Greek Like Me: Recent Episodes
Pamela Diotes Wood
A podcast about all things Greek. History. Language. Lore. Culture. Food. Mythology. Family and more. From diners to the Ottoman Empire, from the history of baklava to Greek Independence. What it means to be Greek and how it shapes our world.
Influential hymnographer, poet, and champion of her faith, St.Kassiani was a devout, fearless, badass holy woman, and feminist.
Hymn of Kassiani
The Hymn of Kassianí (medieval melody) - Cappella Romana
Award-winning Photographer George Tatakis travels throughout rural Greece documenting Greek culture, traditions, and traditional dress. He shares his adventures, what he’s learned about our culture, and why black and white.
Black and White Photography/George Tatakis
Exploring Greece's Unseen Corners - New York Times
George Tatakis - YouTube
Why Greeks bound the fight for independence to the Feast Day of the Annunciation. And how the sacrifice and faith of the Virgin Mary resounded with the Greek fight for liberty.
Theodoros Vryzakis The Bishop of Old Patras Germanos Blesses the Flag of the Revolution, 1865
Traditional Greek Recipe: Bakaliaros Skordalia
Bakaliaros Skordalia/Cod Fritters with Garlic Potato Dip
Where did stuffed grape leaves originate? Who started the ancient fad of rolling up food in leaves? it’s another food fight, as we investigate claims and age old recipes.
Deipnosophistae - Gulik translation
Deipnosophistae - Bill Thayer site
How to Harvest and Preserve Fresh Grape Leaves
Greek Dolmades - Stuffed Vine Leaves Recipe
A tragic tale of a love lost, and one man’s heroic effort to use the only weapon he has to persuade the Lord of Death to give her back: his music.
Artist Tristan MacDougall
Tristan on Instagram
Anderson Gallery - BSU
Siren artwork - Britannica
Join us for an episode of restless dead, vengeful wraiths, protective spirits, and ghosts summoned to serve the living.
A man of conscience continues to push the Greek Orthodox faithful in America to take a stand for justice and equal rights in the 1960s and beyond. And scholars’ take on the bizarre “reverse empathy” of today’s conservative Greeks.
A Conversation on Racial Reconciliation
The Black American Orthodox Experience
The Greek Genocide of Asia Minor wiped out two thousand years of Hellenic history in Anatolia. Refugees found hope in a sickly Methodist minister from New York State.
Greek Genocide Resource Center
Forgetting the Smyrna Fire
600 years of brutal persecution by Turkish oppressors culminated in the Greek Genocide of Asia Minor. We’ll talk historical context and introduce Asa Jennings, the humble American who said “Enough!”
https://www.greek-genocide.net
Genocide of Armenians - Hellenism Asia Minor 1922: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp_oLQ3h60A&t=5s
Minor Asia Greek Disaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG7Dzc8SiFM
Exaltation of the Holy Cross: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjFwmHKwmCg
Why is September 1 a big deal for Orthodox Christians? We explore the purpose and history of the Ecclesiastical New Year, St. Symeón the Stylite, and the Green Patriarch.
Patriarchal Encyclical For the Indiction Published 8/27/20
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartolomeo chants "Φως ιλαρόν" Joyous Light
What is the Ecclesiastical New Year?
Mómos, Greek god of mockery, blame, scathing criticism and satire. How the Joan Rivers of Mt. Olympus became a vessel for social criticism and rebellion throughout time.
Happy Pride! The embodiment of gay pride in 4th century BCE was the Sacred Band of Thebes - an elite fighting unit made up of 150 pairs of male lovers. Their love-bond was considered a source of moral virtue and military strength as they battled tyrants in the name of Greek freedom.
Join us for an intriguing conversation with Thaao Penghlis about the quest for Priam’s treasure, the Lion Gate at Mycenae and the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. We’ll talk about his travels, and his podcast, Thaao Penghlis’s The Lost Treasures, where he follows the path of 19th century Homer fanboy Heinrich Schliemann in his hunt to prove the people and places of the Illiad were real.
Thaao Penghlis's The Lost Treasures Episode 1
Parthenon by Costa-Gavras
Greek Firewalkers have been accused of paganism, even satanism. But nothing will shake the dedication of these devout Orthodox Christians to the seven hundred year old tradition of the Anastenária.
Glimpses of an Ancient Fire-Walking Ritual in Northern Greece
Demetrios Ioannou Instragram
Demetrios Ioannou website
GREECE: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GATHER TO WATCH INTERNATIONAL FIREWALKING CEREMONY.
FIREWALKING
Over 80% of Greek Jews were annihilated during the Holocaust. Renée Benmeleh joins us to share the stories of her fierce Yiayia who survived the Nazi machine against tremendous odds with tenacity, spirit, and a love of life
Visit Renée’s Website:
Sound Nourishment - Renée Benmeleh
Explore testimonies of Holocaust survivors:
USC Shoah Foundation
Why Orthodox call Easter Pascha, the spiritual symbolism of red Easter eggs - and how Greeks square off in an egg cracking competition that will leave one egg standing.
Closing music: Holy Thursday Hymn Simeron kremate epi xilou featuring Iro Saia
Greek Easter Egg Fight
Ukrainian Easter Egg Decorating Kit
Fresco of Mary Magdalene presenting red egg to Tiberius
Rescues, betrayal, and assassination: a civil war in the middle of the Greek Revolution resulted in Greeks killing Greeks, nearly derailing the fight for Independence. Bouboulina’s heroic feats couldn’t save her.
The Brave Stepped Back: The Life and Times of Laskarina Bouboulina Documentary film by April Kalogeropoulos Householder
The Bouboulina Museum
Kolokotronis and Bouboulina become wax figures in Kavala
Bouboulina rebels: Patriarchy, secret plots and the Ottoman Empire. A preamble to the Greek Revolution
An Introduction to a Heroine of the Greek Revolution and Her Context
What Americans mean by “white,” Greek allies, and how a Greek Orthodox Archbishop rallied his flock to step up for Civil Rights at a time when conforming was the only way to succeed in America.
Black Children Arrested & Assaulted in Birmingham/The Children's Crusade
The Bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church
Hellenism and the Civil Rights Movement
Archbishop Iakovos Reflects on Joining Dr. King on Selma March
Apokries means Carnival Season in Greece, and Patras Carnival is the biggest. Inspired by Dionysus, influenced by Venice and France, it has a nearly two hundred year history of Masquerade balls, parades, a near-diplomatic crisis, arson, and treasure hunts. Καλές Απόκριες!
Patras Carnival 2019
Patras Carnival 2023 - TV spot
Carnival in Naoussa / Apokries Naoussas
APOKRIES IN ATHENS
Patras Carnival website
απόκριες thessaloniki
Jews have been in Greece since classical times. After thousands of years, these Greek citizens were nearly wiped out during the Holocaust. Join us in honoring the Greek Jews. Never forget.
My People Official Trailer
The Secret of Ereikoussa/The Greek Island that Hid Jews from Nazis
Holocaust Survivor Testimonies: Deportation from Greece
Once, the Twelve Days of Christmas didn’t mean turtledoves and gold rings to the Greeks, but hordes of vicious goblins causing mayhem. We’ll explore the history of the kalikántzaroi, and how to protect yourself during the most wonderful - and scariest - time of the year.
Greek Christmas Trolls: Kallikántzaroi
Λάχανα και Χάχανα - Καλικάντζαροι | Official Music Video
Καλικάντζαροι
Closing music: Kalikantzari (feat. Pediki Horodia Spirou Lambrou), from Hristougenniatika Lahana Ke Hahana; Hahana Kids & Tassos Ioannides
He rescued children, averted a famine, and was the patron saint of sailors, brides, and pirates. Nearly 1,700 years later St. Nicholas continues to inspire the best in us.
Could Ancient Bones Suggest Santa was Real? U of Oxford
The Bones of the Real-Life Santa Claus
The Real St. Nick is a Far Cry From the Santa we Know
Inside NYC's National Shrine: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
In the early days of Greco-Italian War, as their region was being invaded, and their villages attacked by the Italian army, the women of the Pindus stepped up to fight back and keep the Greek army going.
Women of Epirus
Γυναίκες Ηπειρώτισσες (Women of Epirus) Monument
Women of Epirus and Their Social Status from Ancient to Modern Times
Women of the Pindos/Paul Vrellis Museum
Why the understanding of what it is to be Greek has changed over time. And why I’m here for it!
Greek Identity White Paper
Greece has always been a land of gods and monsters. But who knew there are more species of vampires in Greece than anywhere else in the world? We’ll dive into our tales of Greek man-eaters, murder and mayhem.
Modern Greek Folklore & Ancient Greek Religion
Oxi Day - October 28, 1940 was the day Greece took a stand against a powerful fascist army and put a crimp in Hitler’s grand plan for world domination. In the months that followed, Greece inspired war-ravaged Europe, and diverted and delayed the Italian and German armies long enough to impact the course of World War 2. Ζήτω η Ελλάς! Long Live Greece!
How Greece saved Europe in world war 2
28 October 1940 - "Heroes fight like Greeks"
How Greece Helped the Allies Win WW2
We’re going to follow the Parthenon Marbles, damaged and orphaned, to their new place of residence, in England. And discover how a government claiming it was based on justice, abetted one of the biggest heists of all time. Give them back!!
Parthenon Battle?National Geographic
How the Parthenon Marbles Ended Up in the British Museum
The Parthenon and its spectacular marbles survived for two thousand years. Then Ottoman Occupation enabled an opportunistic British diplomat to run amok among Greece’s greatest monuments, and pillage the symbol of Greek civilization and democracy.
The Unexplained: Sacred Greek Temple is an Optical Illusion
Phidias, Parthenon Sculptures
For 2,500 years the most spectacular marble statues ever seen graced the Parthenon, atop the Acropolis in Athens. For all of that time artists, architects, mathematicians, and scholars studied and admired the Temple of Athena and her sculptures. We’ll talk history, the man who envisioned the Acropolis complex, and why the Parthenon Marbles are pride and “essence of Greekness.”
Phidias, Parthenon Sculptures
The Parthenon/History/Acropolis of Athens
How a Turkish shadow puppet evolved into a symbol of Greek suffering and resistance. Funny and subversive, Karagiózis connected Greeks in cities, villages and islands by keeping their music, culture and the seeds of resistance alive; sustaining Greeks through the Ottoman Occupation, the War for Independence, civil war, Nazi brutality and military oppression.
Karagiozis makes bullying
Ευγένιος Σπαθάρης Ο Καραγκιόζης Γιατρός
What led up to the ethnic cleansing of Anatolia and the destruction of Türkiye’s most beautiful and ethnically diverse city, erasing Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians and Jews from the region for the first time in 2,500 years. Guest Helen Vardakis shares her family’s escape in 1922 from Kemal’s blueprint for genocide.
Asia Minor of Our Heart.02 Photos Until August 1922
Smyrna: The Destruction of a Cosmopolitan City
1922 The Destruction of Smyrna
Guest Georgia Dourdoulakis explains why icons are so important to the Orthodox Church; how they are NOT “graven images;” why we say they are written, not drawn; and what theology in colors means.
Learning to Read Icons
Reading Icons 1
Iconography/What is an Icon?
Overnight Greece went from democracy to military dictatorship, and Melina went from privileged society girl and actor to political juggernaut. How love of country launched her from star of the Broadway stage into battle for soul of Greece.
Interview with Jules Dassin/Studs Terkel
Greek actor/politician Melina Mercouri on being a national hero
Melina Mercouri - The Last Greek Goddess
A Greek Cafe Dedicated to Melina Mercouri
Our thanks to the Melina Mercouri Foundation for permission to use photos from their gallery
Melina becomes a worldwide film star with Never on Sunday, flops as Lady MacBeth and meets her hero, Greta Garbo. Then she and new hubby, Jules Dassin, open Illya Darling! on Broadway
Stella (1955)
"Never on Sunday" Trailer
Never on Sunday (Nuncio en Domingo)
Mes amis d'hier Melina Mercouri
Melina’s rising star on the stage, while chaos and Civil War rocked the country. And how she finally made her way into film.
Melina Mercouri. Rebel, actor, anti-fascist, government official. The life and times of a Greek treasure, who broke the rules, made history, and risked everything for love of her country,
Melina Mercouri - Laterna
Melina Mercouri Samiotisa
Melina Mercouri Tribute
We share more about past episodes Cats in Greece, sports superstar Harry Agganis, and Why Greeks Spit.
Imam and Cat
Why Do Greeks Spit to Ward Off Evil Spirits?
Why do Greeks spit on the ones they love? And what’s with the “M” word? Greek protections and insults, all part of being Greek like me.
Why Do Greeks Spit to Ward Off Evil Spirits?
Mahlepi or Mahlab. Find out what it is, where it comes from, and why it’s the spice treasured in Greece, Türkiye, the Middle East, and Armenia.
How to Make the Best Greek Tsoureki Easter Bread
Mahlepi Simit Tarifi/Turkish Bagels With Mahlab Recipe
"Flaounes" Traditional Cypriot Easter Bread
Ultimate Ma'moul & Ka'ak bi Ajwa Family Recipe
Lebanese Milk Kaak/Kaak Bhaleeb
The Smell of Home: Pogaça
Εκάτη. Greek goddess of sorcery, witchcraft, ghosts, crossroads, the night. Mother of monsters. Patron deity of sorceresses, Summoned by those bearing a grudge to curse their enemies. Εκάτη is worthy of a Halloween episode, but she didn’t start out that way.
The Greek Hellenistic Altar in Berlin: the Pergamon Altar
Hekate/Emmanuel Manalakos
Podcasting, Cats, and how you are not even Greek if you don’t have some representation of the Parthenon on your wall.
The Golden Greek, Harry Agganis. His life and death are as inspiring as they are heartbreaking. A sports legend by his teens, he broke records in high school and college. He was finally living the dream as a pro baseball player when his bright light was unexpectedly snuffed out.
Harry Agganis: Legend and Legacy
Agganis Arena at Boston University
The Golden Greek
Why Plaka is known as “the neighborhood of the gods,” and how war, invasion, occupation and Greek freedom made it what it is today.
The Roman Toilets of Ancient Athens - 3D Restoration
Roman Agora and Tower of the Winds
Plaka: The Athenian Neighborhood of the Gods
Why are there so many cats in Greece? Where did they come from? We turned to Greek history, mythology, and the island nation of Cyprus looking for answers.
God's Little People Cat Rescue
Come on A Cat Tour in Athens
Greek and Spanish are two TOTALLY different languages, but some words sound alike. Misunderstandings and mixups are par for the course in our Spanish-Greek family.
Spanish Words That Sound Like Greek
Spanish Words That Sound Like Greek 2
We’re back after a 2 week hiatus with an episode about finally getting to the mother country! We’re sharing a few highlights and what we learned on our trip to make travel around Athens and a few of the islands easier.
Growing up we celebrated two Easters: American Easter and Greek Easter. Wait...why are there two Easters? It's complicated.
Calculating Easter/Pascha
Why is Orthodox Easter Celebrated on a Different Date?
Even though my mom was born in NJ, like half a dozen of her cousins and her brother, the other kids were still called Americans. To differentiate them from the rest of us, the Greeks. Because we should be proud! Lucky for us she ruled the house and our lives with an iron fist!
American Moms vs Greek Moms
American Moms vs Greek Moms Pt 5
Greek Moms with Girls
Explaining to my non-Greek friends why we’re having yet ANOTHER memorial for my mother. It's part of my culture, it's comforting. And my mother loved being the center of attention.
Trisagion Prayers for Boston Marathon Victims at Hellenic College Holy Cross
HCHCMedia is the YouTube Channel of Hellenic College Holy Cross
Evlogitaria of the dead
How To Make Kolyva - Saturday of the Souls!
How “Greek Fire,” the passionate obsession with the war, swept through the US, rallying its people to the Greek cause. And how a diplomat’s son and an enslaved Black man became heroes in the Greek War for Independence.
Links:
The Greek Revolution Through American Eyes
contact us at stealthgreek@gmail.com
website: stealthgreek.com
Evzones: Find out why they're the coolest, bravest, best-loved representation of everything Greece stands for. A primer on the history of the evzones, from Homer’s well-girt men to the brigands and rebels against the Ottoman Empire. And why do they dress the way they do? The answer may surprise you.
EVZONES a short documentary. Athensflat
A Greek Evzone Made in USA
The men behind Greece's presedential guard soldiers
BBC News - Meet the 'unflinching' Greek Presidential Guard
Dimitra Hatziadam YouTube
Dimitra Hatziadam Instagram
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Learn enough Greek to impress the waiters or wow the in-laws. Find out how pronunciation makes all the difference in English and in Greek. Guest MaryAnne Kokidis clues us in, including what NOT to say when we Speak Greek.
Lent is a HUGE deal in Greek culture. It’s shaped our religious life, home life and even the way we see the world. And our Greekness has shaped how we observe Lent, from preparation for the coming fast to the food we eat for over 40 days. Whether you’re practicing the religion or not, if you’re Greek, it's a part of who you are
Dozens of countries have been feeding baklava to their families for generations. But who invented it? We take a deep dive into this international food fight.
How Phyllo Is Handmade By One Of Greece's Last Pastry Masters | Still Standing
Gastris - Ancient Greek Sweet
Legendary Syrian Baklava | How Its Made?
Stealthgreek website
002 Look Greek
A few of my favorite Greek stereotypes. We’re not all plate-throwing diner owners! What’s worse? Being stereotyped by non-Greeks or navigating the Greek Community when you don’t look Greek (I’m a Stealth Greek!) Polishing my “Kiss Me, I’m Greek” badge to cut through the confusion
.Support Greek Like Me. Please like, review, subscribe, and share!
http://www.stealthgreek.com for links to podcast, sources, fun links, photos, and more
Trailer for Greek Like Me
Get a taste of what’s coming in the trailer for Greek Like Me podcast, exploring the Greek American community and all things Greek. For Ellenes, Hellenophiles or anyone interested in learning about other cultures. Host Pamela Diotes Wood addresses the difference between GRΣΣΚs and Greeks. (Hint, Σ = S, not E. Aren’t these people in college??!!)
Today I’ll introduce myself and you’ll find out: what’s with the Anglo surname; why the name Pamela is only Greekish; and why Greeks think Pamela is my “American” name.
Support Greek Like Me. Please rate, review, subscribe, and share!
http://www.stealthgreek.com for links to podcast, sources, fun links, photos, and more