SAE Excursion to Tarpon Springs (AAA 2024)
On October 1, 2024 by Ognjen KojanićSAE Excursion to Tarpon Springs: A Multi-sensory and Embodied Introduction to the Greek-American Community’s Cultural Life and Histories
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
13:45 – 22:30
Tarpon Springs, Florida is a unique and highly interesting community founded in the late 19th century. Greeks from the Aegean islands, particularly the Dodecanese islands of Kalymnos, Symi and Halki, introduced diving to the local sponge industry beginning in 1905. They not only made Tarpon Springs a major sponge business center, but also a majority Greek town for the first half of the 20th century. It is renowned for its sponge economy, sponge diving practices, musical traditions, dance education, cemetery arts and vibrant social life, as well as its ongoing ties with the home islands.
In collaboration with folklorist Tina Bucuvalas, former Curator of Arts and Historical Resources for the City of Tarpon Springs, SAE has organized a multi-sensory and embodied introduction to the community’s dynamic social and cultural life. It will be an opportunity to learn about the community’s flexible engagement with its syncretistic traditions, its evolving explorations of its own local and transnational histories and its current social, cultural and economic challenges.
We will start at the Sponge Docks, meeting Captain Anastasios Karistinos, a sponge boat captain and diver, and Nick Toth, master helmet maker for the sponge diver’s costume, to learn about the changing arts, technologies and economies of sponge diving. A 1-mile urban walking tour of circa 90 minutes will follow, guided by Tina Bucuvalas: it will include Greek Town, the miraculous family shrine of St. Michael and St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. Along the way, we’ll have multiple breaks to meet and hear from additional community leaders: including Rev. Milton Smith, African American retired pastor on histories of co-existence and conflict among Greek-American, African American and Bahamian community members and Sexton Dale Terrell on the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral and the social significance of Greek Orthodoxy in Tarpon Springs.
Eventually, we will move to the Greek restaurant, Mama’s. Over Greek mezedes (snacks), Tina Bucuvalas, also an authority on Greek-American music, along with the renowned Tarpon-based musician and teacher Leonidas Zafiris, will talk to us about Greek-American musical/dance practice and local histories of innovation by Tarpon Springs-based musicians, with Leonidas and his ensemble playing a specially curated playlist of songs. We will receive instruction in one or two island dances, by Maria Kouskoutis, director of Levendia, the town’s highly reputed dance troupe. As the evening unfolds, we will have the opportunity to join Tarpon community members in eating, drinking and dancing, sharing Greek-American sociability and, if we’re lucky, the highly valued state of “kefi”, or collective high spirits.
The excursion is open to all AAA members. As well as introducing participants to the Tarpon Springs Greek-American community’s cultural, social and economic practices, it offers opportunities for networking among student and professional anthropologists. It will appeal to those with interests in southern European immigrant communities, Greece and Greeks in diaspora, Florida’s multiracial community histories, the sponge economy and transnational cultural practices and histories (music, dance, Greek Orthodoxy).
Departure: Tampa Bay Convention Center (exact location to be confirmed) at 13:45 for 14:00 departure by pre-booked shared taxis. Arrival in Tarpon Springs between 15-15:30.
Return: Taxis depart Tarpon Springs at 21:30, return to the Convention Center between 22:30-23:00.
Costs: Except for Student Members of the SAE (whose costs SAE will subsidize), participants cover costs of the evening meal (which includes snacks, food, coffee, tea or soft drinks, tax and gratuity; wine and beer can be purchased separately) and round-trip transportation by shared taxi, pre-arranged by SAE. Honoraria to Tarpon Springs’ community associations, experts and musicians are provided by a 2024 AAA Community Engagement Grant; we gratefully acknowledge AAA’s support.
Special Price for SAE Student Members: $50.
SAE Student Members should write to Jane Cowan to obtain your discount code, to use when registering or editing your registration. If you are not already a member of SAE, you can join now for $12/year. After you’ve joined, write to Jane to request the discount code, providing a copy of your receipt as proof of SAE membership.
All other AAA members: $95
ALSO, please complete this short information form.
Participants must pay for the excursion and (if applicable) SAE student membership at the time of registration. Places are limited to 24 participants. Deadline for registration is Tuesday, November 12, 23:59 EST but we may fill our places sooner. Register early to secure a place!!
