Overview:

Messolonghi. A small coastal town in western Greece, marked by its historical past. During the Turkish occupation, it underwent a five-year siege (1821-1826), which ended in a heroic and bloody Exodus. According to eyewitnesses, gypsy drummers heartened the people of Messolonghi as they fought the Turkish troops. Today, the town is still inhabited by these two diverse social groups, the locals and the gypsies, who live together in peaceful co-existence, which is reaffirmed once a year by a unique communal celebration: the feast of Saint Symeon. Every year at Pentecost, locals and gypsies organize and participate in an exhausting five-day Dionysian celebration. Throughout the feast, the music is played exclusively by gypsies, creating an ecstatic atmosphere that cuts through social classes