This week: two stories about matriarchs in the Mediterranean and the lingering presence of lineage in the present day. 

 

The birth of honoured peasant

In our first story, Peter Polites tells us the story of Midwife Friday who assisted in the birth of his mother in a small village in Greece. 

Through the eyes of Midwife Friday, the story beautifully captures the harsh realities of village life, her resilience shaped by war and loss, and the enduring strength of a community bound by tradition and survival.

 

Pigeons, cats, rosegardens

In our next story, a mother and her children have a heartfelt conversation about their fragmented past, trying to piece together their connection to Greece and Istanbul, Turkey. Through anecdotes passed down from their mother about their grandparents—some factual, some hearsay—coupled with exchanges of their own imagined stories, they grapple with gaps in their family history, confronting questions of identity and lineage.

Sometimes… we just need a little fantasy… to bring the past back to life.

 

All The Best Credits

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.