kateandjohnsail.boats

Once again we have found ourselves in a town on the day of a national holiday, when the people take to the streets to celebrate an important historical event. October 28 is Oxi Day, when Greeks loudly and proudly remember the day in 1940 when Mussolini offered to not attack Greece so long as the Greeks gave over part of their country. The people rose together to tell the dictator to stick it where the sun don’t shine. Actually, he was told OXI! – NO! and that is how the day is remembered.

Syros is a beautiful island with mountains, valleys, and coastlines dotted with small villages and the city of Ermoupoli (the city of Hermes), which is the capital of the Cyclades island region. It seems like everyone from the entire island flooded into the city just before noon, and we joined them as they lined the streets at the public square. There were civic dignitaries, clergy, and other VIPs front and center for viewing the festivities.

A marching band entered and played, and a small phalanx of uniformed soldiers paraded by. Then came groups of traditionally costumed women and men holding banners; our assumption was that these represented the different regions of the island (or of Greece) who took to the streets to say NO! to occupation. (Wikipedia reports that the Greek representative actually answered in French: “Alors, c’est la guerre!” (Then, it is war!).

The remainder of the parade featured what must have been every school child on the island, from cute little preschoolers waving the blue and white to proud sassy teenagers, all stepping to the cadence of drums. It was heartening to see the children being taught who they are and the need to remember the importance of freedom.