Dance of Zalongo
The Dance of Zalongo refers to the mass suicide of women from Souli and their children during the Souliote War on December 16, 1803. After being trapped by Ottoman Albanian troops, near the village of Zalongo in Epirus, modern Greece, then Ottoman Empire, about 60 women decided to turn towards the cliff's edge together with their infants and children rather than surrender. According to tradition they did this one after the other while dancing and singing. The name also refers a number of Greek theatrical dramas and a song in folk style, commemorating the event, named "Dance of Zalongo". There is also a similar Cham Albanian dance-song called Vallja e Zallongut.
History
During the Souliote War in December 1803, the Souliotes began evacuating Souli after their defeat by the forces of the local Ottoman-Albanian ruler, Ali Pasha. During the evacuation, a group of Souliot women and their children were trapped by Ali's troops in the mountains of Zalongo in Epirus. In order to avoid capture and enslavement, the women threw their children first and then themselves off a steep cliff, committing suicide. The incident is also mentioned by Christoforos Perraivos in his 1815 edition of the History of Souli and Parga. According to the legend, they jumped down the precipice one after the other while singing and dancing. The incident soon became known across Europe. At the Paris Salon of 1827, the French artist Ary Scheffer exhibited two Romantic paintings, one of which was entitled Les Femmes souliotes. Today, the Zalongo Monument on Mount Zalongo in Kassope commemorates their sacrifice.Theatricals and Songs
There is a popular Greek dance-song about the event, which is known and danced throughout Greece today. It was part of popular drama, written by Sp. Peresiades, published in 1903 and staged first in 1904. The Greek folk song "Dance of Zalongo" has the following lyrics:| English | Greek |
Farewell poor world, Farewell sweet life, and you, my wretched country, Farewell for ever Farewell springs, Valleys, mountains and hills Farewell springs And you, women of Souli The fish cannot live on the land Nor the flower on the sand And the women of Souli Cannot live without freedom Farewell springs, ... The women of Souli Have not only learnt how to survive They also know how to die Not to tolerate slavery Farewell springs, ... | Έχε γεια καημένε κόσμε, έχε γεια γλυκιά ζωή Και ’συ δύστυχη πατρίδα έχε γεια παντοτινή. Έχετε γεια βρυσούλες λόγγοι, βουνά, ραχούλες Έχετε γεια βρυσούλες και σεις Σουλιωτοπούλες Στη στεριά δε ζει το ψάρι ούτ’ ανθός στην αμμουδιά Κι οι Σουλιώτισσες δεν ζούνε δίχως την ελευθεριά. Έχετε γεια βρυσούλες ... Οι Σουλιώτισσες δε μάθαν για να ζούνε μοναχά Ξέρουνε και να πεθαίνουν να μη στέργουν στη σκλαβιά. Έχετε γεια βρυσούλες ... |
Peresiadis describes this part of his drama as a "chorus of women", which can be translated as "dance", but in that context it possibly means a "group of women", as that in ancient Greek drama.
An Albanian dance-song called Vallja e Zallongut was developed with lyrics that refer to the same aforementioned mass suicide, published in 1961 by Sako Zihnni:
| Albanian | English |
Lamtumirë, o Sul, i shkretë, se po ndahemi per jetë. Lamtumirë, o Sul i shkretë, se na do t’ikim për jetë. Ne po vdesim për liri, se nuk duam skllavëri. Lamtumirë, ju male e fusha, na e punoi Pilo Gusha, I pabesi faqezi, s’pati turp, as perëndi. Lamtumirë, o fusha e male, ne vdesim pa frikë fare. Jemi bila shqipëtare, vdesim duke hedhur valle. Lamtumirë, o Sul i shkretë, lamtumir’ për gjithë jetë. | Goodbye, oh desolate Souli, for we part ways for life. Goodbye, oh desolate Souli, because we will leave forever. But we will die for freedom, because we do not want slavery. Goodbye, oh mountains and valleys, this was done by Pelios Gousis, The wicked scoundrel, had no shame, no god. Goodbye, oh valleys and mountains, We die without fear at all. It’s because we are Albanians, we die by dancing. Goodbye, oh desolate Souli, goodbye for all eternity. |