Kythnos welcomes Easter dressed in its best garbs, its Lambriatika. On Easter Sunday, in Christos Square of Chora, a swing has already been set up for boys and girls dressed in traditional costumes to swing, a tradition revived by the Cultural Association of Chora. The swinging of the swing, called “mamouni” in the local dialect, was an opportunity for unmarried youths of the previous century to meet, given the severity of social practices. Unmarried young women usually sat in the swing and they were pushed back and forth by the young men. If a young man pushed a young woman who was sitting on the swing, he was committing before God and his fellow people that he would marry her. The swings were set up in neighbourhoods and squares, and young people wandered from one swing to another in search of the girl they were interested in, in order to push her and sing to her as she sat on the swing, expressing their mutual and public love.
The ritual of the swing originates in ancient Greece and relates to the tragic myth of Icarius, who, on one particular night, hosted the god Dionysus. Dionysus, satisfied from his hospitality, taught him how to cultivate vines and make wine. Later, Icarius inadvertently got some shepherds drunk with the wine he had made, and they thought he had poisoned them so they killed him. Icarius’ daughter, Erigone, buried his body beneath a tree and, overwhelmed by grief, hanged herself from its branches. As she died, she cursed the maidens of Athens to share her fate. Indeed, after Erigone’s suicide, many maidens of Athens killed themselves in the same fashion. The Athenians sought guidance from the oracle at Delphi and were told to establish a celebration in honour of Icarius and Erigone, to atone and stop the deadly rage of Dionysus. The celebration was named ‘Aiora’ to be held on the day of the ‘Khoes’. Khoes was the name of the second day of the Athenian festival of Anthesteria, which took place in early spring and lasted for three days. Athenian maidens would sit in swings hanging from tree branches. An ancient vessel has been discovered depicting a satyr (a faithful companion of Dionysus) pushing a swing on which a young girl sits. Over the centuries, the celebration of ‘Aiora’ was adapted to the rural communities of Greece and the Balkans and transformed into the custom of the Swing.
We encounter this custom throughout Greece, mainly on the islands of the Aegean and, naturally, the Cyclades, as one of the celebrations of spring, which is connected to rural life. Swinging had apotropaic properties and the movement of the swing towards the heavens was believed to bring good luck. Also, the rising of the swing symbolised the rebirth of nature with the coming of spring. It was a cleansing by air that also ensured good health, a bountiful crop, and prosperity.
Furthermore, the swings served a basic social function, providing a rare opportunity for young women and men from each village to meet in person under circumstances that were not illicit, to make their marriage choices, and to mutually express their preferences and feelings through songs that provided erotic symbolism to create the right mood. Thus, the custom was accompanied by songs and love couplets with an intense lyrical element. When the young people “swing” on Kythnos, the others sing:
Isn’t Lambri beautiful
when they hang the swings,
where the blondes swing
along with the brunettes.
I swing along with your heart
and I’ll pay you,
from my pocket I’ll take
an apple and give it to you.
How graceful is Katerinio
who climbed on the swing
and her love is here
and he will sing to her.
Swing, my beloved
although your mother’s watching
and in her little heart
she’s secretly proud of you.
The carnation swings,
the immortelle swings,
Annousio swings, too,
Annezio’s daughter, The young men pushing you
are very lucky,
May God help you
become a couple.
Hold on to the swing tightly,
have no fear at all
and I will sing you such praises,
that you will remember for years.
