By Nicolas Bard

The villages are defined as Pomakohoria in the mountain range of Rodopi with a primary population.

In our country, Pomakohoria is found in the prefectures of Xanthi, Rodopi and Evros.

Due to the mountainous character of the area, as well as the problems of minority education, Pomakohoria have been quite isolated for many years, so they have maintained their graphic character, traditional architecture of the houses and the distinctive culture of the Pomaks.

In Xanthi, the Municipality of Mykis and the Communities of Kotilis, Thermos and Satrians consist exclusively of Pomakohoria. These villages also extend to the northeast area of ​​the Municipality of Xanthi, as well as to the northern area of ​​the Selero community. The most representative villages are Centaur, Glafki, Nice, Kotili, Satras and Thermes.

His camera where there is Greece made a special voyage to these villages, and introduced us to people and unknown to most of us.

About 160 Pomakohoria have been recorded in Greece.

There people are tricoling from a very young age. They speak fluent Greek, Turkish and Pomak. Due to the closed nature of the local community, people are particularly tied to each other and loved ones. Each village is a hug and one is there for each other both difficult and easy. Most of the locals are professionally involved in tobacco cultivation and livestock farming, but there are many who migrate abroad for a better future.

Some residents left and moved permanently to Xanthi, where they found jobs in local businesses and factories, but most traveled to Germany and the Netherlands, where salaries are good enough to help the families left behind in Greece. So they are familiar with the foreign, but they never forget their place, who love him deeply.

There they were born, there they grew up, and no matter how far they are, they are always returning, so that their roots are not forgotten. One of them is Berrene Deli Ibrahim, who returned to her birthplace to help the local community in practice.

As the same characteristics of his own camera where Greece exists in SKAI, the place has many prospects and can be developed. Now, the Pomaks are more extroverted, they are not isolated and they think they can help their place grow and bloom. Their separate customs, the rich gastronomy and the special architecture of their villages forms a rare residential ensemble with identity and history, worthy of knowing the whole world. It is one of the few areas in Europe where so many religions coexist, and so many social classes all together!

Now Pomakohoria are building bridges of communication with the rest of the world, looking at the future with optimism and struggling so as not to erase the map. If you travel to the beautiful Xanthi, it is worth taking a trip to these picturesque villages, where time seems to have literally stopped. You will see images of other times unfold in front of your eyes and a natural environment of endless beauty.