The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (CIHEAM MAICh), the Municipality of Platanias, and KEDIP invite the public to the screening of the Nokimander “AGRIA HORTA (Wild Greens)– A precious heritage” produced by the municipality of Platanias/KEDIP in collaboration with “New Television”, directed by Katerina Bikaki.
The film will be screened at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania at the “Poseidon” Hall on Monday, April 24, 2023.
Screening duration 1 hour
Starts at: 19.30
Director’s note: Katerina Bikaki
They played an important role in the difficult living conditions of the Cretans, in times of war, in times of poverty and deprivation, as their consumption ensured food and survival. Wild greens have always provided the Cretan household with the possibility of an economical and easy food. They were not only the food of the poor farmers of Crete but also of the bourgeoisie, as they always supplemented their rich diet. The simplicity and moderation that characterizes Cretan cuisine finds its expression in the nutritional utilization of greens.
Wild greens are found in the Cretan diet from prehistoric times until today.
The way they are prepared is an experience of a lifetime, and at the same time a great recipe for health. The great knowledge of collecting and processing wild greens, the imaginative and simple way of preparing foods containing greens is found in human oral culture, and their place in everyday life and in the local customary context, constitute a valuable expression of our intangible cultural heritage. Today, however, this legacy is being eroded and gradually lost due to globalization, which reduces the appreciation of specificity, so its recording becomes urgent.
Apart from the fact that wild edible greens are a healthy diet proposal, especially for younger generations, they favor the revision of our relationship with nature and at the same time, lead us to sustainable development and ecological management of raw materials, since the performance of the element requires knowledge and respect for the annual life cycle of plants.
Recognizing that the preservation and diffusion of this element in modern Greek society can positively affect everyday life in a variety of ways, the Municipality of Platanias in collaboration with KEDIP and NEA TELEVISION OF CRETE took the initiative to create and produce a documentary recording wild grasses as an element of the cultural heritage of Crete. Recording and utilizing the knowledge and memories of elderly women, which constitute an important oral history of the place, and combining the knowledge of scientists and modern chefs, she presents the importance of preserving the element.
