PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

Greek Word

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agapi

anatolitikos horos, anatolitikos horous

Dance of Anatolia; in particular, belly dance. "Anatolia" means "east", and it's also the Greek name for the land mass where Turkey is today. The ancient Greek root words that "Anatolia" comes from are "Ana tou hliou", which means "above the sun". It's a reference to the fact that the region is east of the Greek mainland.

Calling belly dance as "Anatolian" is similar to using the term "raqs sharqi" in Arabic. It's a reference to "Eastern dance", which traditionally is translated into English as "Oriental dance".

The verson with "horos" is singular, and the version with "horous" is plural.

arapis, arapines, arapika, arapia

In the old Greek laiko / rebetiko songs, the word "arapis" and its derivatives mean "Arab" or "Arabian".

The root word comes from the Ottoman Turkish word "Arap" which literally translates to "Arab".

In my song transalations, I use the word "Arabian" as the translation for "arapis". Today, if a Greek wanted to refer to Arabia, a different word would be used, "Aravia."

During the era of the Rebetika / Smyrneika / Politika / Laika music, the term "Arapia" refers generally to non-Greeks, not just the people of the Arabian peninsula as we know it today. The regions encompassed by "arapis" include India, Saudi Arabia, Persia, the Levant, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, Arabic-speaking North Africa, and Anatolia (Turkey). However, for Anatolia, Greeks would say "Anatolitisa".

To a Greek, anything non-Greek was considered exotic and mysterious. This is similar to how Greece, the Middle East, and North Africa were considered exotic and intriguing by people in Europe and North America. Back then we didn't have readily available mass media and Internet resources.

What we did have was many foreign films (for example, from Egypt and India), and stories from travelers, including several of my uncles who had moved to Iraq for work contracts. Growing up, when I was talking with them, they would say, "I went to the Arapia in Iraq".

Many of the old songs use the word "Arapia" liberally. The lyrics generally use it to refer to Arabic-speaking or Indian women. It can also mean dark-skinned, but the direct translation for dark skin is different.

Unfortunately, in the modern Greek slang, the term "Arapis" has taken on a new racist slang meaning. Today, it has become an offensive racial slur for people with dark skin. Although this newer definition now exists, it did not mean this when the lyrics were written. When newer generations listen to these older songs today, they realize the lyrics are referring to an innocent use of the word, and can enjoy the music in the way it was intended.

Here is another perspective quoted from a notable and highly regarded Greek-born historian:

The word "Arapis" is not truly equivalent to "the N word" for many reasons, including historical. But yes, today it is mostly used in a negative way. In the U.S., it refers, for the most part, not to Arabs, but to African Americans.

In old Hellenic folk songs, the word "Arapis" particularly appears early after the invasion of the Morea (Peloponnessos) by Ibrahim Pascha of Egypt and his Arab (Arapes) forces in 1825 and subsequent fighting starting with the Battle of Maniaki. This was the modern "Battle of the 300" where Papaflessas and General Kefalas were killed (and a Katsos Clan member), followed by devastation.

Another example of previously innocent ideas or words taking on racist connotations is the ancient Greek key symbol. The Greek key is used in fashion, architecture, cuisine, arts, sculptures, graphics, etc. I personally use it as my logo for my dance school. Unfortunately, the Neo Nazi organizations in Greece have adopted the key symbol together with the swastika as their symbol. This doesn't mean that everyone who displays or uses the Greek key symbol is racist. In song lyrics from the rebetiko era, there are frequently references to slave girls in harems. These are not referring to any specific ethnic group, even if a particular song is talking about a king in India.

bouzouki

edeho

eláfi, elafáki

fidi or fidisio kormi

gorgona

handra filahto

The blue or turquoise bead worn by some people as a necklace or bracelet as protection against the evil eye or to bring luck.

There is also a religious filahto which resembles a tiny pillow that is blessed and typically is pinned under the clothes. A woman would pin it into the underarm area, perhaps in her bra. On a baby, it could be visible.

hanoumisa, hanoum, hanoumaki, hanoumakia, hanoumises

A belly dancer. Hanoumisa ending with an "a" is a female dancer, or a cutesy form would be hanoumaki. Plural would be hanoumisesor, for the cutesy form, hanoumakia.

The word hanoumisa comes from the Turkish word hanım, which referred to a Muslim lady. The Greek form hanoumisa and its related forms of hanoumaki and hanoumi can be defined as "the woman of the harem". However, it has also frequently been used to refer to Oriental dance (belly dance).

Hanoum could be used to refer to a male, but in songs it still usually refers to female. This is because male bellydancers were very, very taboo in Greece. It would be rare to see a man dressed in a sparkly sequin costume unless it was part of a musical theater or old Greek movie.

heli

horepse, horeve, horo

horo tis kilias

mati, matakia, matares

The word "mati" means "eye", and "matakia" is "eyes" (plural). "Matakia" can also refer to the beads that are used as protection against the evil eye, particularly the ones that look like eyes. The expression "ehis mati" means "you have the evil eye".

A flirtatious compliment could be "Matakia mou" which means "My eyes", as if to exclaim over the beauty my eyes are seeing. (There is a similar expression in Arabic.) A person could also say "Matares mou" which also means "My eyes" but carries a more exaggerated feeling.

misirlou

peplo, pepla

syrto

tsifteteli

Tsigana

zilia or zilies

Greek Word

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Gyftias

This page was contributed by Panayiota Bakis, who is happy to share her culture and music she grew up with! Here's how Panayiota describes her background:

I always love engaging with intelligent like-minded people, especially artists. I love sharing anything and everything about my Hellenic culture and upbringing, especially music and dance. A conversation with me will bring you back to America's favorite Greek-American movie by Nia Vardalos called My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

I love investigating Greek culture, history, music, and dance. Speaking of investigating, I think I missed my calling, I probably should have been an investigator. Instead, I use those skills to dig and dig and dig tirelessly, often times falling asleep on my laptop... just to find the truth. But, most importantly, accurate truth. For me personally, and other respectable folklorists, my culture and accuracy are very important. Each generation of ethnic born artists has a duty to do the best it can to pass down our traditions as was taught to us. We have been given this artistic gift to be the gatekeepers of our heritage and culture.