EDITOR’S NOTE: We received this beautiful music video from several readers. But one of our readers, a veteran and a regular member of our “Helleniscope Support Team” offered the following comment:
US Army Band Europe performs in honor of Greece’s 200 year Independence Day anniversary on March 25th, 2021, celebrating FREEDOM from 400 years of Ottoman Islamic slavery.
Song Performed: The Dance of Zolongo, a particularly poignant and sad dance commemorating how Greek women held the babies, danced in a circle until each one had thrown herself and her child over the mountain cliff rather than succumb to the rape, pillage, and slavery of the Turks.
Tell me about it, man, suicide and infanticide! I can remember my daughter dressing in native costume and performing this dance and ritual here at Greek School plays, 20 years ago, they would drop to the ground to symbolizing jumping.
Freedom or Death.
“Eleftheria H Thanatos”
Death before Dishonor.
The Immortal Code.
Some lessons never go away.
Army Strong!
(AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST YOU CAN SEE AN AERIAL VIEW OF ZALONGO MONUMENT AND LISTEN TO THE GREEK ORIGINAL VERSION OF THIS FAMOUS FOLK SONG)
Awesome. This hymn has a deep and historic meaning. Army Strong. Long live Freedom and Democracy! Zito Ellas!