Gundula Gruen Gundula Gruen MA Ethnomusicology MUM120: Ethnomusicology Major Project August 2018 Title: UNDERSTANDING ČOČEK – AN HISTORICAL, MUSICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLORATION Module Tutor: Dr Laudan Nooshin Student Name: Gundula Gruen Student No: 160033648 Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in Ethnomusicology Total word count: 20,866 (including headings, excluding footnotes and references) TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Foreword: ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Acknowledgements: .................................................................................................................. 8 Definitions and Spellings .......................................................................................................... 8 Introduction: ................................................................................................................................ 11 Chapter 1: The Origins of Čoček ................................................................................................ 15 The History of Köçek in Ottoman Times ................................................................................ 16 Speculation on Older Roots of Čoček ..................................................................................... 18 Chapter 2: Čalgija and Čoček ..................................................................................................... 22 The Beginnings of Čalgija ...................................................................................................... 22 Čiftetelli and Karšilama from Past to Present ......................................................................... 24 The Manifestation of Čoček .................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 3: Branches of Čoček ..................................................................................................... 28 Romani People under Yugoslavian Communism ................................................................... 28 The Folklore Čoček ................................................................................................................. 29 Public Čoček styles Performed by Romani ............................................................................. 31 Zurla and Tapan Čoček ........................................................................................................... 32 Chapter 4: Women and Čoček .................................................................................................... 34 Women in Romani Society ..................................................................................................... 34 Čoček Dance and Belly Dance ................................................................................................ 36 The Women’s Čoček Music and Dance .................................................................................. 38 Chapter 5: Open Borders for Čoček ............................................................................................ 40 Changes in Macedonia around 1980 ....................................................................................... 40 New forms of Čoček ................................................................................................................ 42 Brass Band Čoček goes International ...................................................................................... 46 Chapter 6: Čoček amongst Romani People ................................................................................. 50 The Internal Romani Čoček as a Special Style ....................................................................... 50 The Meaning of Čoček for Roma ............................................................................................ 52 Chapter 7: The Classic Čoček for the Whites and the World ..................................................... 55 Čoček Addictions .................................................................................................................... 55 The Meaning of Čoček for Macedonians ................................................................................ 57 Čoček Across Macedonia, and the Crowning of the King ...................................................... 60 Chapter 8: Čoček Music to look at and Listen to ........................................................................ 62 Sample Set 1: Čoček Usuls...................................................................................................... 63 Sample Set 2: Čalgija Čoček ................................................................................................... 65 Sample Set 3: Other early Čoček Styles .................................................................................. 67 Sample Set 4: Classic Čoček around 1970 to 2000 ................................................................. 69 Sample Set 5: Latin Čoček ...................................................................................................... 76 Čoček Name-Giving ................................................................................................................ 79 Chapter 9: Čoček now, a Decline or an Enrichment .................................................................. 82 Čoček Pornography ................................................................................................................. 82 Evil Tallava ............................................................................................................................. 85 More Modern Čoček Negatives: ............................................................................................. 87 Čoček as Offense ..................................................................................................................... 87 Hidden Romani Discrimination: ............................................................................................. 89 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 91 Appendix I: Defining Čoček as Graphics ................................................................................... 96 Čoček Tree ............................................................................................................................... 96 Čoček Definition Levels: ......................................................................................................... 97 Appendix II: Summary of Turkish Makam ................................................................................. 98 Appendix III: Notation of some significant Čoček Pieces ........................................................ 102 Appendix IV: Hypothesis on Čoček with Indian Roots ............................................................ 105 Appendix V: Map of Romani Migration .................................................................................. 107 Appendix VI: Interviewee’s Biographies ................................................................................. 109 Main Interviewees: ................................................................................................................ 109 Other Interviewees: ............................................................................................................... 114 References: ................................................................................................................................ 117 Webography .............................................................................................................................. 121 Video and Audiography: ........................................................................................................... 124 List of Audio - Video Samples .............................................................................................. 124 other Video Sources .............................................................................................................. 125 other Audio Sources: ............................................................................................................. 126 List of Figures and Graphics: ................................................................................................ 127 Glossary .................................................................................................................................... 131 ABSTRACT UNDERSTANDING ČOČEK – AN HISTORICAL, MUSICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLORATION Čoček is a form of Balkan Romani music and dance, mostly performed at weddings, circumcisions and other social events. Its roots go back to an Ottoman music and dance form of the 17th century; since then it has evolved and migrated. Throughout my research I have found that although there is literature on čoček, mostly by American ethnomusicologists, it is sketchy, and does not pay sufficient tribute to such an important music and dance style in Macedonia. The motivation for my research is to fill that gap, and the aim of this dissertation is to provide a thorough account of čoček, its history, the social meaning and the music. Following a chronological advance, I investigate the predecessor of čoček, köçek, in the Ottoman era, from