The “mantakoi” are ticks that torment sheep and other animals. Especially the sheep, not only do they weaken them, but they can also lead them to death. The tick doesn’t have a large body, but its stomach, when filled with blood, can grow to the size of a bean.
Category Archives: LIVESTOCK FARMING
Livestock farming in Crete has long been a cornerstone of both the island’s economy and social fabric, with herders holding an important position within their communities. They often operated in informal cooperatives, governed by unwritten rules that regulated the division of income and livestock. Terms such as maxoulosymmisiaka and xehartzista defined the nature of partnerships and responsibilities among members. Although the life of the herder has changed significantly over time, these customs and traditional agreements reflect a tough yet structured rural way of life deeply rooted in Cretan heritage.
Out there in the countryside, a shepherd is “repairing” (mending) his boots. In the past, shepherds usually wore boots, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to suddenly get “worn out” up on the mountain peak (to tear so badly that walking became impossible). Because of this possibility, he always kept his “arai” with him in […]
During the German occupation I worked on the matatoAnd we spent ten days heading downWe were four people like the spent times the occupation, the three-damned.
In May or June, the sheep are shorn. Friends and relatives of the shepherds come to help, but also to take part, because the shearing is a celebration for the sheep. When the shearing is finished, it’s time for feasting, often singing, and sometimes even shooting contests.
At the end of springtime, the sheep get shorn, the shearing is honored as the sheep’s own celebration. They invite friends and family to help with the work, But also to join in the feast and the merriment afterward.
Some things that today seem simple and outdated, just a few decades ago were inaccessible to those with meager means. For example, the scale wasn’t affordable, not even for the grocers. They used the balance scales (“kantaria”), which had a hook at the top and hung from a wooden beam carried on the shoulders of […]
Back in the days of thieves and poverty, the “smart guys” would regularly steal baby goats. To make them seem wild so the owners wouldn’t recognize them, they would attach agrimokokkalo (wild animal bone) to the bucks.