argatia ensemble

"Argatia" means collaboration and solidarity between people. It was the practice of mutual exchange of free work among Greek farmers in Pontus (Black Sea). Though not practiced in Greece anymore, this social form is still alive among the Pontic-Greek speakers of contemporary Pontus in the eastern Black Sea shores of Turkey. Echoes of the spirit of Argatia can still be heard in our folk songs, despite decades of superficial “modernization”.

 Our band performs songs mainly in Pontic-Greek, a dialect of Greek that combines elements from classical and medieval Greek. We also present songs in languages and by people who lived or still live around the shores of the Black Sea such as Armenian, Laz, Turkish, Georgian and Bulgarian.