Introduction
Modern day Greek culture is extremely rich and quite diverse at the same time. This is mainly because of its geographic location that places the country between the West and the East. Historically, the Greek culture has greatly evolved to what it is today. The rich Greek culture is well expressed in different ways including drama, architecture, science, and philosophy.
This paper discusses the culture of modern Greece. Specifically, it considers religion, food and drinks, celebrations, and traditions.
The Culture of Modern Greece
The Orthodox Church in Greece is very important in the history of the Greek people. As a matter of fact, the most important celebrations in Greece are those associated with religion. The Greek Church plays a vital role in shaping the political environment in Greece. In addition, the Church is central to the management of government and civilian affairs. The influence of religion is also witnessed in the education sector (Novinite, 2010).
All children in both public and private schools are expected by law to pursue compulsory religious education. Despite the fact that most young people are not keen about attending church meetings, they still turn to religion for important rituals such as wedding ceremonies and funerals.
Family units in modern day Greece are as strong as they were in the olden days. Similar to other cultures in the world, the word family is used to refer to a group of people who are either related by blood or marriage (Novinite, 2010). While family life has changed over the years, women and especially mothers in Greece occupy a very important position in the family. Men on the other hand are expected by the society to effectively represent families outside.
The people of Greece are known for preparing quality and tasty food and drinks. As part of their culture, the Greek people often share food and drinks with friends as well as relatives. Traditionally, Greek food is made using ingredients such as garlic, apples, and onions. Alcoholic drinks in Greece are viewed as the country’s trade mark.
As explained elsewhere, a number of celebrations and traditions are associated with religion. However, there are some that portray the lifestyle of pagans. Drawing from the study by Novinite (2010), Easter is the most important celebration in Greece. More often than not, Easter celebrations in Greece are quite elaborate. Marriage celebrations are equally important. Traditionally, it is the bride’s family that is expected to give dowry to the groom’s family. During weddings, it is the responsibility of the best couple to present wedding rings to the presiding minister. After the ceremony, the new couple is free to leave for honeymoon.
The day of baptism is also very important in the life of any Greek citizen associated with the Greek Orthodox Church. Ordinarily, this takes place during the first year of one’s birth. Among other things, baptism involves undressing a child and wrapping him or her using a white towel. The baptism water is then blessed by the priest before the actual baptism event can be done in the presence of many witnesses.
Apart from being very religious, the people of Greece are also known to be superstitious. However, these superstitions tend to vary from one region to another. Superstitious claims include cases of the evil eye, giving a knife to someone, and spitting. It is presumed that when one person gives a knife to another, a fight is likely to occur. There is also a very strong belief that spitting is a useful strategy for chasing away an evil spirit.
Conclusion
By and large, the Greek culture is quite unique. Interaction between Greece and neighboring countries has also helped to enrich the country’s culture. In spite of the contact with other countries, the people of Greece have done everything possible to preserve their culture to this day.
Reference
Novinite. (2010). Greek Culture and Traditions – Where the West Meets the East. Web.