The Highs and Lows of Ethno-Cultural Diversity: Young People's Experiences of Chalga Culture in Bulgaria
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Anthropology of East Europe Review THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF ETHNO-CULTURAL DIVERSITY: YOUNG PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES OF CHALGA CULTURE IN BULGARIA Apostol Apostolov University of Birmingham Introduction modernised reworking of regional folklore, heavily influenced by a variety of regional Multiculturalism in the West, it has been argued, musical styles. Serbian, Greek and Turkish is characterised by the emergence of ‘new national musical motifs are used as a source of ethnicities’ (Hall 1996), capable of crossing creative experimentation within Bulgarian ethnic boundaries and overcoming racial barriers popular music, which also draws on sounds (Back 1996; Nayak 2003). Hip hop and other usually associated with the cultures of the Roma types of black music have been seen to provide i or ethnic Turkish minorities in Bulgaria. linguistic and cultural resources which construct for young people a forum for cross-racial The multi-cultural diversity represented communication and a ‘landscape of interaction in chalga suggests that production and and negotiation’ (Back 1996: 51). Indeed, Hall et participation in youth cultural practice in al. suggest that ethnically based cultural products contemporary Bulgaria is moving away from a in general hold the potential to break down inter- mono-white or a mono-ethnic rationale for ethnic antipathy (Hall et al. 2003: 62). Such cultural engagement, representative of the arguments about the potential of Western Socialist past of Bulgaria (Silverman 1989: 147). multiculturalism, developed in the context of In the Socialist period, although cultural life in post-colonial migration, have not been tested, Bulgaria was politically inclusive of ethnic however, in countries outside the global core and minorities, in as much as they were allowed to in national and regional contexts where inter- participate in the production of ‘formal’ cultural ethnic exchange occurs primarily among activities, such as concerts and communal vocal indigenous or ‘indigenised’ ethnic groups or groups, such activities could not be identified as peoples. This article seeks to do just that by anything but ‘Bulgarian’ (Kaneff 2004: 167). considering ‘regional’ forms of inter-ethnic Thus, the Bulgarian dominant ethnic culture was exchange and their potential for fostering the only ethnic culture available for mainstream multiculturalism. As the article will suggest, consumption and production. based on a study of chalga music as a form of It is suggested in this article that chalga popular culture in Bulgaria, multiculturalism in music departs from such homogenous contexts outside the global core could perhaps be constructions of national culture in that it has more adequately interpreted through focusing on become established in people’s minds as cultural pluralism or preservation and ‘Turkish’, ‘Roma’ or ‘Oriental’ music. The fact enhancement of values and habits of co-existing that young people from different ethnic groups, rather than on the emergence of radically backgrounds use ethnic minority musical new forms of ethnicity. elements for the production of chalga also means Young people in Bulgaria use both that it has taken on something of a similar role to global and regional resources in the production global forms of hip-hop as a popular medium for of local youth cultural forms. While global inter-ethnic cultural exchange. Drawing directly resources are appropriated primarily through on young people’s experiences and narratives of Western youth cultural styles and musical chalga music in Bulgaria, this article explores genres, such as hip hop, rock, popular music, chalga’s roots in ethnic musical forms from etc., regional resources are available to young Bulgaria and other cultures from the Balkan people in Bulgaria via folk or ‘traditional’ ethnic region. It also considers the significance, or music from other neighbouring Balkan countries otherwise, of young people’s ethnic background and Turkey. Chalga music, which appeared in and attitudes to their creation and experience of Bulgaria in the 1990s, is a widespread cultural chalga as well as the actual and potential role of phenomenon that draws on such regional ethno- chalga in facilitating inter-ethnic cultural cultural musical traditions. Chalga, sometimes exchange between young people of different also referred to as ‘pop folk’, consists of the ethnic backgrounds in Bulgaria. The article production and consumption of a particular type suggests that chalga as a specific type of music of ethnically mixed music. It is a Bulgarian could both reveal and promote inter-ethnic Volume 26, No. 1 Page 85 Anthropology of East Europe Review tolerance in the attitudes of young people from people. iii Chalga, therefore, appears to be a Bulgarian ethnic background. musical genre in Bulgaria which, because (or in The article is based on ethnographic spite) of its associations with ethnic minority research with young people in Bulgaria, cultures, narrows the cultural gap between ethnic conducted in 2000-01 in the towns of majority and minority participants in the chalga Targovishte and Veliko Tarnovo, situated about youth cultural scenes. Unlike any other popular fifty kilometres from each other. The choice for music genre in Bulgaria, ethnic minority cultures these urban localities was partly determined by are openly incorporated into the chalga scene. the fact that the study was concerned with Participants in chalga events were observed provincial youth cultural scenes and was during fieldwork enjoying and encouraging inter- interested in the cross-site interaction between ethnic cultural experiences by engaging in some youth cultural scenes in a relatively close dances usually associated with the culture of the regional proximity. ii Both towns are also ‘other’. In particular, ethnic Bulgarian fans play a major part in sustaining the Roma and Turkish ‘hotspots’ outside Sofia - the capital city - for a iv great number of youth cultural scenes, including elements in chalga. For example, dancing to graffiti art, skateboarding, chalga, heavy metal ‘typically’ Turkish or Roma rhythms and belly music, and skateboarding, which the study was dances is common and is practised widely by keen to examine and ‘map’ in relation to each ethnic Bulgarian participants in the chalga other in each town. The ethnographic process scenes in Targovishte and Veliko Tarnovo consisted of semi-structured interviews, (fieldnotes 10.01.2001, 12.01.2001, 23.03.2001, fieldnotes, participant observation and focus 25.03.2001). An ethnic Bulgarian fan of chalga group discussions. Material from a total of thirty- explained his attitude towards the amalgamation two people was gathered. The choice of of Turkish, Roma and Bulgarian folk musical respondents reflected the youth cultural scenes elements in chalga thus: represented in the towns. Thus, the views included in this article are either from members It doesn’t bother me that chalga of the chalga scene or members of the other contains a lot of Turkish and youth cultural scenes in evidence. Although the Gypsy melodies. I like Turkish research was based in the two towns, the pool of rhythms and I like the romantic participants also included young people who character of Gypsy music. But were resident in the wider regions of Veliko chalga is not only Turkish and Tarnovo and Targovishte. While the research for Gypsy music; it also contains re- the study was conducted in 2000-01 (and is worked Bulgarian folk music. It is therefore only a ‘snapshot’ of what was observed not traditional folk music, but a at the time), its findings remain pertinent to lighter pop version of it; it’s more current debates. This is because, firstly, the dynamic. The combination is findings speak to theoretical debates, which seek strange, but the music is great for to understand the impact of, and engagement dancing. [Jana, female, age 24, with, ongoing processes such as globalisation Targovishte]v and Europeanisation among young people in the region. Secondly, the popularity of chalga in Bulgaria has not diminished since the research The above quotation suggests that the was conducted, while, as evidenced by post- combination of Bulgarian, Turkish, and Roma fieldwork secondary literature cited here, the cultures in chalga music is valued by the ethnic discussion of multiculturalism in the region has Bulgarian participants in the scenes, especially become even more topical. because of the dancing potential chalga offers. Although the use of re-worked Bulgarian folk music is often resented by anti-chalga oriented Chalga as a multi-ethnic ‘national’ music young people (see below), the participants in One of the popular ways of describing chalga in chalga scenes seem to value the fact that Bulgaria is to say that it combines re-worked traditional Bulgarian folk music has been made Bulgarian folk music with Turkish and Roma more accessible and dynamic by bringing it musical traditions. It is also known for attracting closer to the trendier styles of pop music. A to clubs or private parties young people from all similar trend towards cross-fertilisation between ethnic backgrounds in Bulgaria, but primarily ethnic minority music and pop music has been ethnic Bulgarians, ethnic Turks and Roma reported also in Macedonia and Bosnia and Volume 26, No. 1 Page 86 Anthropology of East Europe Review Herzegovina in the late Socialist period (Manuel ethnic Bulgarians from the chalga club scenes in 1988). In Macedonia, such ‘modern’ Roma Veliko Tarnovo and Targovishte confirm this bands employed electric guitar, bass, and other and suggest that it is the Turkish minority in amplified melody instruments, which broadened particular that is actively involved in attending their appeal to audiences beyond strictly Roma public chalga events. The Turkish minority is the populations. The music of such bands also drew biggest ethnic minority group in both on Turkish rhythms and vocal styles. In Bosnia Targovishte and Veliko Tarnovo and maintained and Herzegovina, as the demand for popular folk a constant presence at the nightclubs where music with a distinct Roma flavour grew, Roma chalga was played (fieldnotes 12.06.2001, and other minority musicians started producing 22.06.2001).