The old music school, the Philharmonic Hall, in Ano Korakiana is, following major refurbishment, at last open for performances.
From William Mather:
Amy goes down to the shop at Invernarnie. On coming back she says
"The lane's a nightmare. Ice over slush!"
I phone Fiona who's dropping round late morning.
"Might be better to park by the shop and walk. Just take care!"
I've lit the stove and cleaned its window. The flames are comforting. We use the regular supply of catalogues Mum enjoyed under our kindling and logs. Now and then I stop and look at these collections of things I nearly want and might need and which might be good presents - snow grippers, krypton torches, a double-sided draught excluder, double ended picture screws, padded lap trays, non-stick knives, a mini-gas cooker (she got me one to make tea on my allotment), handwoven kilims, a map jigsaw 'centred on your home', sunglasses that fit over specs, flashing LED luggage finder 'end baggage claim nightmares for just £17.95...Private Eye doesn't need to parody these. Using the mail preference service I have reduced their flow slightly but we've plenty of firelighters.
*** ***
Chris Holmes, Corfucius, has excelled himsef with this account of the reading of his late mother's will in Corfu town:
Message from Dr Spyros Savannis ~ 5 Dec on the AK website:
I am preoccupied with what makes a village - anywhere. It's not an easy question. It's what C.West Churchman call a 'wicked' problem. I follow the plot across the globe where 'village' websites proliferate, a sort of vague antidote to our global hold...recall John Fielden's late wife as we sat in the heather 20 years ago discussing the state of the world while others walked up for grouse on the muir above Mains of Faillie "the end of the world will come when every inch of it is known" - not through nuclear winter, climate change or epidemic, but when it's geography is defined to the inch from pole to pole. The lesser implication of this thought is that places cannot by definition be wholly isolated by their distance from centres of population. The exotic other with its enchantments is melting, dissolving. This may be good for villages; though it does not solve the 'wicked' dimension, or answer the question of what makes a village. Dr Savani's got the point. You have to be self-conscious. Collectively so. ΑΚΡΩΣ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΚΗ. VERY DEMOCRATICALLY.
Among the various institutions of Ano Korakiana, it's Philharmonic Society, its congregations and churches, it's Kafeneion, its medical centre, its Agricultural Association - I call it the Co-op - on National Opposition Street Οδός Εθνικής Αντίστασης that runs fifty metres below Democracy Street....
Translated:
Ano Korakiana, 28/11/2012
The Board of Cooperative Rural, Ano Korakiana, under:
A. Applicable Law
B. The Statute of the Agricultural Cooperative, and
C. The decision of 29/10/2012 Board
CALLS
members of the Association to a General Meeting on Sunday 09/12/2012 at 11.00am in the conference room of the Agricultural Association, with the following topics:
1. Approve Economic Report for 2011 budget year
2. Approve 2013
3. Approve invoice mill (action) for the period 2012-2013
4. Discussion concerning the operation of the Olive Mill
5. Appointment of Auditor-accountant
6. Announcement - in the event there is no quorum, the AGM will be repeated on Sunday 16 December 2012, in the conference room of the Agricultural Cooperative at 11.00am
President BSE. METALLINOS Board Secretary. G. KENTARCHOS
*** *** ***
I was so pleased to get this research summary - a short piece in Australia's LG Manager Nov/Dec 2012 (pp.55-57)- from my friend John Martin who, in September, completed a cycle ride - west to east - across Canada, using his journey as an opportunity to learn more about what made successful sustainable communities, identifying six essential characteristics...1. A sense of purpose and vision, 2. Depth of leadership, 3. Local knowledge, 4. Embedded sustainable thinking, 5. Incentives, 6. Strong networks. I propose that the beloved village of Ano Korakiana stands up well by those criteria.
1. Next Monday 10 December the hall will be the venue for a musical concert organised by Korakiana's Spyros Samaras Orchestra, mingling astronomy, music and poetry, with songs inspired by the magic of the full starred heavens, and projected images of the night sky. The audience will set out on a musical journey towards the sun, moon, planets and stars*
***
Songs: Fiori-Anastasia Metallinou
Piano: Sakis Kontonikolas
Reader: Spyros Chondroyannis
The event is organised by the Upper Band Korakiana "Spyros Samaras"
1. Τη Δευτέρα 10 Δεκεμβρίου 2012 και ώρα: 19:30, στην Αίθουσα Φιλαρμονικής Άνω Κορακιάνας στη Κέρκυρα, παρουσιάζεται μια συλλογή γνωστών τραγουδιών, εμπνευσμένων από τη μαγεία του έναστρου ουρανού. Ο ποιητικός λόγος διαδέχεται τον μουσικό, καθώς εικόνες του νυχτερινού ουρανού προβάλλονται παράλληλα. Μια μουσική παράσταση, όπου συνυπάρχουν και συνομιλούν η Αστρονομία με τη Μουσική και την Ποίηση. Οι θεατές ξεκινούν μια διαδρομή προς τον ήλιο, τη σελήνη, τους πλανήτες και τους αστέρες του ουρανού με οδηγό τη Μουσική.
τραγούδι: Φιόρη-Αναστασία Μεταλληνού
πιάνο: Σάκης Κοντονικόλας
Διαβάζει ο Σπύρος Χονδρογιάννης
Την εκδήλωση διοργανώνει η Φιλαρμονική Άνω Κορακιάνας "Σπύρος Σαμάρας"
2. Επίσης, η φιλαρμονική Άνω Κορακιάνας"Σπύρος Σαμάρας" σε συνεργασία με την Αστονομική Εταιρεία Κέρκυρας & την Ιατροχειρουργική Εταιρία Κέρκυρας διοργανώνουν την Κυριακή 9 Δεκεμβρίου 2012 και ώρα 7:30 στην Αίθουσα της Ιατροχειρουργικής Εταιρείας Κέρκυρας (Πλ. Σκαραμανγκά 4 Κέρκυρα) εκδήλωση – ομιλία με τίτλο: "Το άστρο των Χριστουγέννων" και η Αστρονομική ερμηνεία του.
ομιλήτρια: Φιόρη-Αναστασία Μεταλληνού, Δρ. Αστροφυσικής.
Additionally, Ano Korakiana's Philharmonic Society have collaborated with the Astronomical Society of Corfu and the Corfu Surgical Society to present a talk by Fiore-Anastasia Metallinou, PhD Astrophysics, on 'An Astronomical Interpretation of the Christmas Star', beginning at 7.30pm on 9 December 2012 in the Surgical Society Hall (4 Skaramangka Sq., Corfu).
*** *** ***
We're gathering at Brin Croft. Linda had arrived with Amy and Oliver on Monday. On Thursday my son-in-law Guy arrived near midnight after a tough drive from England, his journey north of Pitlochry trailing at 30mph behind a snow plough.
He drove us into town for a meal and some essential shopping on Friday then he I headed east to the airport, while the others roamed the Eastgate Shopping centre.
We parked in a lay by under the flightpath and watched the twinkling single light of Richard's plane resolve into two headlights and the narrow shape of the Dash turbo-prop as it sunk gently through the darkness onto the runway beyond, turned and taxied back to the small terminal. Richard carried the memorial service sheets he'd designed. We returned to Inverness, dropped them off at William Fraser in readiness for the Saturday afternoon service, and with a mobile call reassembled our bunch and headed back to Brin Croft. At Christina's and James' home, just down the road, more family have arrived - Mum's stepdaughters Fiona and Jenny and a good sample of grandchildren, Joe, Emma and Ben staying there overnight; arriving Saturday morning, my sister Bay and some of her family - Gabe, and Anthony.
Richard's sleeping in mum's - his grandmother's room - where in the evening he showed us the small tortoiseshell woken from winter hibernation that had appeared by his bed, and perched on Amy's hand.
*<<...τις νύχτες που με σεριγιανούσες στη άλλη άκρη τ΄ ουρανού...>>
Και το σεργιάνι ήταν ονειρικό. Με κυρίαρχο όχημα τις θείες μελωδίες του Χατζιδάκη, και τον ποιητικό λόγο μεγάλων ποιητών (Ρίτσος, Γκάτσος, Λόρκα κλπ.) ταξιδέψαμε, όσοι είχαμε την τύχη να παρευρεθούμε, στους Γαλαξίες και τα Νεφελώματα τ΄ ουρανού, αλλά και της ψυχής και του νου...
Και ήταν αίσθημα φυγής στο άπειρο, αλλά συγχρόνως γνωστό και δικό μας!Το δέος και η ομορφιά του σύμπαντος δεσμευμένο σε εφτά νότες και ένα πεντάγραμμο, όπου πάνω του διέγραφε κυματισμούς η αισθαντική φωνή της κ. Φιόρης Μεταλληνού, αστροφυσικός η ίδια, αποδίδοντας την αρμονία, τη συμμετρία και το μεγαλείο της δημιουργίας, κεντρίζοντας συναισθήματα θαυμασμού, αλλά και την αδυναμία ερμηνείας της χωρίς τέλος ύπαρξης. Για να αναδειχθεί μοναδικός καταλύτης του Ανεξήγητου η Αγάπη, που μετουσιώνει και ενώνει το αχανές σύμπαν με το αχανές βάθος της ανθρώπινης ψυχής και οδηγεί τον άνθρωπο στη θέωση.
Ο ποιητικός λόγος μεστά δοσμένος από τον κ. Σπύρο Χονδρογιάννη, δημιούργησε με τον αντίστοιχο μουσικό ένα αξιόλογο αισθητικό σύνολο.
Η μουσική συνοδεία του πιάνου, ολοκλήρωσε την αισθητική πανδαισία με τον επιδέξιο κ. Σάκη Κοντονικόλα, ενώ η προβολή εικόνων του σύμπαντος, σε επεξεργασία της κ. Ελβίρας Μεταλληνού, έδινε το μέτρο σύγκρισης της ανθρώπινης δημιουργίας με αυτήν της Φύσης.
Συγχαρητήρια σε όλους!
Σημείωση: Ο μη σωστός προγραμματισμός, εκ μέρους της Φιλαρμονικής, στέρησε σε πολλούς την παρουσία τους στη εκδήλωση...
“…the nights when you took me to the other end of the sky…”
And the journey was like a dream, with the prevailing Holy melodies by Hatzidakis and the poetic words of the great poets (Ritsos, Gatsos, Lorca, etc). We were transported - those who were lucky enough to be present - to the Galaxies and Nebulae of the sky and also of the soul and mind. There was a feeling of a flight towards the infinite yet, at the same time, familiar and part of us. The awe and the beauty of the Universe captured in seven notes and a pentagram with which the sensational voice of Mrs Fiori Metallinou (an astrophysicist herself) not only conveyed the harmony, the symmetry and the grandeur of the Creation, drawing sentiments of admiration, but also the incapability of interpreting this without an end of existence in order to prove a unique catalyst of the unexplained love which changes the substance and joins the vast Universe with the vast depth of the human soul and leads man to Godliness. The poetic interpretation, aptly delivered by Mr Spiros Hondrogiannis, together with the corresponding musician created a very worthy aesthetic ensemble. The accompaniment of the piano completed the aesthetic ensemble with the adroit Mr Sakis Kontonikolas, while the projection of images of the Universe processed by Mrs Elvira Metallinou offered us a yardstick to compare human creations with those of nature. Congratulations to all.
NOTE : Due to lack of co-ordination the Philharmonic band was not informed in good time and so many were deprived of seeing and listening to them at this event. (Thanks to Aleko Damaskinos for this translation which reminds me of the frequent impossibility of doing justice to the originals Greek whose meanings often exist only in the language in which they were written)
*** *** ***
We're gathering at Brin Croft. Linda had arrived with Amy and Oliver on Monday. On Thursday my son-in-law Guy arrived near midnight after a tough drive from England, his journey north of Pitlochry trailing at 30mph behind a snow plough.
Richard's sleeping in mum's - his grandmother's room - where in the evening he showed us the small tortoiseshell woken from winter hibernation that had appeared by his bed, and perched on Amy's hand.
From William Mather:
Thanks Simon - all looking good and at least the weather is reasonable today. See you about 2.00Am I nervous? Only as much as I think I need to be. We've got the prayers, the hymns, the readings, the tributes and the music. I've been practising the poem and the Lesson I'm reading.
Amy goes down to the shop at Invernarnie. On coming back she says
"The lane's a nightmare. Ice over slush!"
I phone Fiona who's dropping round late morning.
"Might be better to park by the shop and walk. Just take care!"
I've lit the stove and cleaned its window. The flames are comforting. We use the regular supply of catalogues Mum enjoyed under our kindling and logs. Now and then I stop and look at these collections of things I nearly want and might need and which might be good presents - snow grippers, krypton torches, a double-sided draught excluder, double ended picture screws, padded lap trays, non-stick knives, a mini-gas cooker (she got me one to make tea on my allotment), handwoven kilims, a map jigsaw 'centred on your home', sunglasses that fit over specs, flashing LED luggage finder 'end baggage claim nightmares for just £17.95...Private Eye doesn't need to parody these. Using the mail preference service I have reduced their flow slightly but we've plenty of firelighters.
*** ***
Chris Holmes, Corfucius, has excelled himsef with this account of the reading of his late mother's will in Corfu town:
OATHING AND SWEARING....For some weeks now ive been trying to pin my attorney down to take me to a notary for swearing an oath that i'm telling the truth about maman's Will being *her* will and not some forgery ive concocted to do my bro out of his rightful mess of potage. Then i send the notarised doc for my bro to sign that he isn't doing the dirty on me, then the pro gets bated and maman's invested quizillions are released and we split it 50/50 and mince around snootile e'er after.*** ***
We finally make it to the Notaire's and walk past her office who looks up and waves us to sit down.
Reassuringly dumpy and stern with dismissive expression that I like in my notaries....
Message from Dr Spyros Savannis ~ 5 Dec on the AK website:
To Korakianas, their families, the village and its diaspora. In our village for the last three years a group of people have regularly met in the vestry of St Athanasius to discuss issues of common interest (social, village, religion, psychology, culture, etc). Now and then someone proposes a guest to talk on these subjects and discussion follows The group's goals and aspirations are four:
- First, to develop and cultivate our friendship as a group,
- Second, to consider ways we can contribute to the cultural development of our village
- Third, to plan useful interventions in the everyday routines and problems facing our Village
- Fourth, to be involved, as villagers, in any way we can in facing the challenges of the circumstances created by our nation’s tragedy over the last 2 years.
We aren’t a substitute for the village’s statutory bodies. We may be able to assist their work in practical ways. We can also endeavour to ‘freshen’ and update the incontrovertible cultural tradition of our unique village. When everything is in danger of collapse can we not help create something new and valuable? Finally we can aim to communicate with villagers in the diaspora, having them come to the village not just for a few days away, leaving as they came, but using their stay to reconnect with their childhood memories, with the tradition of the village, its history, and especially with the uncertain hopes, fears and promises of their present lifeOur initiative is open to all villagers (and beyond). It is also open to any constructive criticism. We appeal to anyone who is interested not to be cynical or (despite the current crisis) negative. Through perseverance we see our actions sustaining the good name of our village; progressing via shared, unselfish and wholly democratic endeavour.
Spyros Savani - Paediatrician. Contact: takissav@yahoo.gr, 26630-22013 and 6944265667
Γράφει ο/η Σαββανής Σπύρος ~ 05.12.12*** *** ***
Κορακιανίτες και Κορακιανίτισες του Χωριού και της Διασποράς,
Πάνε 3 περίπου χρόνια που στο Χωριό μας υπάρχει μια ομάδα προσώπων, που συναντιέται συχνά στο κελί του Αγίου Αθανασίου και συζητάει θέματα κοινού ενδιαφέροντος (κοινωνικά, του Χωριού, εκκλησιαστικά, ψυχολογικά, πολιτιστικά κλπ). Κατά καιρούς καλεί και κάποιον (αν) ειδικό που αναπτύσσει κάποιο σχετικό με τα παραπάνω θέμα και ακολουθεί συζήτηση.
Στόχοι και φιλοδοξίες αυτής της ομάδας είναι τέσσαρες:
Πρώτον, η ανάπτυξη και καλλιέργεια φιλικών μεταξύ μας σχέσεων
Δεύτερον, η συμβολή μας στην πολιτιστική εξέλιξη του Χωριού μας
Τρίτον, η παρέμβασή μας στην καθημερινότητα του Χωριού μας και τα σχετικά με αυτήν προβλήματα
Τέταρτον, η ενεργοποίησή μας και όσων συγχωριανών θέλουν, μέσα στο καινούργιο περιβάλλον που δημιούργησε στην Πατρίδα μας η τραγωδία των 2 τελευταίων ετών.
Δεν πάμε να υποκαταστήσουμε θεσμοθετημένους φορείς του Χωριού. Πάμε να βοηθήσουμε στο έργο και στην πολιτική που αυτοί χαράζουν και εφαρμόζουν. Πάμε ακόμη να επιχειρήσουμε ένα «φρεσκάρισμα» και επικαιροποίηση της αναμφισβήτητης πολιτιστικής παράδοσης του Χωριού μας και της αναμφίβολής ποιοτικής του φυσιογνωμίας. Πάμε να επιχειρήσουμε μια ΑΝΤΙΣΤΑΣΗ σε μια εποχή που όλα απειλούνται με κατάρρευση, χωρίς να προτείνεται κάτι καινούργιο και αξιόλογο.
Πάμε τέλος, να επιχειρήσουμε μία επικοινωνία με τους Συγχωριανούς της Διασποράς ώστε, σιγά-σιγά, να έρχονται στο Χωριό όχι απλά για να περάσουν λίγες μέρες διαφορετικές και να φύγουν όπως ήλθαν, αλλά και να έλθουν για να ΕΠΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΗΣΟΥΝ με τις παιδικές τους αναμνήσεις, με την παράδοση του Χωριού, με την Ιστορία του και προπάντων με τη δύσκολλη και ευπαθή πλην όμως δυναμική και ελπιδοφόρα ΣΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ ΖΩΗ ΤΟΥ.
Η πρωτοβουλία μας είναι ανοικτή σε κάθε Χωριανό (και όχι μόνο). Είναι επίσης ανοιχτή στην κριτική του κάθε καλόπιστου. Κάνουμε έκκληση στον καθένα που τον ενδιαφέρουμε να μην μας βλέπει δύσπιστα και με (δικαιολογημένη βέβαια από την παρακμή της εποχής μας) αρνητική διάθεση. Το ξαναλέμε: Όραμά μας ΜΟΝΑΔΙΚΟ είναι η επιβεβαίωση του καλού ονόματος του Χωριού μας και.
Στο μέτρο του δυνατού, η παραπέρα πρόοδος και προπβολή του, μέσα από μια ΠΟΙΟΤΙΚΗ, ΑΝΙΔΙΟΤΕΛΗ και ΑΚΡΩΣ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΚΗ προσπάθεια.
Σπύρος Σαββανής – Παιδίατρος
Για επικοινωνία: takissav@yahoo.gr, 26630-22013 και 6944265667
I am preoccupied with what makes a village - anywhere. It's not an easy question. It's what C.West Churchman call a 'wicked' problem. I follow the plot across the globe where 'village' websites proliferate, a sort of vague antidote to our global hold...recall John Fielden's late wife as we sat in the heather 20 years ago discussing the state of the world while others walked up for grouse on the muir above Mains of Faillie "the end of the world will come when every inch of it is known" - not through nuclear winter, climate change or epidemic, but when it's geography is defined to the inch from pole to pole. The lesser implication of this thought is that places cannot by definition be wholly isolated by their distance from centres of population. The exotic other with its enchantments is melting, dissolving. This may be good for villages; though it does not solve the 'wicked' dimension, or answer the question of what makes a village. Dr Savani's got the point. You have to be self-conscious. Collectively so. ΑΚΡΩΣ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΚΗ. VERY DEMOCRATICALLY.
Among the various institutions of Ano Korakiana, it's Philharmonic Society, its congregations and churches, it's Kafeneion, its medical centre, its Agricultural Association - I call it the Co-op - on National Opposition Street Οδός Εθνικής Αντίστασης that runs fifty metres below Democracy Street....
Άνω Κορακιάνα, 28/11/2012
Α.Π.133
Το Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο του Αγροτικού Συνεταιρισμού Άνω Κορακιάνας, έχοντας υπόψη:
Α. Την ισχύουσα νομοθεσία
Β. Το Καταστατικό του Αγροτικού Συνεταιρισμού και
Γ. Την από 29/10/2012 απόφαση του Διοικητικού Συμβουλίου
τα μέλη του Συνεταιρισμού σε Γενική Συνέλευση την Κυριακή 09/12/2012 και ώρα 11.00 π.μ. στην αίθουσα συνελεύσεων του Αγροτικού Συνεταιρισμού, με τα παρακάτω θέματα:
1. Έγκριση Οικονομικού Απολογισμού έτους 2011 5. Ορισμός ορκωτών ελεγκτών-λογιστών Σε περίπτωση μη γενομένης απαρτίας, η Γενική Συνέλευση θα επαναληφθεί την ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ 16 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ 2012, στην αίθουσα συνελεύσεων του Αγροτικού Συνεταιρισμού και ώρα 11.00 π.μ. |
Ano Korakiana, 28/11/2012
The Board of Cooperative Rural, Ano Korakiana, under:
A. Applicable Law
B. The Statute of the Agricultural Cooperative, and
C. The decision of 29/10/2012 Board
CALLS
members of the Association to a General Meeting on Sunday 09/12/2012 at 11.00am in the conference room of the Agricultural Association, with the following topics:
1. Approve Economic Report for 2011 budget year
2. Approve 2013
3. Approve invoice mill (action) for the period 2012-2013
4. Discussion concerning the operation of the Olive Mill
5. Appointment of Auditor-accountant
6. Announcement - in the event there is no quorum, the AGM will be repeated on Sunday 16 December 2012, in the conference room of the Agricultural Cooperative at 11.00am
President BSE. METALLINOS Board Secretary. G. KENTARCHOS
*** *** ***
 |
| John Martin on top of Cape Smokey, Nova Scotia, nearing the end of his 4700 mile ride across Canada |
Morning Simon from Alice Springs. I flew in yesterday afternoon to participate in the Indigenous Employment in Local Govt Roundtable until Wed. It was a special day as the Todd River was flowing. Very rare indeed. They say if you see it once in a lifetime you are lucky! I have still to get to Uluru (Ayres Rock). The closest was sitting next to you when we flew over at 30,000ft en route to Darwin via Alice. Attached is a short article recently published in the LG Managers journal on some observations of Canadian communities. Annie is slowly getting her act together for the editing of the docu...I know what you mean about the veggie garden. I have my small 3x3 metres plot going with pumpkins and tomatoes and it requires attention every day, if only to water in our hot and dry climate. I wish you and your family well over the next period as you celebrate your mother's wonderful life. We hope to get to Scotland one day to see this beautiful part of the world.
I also need to have a chat with you about the scrutiny work. At the LG Financial Professionals Conf in Cairns last week I caught up with a woman who attended the local govt management courses in Canberra three decades ago. She was the president of the LGFP and chairs a number of audit committees in local govt in Vic. I would like you to meet he. I expect you will have similar interests. Maybe a Skype call with us one day soon? Off to breakfast now. Hot here. About 35C today. Have a great day, John
