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BLISS_Kalymnos island

Music makes

the world go round AN AUTHENTIC ESCAPE AWAITS:

Dive into a Memorable, Unique Menu

The irresistible rhythm of the sponge-diving song,
“Darla Dirladada”

TEXT BY MARIA P. KANTANI

D uring the 1970s, “Darla Dirladada” at- this by imaginatively transporting them back to
Kalymnos and conjuring visions of the comforts
tained widespread fame as the fore-
most Greek song, despite being ren-
times. The song’s lyrics, imbued with humour
dered in various other languages. Its composi- and desires they longed for during these trying
tion is credited to Pantelis Ginis, the captain of and a touch of bawdiness, reflect the lives of sea-
a sponge-diving vessel hailing from Kalymnos. farers and island dwellers, particularly those
Unbeknownst to Ginis at the time, the light- from Kalymnos renowned for their sponge-div-
hearted melody, conceived amidst the rigours ing exploits. Yet, it is the irresistible rhythm,
of maritime life, would evolve into an interna- purportedly influenced by North African musi-
tional sensation. cal traditions, that distinguishes the song.
Originally crafted to uplift the spirits of his crew Legend has it that Ginis, while steering his ves-
during their arduous endeavours, “Darla Dirla- sel, simultaneously penned the lyrics, a testa-
dada” swiftly gained traction among seafarers ment to his creativity and multitasking prow-
before captivating a broader audience. As Greek ess. Subsequently, Ginis ventured to Athens to
maritime crews traversed foreign shores, they record the song with esteemed Greek musician
carried this infectious tune with them, endow- Domna Samiou. However, it was Mikis Theo-
ing it with a global appeal. dorakis who, after hearing “Darla Dirladada,”
To fully appreciate the lyrics, even for those pro- featured it in his album “The Garden,” initial-
ficient in Greek, it is essential to grasp certain ly misrepresenting it as a traditional piece. Gi-
aspects of sponge divers’ lives and their working nis pursued legal recourse, establishing his au-
conditions. Sponge divers embarked on their thorship of the song. Following his premature
voyages to the North African coasts, commonly demise, the song’s copyright passed to his fam-
referred to as “Barbaria,” setting off at Easter and ily in Kalymnos.
returning at the end of October. They utilised a In 1970, Italian-Egyptian-French vocalist Dali-
large vessel known as the “Rezerva” for storing da recorded “Darla Dirladada,” releasing it both LISTEN TO THE
SONG HERE
provisions, housing the harvested sponges, and as a single and an album track in Italian, Ger-
gathering for their daily meal. Sponge diving it- man, and English renditions. Subsequent inter-
self was conducted using smaller boats predom- pretations include a rendition by Dutch singer
inantly propelled by oars. Consequently, sponge Marva and a notably successful cover by G.O. Beloved singer Dalida revived
“Darla Dirladada” in 1970 with
divers toiled under the scorching African sun Culture in 1993, which achieved widespread ac- a multilingual release that
throughout the day, often enduring meagre pro- claim in France. became a global success.
visions of tepid, rusty water, with nothing but The song also garnered popularity in Finland,
the vast expanse of the open sea surrounding with Kai Hyttinen recording a Finnish version
them. It was not uncommon for their resolve in 1972, which enjoyed chart success. Finnish
to wane over time, as thoughts turned towards music ensemble Jean S. has likewise contribut-
home, sustenance, and the companionship they ed to its enduring popularity.
had been deprived of for so long. In 1995, the Skopje-based rock band “Memo-
The essence of “Dirlada” lay in its capacity to up- rija” released their rendition of the song, titled
lift the spirits of sponge divers and instil a rhyth- “Dirlada,” adding yet another chapter to its en- SHUTTERSTOCK
mic cadence in their rowing efforts. It achieved during legacy. • Paradisiovlyhadia

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