"The World of the Shepherd: The Unwritten Institutions and Customs of the Shepherds of Psiloritis."

The pastoral life in Psiloritis has always exerted a significant influence on the economic structure, social organization, and cultural identity of the mountainous communities surrounding Mount Ida (Psiloritis) from ancient times to the present day.

The shepherding life in Psiloritis encompasses a wide range of unwritten institutions, rituals, techniques, and practices that have historically shaped a set of cultural elements co-created by the shepherd's world.

Shepherd life in Psiloritis represents a combination of elements that constitute both the livestock farming activity and the culture of pastoral life. It has historically had a decisive impact on the value system, economic structure, social organization, cohesion, and cultural character of the mountain communities surrounding Mount Ida.

Through oral interviews conducted in the very field of the shepherds (the grazing lands of Psiloritis), which share the same thematic framework, the evolutionary path of the institutions and characteristics of shepherding/livestock farming in Psiloritis was recorded. These include the significance of the oath (the commitment among shepherds) and reconciliation (mediation, diplomacy to avoid extreme situations), the professional prospects of yesterday and today, the proximity to nature and natural phenomena, as well as symbols of ownership and practices such as "reading the spoon" and the construction of sheepfolds. The interaction with shepherds of different ages (from 20 to 88 years old) was a matter of crucial importance to understand the evolution of a series of customary features, rituals, and practices, which may have different weight and meanings for today's shepherd compared to those of the past.

The shepherds who collaborated are:

Andreas Smbokos, aged 24, Asfendamopoupa area, 1210m altitude grazing land
Dimitrios Kallergis, aged 31, Koutsia area, 1320m altitude grazing land
Manolis Skoulas, aged 40, Rousos Lakos area, 1050m altitude grazing land
Giorgos Skandalis, aged 55, 1150m altitude grazing land.
Emmanouil Chairetis, aged 73, Upper Vineyards area, 900m altitude grazing land
Charalambos Manouras, aged 87, Koritsi area, 1400m altitude grazing land.
This video was initiated by the Municipality of Anogeia, and the Project Team consists of: Production-Coordination: Georgios Kalomoiris, Antonis Ntayiantas Direction-Sound Recording-Editing: Manolis Foinikianakis & Spyros Roumeliotis Translation-Subtitling: Evangelia Koumentaki Editing: Androidus Project Tank, Marina Geronti, Nikos Kallergis. Production Year: 2019