Pontiaki Lyra - Folk - Traditional Musical Instruments - Folkway

Pontiaki Lyra: Its origins lay in the Pontus region for years.

The Pontic Lyra is a 3 stringed musical instrument played primarily by those whose origins lay in the Pontus region of north eastern Turkey, those who reside in the northern parts of Greece, and also people from many other parts of the world. It is also known as the Pontian lyra, Pontic fiddle or kemenche. […]

Daouli Drum - Folk - Traditional Musical Instruments - Folkway

The Daouli Drum: Experiencing music, expressing Pontic culture.

Daouli is a wooden cylinder, covered at both parallel ends with skin held taut by rope and is principally a rhythmic instrument. It is played by striking the drum-head with two specially made wooden drumsticks, held one in each hand. For the right-handed drummer, the drum-beater held in the left hand is very thin and […]

Folkway - Folk - Traditional - Folklore - Kotsari - Dance - Pontic Greeks

Kotsari: The true folk-dance culture of Pontiac Hellenism.

The Kotsari is a popular dance amongst Pontic Greeks. It was danced in the eastern regions of Pontus such as Argyroupolis, Bayburt and primarily by the Pontic people of Kars. The dance was introduced to the Upper Matsoukans in the last decades prior to the Exchange and it is sometimes said that the Matsoukans learnt the […]