By Nicolas Bard

Balotia is defined as the shooting, often incomplete, in the air when celebrating a joyful event, such as in marriage or the birth of a child.

This dangerous and bloodthirsty custom of Crete has divided the local community, as many continue to be adorned with it, and others have rejected it and fighting for its definitive abolition. There are a few marriages and celebrations that ended up stigmatized by injuries and deaths, plunging dozens of families into mourning.

According to the famous lyricist Vasilis Skoulas, this custom took on large dimensions and was amended by prosperity and neo -richness, serving specific interests. The balls existed, of course, many years ago, but when the islanders, and especially the men, were still armed. So they had weapons on them, but they didn’t even know their wives! Then there was the perception that “when the gun comes out, it must be used”.

In the last century, the balots also served as a password in weddings. As most of the neighborhoods were in the same village, and while there were no phones or other ways of communication, since the bride was getting ready and ready to go to church, they had to send a message to the other family. Then, someone came out of the bride’s or groom’s house, playing two balots, there was a response from the other house with two other balls, that they received the message, and then everyone started for the temple. This was the original form of custom.

In recent decades, however, this particular custom has changed form, becoming more intense and dangerous, resulting in many moments of joy in Megalonissos. Mr Skoulas, as he reveals on his camera where there is Greece, has suffered himself a Balotia injury to a relative’s marriage and has not since attended any heavy ballot. It openly condemns it as a dangerous and unnecessary custom, and hopes to be abolished at some point, so that no human is never in danger.