GREEK CULTURE

GREECE IS NAMED FROM AN ANCIENT WORD "HELLENIC" TO REFER TO THEMSELVES WHILE ROMEIC COMES FROM THE MEDIEVAL TIMES.  THE ROMEIC IN THE 19TH CENTURY BUT HAS DECLINED.  GREEK PEOPLE HAVE BECOME MORE USED TO USING HELLENIC.

GREECE HAS 50,000 SQUARE MILES WITH 80 % MOUNTAINS.  MT. OLYMPUS IS THE HIGHEST.  ONLY 25% OF LAND IS ARABLE.  THEY HAVE A MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE.   BETWEEN1836 AND 1900 THE POPULATION ROSE TO OVER TO OVER 10 MILLION.  DURING THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES  TURKS AND BULGARNEES LEFT THE COUNTY THAT WAS OCCURRING BY TREATIES THAT ENDED ENDED W W II.  THIS IMIGRATION WAS INITIALLY AIMMED AT THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN.  THERE HAS BEEN A CONTINUING IMMIGRATION OF MIGRATION OF BEEN A CONTINUING EMIGRATION OF ETHNIC GREEKS SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.  THIS COUNTRY HAS A HIGH RATE OF ELDERLY FOLKS WHO SPEAK GREEK SINCE THE 2ND MILLENIA.

THEY HAVE CHURCH SERVICES THAT ARE CONDUCTED IN KOINE OF WHICH THE NEW TESTAMENT IS WRITTEN. THEY HAVE BILINGUAL GROUPS.  MANY FOLKS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE  LANGUAGE OF FRENCH AND ENGLISH.

THEIR SYMBOLS ARE ESTABLISHED A STRONG LINK WITH  A STRONG LINK BETWEEN PAST  AND PRESENT.  THEY SING A HYME TO LIBERTY.  THEIR FLAG HAS A CROSS SYMBOLIZING GREEK ORTHODOX RELIGION; AND BLUE AND WHITR STRIPES THAT DEPICT THE SUNLIT WAVES OF THE SEAS THAT SURROUND  THE NATION.

THEY HAVE A CULTURAL CONTINUUM TO CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY AND A HISTORY OF STRUGGLE AGAINST DOMINATION IN THIS IMAGERY..  THEIR RURAL VILLAGES ARE SYMBOLIC OF LONG STANDING  TIES TO THE REGION.  THEY EAT CERTAIN FOOD, BUILD INTERESTING GREEK ARCHITECTURE. HAVE A VARIETY OF ARTS AND CRAFTS, MUSIC, DANCE AND THEATRE.

A COMMON ETHNIC ETHNIC IDENTITYGREW IN THE AEGEA AREA FOR OVER 2 MILLENEA.  THE LAST OF THESE EMPIRES WAS RUN BY OTTOMAN TURKS OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN EUROPE AFTER CONQUERING CONSTANTINOPLE IN 1450'S.  THEIR WAR WAS OF INDEPENDANCE ENDED IN 1828 WHEN TURKS AGREED TO CREATE SOME LANDS FROM GREEKS.

THE DESIRE FOR A PARLIMENTARY TYPE OF GOVERNMENT WAS NOT POSSIBLEAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT WAS ASSASINATED IN 1831.  THEY FINALLY NEGOTIATED A FINAL TREATY  AND EASTABLISHED A MONARCHY MONITORED BY ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND RUSSIA.  BY 1973 THE MONARCHY WAS ABOLISHED.  THROUGH OUT A SERIES OF WARS THE GREEKS WOULD ALLOW SYMYRONEA TO VOTE ON UNION WITH GREECE.

THE ANATALIAN GREEKS WHO SURVIVED THE CONFLICT FLED THE AREA.
THE NATION HAS BEEN  SHAPED BY EFFORTS. THE DIRECT ROLE OF THE ORIGINAL TREATY HAS BEEN GRANTED TO ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND RUSSIA.  THEY HAD A GREEK CIVIL WAR. IN 1946.  IN 1949 THEY SAW FORCES OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT BACKED BY COUNTERPARTS IN THE NATION SOON TO FACE EACH OTHER. AND THE COLD WAR.  AMERICA AIDED THEM  AND THEY ENTERED NATO IN 1951.

THEY HAD A STRONG SENSE OF ETHNIC SELF DETERMINATION INITIALLY FUELED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE COUNTRY.  THEY WERE ALSO FRUSTRATED AND CONSIGNED TO  MARGINAL STATUS WITH EUROPE.

THEY HAD VALUES TO CONNECT TO THEIR PAST WITH LONG RELIGIOUS DEMOCRACY AND AN ANALYTIC WAY OF LIFE, TO TRAVEL , CLEVERNESS AND PERSONAL HONOR AS CORE VALUES THAT CONNECT TO THE PAST.

THE WAR OF INDEPENDANCE AND THE OCCUPATION FIGURED HEAVILY IN NATIONAL MEMORY.  18TH CENTURY GREEKS CALLED THEMSELVES ROMEIC AND LOOKED TO BE ORTHODOX HERITAGE. THEY STRESSED EUROPEAN CONNECTIONS OVER MEDITERRANEAN HISTORY.

DIFFERENTGROUPS OF FOLKSLIVED SIDE BY SIDE AND THESE CONSIDERABLE INTERMINGLING.  ABOUT 60,000 OF THE THE COUNTRY'S THE COUNTRY'S 75,000 JEWS WERE EXILED DURING WW II.  SINCE 1990 THERE IS NOW ETHNIC DIVERSITY.

THEIR POPULATION HAS BEEN MOBIL. SAILORS SAILORS, SHEPARDS, AND MERCHANTSFOR THEIR OCCUPATION.  MARKET TOWNS SUCH AS CORINTHS SUCH AS CORINTHS AND ATHENS HAVE ENDURED FOR MILLENIA  AND DISAPPEARED WITH REGULARITY.  DURING THE  LAST CENTURY INTERNAL MIGRATION HAS BEEN FROM MOUNTAINS TO PLAINS.  SOME TOWNS GREW WHILE OTHERS  WERE ABANDONED.  IN 1991 ATHENS HAS 3.7 PEOPLE.

UNTIL RECENTLY  HOUSES WERE SMALL AND OWNER BUILT FROM MUD BRICK, STONE AND CERAMIC TILE..  RURAL SETTLEMENTS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES BUT URBAN AREAS HAVE HOUSES THAT ARE ALSO RENTED.  THEY HAVE APARTMENTS 5 TO 10 STORIES HIGH.  THEY HAVE MANY PLACES FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND PUBLIC GATHERING SPOTS.  THEIR FOOD IS GRAINS, GRAPES, AND OLIVES ARE CENTRAL TO THEIR DIET  , SPPLEMENTED WITH EGGS, CHICKEN AND FISH, LAMB, FRUITS AND VEGIS.  THEY ALSO MAKE  MOUSSAKA AND VARIOUS ETHNIC FOODS.

THEY ENTERTAIN DURING MAJOR CEREMONIES AND HAVE SPECIAL EASTER  SERVICES.  THEY FARM, HERD, FISH AND SEAFARE AND MAKE CRAFTS OR TOURISTS.  SOME PEASANTS BEGAN PRODUCING CASH CROPS FOR SALE TO ENGLAND FRANCE.  FAMILIES PRODUCED MOST OF THEIR OWN SUBSISTENCE NEEDS FROM FOOD TO HOUSING.   THEY ENGAGE IN A VARIETY OF ENTREPRENURIAL ACTIVITIES,, PRODUCING VARIOUS FOOD DURING 1990 THERE WAS ONLY 4% INFLATION.  MOST FARMLAND WAS OWNED BY PEOPLE WHO WORKED THE LAND.  POPULATION GROWTH HAS INCREASED.  MUCH GRAZING IS PUBLICALLY HELD.  HANDMADE CRAFTS ARE MADE BY FOLKS TO SUPPORT THEIR  INCOME.

THEIR CRAFTS ARE AIMED AT THE TOURISTS TRADE WITH FARMING COMBINED WITH FAMILY CASH PRODUCING ACTIVITIES.  THEY ALSO RENT ROOMS TO TOURISTS.  THEY HAVE CONSTRUCTION WORK AS WELL. 

MAJOR CASH CROPS ARE TOBACCO, COTTON, BEETS, GRAINS, VEGETABLES FRUITS OLIVES AND GRAPES.  HERDERS PRODUCE MEAT , MILK, WOOL, HIDES, AND DUNG FOR SALE.  TODAY THEY MINE 4 MINERALS.   GREECE EXPORTS 50% OF MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS.  BY 1990 THEY TRADED WITHOUT GERMANY , ITALY,  ITALY , FRANCE , AND BRITAIN AND THE U.S.

THEIR MERCHANT FLEET IS LARGEST IN THE WORLD WITH 11 TOURISTS WHO COME HERE PER YEAR.

THEY HAVE A SENSE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SELF ESTEEM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.  THEY ATTEMPT PROPER BEHAVIOR.  WEALTH TO THE GREEKS MEANNS THEY HAVE OWN AN URBAN HOME, SPEAK FLUENT ENGLISH AND FRENCH.

THEY SPEND MONEY ON DEFENSE WITH ARMED FORCES.  THEY HAVE 160,000 SOLDIERS ON ACTIVE ON ACTIVE DUTY AND 400,000 RESERVES.  THEY HAVE MANY AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES THAT MAKE TO BUY AND SELLL IN BULK.  WOMEN NOW ARE 45% OF THEIR WORK FORCE.

RURAL MEN AND WOMEN SHARE AGRICULTURAL TASKS,  DOING SOME JOINTLY AND OTHERS BY GENDER PROPERTY IS OWNED BY BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WHO HELPED WORK THE LAND.  THE WOMEN WORKED ALSO.  FAMILIES THAT OPERATED FARMS AND SMALL SHOPSREMAINED ECONOMICALLY ECONOMICALLY HEALTHY.  THOSE WHO WORKED AT HOME , WOMEN WHO AT LOWER PAID POSITIONS AAND TOGETHER PAID POSITIONS. AND TO STOP WORK WHEN THEY HAD CHILDREN.  WOMEN IN THE GREEK CULTURE ASSERTED OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY , POSITION AS MOTHER AND WIFE. AND TAUGHT RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION..  A MAJORITY OF WOMEN ARE PRESENT IN PUBLIC SPACES.

ALMOST ALL PEOPLE MARRY.  SOME MARRIAGES ARE ARRANGED.  THEIR AGE IS THE LATE TWENTIES FOR WOMEN  AND MID THIRTIES FOR WOMEN.  THEY HAVE MANY TYPES OF HOUSEHOLDS AND DEPENDING UPON THE REGIONAL TRADE THEY HAVE A GREAT WAY OF WORKING WITH CHILDREN.  ELDER PARENTS JOIN THEIR CHILDREN. 

THE FAMILY BASED UNIT IS MOST IMPORTANT.  RITUAL KIN ARE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP THROUGH A PERSON'S LIFE.

THEY VALUE HIGHER EDUCATION. AND THE GROUP LIFE REVOLVES AROUND EATING AND DRINKING AND PLAYING GAMES, LISTENING TO MUSIC, DANCING, DEBATES.  THEY BELIEVE GETTING DRUNK IS DISGRACEFUL.

PEOPLE OPEN THEIR HOMES TO A WIDE RANGE OF VISITORS IN THE DAY.  SOME ARE HONORING THE SAINT.  ON MAJOR HOLIDAYS THE PEOPLE WHO OPEN THEIR HOMES O A WIDE RANGE OF VISITORS S THE DAY HONORING THE SAINT FOR WHWHENA PERSON IS LIMITED.  GUESTS BRING SWEETS AND LIQUOR.  FOREIGNORS ARE GIVEN HOSPITALITY, AND THE IMPROPER BEHAVIOR  OF SOME TOURISTS.  ABOUT 98% ARE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS.  BY 330 BCE THE GREEKS WERE INVOLVED IN CHRISTIANITY.   THE ROMAN EMPORER CONSTANTINE MOVED TO THE MOVED TO THE CAPITOL TO THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE.

INFANT CARE IS HANDLED BY BOTH MOMS AND DADS,  THEY GIVE BIRTH IN HOSPITALS,  THEY BAPTIZE WITH A CEREMONY AND THEIR NAMES OFFICIALLY  ARE OFFICIALLY GIVE TO THE CHILDREN.  THE PARENTS GIVE CHILDREN TIME TO EXPLORE THEIR WORLD.  THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1833 AND 90% OF THE STUDENTS  ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOL.  THEY VALUE HIGHER EDUCATION.

THEIR ORTHODOX CHURCH IS OVERSEEN BY THE HOLLY SYNOD.  THEY HAVE REGIONAL BISHOPS AS WELL AS MONKS AND PRIESTS.  THEY ALLOW THEM TO MARRY.  GREEK ORTHODOX HAS DAILY, WEEKLY AND ANNUAL RITES.  EASTER AND HOLY WEEK PROCEEDS IT.  ONLY 25 FOLKS ATTEND CHURCH WEEKLY. THEY FAST FOR 4 PERIODS.  THEY HAVE GATHERINGS FOR KEY EVENTS.  MANY FOLKS INTEGRATE RELIGIOUS PRACTICE INTOINTO THEIR DAILY LIVES

IN ORTHODOX BELIEF THEY BELIEVE A PERSON'S SOUL JOURNEYS TO JUDGMENT BY GOD AND THEY GO TO HEAVEN OR HELL.  RELATIVES PREPARE THE BODY FOR A FUNERALWITHIN 24 HOURS. AFTER DEATH THEY DO NOT CREMATE. DURING 40 DAYS THEIR SOUL IS JUDGED. THEN IN 3 YEARS THEY DIG UP THE BONES AND THEY ARE PLACED IN A FAMILY VAULT.

THEY HAVE A NATIONAL HEALTH CARE SERVICE A NETWORK OF HOSPITAL CLINICS.  WAS BUILT 1983.  PRIVATE HEALTH CARE IS USED BY THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD IT.  ALL OF THEIR CELEBRATIONS HAVE A RITUAL.  THEY HAVE RITUALS FOR OCHI DAY, GREEK LEADERS, INDEPENDANCE DAY, NEW YEARS DAY AND OTHER EXCURSIONS.

THE GREEK CULTURE SUPPORTS ALL OF THE ARTS IN TERMS OF PRODUCTION, EDUCATION,  PUBLICITY, FESTIVALS, AND THEIR FOLKLORE INSTITUTES AND DANCE CENTER.  THEY HAD SHADOW PUPPET PLAY RIVOLTING AROUND THE HISTORIC AND MODERN DRAMAS.

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