Golden Harvest: Music & Traditions of the Greek Spongers of 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.

This Florida Talks program was sponsored in part by Florida Humanities with funds from 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.

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