Songs About Greeks Far From Home

The album Songs About Greeks Far From Home is a collection of folk songs reflecting historical and cultural aspects of the migration of Greeks, which began during ancient Greek colonization of the Aegean islands and the coast of Asia Minor. Through this album, we can see how the theme of homesickness has permeated Greek culture and become an integral part of folk creativity.

The lyrics and music were collected from various corners of historical Greece. They showcase the diversity of traditions and musical styles performed by the Greek diaspora today. For example, the song "Mother, you scold me too much (Μάνα πολλά μαλώνεις με)" is performed in the Cretan style and tells the story of a mother's pain in having to send her son away. The Pontic song "Cretan Ship (Ένα καράβι κρητικό)" describes the difficulties and dangers migrants face in a foreign land, while also incorporating rhythmic and melodic influences from the Caucasus.

Renowned performer Domna Samiou (Δόμνα Σαμίου), who dedicated her life to preserving and popularizing Greek folk music, curated this project and performed some of the songs on the album. She was assisted in the preparation of ethnographic material by musicologist Lambros Liavas (Λάμπρος Λιάβας), a professor of ethnomusicology and cultural anthropology.

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