The Golden Harvest: The Music and Traditions of the Greek Spongers in Tarpon Springs

Since Tarpon Springs’s Greek sponge diving industry was founded in the early 1900s, traditional Greek music, dance, and poetry have been at the center of the community. Much of this music is directly connected to the distinct culture that grew up around sponging on Greek islands over the centuries and ranges from joyful dances to laments mourning divers lost under the waves. This presentation explores the rich cultural history of Tarpon Springs through its music, including live performances on violin, lute, goatskin bagpipes, and songs in Greek and English.

Dr. Panayotis (Paddy) League is a musicologist, author, performer, and composer specializing in the traditional music, dance, and oral poetry of the Greek island, Brazil, Ireland, and the electric guitar music of the American South. Dr. League serves as Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology and the Director of the Center for the Music of Americas at Florida State University. He publishes and performs widely, and was named a Master Artist by the Florida Folklife Program in 2019.

Registration is suggested but required to attend. This Florida Talks program is a partnership between Florida Humanities and the Tarpon Springs Public Library. Funding for this program was provided by Florida Humanities and sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the aforementioned entities.