Heraklion: Canadian-Greek learned the Cretan lyra by himself and has gone viral

A second-generation Greek-Canadian teenager played the lyra on the 15th of August in his home village of Agios Vasilios Pediadas, Heraklion in Crete and stole the show.

The party caught fire, and the well-known artist Dimitris Kounalis congratulated little Pari, telling him to continue because he had great talent.

According to Nea Kriti, little Paris Papadakis is a self-taught lyra player in the community.

Teachers did not teach him the lyra but by himself, keeping Crete and its sounds alive in distant Canada.

His grandfather started decades ago from St. Basil Vasilios Pediadas, an immigrant to Canada. Paris's father, Matthew, was born there, and Paris and his other four siblings are also in Canada.

Paris plays the lyra like a pro, his brother the lute, while all five siblings, four boys and a girl, dance Cretan.

The Papadakis family has been in Crete since last May for vacation and will return to Canada in October.

The videos from the 15th of August celebration in Agios Vasilios Pediadas have already gone viral on TikTok.

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