Culture is a concept with many dimensions, closely related to the socialization of the individual, his way of life, education, morals and customs that he has “inherited” from the older generations. Cultural events take place in most regions of Greece throughout the year. One of them is the carnival of Tyrnavos, known as Bourani, which takes place during the days of Clean Monday, is dedicated to the god Dionysus and is known as the carnival of the phallus (Πατμαλή, 2019). If you want to taste bread in the shape of a phallus, drink your soda from a cup or straw in the shape of a phallus, eat a lollipop in the shape of a phallus, sit on a throne shaped like a phallus, listen to songs in praise of phalluses, have fun and feast (The Annual Phallus Festival in Greece, 2008), then you should definitely visit the town of Tyrnavos during those days.
This event has been taking place for over a century, as the first reference seems to come from 1898. It symbolizes the beginning of spring, the fertility of the earth, fruitfulness and vegetation. There is evidence that it was strongly fought by the Greek authorities, because it was considered that it offends the morals and customs of the place, due to its content, while for this reason only men participated initially. Women began to participate after World War II (Πατμαλή, 2019).
On the days when the Tyrnavos carnival takes place, the residents walk around in disguise in all the neighborhoods of the city holding phalluses, teasing people with gestures and talking “dirty”. Then they make “bourani”, a traditional food made of spinach, nettles, flour, vinegar and no oil (Μπουρανί: Το διονυσιακό έθιμο του…φαλλού της Καθαράς Δευτέρας στον Τύρναβο, 2019). The word “bourani” is Turkish and means cabbage rice or spinach rice (Πατμαλή, 2019). There is plenty of drink, such as wine and tsipouro, since the town of Tyrnavos is famous for its tsipouro. The city these days lives to the rhythm of the carnival and the people feast their hearts out (Μπουρανί: Το διονυσιακό έθιμο του…φαλλού της Καθαράς Δευτέρας στον Τύρναβο, 2019). The events culminate on Shrove Sunday with the parade of carnival performers and floats, which are constructed with great imagination (Πατμαλή, 2019).
You can get a small taste of this special carnival from the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo520baFhtk (Ελληνικός Ήλιος, 2019).
Bibliography
Greek
Πατμαλή, Χ.Χ. (2019). Πολιτιστικά Δρώμενα σε περιφερειακές πόλεις και εναλλακτικός τουρισμός. Το φεστιβάλ Πηνειού στη Λάρισα και το Τυρναβίτικο Καρναβάλι-Μπουρανί στον Τύρναβο και η διερεύνηση της δυναμικής τους. (Διπωματική Διατριβή, Ελληνικό Ανοιχτό Πανεπιστήμιο, 2019). Ανακτήθηκε από
https://apothesis.eap.gr/bitstream/repo/45130/1/%ce%9f%20%281%29%201%20.pdf
Μπουρανί: Το διονυσιακό έθιμο του…φαλλού της Καθαράς Δευτέρας στον Τύρναβο (2019). Retrieved November 10, 2022 from
https://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/872168/bourani-to-dionusiako-ethimo-toufallou-tis-katharas-deuteras-ston-turnavo/
Foreign
The Annual Phallus Festival in Greece (2008). Retrieved November 10, 2022 from
https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/members-only-the-annual-phallus-festival-in-greece-a-553070.html
Internet
Ελληνικός Ήλιος (2019). Μπουρανί Τυρνάβου. Available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo520baFhtk , Retrieved November 10, 2022