«Syfouni and Avli»

The trademark (logo) was inspired by the traditional pumping utensil of wine, the so-called pithari (crock), which was buried inside the earth.

It symbolizes the ingenuous inhabitants of Ikaria that invented a unique way of using this certain kind of pumpkin.
This vegetable, used to serve purposes of everyday life household (eg: plate-dish-pan-spoon…) and was also a decorative object in other societies.

In 2007, the 1st International Conference of Wine Archeology was realized in Ikaria, where scientists, from diverse parts of the world, acknowledged that such resourcefulness had never been recorded before, concerning the use of a pumpkin.
Although in Cyprus, an ancient utensil is described to have had a similar use, but even so, at a much smaller volume.

The operating principle is to utilize the law of hydrodynamics. Thus, when two containers communicate, the high pressure one, moves the fluid to the other one, until the pressure balances in both.

The person practicing this pumping aims to draw the fluid (wine), by removing a small amount of air (lowering the pressure) from the pumpkin, while closing the mouthpiece with the tongue, so that the wine begins to rise from the jar.

When the tongue is unstuck, a short breath must be taken, in order to help the flow. The same action should be repeated again and again to fill up the pumpkin.

This effort results to 3 or 4 liters, while, at the same time, trying not to send the wine back inside is very important, so as to avoid mingling.
The rod that connects the wine with the utensil (sifouni) is called avli and the small straw mouthpiece is called bibili.

The pumpkin, as it grows, needs constant care by someone who knows how to form it in shape, in order to become a utilitarian utensil.

Several traditional songs have been composed including the use of the sifouni as well as well-known sayings, transmitted to us through the past generations.

* From the cd: “Ikaria Methexis”, edited and orchestrated by Alexander Spitzing. Sounds from the past are combined with today. Fifteen musicians and singers have participated. Violinist Lefteris Poulis (Skatzakas). Yannis Loukos, guitar and song. Christina Metsika benthire, scraper and song. Alexander Spitzing plays Lute and Oud the Clarinet. Artemis Matophia, on the song. Alekos Stamatopoulos, campbell.