Kostas Papadakis (Kissamos, 1920 – May 2003) was a popular Cretan violinist, famous for playing Cretan folk music. He was known by the nickname "Naftis" (Ναύτης) which, in Greek, means sailor. He began playing the violin at age seven. Papadakis played an Italian violin dated back to 1710, when Crete was under Venetian occupation. His first public performance took place at a wedding reception when he was ten. From 1959 till 1976 he lived in the United States and, in 1981, he moved to Australia where he stayed for five years. He performed live in numerous musical events and festivals in different countries.