Typical Balkan controversy about a simple but beautiful song

[Onur]

I saw this documentary on youtube by coincidence. It`s about a song from Ottoman era and the authors journey to all Balkan states, searching for the roots of this song.

It seems quite interesting but it`s was so sad for me to watch this 10min. excerpt from it. This just proves what kind of sick mentality exists in whole Balkans and how things can go ugly here over a beautiful song, especially in Serbia and Bulgaria. In Bosnia, it`s quite interesting too;

"Whose Is This Song?" "Chia e tazi pesen? "(original title) 2003. Directed by : Adela Peeva

The director, Adela Peeva, got the idea for the film one night when she was having dinner with some friends, all from different Balkan countries. The band in the restaurant started playing a song, and everyone at Peeva's table claimed that the song was from their country.

She traveled to Turkey, Greece, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, and back to Bulgaria. In each location, she heard the song and claims that the song was Bosnian, Greek, etc etc.

I don't think there could be a better metaphor for the Balkans. Ms. Peeva, in a very simple exercise, painted an indelible and tragic portrait of a hopeless region.

"Whose is this song?" was nominated by the European Film Academy for Best Documentary Film 2003 and won several awards: a Special Jury Prize at the Golden Rython Festival 2003 - the FIPRESCI Award and Silver Conch Prize 2004 - the Gibson Impact of Music prize 2004 - the Prix Bartok 2004 and the Silver Knight Award 2005.

YouTube - Whose song is this ? Cia e tazi pesen ? Cija je ovo pesma?TRAILER

And this is the last 5min. of 70min. documentary. This part shows scenes from Bulgaria. This is even more depressing to watch. I just keep wondering why, how come and who poisons these simple people`s minds???;

YouTube - Whose is this song - Bulgarian input



P. S: I just searched on the internet for full 70min version of it but i couldn't find it. If you guys have it, i would be glad if you can post the link here.

[Daskalot]

I have the complete one, I will try and find it.

[Bill77]

Onar, there is another song which is controversial. I often as a kid use to argue with Greek friends on ownership of this song. Then not long ago, i heard this song at a Turkish wedding and lately Serbs are getting in it.

OPA NINA NAJ(STANI MOME DA ZAIGRAŠ)

YouTube - ANGEL DIMOV - OPA NINA NAJ(STANI MOME DA ZAIGRAĹ*)

[Coolski]

From what i remember, the only nation in the balkans that did not bluntly claim to own the heritage of this song was us. The Macedonians said that it doesn't follow the beats that are a signature in Macedonian music. They said that the Macedonian language version of the song is probably an adaptation, but that it doesn't seem to be originally Macedonian.

I thought this was very telling, because believe it or not we showed much more integrity comparing with the other national groups, which seemed to blatantly claim ownership without considering the fact that other neighbouring countries also have versions of the song. They all assumed to be the originators. By recognising and admitting that the song was probably not originally Macedonian, I think we were presented in the most positive light with the most stable identity in this documentary.

[Bill77]

I tell you what, its a beautiful song especialy the first version at the start where that beautiful woman is singing it

I haven't seen the entire clip. I stoped watching it after i seen that old lazy looking Greek guy at the coffee shop singing it in Greek. As if he knowing the words and singing the song in Greek is some sort of evidence its Greek. (we realy need a smilie of a character gesturing he his masturbating)
I just can't handle there lay back, they are king dic.s atitude any more.

But something did catch my eye was a comment under the Youtube clip

Quote: "@rose14673 You are apsolutely right. ! The continuing of the story is spreading even outside of Balkan region !!! The author of movise Adela Peeva found that song exist at Sicilia, Libanon, even India !!!??! When I uploaded this video klip first time 2 years ago, many people contacted me and I received version from Algeria, than Jewish version, even from Singapur ! So the song exceeds zone where Turks have been"

How can anyone explain this. I would have sworn it was Macedonian and one of Alexanders favorite since he went to India, but he never went to Singapore, i am sure about that. So much for the Alexander theory i would have thrown.

PS: I just watched it all. My goodness, the Serbs and in particular the Bulgarians, have some major mental issues.

[Onur]

From what i remember, the only nation in the balkans that did not bluntly claim to own the heritage of this song was us. The Macedonians said that it doesn't follow the beats that are a signature in Macedonian music.

That`s true Coolski. I can say that the ridicules hate propaganda shown in the documentary, doesn't exist only in Macedonia. Most severe cases in Serbia and Bulgaria as we seen. In Turkey, people cheer for themselves, for their own country but in Serbia and Bulgaria, nationalism means "hate others, neighbors" more than cheering for your own people. But like i said, there are some powerful people in Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece who poisons the minds of ignorant people in their own countries.

But something did catch my eye was a comment under the Youtube clip

Quote: "@rose14673 You are apsolutely right. ! The continuing of the story is spreading even outside of Balkan region !!! The author of movise Adela Peeva found that song exist at Sicilia, Libanon, even India !!!??! When I uploaded this video klip first time 2 years ago, many people contacted me and I received version from Algeria, than Jewish version, even from Singapur ! So the song exceeds zone where Turks have been"

Algeria is not that difficult to explain. It was Ottoman territory for 400+ years. Also Turkish and Balkanic Jews knows this song very well for 100s of years. Singapour is weird tough but take a look at this;

This is from a band called Bony M from 1970s. Carefully listen to the tune from 0:40sec. to 0:56sec;

YouTube - Boney M - Rasputin Live TOTP (1978)
They obviously stole the tune and it became hit disco song in 1970s

Onar, there is another song which is controversial. I often as a kid use to argue with Greek friends on ownership of this song. Then not long ago, i heard this song at a Turkish wedding and lately Serbs are getting in it.

OPA NINA NAJ(STANI MOME DA ZAIGRAŠ)

This song and the one mentioned in the documentary was from 1860s to 1910s. A lot of musicians was playing in Salonika, Istanbul and Izmir meyhanes(Turkish style pubs where people drink raki and smoke pot with nargiles) and most of these Ottoman era songs composed by these musicians in 19th century. Especially after 1860s, French style cabarets started to open in Istanbul and Izmir, just like the ones shown in the movie called "Moulin Rouge" and the most talented musicians from meyhanes started to work in these musical theaters. They composed lots of songs for the plays and the song in the documentary most likely has been sung for the first time in these theaters and it`s been thought that this song has been composed by Turkish Jewish musicians. All these songs obviously had Turkish lyrics and in 1950s, Stelyo Kazancidis wrote Greek lyrics to them and all became widespread popular in Greece after that. Before 1950s, only Anatolian immigrants knew these songs and most likely they couldn't sing it freely because all had Turkish lyrics only.

Btw, thats why our(yours too) music is so rich and beautiful because Turks bring various percussion instruments and cymbals, then Armenians, Greeks added some of their tunes, then Bulgarians, Macedonians bring Balkan tunes on top of it and middle-eastern & Andalusian(Spanish) influence came with Jews for the last in 15th century.

PS: I just watched it all. My goodness, the Serbs and in particular the Bulgarians, have some major mental issues.

Yes. One Serbian guy was about to punch the woman and the ignorant Bulgarians was depressing to watch, warning her about to be stoned to death or hanged if she continues to claim that this was a Turkish song!!!. Also Bosnians was quite shocking too. It looks like they turned the beautiful song in to some stupid Jihadist tune.

[Onur]

Here is the proof of how ignorant people of the village called Strandja (A village on Turkish border), shown in the documentary are constantly being poisoned by Bulgarian politicians.

Few weeks ago, an animal only disease has been detected on domestic animals in Strandja and Bulgarian authorities first claimed that this disease originated from wild animals who transpassed the border from Turkey to Bulgaria but now Bulgarian politicians claims that this animal disease is a plot of Turkey to depopulate Bulgarian villages close to the Turkish border because Turks supposedly gonna invade these places by buying the properties;

Bulgarian Conservative Leader: FMD Outbreak Fake, Turkish Conspiracy


FMD and a "Turkish conspiracy" are the latest targets of the vocal RZS leader Yane Yanev

Yane Yanev, the vocal leader of the marginal Bulgarian conservative party RZS, has declared the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Southeast Bulgaria to be fake and an international conspiracy.

According to Yanev, the entire epidemic of FMD in the Strandzha region along Bulgaria's border with Turkey has been made up.

He said a press conference Friday that the "fake" FMD outbreak is an arrangement, or a "business deal" between Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov and big Turkish firms buying out agricultural land in the region.

"This is connected with the intentions of the Turkish state to depopulate the Strandzha Mountain region. This FMD provocation is aimed at depriving the local people of their livelihood," Yanev claims.

Six Bulgarian villages have been affected by the renewed outbreak of the FMD in the Burgas District, with thousands of domestic animals being put to death after the disease first appeared in January-February 2011. It is believed to have been transferred to Bulgarian by wild animals crossing from Turkey.

Yanev and his party RZS have been involved in various sensationalist claims of dubious authenticity, including about the rise of radical Islam among Bulgarian Muslims.

April 8, 2011

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=127119

They literally use every opportunity to bolster hate among people and let the ignorant Bulgarians of that village hate from their Turkish neighbors living in the other side of the border.

[Mastika]

The behaviour displayed by the Bulgarians (towards the Romi, at the director) and the Serbians is simply atrocious. I dont want to sounds as if i am blowing my own horn, however of all the interviewees only the Macedonian acknowledged that the song had foreign origins. Says a lot about the type of people that we are. A Reasonable and accomodating nation, to say the least..

[Onur]

I found one more version from related videos on youtube. This time from an American singer named Eartha Kitt, recorded in 1950s or 1960s. She sings in turkish but in very funny accent but she also explains the meaning of lyrics in english

YouTube - Eartha Kitt - A Turkish tale - in Turkish (Uskudara Giderken)

It looks like this song became a worldwide phenomenon but i didn't know that b4

[Coolski]

This is from a band called Bony M from 1970s. Carefully listen to the tune from 0:40sec. to 0:56sec;

YouTube - Boney M - Rasputin Live TOTP (1978)
They obviously stole the tune and it became hit disco song in 1970s

haha Onur that's the funniest! It is true though. The tune is very familiar in parts of the balkan song.

[Commander Bond]

Apparently Bobby Farrell's (male singer from Bony M) wife is a Macedonian Roma.
Bobby Farrell passed away on December 30th 2010.

[Prolet]

Macedonian Music Expert Ilija Pejovski confirmed that its not a Macedonian Song, we do have a similar song to that rhythm called Oj Devojche.

YouTube - Violeta Tomovska - Oj devojce (ti tetovsko jabolce)

[Bill77]

I found one more version from related videos on youtube. This time from an American singer named Eartha Kitt, recorded in 1950s or 1960s. She sings in turkish but in very funny accent but she also explains the meaning of lyrics in english

YouTube - Eartha Kitt - A Turkish tale - in Turkish (Uskudara Giderken)

It looks like this song became a worldwide phenomenon but i didn't know that b4

Onur, that version, (well the begining of it) by American singer Eartha Kit sounds alot like the "Fiddler on The Roof" theme. Check it out,

YouTube - Fiddler on the Roof - Trailer

One of the greatest movies.

[Bij]

I was forced to watch this abomination in an anthropology class in uni. the prof was a fucking hungarian who hated my guts and we argued about this stupid "doco" endlessly.

It was very clear to me that the Bulgarian wench who made it was anti-Macedonian.

I am only going by memory from a few years ago but...In every country she visited, she did not seek out any experts. She merely gathered sentiment from locals, patriots, boozos and whackjobs. I'm sure if she sought experts in other countries, they too would have conceded the song is not their own (except for maybe Greece... we all know how they operate!).

Secondly, the Macedonian taxi driver OMFG i've never wanted to slap a guy harder in my life. harden the fuck up, princess! you want your vacation!!!!!!!!!!! typical Macedonian mentality

[Ljubanec]

I was forced to watch this abomination in an anthropology class in uni. the prof was a fucking hungarian who hated my guts and we argued about this stupid "doco" endlessly.

It was very clear to me that the Bulgarian wench who made it was anti-Macedonian.

I am only going by memory from a few years ago but...In every country she visited, she did not seek out any experts. She merely gathered sentiment from locals, patriots, boozos and whackjobs. I'm sure if she sought experts in other countries, they too would have conceded the song is not their own (except for maybe Greece... we all know how they operate!).

Secondly, the Macedonian taxi driver OMFG i've never wanted to slap a guy harder in my life. harden the fuck up, princess! you want your vacation!!!!!!!!!!! typical Macedonian mentality

Sorry I just watched the documentary that has been posted here not the full version. What's up with the Macedonian Taxi Driver? What were some of the anti-Macedonian sentiments that Ms. Peev displayed?