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The Pontian Music.



Pontians are Greek people that originate from the region of Pontus. Pontos is a region that is located in the southern coast of the Black Sea, in modern-day Turkey. Pontus consisted mainly of Greek population, although some other ethnic group used to live there as well. In the 17th century when invaded by Turks, Pontus became a part of the Ottoman Empire. In the 1920s during the Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey, Pontians were expelled and had to migrate to other countries such as Greece, Georgia, and Russia (Topalidis S.,2018).

 


Pontos is a Greek nation, where a very interesting musical tradition was born and developed thousands of years ago. The music style of Greek music from Pontus is definitely influenced by the Greeks who migrated due to the persecution by the Neo-Turks (The Pontian Music – Greek Music from Pontus, n.d). Depending on the period of time and the era, Pontian Music has different topics and contexts but most of the time Pontian Songs are about immigration, love, and sorrow (The Pontian Music – Greek Music from Pontus, n.d).




The language of the Pontian Songs in the "Pontic dialect" and the main instruments which are used are lyra and daouli. Usually, Pontic Songs and accompanied by dances. The Pontian dances are equally important to the Greeks and an indispensable part of their social life and celebrations, many of them join clubs/dancing team from a really young age so they learn more about their culture or out of curiosity. The video below depicts my old club/dancing team "Panagia Kremasti" (I am in the middle of the three girls in pink uniforms at the back)



The meaning is Pontian Songs is remembering the past and create a better future. For the generations to come, these songs make the history of their ancestors known understandable and it becomes a part of their own life. As a famous Pontian phrase says "Το αίμα νερό δεν γίνεται" (Blood does not become water). Meaning that just as blood does not change nature, so relatives can not hate one another even if they are cold for a moment. Music is evolving all the time, but traditions of the past remain the same and keep as close to history and to our roots. We cannot forget our roots, playing a traditional musical instrument, and singing and dancing to traditional songs is a good way to keep us close to our history.





References

·Greeksongs-greekmusic.com. n.d. The Pontian Music - Greek Music From Pontus. [online] Available at: <https://www.greeksongs-greekmusic.com/pontian-music-greek-music-from-pontus/> (Accessed 6 December 2020).

·Pontos World, n.d. Map Of Pontos. [image] Available at: <https://www.pontosworld.com/index.php/pontus/history/articles/98-pontus-an-historical-overview> (Accessed 6 December 2020).

·Topalidis, S., 2018. A Brief Introduction To The Pontic Greek Dialect. [online] Pontosworld.com. Available at: <https://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/overview/689-a-brief-introduction-to-the-pontic-greek-dialect-2> (Accessed 6 December 2020).

·Σύλλογος Ευόσμου Παναγία Κρεμαστή, 2015. Εκδηλώσεις Σεπτεμβρίου 2015. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTOw5_Osrv4&t=1248s&ab_channel=%CE%A3%CE%A5%CE%9B%CE%9B%CE%9F%CE%93%CE%9F%CE%A3%CE%A0%CE%9F%CE%9D%CE%A4%CE%99%CE%A9%CE%9D%CE%95%CE%A5%CE%9F%CE%A3%CE%9C%CE%9F%CE%A5%CE%A0%CE%91%CE%9D%CE%91%CE%93%CE%99%CE%91%CE%9A%CE%A1%CE%95%CE%9C%CE%91%CE%A3%CE%A4%CE%97> (Accessed 6 December 2020).

·The other photographs are from my personal archive.


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