9781422277423

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C onn ect i ng C u ltu r es T hrough F am i ly and F ood

Introduction Home at the Table

M aybe it’s not surprising that, for centuries, many Greeks never left their homeland. Travel- ing abroad was difficult, since the country’s mainland is mostly bor- dered by the sea. Famous legends told of Greek sailors who explored distant lands, but that wasn’t a way of life for most. Trekking through the mountainous interior was also time-consumingandtreacherous, es- peciallybeforemechanizedvehicles entered the picture. Offshore, the smattering of islands that freckles the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionian seaswas home to peoplewho were even more isolated. Still, there was little reason to leave. Greece is one of the oldest developed civilizations in theworld. It’s famous for being the birthplace

of democracy. The weather’s pretty good too, with gentle sea breezes and the warm climate of the Med- iterranean. People caught a boun- ty of fish and other seafood from the ocean. Inland, goats and sheep roamed the rocky mountains. And although the land isn’t particularly good for farming, people were able to raise some important crops, such as olives and grapes. Eventually people did venture out, though.WhenGreece facedhard times, peoplewere forced to leave in search of a better life. They didn’t take much with them. They packed someclothes, a littlemoney, andmay- beafamilyphotograph.But theyalso brought something that didn’t take up any room in their suitcase: their culture.Theyhadmusic, folkdances,