Rethymno Mayor “Kidnapped” in Carnival Game

The news in Greek

1. γιορτάζω
   Κάνω εορτασμούς για κάτι, έχω γιορτή. ↩︎
2. κυνήγι (n.)
   Ενέργεια κατά την οποία κάποιος ψάχνει κάτι προσεκτικά, συχνά ως παιχνίδι. ↩︎
3. θησαυρός (m.)
   Συλλογή από πολύτιμα αντικείμενα ή χρήματα. ↩︎
4. απάγω
   Παίρνω κάποιον με τη βία, συχνά για λύτρα. ↩︎
5. ομάδα (f.)
   Συλλογή ανθρώπων ή πραγμάτων που ανήκουν μαζί. ↩︎
6. κρυμμένος
   Κάτι που δεν είναι εμφανές ή είναι σε μυστικό σημείο. ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: What event was Rethymno celebrating when the mayor was ‘kidnapped’?

Question: Who ‘kidnapped’ the mayor during the game?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
γιορτάζω	celebrate
κυνήγι (n.)	hunt
θησαυρός (m.)	treasure
απάγω	abduct
ομάδα (f.)	group
κρυμμένος	hidden

Read the full story

Sources reveal that this incident occurred late in the evening on 14th February, amidst the 35th iteration of the city’s cherished Treasure Hunt game. Intended as a lighthearted challenge, the game reached an unanticipated climax when participants, all members of a group called the Indifferents – the Incorruptibles, took the mayor in a staged kidnapping.

This well-loved event centres on a mythical hidden treasure, which, according to local lore, has been a well-guarded secret passed from one Rethymno mayor to the next since the time of the long-serving mayor Titou Petichaki, who led the city starting in 1925. During the festivities, raised expectations led the residents to urge Mayor Marinakis to unveil the treasure’s location, a request he traditionally declined to satisfy.

In what many consider a theatrical but non-perilous display, the Indifferents – the Incorruptibles, winners of last year’s Treasure Hunt, enacted the mayor’s abduction. This prank has left the city administration in temporary disarray, as official duties hang in the balance until the game reaches its conclusion on Sunday evening.

Manos Tsakonas, the Deputy Mayor of Culture, emphasized the importance of resolving this playful yet stirring incident by Sunday night, ensuring that both the administrative duties and the longstanding tradition of secrecy surrounding the treasure remain unscathed. The city remains abuzz as “treasure hunters” comb through Rethymno in search of signs leading to both the mayor and the legendary hoard.

The resolution of this peculiar situation is crucial not only for the continuation of the game’s legacy but also for reinstating municipal leadership in Rethymno, demonstrating how deeply woven this carnival tradition is within the community’s fabric. With festivities set to continue, residents and visitors alike watch with eager anticipation, hopeful for the safe return of Mayor Marinakis and perhaps, a glimpse of the enigmatic treasure.

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