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Ojkanje


Ojkanje is a tradition of polyphonic folk singing in the Dinaric area including the regions of the Dalmatian hinterland, Velebit, Lika, Kordun, and Karlovac in Croatia. As described in The Harvard Dictionary of Music (2003): "The ojkanje is a peculiar style of singing melisma with a sharp and prolonged shaking of the voice on the syllables oj or hoj." Narrative songs are accompanied with the gusle.

In 2010, it was inscribed as Ojkanje singing in UNESCOs List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding as representative of Croatia.

In Croatia, it is found in the regions of the Dalmatian hinterland, Velebit, Lika, Kordun, and Karlovac. Due to migration, ojkanje can also be found in western Bosnia and Herzegovina and Vojvodina in Serbia.

The singing style is marked by a distinctive voice-shaking technique where the singer utilizes an archaic form of singing from the throat. Ojkanje has been described as "free beat singing" that is created deep in the throat, steeped in the tradition of various local communities, and can be divided into two main groups: individual singing or group singing. Lyrics usually cover topics such as love, social or local issues, and politics.

Ojkanje singing originated in its form in the Dinaric region, and shares many characteristics with Illyrian musical styles, hence the hypothesis on its origins.

Ivan Lovrić (1756—1777) mentions ojkanje as part of Morlach culture.

In the beginning of the 20th century, the Croatian Peasant Party began organizing folklore festivals which focused on rural traditions through their charitable wing. Traditional dancing, music, regional costumes were the main focus, especially in the 1920s and 1930s, with Ojkanje singing being an important addition.


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