The making of the book Routes to the past was done with enthusiasm, love and eagerness to give to the youngsters and also remind the older of times -which some may have even forgotten- where only the mind can travel and the heart can follow.
This is what we also tried to do: to awake, through the photographic records, mostly of George Simigdali’s, but also of other photographers of Megali Panagia, the memories of the past and to outline the history of our birthplace. To pass it down to the next generations not ready, but as a jigsaw, piece by piece, photograph by photograph, as it was written.
The history of a whole century from 1887 to 1978 is illustrated through a rich and rare photographic material that was gathered with particularly hard work and great sensitivity by our contemporary photographer, Vasilis Doukas. It is worth mentioning the contribution of the residents of Megali Panagia who were happy to remove the photographs from their family photo albums and trusted them to us making their support valuable to the accomplishment of the present publication.
Through the photographic lens you can watch snapshots from people’s daily life, moments of joy and sorrow, hard work and fun, moments of a whole life being unfolded through the book pages.
The photo collection is divided into eight themes which are:
- Aspects of the village
- Holly Pilgrimage
- School Events
- Coffee houses-Feasts
- Daily life- Occupations
- Marriage
- Portraits- Personal moments
- Celebrations
The book also includes short texts mainly of folklore interest which compliment the excellent photographic records. The album is completed with the historical flashback that accompanies the rich past with the energetic present of this place.
The three-member group which worked on the processing and edition of the book and which consists of the literature teacher Anna Papagianni, the photographer Vassilis Doukas and the editor Grammatiki Karavasilikou commits you its first piece of work hoping that through the magnifying lens of the album you will travel to the past and come closer to the present.
It is dedicated to all the residents of Megali Panagia:
To those who passed from it leaving their trace,
to those who work hard and try to maintain it,
aw well as those who, with respect and love,
continue the course of their birthplace through time.
