Hello fellow MTOers,
Hope you've all had a wonderful XMAS and New Years. As I have just recently returned from the mother country, I thought I'd post and share some of my trip with you.
First - some background. I've been to Macedonia more than 10 times now. In fact, in 2012 I visited Macedonia 3 times, so I see and make note of changes, cultural differences, etc.
In all of those visits, this is my first trip to Macedonia in the dead of winter. Luckily (or unluckily for me), my trip was unseasonably warm and I didn't actually see any snow whatsoever. It was, however, still rather cold, and I retreated in to my favourite pasttime in Macedonia, wine and kafani.
You see, despite being a girl, I have been raised to be quite the lush. I enjoy getting on the piss and honestly am probably better behaved when off-my-face drunk than sober, and there's NOTHING better than Macedonian wine on a cold winters night.
So every night, I pissed off the in-laws and headed out to a myriad of kafani and because of all the praznici, every single one of them had some sort of ziva muzika. Even better!
What happened next was rather strange...
Now, I have admitted previously on this forum that, despite everyone's objections, I don't mind the odd turbo-trash song, and usually the kafani happily oblige by belting out the best of bijelo dugme, ceca, seka, sako, zeljko, sasa and whatever else is big that year. But this year was different... this year, I sat in kafani and listened to songs I felt I was hearing for the first time, but somehow strangely recognised. I understood all the words of the songs, and saw old and young lift their wine glasses and sing along together... this year, for the first time, I barely heard a serb song sung or played in the kafani. Instead, I was listening to Macedonian music.
It wasn't just any Macedonian music, though. It wasn't the new stuff sung by your Aneta and Molikas, or the tattoo covered serb-wannabes that have sprung out in the last few years. No.. these songs were eerily familiar and made me feel nostalgic and warm. They reminded me of Sunday mornings, the Macedonian radio blaring and the barbecue burning. It took me a while to realise that most of these songs were from the late 80s and early 90s, when Macedonia first stood up to the world and became it's own country. They reminded me of when my parents would drive us to canberra for protests, when we would proudly wear the Macedonian flag, a time when gosti would come over without calling first and when we had a bafca of krstajci and piperki.
So ladies in gentlemen, I would like to share this music with you, these beautiful Macedonian songs that are full of words and not just catchy riffs. Songs with meaning, that paint pictures and create movies in your head. Songs that evoke emotions, bring back smells and feelings, remind you of someone. Songs that I grew up listening to but almost forgot.
For now, Macedonia seems to have remembered its roots.
Please enjoy, and share your own nostalgic memories and songs with us.
(sorry, can't embed. If someone else would like to, please do).
Hope you've all had a wonderful XMAS and New Years. As I have just recently returned from the mother country, I thought I'd post and share some of my trip with you.
First - some background. I've been to Macedonia more than 10 times now. In fact, in 2012 I visited Macedonia 3 times, so I see and make note of changes, cultural differences, etc.
In all of those visits, this is my first trip to Macedonia in the dead of winter. Luckily (or unluckily for me), my trip was unseasonably warm and I didn't actually see any snow whatsoever. It was, however, still rather cold, and I retreated in to my favourite pasttime in Macedonia, wine and kafani.
You see, despite being a girl, I have been raised to be quite the lush. I enjoy getting on the piss and honestly am probably better behaved when off-my-face drunk than sober, and there's NOTHING better than Macedonian wine on a cold winters night.
So every night, I pissed off the in-laws and headed out to a myriad of kafani and because of all the praznici, every single one of them had some sort of ziva muzika. Even better!
What happened next was rather strange...
Now, I have admitted previously on this forum that, despite everyone's objections, I don't mind the odd turbo-trash song, and usually the kafani happily oblige by belting out the best of bijelo dugme, ceca, seka, sako, zeljko, sasa and whatever else is big that year. But this year was different... this year, I sat in kafani and listened to songs I felt I was hearing for the first time, but somehow strangely recognised. I understood all the words of the songs, and saw old and young lift their wine glasses and sing along together... this year, for the first time, I barely heard a serb song sung or played in the kafani. Instead, I was listening to Macedonian music.
It wasn't just any Macedonian music, though. It wasn't the new stuff sung by your Aneta and Molikas, or the tattoo covered serb-wannabes that have sprung out in the last few years. No.. these songs were eerily familiar and made me feel nostalgic and warm. They reminded me of Sunday mornings, the Macedonian radio blaring and the barbecue burning. It took me a while to realise that most of these songs were from the late 80s and early 90s, when Macedonia first stood up to the world and became it's own country. They reminded me of when my parents would drive us to canberra for protests, when we would proudly wear the Macedonian flag, a time when gosti would come over without calling first and when we had a bafca of krstajci and piperki.
So ladies in gentlemen, I would like to share this music with you, these beautiful Macedonian songs that are full of words and not just catchy riffs. Songs with meaning, that paint pictures and create movies in your head. Songs that evoke emotions, bring back smells and feelings, remind you of someone. Songs that I grew up listening to but almost forgot.
For now, Macedonia seems to have remembered its roots.
Please enjoy, and share your own nostalgic memories and songs with us.
(sorry, can't embed. If someone else would like to, please do).
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