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SURFING THE AEGEAN
A cultural course in the University of New Brunswick
 

“Surfing the Aegean” (STA) was a new course offered by Centre for Hellenic Studies at UNB during the Fall 2016 term. As a cultural course, STA took a holistic approach to Modern Greek identity and used films, music, written and digital sources as well as hands-on activities to engage students to discover the various elements that form contemporary Greece. By encompassing select aspects of Modern Greek history, language and culture the course aimed to complement and extend the knowledge about ancient Greece offered by the Classics Department within a three and a half thousand-year historical continuum.  The course aspired to a deeper understanding of an ancient and still vibrant culture that has branched off worldwide, and included insights by members of the Greek-Canadian community in Fredericton, as well as faculty members and students that had visited Greece or come to Canada for graduate studies. The lessons went beyond stereotypical presentations or touristic oversimplifications of “Greekness” that have plagued the understanding of Modern Greece. However, the course content did include topics on cuisine and dancing along with music, theatre, folk culture, great literary works, and historical accounts, taking a critical approach to facets of culture within an experiential learning frame that used sensory elements (taste, smell, touch).  As a prototype course, in STA participants and instructor  created our own original educational material from students’ assignments inviting them as co-constructors of knowledge: a question-and-answer card game available to schools, libraries, Hellenic Centres in Atlantic Canada on request for their cultural studies with its open-access digital version on the Internet, for the general publi. 

THE TSOLIAS COSTUME

"For my modern Greek History class in the winter semester of 2016, I decided to make the Tsolias warrior outfit, because I was inspired by the story of the 1821 freedom fighters trying to regain control of their country from the Ottomans.The so-called “kleftes” stole from the Turks and from wealthy Greeks, and though they were thieves, they were set apart as war heroes. They reminded me of the Robin Hood story, as, they, too were outlaws hiding in the woods and caves, sharing a code of honour, singing and dancing, throwing large stones and having running contests and sword fights to keep fit. People feared and admired them for their love of freedom and their bravado. Tsolias is a Greek fighter wearing a present-day military outfit based on the traditional attire of the Kleftes. The outfit has a skirt know as a foustanella, that is based on the ancient chiton, it is over 30 meters of silk or cotton, with 400 pleats, each to represent a year of Turkish occupation. The red hat known as Farion, it has a red fez with a long black silk tassel that has the national emblem attached. The Ypodetes is the white shirt that has very baggy sleeves allowing the freedom fighters to conceal weapons. Periskellιdes are the white woollen socks, and wooden shoes that are known as Tsarouchia that have around 60 to 120 nails they weigh somewhere around 4 pounds. They had a belt or sash as well, some colourful, others not. The Kleftes fighters, made this outfit so important to the country it become a symbol of bravery and courage to the Greeks and the Philhellenes that fought beside them for the liberty of Greece. After the War of Independence in 1821 the outfit was used in various historical events inside Greece and between diaspora Greeks in festive days. I will talk about the process I went through to make it from scratch, the materials I used, the challenges it presented, and the use of the costume by the Hellenic Centre."

Jeremiah Franz Wiebe (maker of costume), History of Modern Greece, UNB, Winter 2016
(Sarah Toner embroidered the vest embroidery for the ensuing cultural course "Surfing the Aegean", UNB, Fall2016

Old students come and join our new students of Greek culture, sharing their experience and projects. Many thanks to Alex and Jeremiah, and also Menelaos and Giorgos, UNB Classics professor Dr. Mattew Sears and anthropologist Giuseppe Innamorato for their insights of Greek life today, as well as all the Greek-Canadians that volunteered to be interviewed by the students, and our visitors at the final potluck with Greek cooking by the class.
Το Κέντρο Ελληνικών Σπουδών ευχαριστεί θερμά τους παλιούς φοιτητές που επέστρεψαν και συζήτησαν με τους νέους φοιτητές για την εμπειρία τους και το τι αποκόμισαν από την ελληνική λογογεχνία και ιστορία, τον καθηγητή Κλασικών Σπουδών του UNB κο Matthew Sears και τον ανθρωπολόγο κο Giuseppe Innamorato. Ευχαριστούμε τους εθελοντές που δέχτηκαν να δώσουν συεντεύξεις στους φοιτητές για το τι σημαίνει να είσαι Ελληνοκαναδός, καθώς και όλους που μας τίμησαν στην τελευταία γαστριμαργική εργασία με ελληνικές συνταγές από τους φοιτητές μας. Σεπτέμβριος - Δεκέμβριος 2016.


The Centre for Hellenic Studies at UNB is thrilled to see students take Modern Greek courses on literature, history and culture. Here are some of their contributions:

 Adam Mickiewitz University in Poland and the University of New Brunswick students of Greek have started skyping in Greek. Our first session was about our towns. We heard the history of Pozan, facts about University Life. What we found out about our cultures has whetted our appetites for more knowledge through live communication! Below are our Universities, and famous landmarks of our towns. Με μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον παρακολουθήσαμε σήμερα, 11 Μαρτίου 2015,  τους φοιτητές στην Πολωνία που μαθαίνουν ελληνικά να παρουσιάζουν την πόλη τους και να ακούνε τους Καναδούς να κάνουν το ίδιο για το Fredericton. Είπαμε να το ξανακάνουμε!

Sarah's Ithaca. An illustration on the famous Cavafy poem. Read it HERE.
Η Ιθάκη του Καβάφη, εικονογραφημένη από τη Σάρα, φοιτήτρια Νέας Ελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας.

Created by Watereffect.net

Here is Alex's spontaneous comment on the poem, written long after the course had ended:

I was already heavily enjoying the class when one day [we were asked to] look at what has unquestionably become one of my favorite poems, Cavafy’s “Ithaka”.  What was truly great about this version was that it was a Youtube reading narrated by none other than the original James Bond himself, Sean Connery. Even better was that the background music to accompany Mr. Connery’s unique narration was composed by Vangelis. Upon hearing the synthesized music memories of “Chariots of Fire” flooded into my mind. “Is that music by Vangelis?” I asked. I was told it was. Wow, Cavafy, Connery, and Vangelis- what a trifecta! It was a fabulous use of technology to help educate a student. Whenever I read the poem (which is usually at least once a week it is seriously that amazing) I can’t help but imagine Cavafy’s stirring words being spoken in Sir Connery’s Scottish drawl. It is awesome"

UNB students read modern Greek poetry:
 
 

Nathaniel recites Seferis'  "Mythistorema".
Nathaniel, a UNB Classics student, hasn't been taught Modern Greek!

Ο Ναθαναήλ, χωρίς να έχει διδαχτεί ποτέ Νέα Ελληνικά, διαβάζει απόσπασμα της επιλογής του από το Μυθιστόρημα του Γιώργου Σεφέρη.

Ο τόπος μας είναι κλειστός, όλο βουνά,

που έχουν σκεπή το χαμηλό ουρανό μέρα και νύχτα.

Δεν έχουμε ποτάμια, δεν έχουμε πηγάδια, δεν έχουμε πηγές.

Μονάχα λίγες στέρνες, άδειες κι αυτές,

που ηχούν και που τις προσκυνούμε.

 Ήχος στεκάμενος, κούφιος, ίδιος με τη μοναξιά μας,

ίδιος με την αγάπη μας, ίδιος με τα σώματά μας.

Μας φαίνεται παράξενο που κάποτε μπορέσαμε να χτίσουμε

τα σπίτια, τα καλύβια και τις στάνες μας.

Και οι γάμοι μας, τα δροσερά στεφάνια και τα δάχτυλα,

γίνουνται αινίγματα ανεξήγητα για την ψυχή μας.

Πώς γεννήθηκαν, πώς δυναμώσανε τα παιδιά μας;

Ο τόπος μας είναι κλειστός. Τον κλείνουν οι δυο μαύρες Συμπληγάδες.

 Στα λιμάνια την Κυριακή σαν κατεβούμε ν' ανασάνουμε,

βλέπουμε να φωτίζουνται στο ηλιόγερμα σπασμένα ξύλα,

απο ταξίδια που δεν τέλειωσαν

σώματα που δεν ξέρουν πια πώς ν' αγαπήσουν.

Jordan's presentation on THE MURDERESS by Al.Papadiamantis seen from the perspective of UNB's Colloquium Theme "Contact", The Department of History, October 2012. The discussion with our Greek scholar on the novel is published HERE
Στον παραπάνω σύνδεσμο, μπορείτε να δείτε την εργασία του Ιορδάνη πάνω στη Φόνισσα του Παπαδιαμάντη, στα πλαίσια της συνάντησης που οργάνωσε το τμήμα Ιστορικών Σπουδών του  UNB με θέμα "Επαφή".

After today's Modern Greek 1 lesson, I happened to return to the classroom to get something. There it was, on the blackboard!... In times like these a declaration of friendship and trust is greatly appreciated.
Βρέθηκε στον πίνακα μετά το μάθημα των Νέων Ελληνικών για αρχαρίους. Το βρήκα εντελώς τυχαία, αν πήγαινα αύριο θα το είχαν σβήσει.
Το δημοσιεύω, γιατί σε περιόδους που η χώρα μας χρειάζεται φίλους, μια τέτοια κίνηση από τους νέους που μαθαίνουν ελληνικά, εκτιμάται αφάνταστα.
From UNB, Carleton Hall, room C255

Just made the word "μολύβι" in Greek!Tired, but still coming to the UNB Greek lesson! November 2012