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Besides
performing as a part of the wedding custom, performing of a Kacic' songs
is still an integral part of the Carnival event on the island of Lastovo
and the coastal town of Novi Vinodolski.
The song
is one of the three songs that pokladari,
the members of local carnival society, performed during the Carnival
time.
The common feature of all songs is A common tune that accompanied the
verses, and a common refrain: trajle lajle la (onomatopoeic
imitation of lijerica playing) as well as the same instrument
accompaniment - the lijerica. The lijerica
(the three
stringed, pear-shaped fiddle) had been irreplaceable as an accompaniment
to all the dances of the local inhabitants, before the appearance of the
accordion. In the living musical tradition at the beginning of the 21st
century, the lijerica is in use in the Dubrovnik area (Primorje,
Zupa, Konavle), the peninsula Peljesac, Neretva valley and the islands -
Hvar, Mljet and Lastovo. Although there are attempts of revival, the
playing of lijerica
has died out on the other islands.
Despite the general view that folklore today lives only
on the stage, it is noteworthy that one can still experience its full
energy in the Carnival events. The Carnival event on the island of
Lastovo is the vivid example, especially the performance of the chain
dance - the pokladarsko kolo (Zebec 2000b:446). The pokladarsko kolo is a chain sword dance related to the neighboring
island Korcula chain dances (kumpanija). The main person
responsible for the dance is the kolovoda, or the leader of the
kolo-dance. The members of the pokladari society select
their kolovoda - a skillful dancer, aged between forty and fifty,
and authoritative person since he is responsible for all the
pokladari.
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Pokladari sing
(shouting) the songs whilst marching through the narrow village
streets. The lijerica player (sanatur, glumac)
walks in the front of the group, holding the instrument on his
left side. It is the only example of lijerica playing in
standing position. Lastovo lijerica player often sings
with the pokladari, another feature unknown to the other
regions lijerica players. After the lijerica
introduction, the whole group join in the singing. The custom
demands that the pokladari stops in the front of the
houses and perform pokladarsko kolo for the household.
The singing of the pokladari is a heterophonic diatonic
singing in parallel thirds. In comparison with the other
variants of singing of Kacic' songs, the singing style of the
island of Lastovo belongs to newer singing styles. On the other
hand, this style, diatonic two-part singing, is still able to
stand against modern four-part harmonizing (klapa
singing). |
Lastovo, otok Lastovo
(file wmv, 1'43", 664 Kb) |
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