The Lament of Men and the Funeral Dance in art performace
Session
Art and Digital Media
Description
The Lament of Men (gjama e burrave) and the Funeral Dance are among the oldest traditions of the Albanian people, originating from the ancient Illyrian civilization, and have been passed down to our society today. The lament is widespread primarily in Northern Albania, but also in the territory of Kosovo. The funeral dance is a cycle of the men's lament, but it is performed by both genders. Bassed on the funerary monument—a stone relief found in Kamenica dating back to antiquity, the 4th century—the cycle of the funeral dance is depicted. These two elements have been and still are part of the codes of male honor and grief. They have served a social function: unity, honor, preservation of collective memory, and cultural heritage. These traditions, which inherently involve performance, are typical examples of performative art and are part of our cultural heritage and artistic expression. Therefore, the interpretation of these rituals in contemporary art adds artistic value. Student Jona Brahimi from AMD, whom I mentor, has brought this into performance. This is a good example of how these rituals can be transformed into a form of performative art without stripping them of their deep cultural meaning.
Keywords:
The Lament of Men, Funeral Dance, funerary monument, performance art, cultural heritage
Proceedings Editor
Edmond Hajrizi
ISBN
978-9951-982-41-2
Location
UBT Kampus, Lipjan
Start Date
25-10-2025 9:00 AM
End Date
26-10-2025 6:00 PM
DOI
10.33107/ubt-ic.2025.33
Recommended Citation
Arifi, Arben and Brahimi, Jona, "The Lament of Men and the Funeral Dance in art performace" (2025). UBT International Conference. 5.
https://knowledgecenter.ubt-uni.net/conference/2025UBTIC/ADM/5
The Lament of Men and the Funeral Dance in art performace
UBT Kampus, Lipjan
The Lament of Men (gjama e burrave) and the Funeral Dance are among the oldest traditions of the Albanian people, originating from the ancient Illyrian civilization, and have been passed down to our society today. The lament is widespread primarily in Northern Albania, but also in the territory of Kosovo. The funeral dance is a cycle of the men's lament, but it is performed by both genders. Bassed on the funerary monument—a stone relief found in Kamenica dating back to antiquity, the 4th century—the cycle of the funeral dance is depicted. These two elements have been and still are part of the codes of male honor and grief. They have served a social function: unity, honor, preservation of collective memory, and cultural heritage. These traditions, which inherently involve performance, are typical examples of performative art and are part of our cultural heritage and artistic expression. Therefore, the interpretation of these rituals in contemporary art adds artistic value. Student Jona Brahimi from AMD, whom I mentor, has brought this into performance. This is a good example of how these rituals can be transformed into a form of performative art without stripping them of their deep cultural meaning.