Diplos dance -Volissos

Every year, the dance of Diplos revives in Volissos, the largest village of the north part of Chios island, located about 40km away from the capital.

Volissos is also claimed  to be one of the possible birthplaces of the famous poet Homer.
In former times, on the last Sunday of Carnival, at the peak of the celebrations, the people would dance this dance, creating human double chains, as they held hands.
The Double dance, would beginn with singing the phrase “Start my tongue, start …” and was accompanied with “Aman, aman …”, as the bass was repeated.
And in the middle of the songs they would be saying couplets like “Give him melody to take with each leg of yours …”. The place where they are dancing the Double would be full of people who are watching and lightened by the tens of candles that the young women are holding.

Starting from all villages in the neighbourhoods they would dance their way to the central square, creating a long chain while the person leading the dance, would sing and the others would follow.
Then would follows a fast and furious festival, a great celebration on the square, with the people tasting souma (a drink made from figs) and eating roasted chickpeas and sweets.