There were notable uprisings in 1828 when its leaders were killed at Frangokastello, and in 1866 when 2,000 people died in a suicide bombing at Arkadi Monastery.
There have been several violent uprisings here in the past.
To most foreigners, this unique art form is likely to be inscrutable at first exposure, but everyone can appreciate the spectacle and the elaborate, glittering costumes.