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USF Libraries Exhibits

Traditional Culture: Introduction

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In Greece, the mountains and sea created barriers so that villages and towns, islands and provinces developed distinctive forms of traditional culture.  There also is an ongoing process in which certain cultural elements are preserved, while others are replaced or altered in response to new conditions.  Today, mass media and transportation reinforce cultural heritage for the Greek diaspora.  And it is not uncommon to spend the summer in the family’s ancestral village, so Greek Americans need no longer choose between their two homelands. 

In Tarpon Springs, Greek identity is expressed and reinforced through a wide array of everyday activities and special events. It is reflected in the built environment, boats, occupations, music and dance in restaurants or embedded in community events, social or regional organizations, rites of passage, beliefs, family values, foodways, and religious practices.