The Southern Greeks think they're the dog's cojones because they were "liberated" first from the Ottoman Empire (80 years ahead of Northern Greece). They think that somehow this imparts a certain nobility.

Most Macedonian Greeks are proud to be associated with Alexander the Great and his achievements; they think of themselves as the ones that come at the end to fix things, when the rest of Greece has mucked things up. Also as more liberal than the rest. But most Macedonian Greeks are suspicious of non-Greek Macedonians (from ex-Yugoslavia or Bulgaria) trying to re-create the ancient Macedonia - we think this is just a trick to "Serbianise" us.

And the Vlach Gypsies (the horse-trading gypsy clans) claim to be of the original Romany stock in Europe. They know thay will be the object of persecution given half an excuse, so they don't trust anyone.

And yet we all get on splendidly. Especially when confronted with those upstart Cretans! But we will all visit the ruins at Knossos and claim King Minos to have been one of the most important Greek kings. Cretan, sure, but Greek nevertheless.

It's all a joke, in other words.