Voutsaras, Ioannina

Voutsaras (Greek: Βουτσαράς, local dialect: Μπτσαρά Btsará) is a village in the Ioannina regional unit in Greece and the municipal unit of Molossoi in the area of Douskara. In 2001 its population was 150. The old GR-6 (Volos - Larissa - Ioannina - Igoumenitsa) runs through Voutsaras while the Via Egnatia, the new highway, runs further south without any interchange.

Nearest places

• Kalochori, east
• Koutsara, east
• Polydoro, southwest
• Gkribovo or Gribovo, west
• Vyrssoula, west
• Eklissochori, north

Population

Location

Voutsaras is located 35 km west of Ioannina, northwest of Arta, north of Preveza and east of Igoumenitsa.

Geography and information

Much of the area around Voutsaras is mountainous and forested. The forests around the city are populated by a wide range of wildlife, such as bears, wolves, hares, higher primates and deer. The population of wild boar and squirrels has been in decline for a number of years, as a result of extensive hunting. Wildlife conservation groups have been putting pressure on local and regional government to protect the dwindling populations of these species, but these pressures are being resisted, as hunting forms a substantial part of the local diet, along with roots and locally grown food such as kopria. The Thyamis River flows three kilometers to the north. There is a small lake (xhavouza) near the village, through which the river flows. The xhavouza is used as a dumping site for septic tanks from houses in Voutsaras and other cities in the Molossoi municipality, as the untreated water can then be washed away by the river. According to local legend, the xhavouza is the place where water nymphs used to wash their hair, and onlookers were turned to stone.

Infrastructure

After World War II and the Greek Civil War, its buildings were rebuilt. An architectural pattern typical for the village consists of a two-floor house: the top floor is fully walled and serves as the residential area for one or more families, whereas the ground floor is used for housing livestock (goats, sheep, swine). Less wealthy families, who cannot afford a two-floor house share living quarters with the livestock.

The village of Chinka was connected to Voutsaras with a paved road in the 1970s. A few years later, automobiles were introduced in the village. Typically, these were half-trucks (local dialect: Datshunia), used to transport livestock, although nowadays some residents can be seen driving modern automobiles and young people also drive motorcycles, locally called gourounes in reference to their girlfriends. Electricity and radio were introduced in the middle of the 20th century (1960s), television in the late 20th century (1980s) and computer and internet at the turn of the millennium (2000 onwards). In the late 1990s, as part of the administrative restructuring named Kapodistrias, Voutsaras was redesignated as a municipal district in the newly formed municipality of Mollossoi.

There are plans to construct centralised plumbing facilities for the disposal of sewage in the near future, so as to replace the current practice of using septic tanks which drain in the nearby river of Thyamis. A detailed plan has been drafted by the Mayor's office in Mollossoi, and has been sent to Athens (Ministry of Public Works, Zoning and the Environment) for approval, technical feedback and funding. Because of the recent dissolution of the Ministry into two separate ministries (Ministry of Public Works and Ministry of the Environment), both of which need to be consulted and approve the plans, and also because of the current financial state of Greece, these plans are likely to start being implemented in 2015 or possibly later.

Population Changes and Education

Emigration occurred at a higher rate until 1991, as residents of Voutsaras sought a better life in nearby urban areas in Greece, or less frequently, abroad. These efforts were not always successful, because of the low academic and professional skills of the population, who were reduced to manual labour (for males), and less reputable employment (for women and girls). The population of the village declined slowly between 1991 and 2001, due to the deaths of the older generation and the emigration of the younger generations.

In an attempt to reverse this situation, the Hellenic Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs designated Voutsaras as an Area of Educational Priority in 2005. This led to the upgrading of the local primary school and high school, and financial incentives for the teaching staff who are employed there (these bonuses were revoked in the 2010 government deficit crisis). Also, a new vocationally-focussed syllabus was created for High School, with standards that were better suited to the academic potential of the Voutsaras youth. By 2010, 7 children from Voutsaras had graduated from High School, and it is hoped that four more will graduate in next academic year (2011). The Voutsaras High School also operates a successful adult education programme, in which local residents attend classes on literacy, arithmetic and hygiene. The programme, which is partly funded by the EU, and is also generously supported by the School of Education of the University of the Aegean has received praise from the Molossoi mayor and local press. Despite promising beginnings, the funding of the program was withdrawn in 2011 due to austerity measures associated with the Greek deficit crisis. The deputy minister for education, Evangelia Christofilopoulou, who took the decision to discontinue the program was quoted as saying that it is time for bold measures to stop the bleeding of the government budget.

Sights

One of the most noteworthy sights in the village is the Church of Ai Nikolas (St. Nicolas) which was erected by the alms donated by the sailors of Voutsaras, because in the Greek Orthodox tradition St Nicolas is regarded as the patron saint of sailors. The church, a basilica with three wings, dates back to 1534, and is one of the oldest churches in the region.

Also of interest is the exhibition in the Cultural Centre, where visitors can find on display items of everyday life and agriculture, such as kypria (bells used for livestock), tsanakia (eating utensils), vitses (rods used by teachers) and glitses (walking sticks). Entry to the exhibition can be arranged by consultation with the Town Hall of Molossi.

See also

• List of places in the Ioannina prefecture

External links

• Voutsaras at the GTP Travel Pages

References