Plate smashing
Encyclopedia
Plate smashing, a traditional folk custom involving the smashing of plates or glasses on either celebratory or mournful occasions. It is seen in various cultures, including those in Greece
and the Philippines
. In popular culture
, the practice is most typical of foreigners' stereotypical image of Greece, and while it occurs more rarely today, it continues to be seen on certain occasions, such as weddings, although plaster plates are more likely to be used.
occasions, as a means of dealing with loss.
The practice may also be related to the ancient practice of conspicuous consumption
, a display of one's wealth, as when plates or glasses are thrown into a fireplace following a banquet
.
reported, "Premier George Papadopolous(sic) has decreed that plate-smashing in public is a 'barbaric custom' and has banned it." It is no longer allowed at Greek nightclubs
.
A modern modification of the custom is for customers at small Greek restaurants or "taverna
s" to buy trays of flowers that they can use for throwing at singers and each other.
For private celebrations such as weddings, Greeks today may purchase specially-produced plaster
plates, which are less expensive, less dangerous when broken, and more easily broken.
to break plates before taking coffins out of any edifice.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. In popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
, the practice is most typical of foreigners' stereotypical image of Greece, and while it occurs more rarely today, it continues to be seen on certain occasions, such as weddings, although plaster plates are more likely to be used.
Ancient and mediaeval
The practice may be part of a Greek spirit of joy or kefi. It probably derives from an ancient practice of ritually "killing" plates on mourningMourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
occasions, as a means of dealing with loss.
The practice may also be related to the ancient practice of conspicuous consumption
Conspicuous consumption
Conspicuous consumption is spending on goods and services acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth. In the mind of a conspicuous consumer, such display serves as a means of attaining or maintaining social status....
, a display of one's wealth, as when plates or glasses are thrown into a fireplace following a banquet
Banquet
A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone....
.
Modern times
In 1969, New ScientistNew Scientist
New Scientist is a weekly non-peer-reviewed English-language international science magazine, which since 1996 has also run a website, covering recent developments in science and technology for a general audience. Founded in 1956, it is published by Reed Business Information Ltd, a subsidiary of...
reported, "Premier George Papadopolous(sic) has decreed that plate-smashing in public is a 'barbaric custom' and has banned it." It is no longer allowed at Greek nightclubs
Nightclubs in Greece
Nightclubs in Greece are divided into two main categories: those that feature live Greek music with artists, and the usual foreign music discotheques or bars.-Bouzoukia:...
.
A modern modification of the custom is for customers at small Greek restaurants or "taverna
Taverna
Taverna refers to a small restaurant serving Greek cuisine, not to be confused with "tavern". The Greek word is ταβέρνα and is originally derived from the Latin word taberna...
s" to buy trays of flowers that they can use for throwing at singers and each other.
For private celebrations such as weddings, Greeks today may purchase specially-produced plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
plates, which are less expensive, less dangerous when broken, and more easily broken.
History in the Philippines
In the Philippines, the breaking of plates during the wedding ceremony is seen as a means of shooing away bad luck. It is also customary in Davao CityDavao City
The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
to break plates before taking coffins out of any edifice.
In popular culture
- February 8, 2011, Packed to the RaftersPacked to the RaftersPacked to the Rafters is an Australian family-orientated television series which premiered on the Seven Network on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 8:30 pm. The drama series features a mix of lighthearted comedy woven through the plot. It revolves around the Rafter family facing work pressures and...
, episode 4.1, in which the character Nick 'Carbo' Karandonis and his fiancée have an engagement party which includes smashing plaster plates and the mistaken smashing of porcelainPorcelainPorcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
plates. - October 3, 2011, Come Dine with Me CanadaCome Dine with Me CanadaCome Dine With Me Canada is a Canadian reality television series, adapted from the British programme Come Dine With Me. The show debuted November 1, 2010 on the W Network. The show has generally brings five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
, episode 2.16, in which the evening ended with plate smashing "in keeping with the Greek ritual."
See also
- zeibekikoZeibekikoZeibekiko is a Greek folk dance with a rhythmic pattern of 9/4 or else 9/8 . The name of the dance derives from the Zeibek warriors of Anatolia. It is danced by one person only and is of free choreographic structure, which is often refers to ancient Greek tragedy...
, a Greek folk dance. - Nightclubs in GreeceNightclubs in GreeceNightclubs in Greece are divided into two main categories: those that feature live Greek music with artists, and the usual foreign music discotheques or bars.-Bouzoukia:...
. - Funeral practices and burial customs in the PhilippinesFuneral practices and burial customs in the PhilippinesFuneral practices and burial customs in the Philippines encompass a wide range of personal, cultural, and traditional beliefs and practices which Filipinos observe in relation to bereavement, dying, honoring, respecting, interring, and remembering their departed loved ones, relatives, and friends...
. - Marriage and wedding customs in the PhilippinesMarriage and wedding customs in the PhilippinesTraditional marriage customs in the Philippines and Filipino wedding practices pertain to the characteristics of marriage and wedding traditions established and adhered to by Filipino men and women in the Philippines after a period of courtship and engagement. These traditions extend to other...
.