This episode of “Wander Words” with Katerina Batzaki took listeners to the captivating village of Foiniki in Thesprotia – a stone-built settlement that seems to hold centuries in its breath.
With the sounds of birdsong, clarinets, and traditional songs as a backdrop, listeners wandered in their imagination through the cobbled lanes and arched doorways of the village, meeting:
- Vasilis Voutsis, a retired OTE employee, guardian of a family archive that preserves the village’s history.
- Dimitra Karabina, Italian teacher and president of the Folklore Museum, who keeps tradition alive through objects and storytelling.
- Alexis Karabinas, carpenter, community leader, and father of two, who works tirelessly for the present and future of Foiniki.
From its Ottoman past and the three olive presses of the 19th century to today’s community of just 46 residents, Foiniki revealed itself as a place where stone holds memory and people continue to dream.
Produced and presented by Katerina Batzaki
Sound engineer: Konstantinos Louvaris