Last night Wegg and I were one of 5 teams asked to take part in the A.K.A. Watermelon Mashing Ritual. We missed it last year as we came over in May. Some say “mashing” and some say “bashing” It’s bad English that the Greeks have picked up from us!
They say A.K.A. because it involves Arillas , Kavvadades and Avliotes. The official term is watermelon treading and it’s a very old tradition, which is interesting because I think that’s where England got the term for a “Water Tread Mill” which eventually got shortened to a Watermill and of course Tread Mill. Mill also being the shortened version of melon. We were told, that many years ago, it involved treading on the melon. But like everything else “Health and Safety” probably got involved and stopped the practice of standing on the table, stomping away. Too many ouzos and I suppose people fell off.
5 teams of two compete. Five really mushy watermelons are placed on a long table and one member of each team has a 3 metre long bamboo cane.
This is what happened - the local Mayor shouted “Ανοητοζ για Απριληζ “ ( Aneetos yia Aprilis ) and we started whacking the melons. When the melon was sufficiently whacked or mashed the other member of the team has to pick 40 seeds from the pulp. The first one to do this is the winner.
They are very strict though and count the seeds. Our local Mon Amour Taverna owner shouted first but when they counted his seeds he had 42 and was disqualified.
(these seeds have a habit of sticking together) And we won! – thanks to a methodical Wegg, who was crowned “Τι μερα ινε σιμερα“
(Ti mera ine simera)
First prize was an instant invite to compete next year and the freedom of the village, but only where watermelons are concerned. Any time we want a watermelon we can just go to any plot and pick one – how nice is that?
This is me, duly kitted out, before the big event.
 and we started whacking the melons. When the melon was sufficiently whacked or mashed the other member of the team has to pick 40 seeds from the pulp. The first one to do this is the winner. <br /><br />They are very strict though and count the seeds. Our local Mon Amour Taverna owner shouted first but when they counted his seeds he had 42 and was disqualified.<br />( These seeds have a habit of sticking together )<br />And we won! – thanks to a methodical Wegg, who was crowned “Τι μερα ινε σιμερα“<br />( Ti mera ine simera )<br /><br />First prize was an instant invite to compete next year and the freedom of the village, but only where watermelons are concerned. Any time we want a watermelon we can just go to any plot and pick one – how nice is that?<br /><br />This is me, duly kitted out, before the big event.<br />[img]Last night Wegg and I were one of 5 teams asked to take part in the A.K.A. Watermelon Mashing Ritual. We missed it last year as we came over in May. Some say “mashing” and some say “bashing” It’s bad English that the Greeks have picked up from us! <br />They say A.K.A. because it involves Arillas , Kavvadades and Avliotes. The official term is watermelon treading and it’s a very old tradition, which is interesting because I think that’s where England got the term for a “Water Tread Mill” which eventually got shortened to a Watermill and of course Tread Mill. Mill also being the shortened version of melon. We were told, that many years ago, it involved treading on the melon. But like everything else “Health and Safety” probably got involved and stopped the practice of standing on the table, stomping away. Too many ouzos and I suppose people fell off.<br /> <br />5 teams of two compete. Five really mushy watermelons are placed on a long table and one member of each team has a 3 metre thick bamboo cane. <br /><br />This is what happened - the local Mayor shouted “Ανοητοζ για Απριληζ “ ( Aneetos yia Aprilis ) and we started whacking the melons. When the melon was sufficiently whacked or mashed the other member of the team has to pick 40 seeds from the pulp. The first one to do this is the winner. <br /><br />They are very strict though and count the seeds. Our local Mon Amour Taverna owner shouted first but when they counted his seeds he had 42 and was disqualified.<br />( These seeds have a habit of sticking together )<br />And we won! – thanks to a methodical Wegg, who was crowned “Τι μερα ινε σιμερα“<br />( Ti mera ine simera )<br /><br />First prize was an instant invite to compete next year and the freedom of the village, but only where watermelons are concerned. Any time we want a watermelon we can just go to any plot and pick one – how nice is that?<br /><br />Cheers<br />Negg<br /><br />This is me,duly kitted out, before the big event.<br />[img]Last night Wegg and I were one of 5 teams asked to take part in the A.K.A. Watermelon Mashing Ritual. We missed it last year as we came over in May. Some say “mashing” and some say “bashing” It’s bad English that the Greeks have picked up from us! <br />They say A.K.A. because it involves Arillas , Kavvadades and Avliotes. The official term is watermelon treading and it’s a very old tradition, which is interesting because I think that’s where England got the term for a “Water Tread Mill” which eventually got shortened to a Watermill and of course Tread Mill. Mill also being the shortened version of melon. We were told, that many years ago, it involved treading on the melon. But like everything else “Health and Safety” probably got involved and stopped the practice of standing on the table, stomping away. Too many ouzos and I suppose people fell off.<br /> <br />5 teams of two compete. Five really mushy watermelons are placed on a long table and one member of each team has a 3 metre thick bamboo cane. <br /><br />This is what happened - the local Mayor shouted “Ανοητοζ για Απριληζ “ ( Aneetos yia Aprilis ) and we started whacking the melons. When the melon was sufficiently whacked or mashed the other member of the team has to pick 40 seeds from the pulp. The first one to do this is the winner. <br /><br />They are very strict though and count the seeds. Our local Mon Amour Taverna owner shouted first but when they counted his seeds he had 42 and was disqualified.<br />( These seeds have a habit of sticking together )<br />And we won! – thanks to a methodical Wegg, who was crowned “Τι μερα ινε σιμερα“<br />( Ti mera ine simera )<br /><br />First prize was an instant invite to compete next year and the freedom of the village, but only where watermelons are concerned. Any time we want a watermelon we can just go to any plot and pick one – how nice is that?<br /><br />Cheers<br />Negg<br /><br />This is me,duly kitted out,before the big event.<br />[img]http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/8048/010408aoq1.jpg)
Who wants to see any more pictures? If I can persuade Wegg to post any, that is!
