After the Ottoman conquest of Greece, many, especially from the army or local militias, fled to the mountains and became bandits known as Klephts, living by brigandage. Over time, others joined them to escape vendettas, taxes, or the law.
In the preparation of the Revolution of 1821, this group of militia played an important role. Folk songs called “Kleftika” captured their exploits, inspiring and motivating enslaved Greeks to fight for freedom
More than 300 to 400 folk songs that refer to this period of the revolution carried folk history and reinforced the spirit of freedom. The struggles and hardships of the Klephts, who resisted Turkish oppression by going guerilla, become folk songs that exalt their courage, their exploits, their endurance in guerilla warfare and their sacrifices. Their adventures with the Turks , their wounds and battles are depicted in a heroic way in the folk songs of the time, offering us a glimpse of the pre-revolutionary years and the beginning of the uprising.
At the same time, the Philhellenes began to discover the raw charm of traditional folk songs and in it, they saw a direct link to the Homeric poems. In 1824, the first volume of Fouriel's collection, entitled "Chants populaires de la Grèce moderne", was published in Paris, the first official collection of Greek folk songs. It was translated into German, English, Russian and Italian. Dionysios Solomos, the Greek national anthem poet, pays hommage to folk songs with his poems "Kritikos" and "Free Besieged".
In order for someone to understand the beauty of folk song one must conceptualize what these bandits represented in the collective subconscious at the time of the Revolution.
Klephts lived in small groups of max 50 men, in remote and hard to reach places, always armed and ready to fight when in danger. They stole animals and ransacked the houses of officials. In the years before and during the Revolution, their action took on a national liberation character, with many becoming members of Filiki Etaireia. Farmers and monasteries supported them, and they became folk heroes- akin to Robin Hood. They had to endure hardships such as hunger, thirst and the cold, while they trained in the arts of war daily like ancient Spartans. Freedom fighters like Katsantonis formed stealth corps that many historians consider "Military Academies of Guerilla Warfare".
Demotika or Kleftika folk songs, full of simplicity, power and "wild daring", were a source of admiration and inspiration for leading writers such as Goethe, Solomon, Valaoritis, Palamas, Cavafy and Seferis. They were recognized as a "raw Greek voice" expressing the deepest soul of the Greek people. The folk song is distinguished by its directness, the justice with which it approaches human affairs, and its ability to turn emotion into speech, without exaggeration. Thus, Kleftika are not limited to the glorification of heroic action, but also describe human frailties, avoiding any kind of censorship.
Popular culture, through folk songs, spontaneously and authentically captures the events of the time, whether it is heroic acts or acts that deviate from traditional moral standards. Born in the mountains and steeped in the Greek nature, these folk songs contain a special raucous character, while they manage to convey freedom, love of country and passion for independence.
In the exhibition you will find sheet music, lyrics, lectures and books about Greek folk songs, as well as engravings, drawings and paintings about the Klephts.
The exhibition contains items from the following institutions:
