Evil Eye Blue Mati – Souvenir from Greece

Walking through the streets of Athens, especially when I crossed Plaka, I could see several blue eyes staring back at me. I saw these eyes in different sizes and forms. Curiosity dragged me into one of the souvenir shops in Plaka to have a closer look at these blue colored glass creations.

Made of blue glass with a white center, it had another light blue circle and a bold black (pupil) circle at the center. Smooth in texture and hardly having any weight, my mind instantly knew this is one souvenir I have to take back home for my friends.

Evil Eye Blue Mati – Souvenir from Greece

Seeing my interest the sales lady came forward to explain the significance of the blue eye. This is mati in Greek culture, she said. Mati, the Greek evil eye, means a curse given by one person to another by way of a spiteful or bitter look. The person on the receiving end is often not aware of the negative energy conveyed through that spiteful look. Negative energy arouses from jealousy, anger or hatred.

But this little piece of mati, a smaller than palm sized piece of colored glass, is considered and used as a traditional good luck charm. It wards off the envious gaze. In fact this is considered as protection to ward off ill effects cast by evil eye of envious people. Greeks believe the negative energy can cause minor troubles and even physical discomforts for the victim.

So, will a piece of jewelry with evil eye, like bracelet work to ward off evil eye?

The saleslady nodded affirming the same. This is all-seeing eyeball which is supposed to help ward off the evil eye. The cerulean blue charm is very popular, but today there are variations in pink and even multi-coloured bracelets for kids.

The colors have a special meaning she explained patiently. “Blue is the traditional color for good karma, positive energies, and protection against the evil eye.  And light blue in the center is color of the sky that symbolizes truth and therefore it provides direct protection against the evil eye. If you are buying only one or buying to gift someone blue mati is the best.”

Variations in pink and white too are available because many customers who don’t believe in the evil eye concept wish to don it as a fashion statement. My daughters 15 and 11 wanted it as it seemed equivalent to a stamp in the passport as Greece returned.

Origin of Evil Eye

Blue Mati was first recorded by the Mesopotamian about 5,000 years ago in cuneiform on clay tablets. Historians have concluded that the evil eye may actually have originated as early as the Upper Paleolithic age. Goes to prove that in troubled times humans have turned to these traditions, such as the evil eye, for comfort.

Evil Eye Souvenir from Greece

The charms are sought after by Egyptians, Spaniards, American, and Indians too. My friends use this attractive hanging as a car or a wall hanging. The mantra for best results is – hang this in the North eastern section of your office, home living room, and study room to shield from the evil jealousy.

How does the evil eye work?

Now this is tricky! A plain compliment like “what lovely garden you have” or “Your child sings melodiously” though said with good intentions is interpreted as a jealous utterance. If by chance the plants wither away or the child catches cold and is unable to sing, that compliment is taken as evil eye effect. Hanging an evil eye can nullify this evil effect. It is not a religious symbol but a cultural one, something that people believe because it comforts them. Do you believe in such a custom?

Evil eye Mati souvenir from Greece

Culture Heritage of Greece

Some customs and traditions of Greece are held dearly, revered and followed by Greek even today. Mati is one of them. When I tweeted about this souvenir

@metaxas_ari Ari Metaxas chipped in to say, “As a Greek woman, my house is adorned with evil eyes for protection! I never leave the house without wearing my eye. I had a very wise THEA from Greece who would do the Xematiasma (means roughly “an undoing of the eye”) when we needed!”

@evi1603 Evi Viza recollected, “The things I had pinned on me as a kid for protection are weird & wonderful.” She further added, “Different places have different ways of doing it. It can be salt involved & certain words mumbled (never out loud – mysterious). In another way – glass of water, oil & spoon. Other places, special words being recited & if the person doing so yawns continuously is a sign of kako mati.”

Evil Eye – a Fashion Icon

Evil Eye Jewelry is a big market in streets of Athens. Fashion and design industries have cashed on this sentiment and in the last few decades, the evil eye jewelry has become quite trendy. Sporting it indicates you are Greece returned, chuckled a teenager. It is easily recognized by people. Moreover evil eye jewelry is unisex and it can be displayed in endless ways. It can fit about any type of jewelry and suit all types of designs and concepts.

The belief that was significant in Ancient Greece is a fashion statement today. Celebrities like Brad Pitt, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz have been spotted wearing evil eye jewelry.

Greek customs and traditions

How to Gift and Wear Evil Eye?

For protection over your emotional life wear the bracelet in your left hand because the left side of our body is linked to our emotions as it’s the side of our heart. Wear it on your right hand if you need protection over material things like work, exams, studies, and career.

I bought one hanging for myself, it cost me 8.50euros and some for friends.  This souvenir is more effective if it is given as a gift to your loved ones who you believe need protection. If the evil eye breaks, don’t panic. It simply means that the evil eye did its job, and you have been protected. The bracelets cost 2euros.

Next time you are there don’t hesitate to pick up the necklaces, bracelets or keychains bedecked with the mati, or the evil eye, the distinctive talisman, with concentric blue and white circles. May be you don’t believe in such charms but it is worth a buy for the fact that it is so GREEK! Other names are: greek eye beads, greek matia or mataki, blue mati, matisama.

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Souvenirs from Around the World

In these times of no travel I look back pieces of memories I have collected from the various cities I have travelled to. Yes, I am talking about the souvenirs I have collected during travels. Allow me to transport you to another part of our beautiful world, another era, through the stories of origin of these keepsakes!

Souvenir, in simple words is defined as: a thing that is kept as a reminder of a person, place, or event. First recorded in 1775 as meaning “a remembrance or memory,” the noun souvenir stems from the French souvenir “to remember, come to mind.” A few years later, it took on the sense of “a token” of an event or experience. Opposite is Castaway. Do you collect souvenirs? Do you have a theme for collection? Let me know in comments below.