of its people is still prevalent in cultural and other types of celebrations of the village. This is an image of the village after the Second World War, while its roots date many decades back, when the idea of illumination fertilized the village society. [The above text is a translation of an extract located in the Greek site of Korakiana at http://www.korakiana.gr/]

Art Exhibition in Corfu

Four Corfiot painters displayed their work last week at the Corfiot Gallery of the island. The exhibition is open from 9:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 21:00 from Monday to Friday and from 9:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays. The Painters Stamatis Anthis was born in Corfu in 1972 and studied painting at the Art school of Corfu. Yolanda Anthi was born in Corfu in 1974 and studied at the Art school of Corfu too. She then moved to Italy where she studied Decoration and Preservation of stone art. Elena Soueref studied at the Art school of Corfu and then at Vacalo school in Athens where she studied graphic design. Spyridoula Zahou studied at the Art school of Corfu and she excelled at icon painting. All of them displayed works in several media such as oil, acrylic and mixed media. The portraits of Yolanda were impressive and one can easily see that she was influenced by the Italian schools of Art. Stamatis’ works are highly original and the use of bright colors is a positive aspect of his work. We can see that he is fond of the sea world, and the boats and underwater creatures he paints are vivid and cororlul. Elena likes the detail in her paintings. Her boats are carefully drawn to the slightest detail and the colors she uses are either romantic or striking. Spyridoula has studied graphic design and this is obvious from the shapes and colors of her paintings. Strong strokes and harsh lines at times motivate the viewer to find the underlying meaning of each work of art. However, she has painted classic forms as well but her strength is in the brilliant colors and strong forms. Corfiot Gallery I.Theotoki 77 Email: info@corfuartgallery.com http://www.corfuartgallery.com/

Cricket

Here's a picture of the lower square. There's a cricket match in progress.

Sports in Corfu

Sports in Corfu Do you have some leisure time? Would you like to get involved in a sport? Easy! Just stroll to the square and join the cricket club of Corfu. Cricket has been recognized by the Greek government as the national sport of Corfu as it has been played on the island since the 19th century, when the British introduced this game to the inhabitants. The cricket pitch is located in the lower square of Corfu town, on the Esplanade, amidst the green and the magnificent architecture around it. Matches take place mostly in the summer when foreign teams arrive on the island. If you would like to contact the local team, call 26610 47754, which is the phone number of the Greek Federation f Cricket. How about tennis? This is also a local game with tradition. There are many tennis clubs on the island , but the oldest one is situated in Corfu town, at Romanou Street, within walking distance from the Archaeological Museum. This one has got 4 tennis courts. You can choose to play at night as well, as there are floodlights inside. You can also play tennis at a hotel since most of them have got a tennis court. Contact the Corfiot tennis club at 26610 46430. Golf is also popular here. You can play golf at some hotels, the best being the one at the area near Vatos village. Ask the hotel you are staying at for further information on golf facilities.