7th MessolonghibyLocals Festival participation

Our participation in the 7th Festival of the Locals, which is organized annually by the #MessolonghibyLocals team, was about joining the discussion: “Living Traditions, Contemporary Identities”, as well as organizing a hands-on workshop. “Reed and Straw: exploring the natural materials of the pelada and their weaving.” This combination of activities brought us closer to people who are carriers of traditional local knowledge, as well as to practices that shape the contemporary identity of Messolonghi. During the workshop, we constructed reed panels (kalamotes) based on ethnographic research we had conducted through interviews with fishermen and by sourcing the corresponding natural materials. These panels are used to form the structural elements of barriers in the ivaria (natural fish farms), as well as partitions in different sections of the pelada (the seasonal living and working space of fishermen within the lagoon).

Furthermore, through the study of traditional building techniques of the pelada, we discovered the weaving methods of its protective layers, namely the double-pitched roof and its walls. Within the workshop, we revived these techniques and built two pilot frames with the different weavings—one for the roof and one for the wall. We warmly thank all the participants for the unique experience we shared by the Kleisova Lagoon, as well as the Messolonghi by Locals team for the excellent collaboration. We are already planning our next actions!