Polypotamo Explained

Polypotamo
Name Local:Πολυπόταμο
Type:community
Coordinates:40.7175°N 21.3669°W
Periph:Western Macedonia
Periphunit:Florina
Municipality:Florina
Municunit:Perasma
Population As Of:2021
Population:243
Georegion:Macedonia

Polypotamo (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Πολυπόταμο, before 1927: Νερέτη – Nereti[1]) is a village in Florina Regional Unit, Macedonia, Greece.

During the 1940s, people left the village and relocated to Yugoslavia, later going to Australia. Polypotamo had 573 inhabitants in 1981. In fieldwork done by anthropologist Riki Van Boeschoten in late 1993, Polypotamo was populated by Slavophones. The Macedonian language was used by people of all ages, both in public and private settings, and as the main language for interpersonal relationships. Some elderly villagers had little knowledge of Greek.[2]

Anthropologist Loring Danforth (1997) wrote 1,500 people from the village resided in Melbourne, Australia with most identifying as Macedonian. People who live in the village itself all identify as Greek.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Institute for Neohellenic Research. Name Changes of Settlements in Greece: Nereti – Polypotamon. Pandektis. 30 March 2022.
  2. Van Boeschoten. Riki. Usage des langues minoritaires dans les départements de Florina et d'Aridea (Macédoine). Use of minority languages in the departments of Florina and Aridea (Macedonia). fr. Strates. 10. 2001. Table 3: Polipotamos, 573; S, M1; S = Slavophones, M = macédonien"
  3. Book: Danforth, Loring M.. The Macedonian Conflict: Ethnic Nationalism in a Transnational World. 1997. Princeton University Press. 9780691043579. 232–233.