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The Limassol Carnival has been listed by Cyprus’ National Commission for UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2015. It is the only known carnival that includes the Serenaders, male choirs, within its celebrations. Originating in the Ionian islands in Greece, a serenade is a harmonised love poem, traditionally sung by men in a waltz rhythm. Furthermore, its instrumentation consists of an orchestra with accordions, guitars, and mandolins. Despite its origins as a love song, the Limassol Carnival Serenades serve different purposes and meanings. Primarily, the Limassol Carnival Serenades glorify the city’s carnival, indulgence and dancing through their melodies and lyrics. Unfortunately, due to its lack of identifying the tradition as something Cypriot, the practice is nearly extinct. _x000D_
This paper demonstrates the cultural significance and identity of the Limassol Carnival Serenade in the broader traditional music of Cyprus. Since 2019, I have conducted extensive interviews with important figures in the serenading tradition to examine the position of the Limassol Carnival Serenades in the broader traditional music scene of the island. Moreover, I have investigated how the practice could be sustained and safeguarded by situating its case with research on other traditions in Cyprus and a broader set of sociocultural stability in the country. In this paper, I discuss the practice’s predicament and the influences that affected its identification in Cyprus’ traditional music scene.

Chara Charalambous
PhD Candidate, University College Cork

 
ID Abstract: 467