Drakonians are the people from my village Drakona, a tiny Cretan village. This is the village I spent my childhood, surrounded by talented storytellers, kind and hard working people.
Throughout the years stories have turned into myths and myths into stories. I left when I was 15 to attend a better high school in Chania, one of the main cities in Crete. Every return was filled with nostalgia and confusion. What I knew as normal was no longer normal. Most of the Drakonians that were part of my childhood were dead; a whole generation of story keepers. By taking photos I could deal with the realisation that time is brutal, stealing our youth, taking away our beloved ones, and confusing us. One year I decided to scan as many family archives as I could. The Drakonians were generous and gave me their family photos. I could see another layer of time now. Less brutal. People I only met as grannies and grandads were once young and promising. Kids. Laughter. Weddings. Gatherings. So much joy. I decided to mix these family archives with my photos as a way to celebrate life. It’s such a tiny village full of characters. It always was. And even though most Drakonians are dead, some are still alive.
Throughout the years stories have turned into myths and myths into stories. I left when I was 15 to attend a better high school in Chania, one of the main cities in Crete. Every return was filled with nostalgia and confusion. What I knew as normal was no longer normal. Most of the Drakonians that were part of my childhood were dead; a whole generation of story keepers. By taking photos I could deal with the realisation that time is brutal, stealing our youth, taking away our beloved ones, and confusing us. One year I decided to scan as many family archives as I could. The Drakonians were generous and gave me their family photos. I could see another layer of time now. Less brutal. People I only met as grannies and grandads were once young and promising. Kids. Laughter. Weddings. Gatherings. So much joy. I decided to mix these family archives with my photos as a way to celebrate life. It’s such a tiny village full of characters. It always was. And even though most Drakonians are dead, some are still alive.