TAKE ACTION NOW
DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER
Cultural Association of Hamezi
Our association is a non-profit organization based in Hamezi. It was founded in 1978 by the folklorist Eirini Papadaki and now consists of permanent residents of Hamezi as well as young people associated with it.
It operates in the field of culture and tradition. It organizes numerous events throughout the year, which are implemented with the help of the entire village.Since 2023, it has been organizing the Hamezi Festival, a festival of music, art, and culture aimed at highlighting our place and our tradition!
It operates in the field of culture and tradition. It organizes numerous events throughout the year, which are implemented with the help of the entire village.Since 2023, it has been organizing the Hamezi Festival, a festival of music, art, and culture aimed at highlighting our place and our tradition!
Hamezi Festival
We speak of it as tradition.
It is not a memory that was created and then covered by other memories.
It is a living thing, that pulses. That is shaped and reshaped.
We speak of it as an experience.
It is more than just our music or our dance; it is the way our bread smells. And more: it is that the music smells like our bread.
The Hamezi Festival is organized with the purpose of establishing and expandingthe 'we' that lies behind these two words.
It is not a memory that was created and then covered by other memories.
It is a living thing, that pulses. That is shaped and reshaped.
We speak of it as an experience.
It is more than just our music or our dance; it is the way our bread smells. And more: it is that the music smells like our bread.
The Hamezi Festival is organized with the purpose of establishing and expandingthe 'we' that lies behind these two words.
Hamezi
Hamezi (or Hamaizi) is located at the eastern end of Crete, 11 kilometers west of the city of Sitia and at an altitude of 430 meters.
Hamezi has long stood out in the province of Sitia as the village with its many "meraklis", its dancers, mantiniadologists (singers), lyra players and violinists. This character remains alive in the village to this day. It has also been famous throughout time for its good stone craftsmen, while it is known to visitors for its archaeological monuments (see Souvloto Muri, Liopetro Fortress).
Hamezi has long stood out in the province of Sitia as the village with its many "meraklis", its dancers, mantiniadologists (singers), lyra players and violinists. This character remains alive in the village to this day. It has also been famous throughout time for its good stone craftsmen, while it is known to visitors for its archaeological monuments (see Souvloto Muri, Liopetro Fortress).
the musical tradition
Hamezi is perhaps the only village in the region where serenades are still performed, and it is considered by the people of Sitia as one of the most passionate villages in the area, with many musicians, violists, lyre players, skilled singers of mantinades (Cretan poetic songs), and excellent dancers.
A symbol of the unique musical tradition of Chamezi is the renowned lyre player Kazamiogianis.
Other exceptional musicians include Manolis Kazamias (lyre), son of Kazamiogianis, Giannis Stavroulakis (violin), Kostas Maridakis (lyre), Dionysis, Nikos, and Giorgos Giannakakis (violin, mandolin), Pantelis and Nikos Voutyrakis (violin, guitar), Manolis Lagoudakis (lyre), Michalis Papadakis, Michalis Kazamias (guitar), and Giannis Kazamias (lyre).
The musical tradition of Chamezi is carried on by young men and women who, with passion, engage in the music of their place, studying the old but also creating new compositions.
A symbol of the unique musical tradition of Chamezi is the renowned lyre player Kazamiogianis.
Other exceptional musicians include Manolis Kazamias (lyre), son of Kazamiogianis, Giannis Stavroulakis (violin), Kostas Maridakis (lyre), Dionysis, Nikos, and Giorgos Giannakakis (violin, mandolin), Pantelis and Nikos Voutyrakis (violin, guitar), Manolis Lagoudakis (lyre), Michalis Papadakis, Michalis Kazamias (guitar), and Giannis Kazamias (lyre).
The musical tradition of Chamezi is carried on by young men and women who, with passion, engage in the music of their place, studying the old but also creating new compositions.
