A Turkish newspaper, Milliyet, has reignited cultural tensions by accusing Greece of appropriating the zeybek—a traditional folk dance originating in western Anatolia—claiming it as the Greek zeibekiko. In a recent article titled ‘Greece Has Its Eyes on Turkish Folk Dances’, the outlet criticized a planned mass zeibekiko event in Thessaloniki’s Aristotelous Square, framing it not as a charitable initiative but as another instance of alleged Greek cultural appropriation.
A Guinness Attempt with a Humanitarian Aim
Scheduled for 14 June in Thessaloniki, the event aims to break the Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous performance of the zeibekiko. Organized by Alzheimer Hellas and the Association of Friends of the Hellenic Society for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, the gathering is intended to raise awareness and support for people living with dementia and their families.
More Than Just a Dance
The zeibekiko—like many cultural expressions across the Aegean and Anatolian regions—has a layered, transnational history. While its roots are widely traced to the zeybek warrior traditions of Ottoman-era western Anatolia, the dance evolved distinctively in Greece over the past century. It became deeply embedded in rebetiko music, Greek cinema, and modern popular culture—acquiring emotional resonance and symbolic meaning far beyond its regional origins.
Yet rather than acknowledging this shared, fluid heritage, Milliyet’s coverage reflects a recurring narrative in parts of the Turkish press: casting cross-border cultural connections as zero-sum national claims. The result is a politicized reading of what, in reality, is a humanitarian effort rooted in local tradition—and a reminder that folklore, like memory, rarely fits neatly within national borders.