Blessing of the Water for the Dead

Arts, Greek

Greek Americans

Priests

Religion

Religious rites

Beliefs and cultures

Death rites

Catholics

Folk festivals

Special events

Twenty color slides. The festival was held June 24-25, 1989 to celebrate Tarpon Springs heritage of sponge diving, a practice that dated back to the 1890s. By 1905, when 500 Greek immigrants answered an ad to be sponge divers, the town acquired a distinctive Greek flavor, as the Greek Americans thrived in the sponge industry. At one point, Florida provided 95% of the nation's sponges. Although today over fishing and synthetic materials have undercut the sponge diving industry, the tradition lives on in Greek families, and through tourism.

State Archives of Florida, Series S1672

1989-06-24

Florida Folklife Program

slides (photographs)

Still Image

S1672

1

5

Sponge Industry Folk Arts Festival

Michael, Nancy

Reddy, David

Greek American

2397

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