“Have you ever ever seen so many individuals right here? Not even on the fifteenth of August!” exclaims a younger lady from the village of Stefani to her pal, her eyes vibrant with pleasure and sentiment as she watches 400 folks with musical devices fill the village sq.. Musicians Ex Machina is a bunch of motorcycle-riding musicians who every year breathe new life into distant Greek villages by way of their occasions. And this September they selected her village. Stefani of Aspropotamos (or Skliniasa within the Vlach dialect) is a village situated excessive within the mountains of Trikala close to the border with Epirus, sitting at 1,480 meters and surrounded by three mountain peaks.
Throughout winter, the village has no everlasting residents. Andreas and Antigone, who’ve taken over the village café, come up solely on some weekends with buddies. In summer season, issues are somewhat higher: just a few expatriates return for his or her holidays, together with shepherds who nonetheless deliver their flocks right here and some hunters when looking is permitted. Traditionally a transhumant Vlach village, Stefani has by no means had a big inhabitants within the winter, however within the summers it was vibrant. And up till September 2023, there was a paved highway that led to the village, however then the realm was devastated by Storm Daniel. Now, the whole Aspropotamos space is accessible solely by filth roads, as streams, rivers, and the Aspropotamos River itself—that’s the Achelous—become a large torrent that swept away every thing in its path.
Stefani shouldn’t be the one village touched by solitude. For many years, as is well-known, Greece’s mountain villages have been steadily emptying. In winter, wild boars, wolves and bears cross by way of untroubled, and nature, within the absence of people, reclaims what’s hers. The villages lie blanketed in snow and silence. And whereas post-COVID a want to return to the countryside has emerged, life in mountainous areas nonetheless poses vital challenges for younger households as a result of absence of colleges, medical amenities, public transport, and even satisfactory roads.
In defiance of this gradual desertion, Musicians Ex Machina have been using their bikes into these remoted villages for the previous six years. They aren’t a collective or an affiliation however a tight-knit group of motorcycle-riding musicians who manage spontaneous, three-day festivities, an concept sparked by musician Dimitris Mystakidis and embraced by others. Many among the many group already traveled across the mountains of Greece with their motorbikes, devices and tents – the concept was merely to do it on the identical time all collectively and work with locals to symbolically revive a distant village for a short spell. “Nobody leads, nobody follows, nobody is unnoticed,” says Mystakidis, who in fact understands that the initiative is unlikely to vary the scenario in these villages from in the future to the following, however believes it might shift just a few views and produce pleasure to native communities. Sharing and solidarity are the core values right here.
And Mystakidis stays true to his motto: he doesn’t lead. Every particular person contributes as they might on a visit with buddies – even when the group has now grown to 400-500 folks. To help such gatherings, the musicians collaborate with a neighborhood affiliation in every village, which helps safe food and drinks for the vacationers. Nonetheless, the group all the time arrives ready with their very own provides, as these distant villages will not be able to cowl all of their wants.
That mentioned, the residents of Stefani had been able to host, ready like true professionals. Dozens of younger volunteers from the encircling space, together with the cultural affiliation from the neighboring village of Krania, organized every thing brilliantly, spending three sleepless autumn days and nights each internet hosting and celebrating. The income from guests’ purchases all the time goes towards native infrastructure initiatives, which Musicians Ex Machina verify with every village beforehand. In Stefani, they raised €8,900, which can go towards restoring the stone path that results in a scenic viewpoint above the village. What’s extra, this yr, the village of Helidona in Evrytania – final yr’s vacation spot for Musicians Ex Machina – donated a further €300 to Stefani, a type of solidarity that seems to be making a community.
Nature, music, coexistence
These gatherings aren’t your typical village festivals, nor are they for everybody. They arrive with their very own set of challenges – outside residing in autumn, broken roads, and a scarcity of cellphone service. And there are just a few guidelines: there have to be no involvement of political figures or sponsors, and the villages chosen are solely those who have populations within the single digits, are troublesome to achieve and have a transparent want for help—just like the fire-ravaged Tsapournia in Evia two years in the past, or Stefani this yr whose highway community and electrical energy grid have but to be repaired following the impression of Storm Daniel.
Amid the indescribably wealthy nature of Aspropotamos, we noticed electrical energy pylons snapped and dangling from their strains, roads that had been swallowed by rivers, slopes eroded into landslides, and big uprooted tree trunks scattered throughout the panorama. But, we additionally noticed 400 folks arrive from the Friday onwards – some in teams, others solo – every able to contribute to the expertise, understanding they’d all be united right here. Tents popped up in playgrounds, open areas, the courtyard of the church of Aghia Paraskevi, and even nestled within the gardens and balconies of properties that had opened their gates for the gathering.
We noticed guitars, bouzoukis, accordions, and toubeleki drums performed impromptu day and evening, and not using a set checklist, amplifiers or microphones, the music flowing naturally. We noticed folks from all throughout Greece – Anchialos, Thessaloniki, Komotini, Kalamata – courageous the fractured roads, the prospect of rain, and a humidity so intense it made every thing drip at evening, and sing till dawn beneath the good aircraft tree. We noticed locals enjoying their clarinets, weaving Epirote melodies into the air and voicing their considerations over hydroelectric initiatives that threaten the Aspropotamos panorama. We noticed the ladies of Krania arrive laden with trays of pies, cauldrons of bean soup simmering within the open air, and a grill serving up infinite souvlakia. The Greek Rescue Group from Trikala gave workshops on first support within the occasion of a bike accident.
For 3 days, we heard beloved rebetika tunes fill the air as folks sang, danced, and reveled collectively in a rare present of connection and pleasure. At 8 a.m. on Sunday, we heard the bouzouki of 1 Apostolis, who had performed by way of the evening, echoing throughout the mountains with “Prin to Charama” (Earlier than the Daybreak) – then whole silence. It was like a manifesto in opposition to the state’s neglect of nature and mountain communities, but additionally a message of hope: that maybe these individuals who assume and act collectively can create a greater world.
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