Culture

The arts have been integral to Greek life since ancient times. In summer, Greek dramas are staged in the ancient theatres where they were originally performed. Greek literature's ancient heritage spans poetry, drama, philosophical and historical treatises, and travelogues. Western civilisation's mania for logic and 'ideas' can be traced directly back to the musings of ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and the West's sciences, arts and politics are also deeply indebted to classical Greece. These days, the novelist Nikos Kazantzakis is the most widely read Greek writer, and there is a vibrant poetic tradition in modern Greece that includes the Nobel laureates George Seferis and Odysseus Elytis. A thriving visual-arts scene exists, and traditional folk crafts such as embroidery, weaving and tapestry continue. Rembetika music, with its themes of poverty and suffering, was banned under the junta but is becoming increasingly popular among young people. Greece's most acclaimed film director is Theodoros Angelopoulos, whose films include The Beekeeper and Travelling Players.

The Greek language is probably the oldest in Europe, with a 4000-year oral tradition and a 3000-year written tradition. Today, Greek constitutes a large part of the vocabulary of any Indo-European language, and much of the lexicon of any scientific repertoire. Modern Greek is a southern dialect adopted as a standardised version of the language and differs substantially from Katharevousa, the artificial language loosely based on Ancient Greek that was instated by various right-wing puritanical regimes this century. Katharevousa is still evident on street signs and can cause endless confusion for the tourist.

About 98% of Greeks are Greek Orthodox; the rest of the population is Roman Catholic, Jewish or Muslim. Religion is integral to life in Greece and the Greek year is centred on the festivals of the church calendar.

Much of Greece's culinary heritage can be sourced to the 400 years of Turkish rule, particularly appetisers such as tzatziki (cucumber and yoghurt dip) and octopus pickled in lemon juice and olive oil. Cheap snacks such as souvlaki (skewered, grilled meat in pita bread) and spanakopita (spinach and cheese pie) are easy to find. Popular main dishes include mousakas (eggplant baked with minced meat and béchamel sauce), stuffed tomatoes, and freshly grilled seafood. The mainstay of the Greek diet is the ubiquitous horiatiki salata (country salad), consisting of cucumber, tomatoes, onions, feta cheese and olives. Greek yoghurt, more like sour cream than the thin sharp-tasting version available in most countries, is delicious and sold everywhere. The old joke about the Greek woman who used to shout to her husband 'Come and eat your lunch before it gets hot' is based on truth, for Greek food is invariably served lukewarm. Typical Greek drinks include ouzo, tsipouro and raki.

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