Travellers, Agia Pelagia, 1930s
It is difficult for anyone today to fully appreciate the isolation of most Greek island communities in the first half of the twentieth century. A relatively poor island like Kythera (Cerigo) might have regular if infrequent steamer communication with the port of Piraeus and the capital, but only a small percentage of the population would have the means, the opportunity or even much reason to take advantage of it. Except for once or twice in a lifetime journeys prompted by military service, emigration or severe medical emergency, travel on the packet steamer would normally be restricted to the island’s economic elite, commercial travellers and civil servants.
This anonymous photograph, dating from the early thirties, shows a representative enough group preparing to embark from the beach at Agia Pelagia, on the north of the island. The seven men are all wearing their city outfits, including suits, hats, ties or bow ties and town shoes. The man in the middle is holding what appears to be a small wooden box with a strap handle; it could be a container for something fragile, like a medical implement or medical samples, and he might be a doctor. The only woman among the group of travellers appears to be wearing peasant dress, but it seems nevertheless to be of better quality than the superficially similar outfit of the servant girl on the far left, who has a farouche expression and is holding some traveller’s gear, including an umbrella. Their luggage includes leather suitcases and the ubiquitous baskets and hampers which, closed by a piece of white muslin stitched into place, still served to carry everything from produce to clothing well into the seventies.
Behind them can be seen the rowboats which, in the absence of a proper harbour or mole, will carry the passengers and their luggage to the steamer when it arrives. The boatmen are elaborately indifferent to the photographer, but most of the gentlemen appear pleased with themselves.
This anonymous photograph, dating from the early thirties, shows a representative enough group preparing to embark from the beach at Agia Pelagia, on the north of the island. The seven men are all wearing their city outfits, including suits, hats, ties or bow ties and town shoes. The man in the middle is holding what appears to be a small wooden box with a strap handle; it could be a container for something fragile, like a medical implement or medical samples, and he might be a doctor. The only woman among the group of travellers appears to be wearing peasant dress, but it seems nevertheless to be of better quality than the superficially similar outfit of the servant girl on the far left, who has a farouche expression and is holding some traveller’s gear, including an umbrella. Their luggage includes leather suitcases and the ubiquitous baskets and hampers which, closed by a piece of white muslin stitched into place, still served to carry everything from produce to clothing well into the seventies.
Behind them can be seen the rowboats which, in the absence of a proper harbour or mole, will carry the passengers and their luggage to the steamer when it arrives. The boatmen are elaborately indifferent to the photographer, but most of the gentlemen appear pleased with themselves.
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Η ανώνυμη αυτή φωτογραφία των αρχών της δεκαετίας 1930 απεικονίζει μια χαρακτηριστική ομάδα ταξιδιωτών που περιμένουν να επιβιβασθούν από την ακτή της Αγίας Πελαγίας, στα βόρεια του νησιού. Οι άνδρες έχουν όλοι βάλει τα καλά τους, δηλαδή κοστούμι, καπέλο, γραβάτα ή παπιγιόν και λουστρίνια. Ο άνδρας στη μέση βαστάει ένα μικρό ξύλινο κουτί· ίσως πρόκειται για ιατρό, και το κουτί θα μπορούσε να περιέχει κάποιο εύθραυστο ιατρικό εργαλείο ή φαρμακευτικά δείγματα. Η μοναδική γυναίκα μεταξύ των επιβατών είναι ντυμένη σαν αγρότισσα, η ενδυμασία της όμως μοιάζει σαφώς καλύτερης ποιότητας από τη αντίστοιχη της κοπέλας στα αριστερά. Η δεύτερη αυτή πιθανώς να είναι υπηρέτρια· βαστάει τα υπάρχοντα κάποιου επιβάτη, ενώ η έκφρασή της, αντίθετα με τις εκφράσεις των ποιό εξοικειωμένων με τη φωτογραφία επιβατών, δείχνει αλαφιασμένη. Οι αποσκευές αποτελούνται από δερμάτινες βαλίτσες αλλά και τα πάσης χρήσεως πανέρια, που συνέχισαν να χρησιμοποιούνται μέχρι τη δεκαετία 1970 τουλάχιστον.
Πίσω τους διακρίνονται οι βάρκες με τις οποίες, ελλείψει λιμανιού ή λιμενοβραχίονος, θα προσεγγίσουν το ατμόπλοιο. Οι βαρκάρηδες δείχνουν αδιάφοροι στον φωτογράφο, οι κύριοι όμως μοιάζουν αρκούντως ικανοποιημένοι με τον εαυτό τους.
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