Apokria (Carnival)

“Boubounes”: a custom celebrated during Apokria (Carnival). On the evening of the Sunday of Tyrofagou, the local associations with the assistance of the Municipality of Kastoria, light large fires, the “Boubounes”, in various parts of the city, while around each fire a dance is set up with the accompaniment of traditional local bands (brass bands) and wine and tsipouro as well as traditional dishes are offered. Each neighbourhood tries to light the biggest fire in height and duration. At the end the most daring ones jump over the flames.

A custom of the same evening is the “haskaris”. At the end of a spinning wheel (wood with which housewives make pies), they tie a thread and at the end of the thread a boiled egg. The spinner is held by the head of the family and with a slight movement of the hand, he directs it into the mouths of the members who try three times to “gulp it down”. Tradition says that the Lenten fast closes the mouth with an egg and opens it with an egg after the Resurrection.