00:00
Τσάμικος
Of all the traditional Greek dances, the tsamikos carries the most powerful national connotations. Although regarded as a panhellenic dance —indeed, the Greek dance par excellence— it is in fact found only in mainland Greece, in a region that radiates outwards from the Pindos mountain range and extends as far south as the Peloponnese. Its name is probably linked to the Cham Albanian inhabitants of Tsamouria in Thesprotia, Epirus, while the dance’s association with the mountains of Central Grecce throws light on its link to the klephts* and the struggle for national independence after 1821.
It is danced in a circle, formerly only by men with personal dance expression capabilities, and is noteworthy for the impressive figures of the skilled first dancer. Depending on the area, the tsamikos can have 8, 12, 14 or 16 steps, in 3/4 or 6/8 rhythm. It can be danced quickly or very slowly and solemnly indeed, depending on the meaning and the story of the song as well as on the interaction between the first dancer and the musicians.
The instruments heard here are the zournas (shawm) and the daouli (davul) (See song When I Was a Lad). The zournas (also known as pipiza or karamoutza) is a descendant of the ancient avlos; it belongs to the oboe family, has a double reed, and produces a sharp, piercing sound. It is hand-crafted by the player and can range in length from 20 to 60 cm, with the shortest zournades coming from Western Greece and the longest from Macedonia. The typical zygia, the traditional basic combination of instruments in mainland Greece, consists of two zournades —one for the melody, the other for the drone— and a daouli. This band is well suited for outdoor playing.
Miranda Terzopoulou (2018)
*The klephts were guerrilla bandits and freedom fighters who chose to live free in the mountains rather than submit to the Ottoman rule.
Studio recording (1979).
Daouli (davul)
