{"id":2229,"date":"2025-06-26T12:29:02","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T12:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.grallegorical-rizitika-songs\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T11:32:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T11:32:12","slug":"allegorical-rizitika-songs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/allegorical-rizitika-songs\/","title":{"rendered":"ALLEGORICAL"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t<section class=\"section\" id=\"section_597497740\">\n\t\t<div class=\"section-bg fill\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"is-border\"\n\t\tstyle=\"border-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);border-width:5px 5px 5px 5px;\">\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"ux-shape-divider ux-shape-divider--bottom ux-shape-divider--style-curve-opacity\">\n\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 1000 100\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" preserveAspectRatio=\"none\">\n\t\t<path class=\"ux-shape-fill\" opacity=\"0.15\" d=\"M0 14C0 14 88.64 17.48 300 50C560 90 814 77 1003 40L1015 68L1018 104H0V14Z\"\/>\n\t\t<path class=\"ux-shape-fill\" opacity=\"0.3\" d=\"M0 45C0 45 271 90.13 500 77C657 68 830 30 1015 14V100H0V45Z\"\/>\n\t\t<path class=\"ux-shape-fill\" d=\"M0 58C0 58 188.29 90 508 90C798 90 1002 55 1002 55V100H0V58Z\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"section-content relative\">\n\t\t\t\n\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-1885535878\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-245936841\" class=\"col medium-7 small-12 large-7\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_1463835535\">\n\t\t<a class=\"image-lightbox lightbox-gallery\" title=\"A wartime &#039;buffet&#039; of carobs, olives, and wild pears \u2013 the humble evening meal known as &#039;Apodeipni&#039;.\" href=\"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/120-1174x800.jpg\">\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner dark\" >\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1020\" height=\"695\" src=\"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/120-1174x800.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/120-1174x800.jpg 1174w, https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/120-587x400.jpg 587w, https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/120-768x523.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/120.jpg 1438w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption\">A wartime 'buffet' of carobs, olives, and wild pears \u2013 the humble evening meal known as 'Apodeipni'.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\n<style>\n#image_1463835535 {\n  width: 100%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-694611457\" class=\"col medium-5 small-12 large-5\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-2407397720\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p>Often, a message was conveyed through the mantinada during a feast. In a way, it served as a form of mass communication within the group, but at times it also carried broader messages\u2014especially in an era without radios or televisions, and when people, particularly in rural areas, rarely read newspapers. More than anything, it was through song\u2014and especially through rizitika\u2014that messages were transmitted, instructions were given, history was recorded. One specific category of these songs (the so-called allegorical ones) was intentionally crafted to uplift the morale and hope of the enslaved nation. These songs contained elements that the intended recipient could understand, but also misleading elements meant to deceive any unwanted listener, as Turks would often intrude uninvited into the gatherings of Christians. I present here a few examples as they were explained to me by people who lived through those times\u2014Andreas Boliotis, a lawyer; Andreas Zervos, also a lawyer; Panagiotis Klados, a vehicle operator; and the then very elderly Manousos Kagiavtakis. I believe that allegorical songs deserve thorough study, and to this day, I have not seen anyone give them the attention they truly merit.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-2407397720 {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-2407397720 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-center\"><div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\" style=\"max-width:70%;\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"row row-full-width align-equal align-center\"  id=\"row-1714185772\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1978474204\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-3919225069\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p><strong>Christ, if only the dream I saw tonight would come undone\u2014<br>I saw my beloved as a hunter, my husband as a wild beast.<br>Christ, if only the hunter would slay the wild beast,<br>so I could take from his blood to dye my hair,<br>and eat from his liver so my own pain would heal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-3919225069 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-3919225069 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-561317154\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-3032782877\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p>In this verse, the folk poet likens Crete to a young woman who has been forcibly taken as a wife by someone (Turkey), while her heart belongs to another (Greece). \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03ad \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c3\u03ba\u03cc\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd\u03b5 \u03bf \u201c\u03ba\u03c5\u03bd\u03b7\u03b3\u03cc\u03c2 ( \u03b7 \u0395\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1) \u03c4\u03bf \u201c\u03b1\u03b3\u03c1\u03af\u03bc\u03b9\u201d (\u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03a4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c1\u03ba\u03af\u03b1). So vividly is the mortal hatred portrayed.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-3032782877 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-3032782877 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row row-full-width align-equal align-center\"  id=\"row-1458320656\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-557975174\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-812187953\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p><strong>On a high mountain, on a rugged cliff,<br>sits an eagle, soaked and snow-covered,<br>and he pleads for the sun to rise:<br>\u201cSun, rise up, shine and give your light,<br>so the snow may melt from my wings<br>and the crystals from my fingertips.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-812187953 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-812187953 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1324949521\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-1300860439\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p>In this song, the folk poet calls upon freedom, but he names it \u201csun.\u201d When he says \u201csnow on the wings\u201d and \u201ccrystals on the fingertips,\u201d he is referring to the unbearable hardships of slavery.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-1300860439 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-1300860439 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row row-full-width align-equal align-center\"  id=\"row-30128170\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-2120595598\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-2817713522\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p><strong>My wild ones and little wildlings, my gentle deer,<br>tell me where your lands are and where your winter shelters lie.<br>\u201cOur lands are the cliffs, our shelters the caves,<br>the little mountain caverns, our ancestral homes.\u201d<br>This song vividly portrays the hainides \u2014 the freedom fighters, the rebels of Crete.<br><br><strong>Eagle, you who sit high upon the snowy mountain,<br>you feed on the dew of the snow, you drink the icy water,<br>if you catch a hare, you savor it, a partridge, you dine on it,<br>and you kiss a beautiful maiden.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-2817713522 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-2817713522 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1175472757\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-1821590953\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">As things stand today, there are equal conditions across the land for everyone to enjoy the blessings of life. During the Ottoman occupation, however, only those who lived far from the presence of the Turks could enjoy the blessings of life\u2014even if it was a fragile and anxious kind of freedom. \u201cThey fed on the dew of the snow, and if they caught a hare, they savored it\u201d (meaning they enjoyed the fruits of their labor). And when he says \u201cyou kiss a beautiful maiden,\u201d he means that you breathe the air of freedom and enjoy the blessings that freedom offers. <\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-1821590953 {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-1821590953 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row row-full-width align-equal align-center\"  id=\"row-258038659\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-565051147\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-4181549452\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p><strong>An eagle caught a partridge and gently asked her:<br>\u201cMy partridge, may you live long \u2014 where do you build your nest?<br>Where do you lay your eggs and raise your little ones?\u201d<br>\u201cTake me softly in your claws, eagle, and I will tell you:<br>Do you see that mountain there, the one beyond, far yonder?<br>And even farther beyond it? There, at the mountain\u2019s foot,<br>upon a rugged rock, there grows a little thyme bush.<br>At the root of that thyme bush I made my nest,<br>I laid my eggs and hatched my chicks,<br>but the chicks have now fledged and flown away.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-4181549452 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-4181549452 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1042987524\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-1365345224\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Here, the message conveyed is that when someone is under great pressure, they should offer vague or misleading information \u2014 details that cannot be truly exploited.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-1365345224 {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-1365345224 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row row-full-width align-equal align-center\"  id=\"row-1478739192\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1761722400\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-1894449776\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p><strong>Go out and cry aloud in Lakkoi and in Orthouni,<br>so that the sons of Lampathis and of Bimbostamatis may come.<br>And I have set a hare in place to give them the message\u2014<br>but let them not think it\u2019s truly a hare and gather their hounds!<br>It is a beast with three heads,<br>and each head bears double rows of teeth.<\/strong><br><br><\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-1894449776 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-1894449776 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-172582550\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-2471978821\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">A message that a large enemy force has appeared.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-2471978821 {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-2471978821 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row row-full-width align-equal align-center\"  id=\"row-328614540\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1885041558\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-1589336775\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p><strong>My fate has exiled me to forested woods,<br>down by the Black Sea, in the fine place of Kalamionas,<br>where beasts roam and dwell,<br>where the snakes are hairy and the bears have their dens,<br>and they have double heads and two pairs of eyes.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-1589336775 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-1589336775 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-929723377\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-293191748\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Many Cretans fought outside of Crete, particularly in the Danubian Principalities. At the beginning of the 1821 Revolution, in a battle that took place in Gala\u021bi, Wallachia, more than 150 Cretans took part, led by Georgios Daimonakis from Kallikratis. Many of them fell there, including their leader. The above song allegorically describes the tragic moments and dangers they faced in that battle. <\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-293191748 {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-293191748 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row row-full-width align-equal align-center\"  id=\"row-1900770180\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1286227932\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-1726519839\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p><strong>Mother, even if you are my mother, and I am your child,<br>send me my arrows \u2014 my very best ones.<br>For I can do no otherwise, nor can I find peace,<br>unless I strike down the beast.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-1726519839 {\n  text-align: left;\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-1726519839 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1173087906\" class=\"col medium-6 small-12 large-6\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-2299557803\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">It is clear that the \u201cbeast\u201d refers to the conqueror. It is known that during the \u201cCretan War,\u201d the Cretans used bows, and even after the Turks prevailed, they continued to do so for several years.  Some allegorical songs may not have had an obvious or specific theme, but their purpose was to keep the flame alive \u2014 to preserve hope, unity, and the spirit of resistance within the hearts of the people. In general, rizitika songs, after various edits and reinterpretations over time, are found in two, three, or even four different variations each. I recorded one variation of each, the one I considered the best and most authentic. Many rizitika songs are sung with two different meanings or purposes. Many others are sung with a different purpose in Sfakia and another in the mountainous region of Kydonia.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-2299557803 {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-2299557803 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n<style>\n#section_597497740 {\n  padding-top: 30px;\n  padding-bottom: 30px;\n  background-color: #6b6e6f;\n}\n#section_597497740 .ux-shape-divider--bottom svg {\n  height: 150px;\n  --divider-width: 100%;\n}\n#section_597497740 .ux-shape-divider--bottom .ux-shape-fill {\n  fill: #000000;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/section>\n\t\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Through the &#8220;mantinada&#8221;, a message was often conveyed during celebrations. In a way, it served as a form of mass media within the group, and at times, it carried broader messages\u2014especially in those days when there were no radios or televisions, and people, particularly in the countryside, rarely read newspapers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2158,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[117],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rizitika"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2229"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3606,"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2229\/revisions\/3606"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kanakisgeronymakis.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}