Καλλιτεχνικός Σύλλογος Δημοτικής Μουσικής Δόμνα Σαμίου

Dance from the Soufli region in Thrace, north east Greece.

Tapinos is danced at carnival time or at festivals and weddings, in 4/4 time, with gentle, slow and humble movements, hence the name. It is one of the so-called labyrinth dances, and thus has a distinct ceremonial background. It is danced by both men and women who hold each other by the elbow, and is led by the oldest man, who is followed by other men in descending order of age; the same applies to the women. The two groups are ‘bound’ together by a woman who is related to the last man in the line.

Tapinos is danced to singing, with a daouli which beats time. The variant given here was found by Domna Samiou in the little town of lerissos on the Halkidiki peninsula. According to legend it recalls the time when the inhabi tants rose against the occupying Turks. The revolt failed and the population fled to the monastery mountain of Athos, which then for the first time opened its doors to women. La ter, when the Greeks returned home, they were forced to march under two crossed swords, as a sign of their subjection. One youth who refused was decapitated. In the dance, which has winding figures, the first two dancers hold a scarf high while the other dan cers pass beneath it.

The song was recorded in a studio, in 1979.

Domna Samiou taped the song in Soufli, Thrace, sung by Eleni Kakali, 84 years old, in 1973.