Funeral reveals shifting meaning of “the people” in Greece
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People in Greece gathered in large numbers to mourn singer Giorgos Mazonakis after his unexpected death.
The author attended the wake and funeral, noting it differed from traditional religious ceremonies. Instead of a religious rite, the event resembled an ancient Greek practice of honoring the deceased, a vigil where people believed the departed could still see and hear. The outpouring of grief included people lining balconies, handwritten lyrics displayed as signs, and spontaneous singing and dancing.
The author contrasted this display of collective mourning with a sense of individual loneliness, imagining Mazonakis alone with an injury before seeking medical care. He observed a stark difference between the large crowd at the funeral and the lack of someone to care for Mazonakis in a private moment. Anna Chatzisofia, a writer and former politician, pointed out that left-wing political groups in Greece have not kept pace with how “the people” are defined today.
She noted that contemporary working-class Greeks differ from the stereotypes of the 1960s, embracing modern fashion and social media while still striving for economic advancement. This disconnect, the author suggests, leads to elitism within the left, a departure from its historical roots.
