Kourkoumelata

The Kourkoumelis families, from which the village’s name originates, were distinguished in letters, science, the judicial branch, and even as fighters in the Greek Revolution of 1821. Of the oldest was Nikolaos Kourkoumelis, who was a scholar and the Community Quartermaster in Venice.

Paraskevas was a fighter in the Revolutionary war of 1821. He fought in Gravia with Androutsos, in Faliro with Karaiskakis and at Acropolis with Faviero. He was also the first garrison commander of Kefalonia after the union of the Ionian Islands with Greece. Dimitrios was a distinguished justice worker, served as Attorney General and was an elected congressman. Gerasimos Mavrogiannis, a distinguished journalist, writer, poet, researcher and congressman, was born in this village in 1823. An adversary of the British occupation and a supporter of Radicalism, he composed “Song of the Radical”, wrote “ Sailor of the Ionian” and patriotic poems. He published a newspaper called “ The Voice of Freedom”, collaborated with Al. Ragavi in the newspapers “Eunomia” and “Palingenesis” and wrote the two-volumed “History of the Ionian Islands”.

Thomas-Antonios Lefkokilos was also descended from Kourkoumelata. He was a legal expert, politician, diplomat and a member of the Ionian Senate.

Captain Roccos Vergotis, was the founder of the Vergotis Shipping Firm at the end of the 19th century and, a worthy heir of Gerasimos Vergotis, a benefactor of the village, creator of the well-known to the older Philharmonic of Kato Livathos and more.

The chronographer Pavlos Paleologos, who visited the village in 1962, dedicated an entire series of chronicles to Roccos Vergotis.

Wood carving used to prosper exceptionally in Kourkoumelata. The Lefkokili family was quite distinguished in this craft. They created with miraculous skill chancels, crosses, crown cases and other wood-carved objects.