Rizitika songs are the oldest type of music in Crete, originating from the western part of the Greek island, but now heard in central and eastern Crete as well, according to greekreporter.com.
Rizitika, which are sung mainly a capella, in the mountains of Crete, by a group of men, tell stories about events that took place as long as 900 years ago.
The origin of these songs, which resemble the epic poems of old, which were often sung, is unknown, yet they seem to be rooted at least as far back as in Byzantine times and continued through the Venetian domination of the Greek island.
The word rizitika (ριζίτικα) derives from the word ρίζα (root) and could be translated as “root songs,” relating the stories of the past, with serious sections which contain elements of pain and loss.
Another view is that rizitiko (singular) derives from the root (foot) of Psiloritis Mountain.
A significant characteristic of rizitika is the peculiarity of the melodies since the songs have no formal structure or style.
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