Are you full yet? The third course of Explorica’s Thanksgiving series puts it all in the gods hands—the ancient Greek gods, that is. According to mythology, it was Demeter’s, the goddess of food grains, job to feed the world. (No pressure, Demeter.) She set the stage for women taking charge of “Thanksgiving” feasts.
A little history about Demeter… Her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades, the ancient Greek god of the underworld and Demeter’s brother, to become queen of the pits of the earth. Not her ambition, (surprise, surprise) Demeter became so depressed she wouldn’t do her job, refusing to eat or feed the world until the other gods came up with a plan to rescue her daughter. Luckily, they did. And, after the mother-daughter reunion, grateful Demeter gave the gift of agriculture to us mere mortals.
To honor the goddess of food grains and in an effort to receive Demeter’s blessings, the ancient Greeks offered up seed corn, cakes, fruits and pigs. This went on for nine full days during what was called Thesmophoria—the holiday name meaning laws (or thesmoi) stating men must provide nourishment and work the land. And back then, though “men” referred to mankind, women really were the leaders of this occasion. Female officials took charge of state-sponsored feasts and Greek matrons who usually stayed home all the time couldn’t wait to take part in all the action. And the action came as quintessential Greek drama. It’s believed matrons re-enacted the anguish Demeter suffered when Hades kidnapped her daughter Persephone. Also, the women most likely pleaded for the goddesses’ help in obtaining a bountiful harvest. Not exactly the merry-making you’d associate with a festival. Maybe, just maybe, that’s why you can barely find any remnants of the holiday in modern Greece.