He has traveled to Cambodia, stayed for almost six months in the forests of Indonesia, passed through various countries of By food journalist Dimitris Stat
He has traveled to Cambodia, stayed for almost six months in the forests of Indonesia, passed through various countries of Southeast Asia, and chosen to live a different way. Today, he lives in Avdella, Grevena. We had spoken with Dimitris-Panagiotis Siafarikas many times on the phone in preparation for our journalistic visit to the area. In all our communications, he was always willing to tell us things, give us directions and tips. He is one of the three permanent residents of the village where he lives with his two dogs, Jiwa and Putri.
He grew up in Patras, studied mathematics, and remembers his childhood years, coming to the village in summer with his parents. "When I was little, almost every summer I came here to Avdella for a period and stayed with my grandfather and grandmother. Even then, though, I avoided going down to the square. I stayed more up here in the upper neighborhood, enjoying even more the contact with nature and its tranquility."
We arrived at the village at noon. While we're in the square, I call. "Take the road and come straight up," he told me, and we continued. Ilias takes photos as we pass through the village and points out some spots so we can return later. There, we also meet another Dimitris, who is cleaning the square from the plane leaves that have covered almost everything.
The Path to a Different Life
We climbed the uphill road and reached the side of Agios Athanasios. A herd of semi-wild horses had approached the clearing. Seeing us, they move away, but Ilias manages to take some photos. Dimitris is there. "When I was a kid, I had followed them 3-4 times into the forest and got lost. I vaguely remember when they found me and we returned here to this point, almost the whole village was gathered."
That's how our first contact happened. He is calm, relaxed, and at the same time, very polite and friendly. We have our first conversations as we proceed to a developed area where summer events are held. His two dogs surround us, showing their joy and curiosity.
"At 18, I stopped coming to the village. I studied mathematics in Patras where I had been living until then. After spending time choosing to spend vacations on some islands, I developed the need to live in Asia. And specifically, I wanted to go to places where I wouldn't have dependence on money, on social conventions. In Indonesia, I went and stayed in the center of a forest for almost half a year. There, life is something else. You come closer to what you truly believe. You come face to face with your fears, with your truth, with your big questions."
Finding Home
Returning from Indonesia, Dimitris attempts to live in Patras, creates a forest garden where he lets plants grow and produce fruits with minimal interventions. However, he quickly realizes that life in a big city is not something that suits him. "Initially, I come here in autumn and spring and collect mushrooms. Then, I repair our family home so that someone can stay here in winter too, and now I've settled permanently."
He is spending his fifth winter in the village, where daily life is quite different. "It's certainly very cold, and for many days, you may be trapped inside the house from the snow." He has his two dogs for company, to which he chooses to speak in Indonesian. He chooses to take his walks in the forest, carrying with him only a small knife. "Animals are not aggressive toward humans. We must be discreet toward them, and that's what will bring us balance."
Many encourage him to have something more drastic with him, in case he comes face to face with a wolf or some other animal that will move against him. "I understand the risk; however, I don't want to be there carrying a weapon. I want to walk through the forest calmly, observing nature and listening to its peace and quiet."
Life as a Certified Mushroom Forager
He tells us stories from the difficult winter days, when the village had two or three meters of snow. He describes the preparations to be ready for those more difficult days. We walk toward his house, where in the yard he prepares wood for the stove and fireplace. He shows us the mushrooms he collected the previous day, and taking some of them, we go down to the square where the other Dimitris keeps a small shop open, where one can drink coffee, tsipouro, and mezzes. The fire is lit, and the mushrooms are placed to roast. They are truly very tasty.
The two Dimitrises tell us various stories from the village, we enter their daily life, which is truly very different. We have quite a few kilometers ahead of us, as we have to reach Kastoria. We leave behind our two new friends. On the road with Ilias (the expedition's photographer), we reflect on the truly difficult conditions in which these people have chosen to live.
A few days ago, I called him. The temperature has dropped a lot. The first snow has fallen, and as he told me: "We're ready and looking forward to the coming winter." I often visit Dimitris's Instagram account, "cavemanjiwa," through which, besides sharing with us some moments from daily life in the village, he informs interested parties about mushroom collecting, scheduling "mushroom hunts," truffles, and generally about everything related to his activity as a certified mushroom forager.
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