Podcast // Two Villages
It was in Monolithos that I discovered the legacy of my great-grandmother, known simply as "Mámmi" - the village midwife. Her story became my anchor to this place, a testament to service and community that spanned generations.
But the story doesn't end in Greece. It finds its mirror in Mullumbimby:
"…a place where mountains and forests meet winding rivers and wild beaches. A place of bull sharks and leeches and quaint but expensive farmers markets on weekends."
Here, my partner and I created our own version of village life, blending Greek and Chilean traditions as we prepared for the birth of our son.
These two villages, separated by oceans but connected through story, represent the dual nature of belonging that many of us navigate. In Monolithos, I found my roots; in Mullumbimby, I planted new ones. Both places teach us that a village isn't just a point on a map - it's a web of relationships, traditions, and shared experiences that shape who we become.
In August 2024, during Poetry Month, I had the honor of performing "Two Villages" live at the Sydney Theatre Company. The piece was commissioned as part of the BBC's prestigious Contains Strong Language Festival and recorded during Red Room Poetry's Poetry Month.
There's something magical about sharing such a personal story in front of a live audience - the collective breath, the shared silence, the moments of recognition that ripple through the theatre. It's as if the audience itself becomes another village, gathered together in the ancient tradition of storytelling.
You can hear the full story in my live performance of "Two Villages," recorded at Sydney Theatre Company as part of Red Room Poetry's Poetry Month and The BBC's Contains Strong Language Festival. Listen on the BBC website.
When the BBC commissioned me to write "Two Villages," I found myself mapping the coordinates of belonging between two distinct points on Earth: a mountain village called Monolithos in Greece, and the heart of Bundjalung Country in Mullumbimby, Australia.
Monolithos, where my great-grandmother Magdalini was born in 1883, sits:
"perched halfway up a mountain between granite peaks, pine forests and the rugged blue coastline below. The land is full of stones, olive groves and families of wild deer. Native sage grows everywhere in the ground near the village, as do fig trees and the protruding corners of carved marble statuettes: the unmarked ancient sites, hidden in the woods."
Photos by Jason Nicol, taken for Red Room Poetry’s Poetry Month.
To those who listen to this piece - especially those who know what it means to carry multiple villages in your heart, to search for belonging in places old and new - thank you.
To the outsiders, the in-betweeners, those who have had to create their own sense of home: I hope this story brings some solace to your journey.
Sometimes the best villages are the ones we cultivate ourselves, stone by stone, story by story - as an act of remembering, forgetting, and creating something of our own.
Respect,
Luka
Luka is a poet, rapper, Australian Poetry Slam Champion and Ancient History buff who can’t keep his hands off the classics. Luka has toured extensively throughout the world and is often bouncing ideas off Athenian columns and global politics as he finds his way, giving commentary on life and writing as a modern philosopher, performer and full-time poet.
Luka Lesson draws on his creative powers to either create new poetry inspired by conversations with guests from across the planet, or do a deep dive into his own catalogue of poetry and rap verses, using them as a sounding board for new conversations. His own Greek heritage and the histories of the people he speaks to often filter through, as well as his love of story, mythology, social change and visions for the future.
