Examining artifacts of the past have the unique function of filling in gaps of history and or generating new questions. The history of enslaved Africans in Ulcinj must be viewed in steps: first, as deracinated; second, as silenced and third, as hidden in plain view. To arrive at any conclusion on lifeways or cultural transfers after arrival requires an additional examination on the uses of semiotics, structures and visual culture.

Pinjes Hill

The dialectics concerning the origins of the Shreveli (DumShrevereli) dance performed at Pinješ Hill (Figure 21) is a recent phenomenon. Recent memory recalls the centuries-old Shreveli as a fishing song and dance that pirates would perform in the early morning hours before going out to sea. “The Pirate Dance,” according to recent memory, is mostly Albanian with only cameo appearance attributable to African heritage; a review of the literature, however, suggests a different story. Pirate notoriety in the Mediterranean climaxed in 1571 when there were about 400 North African, Maltese, Serbian, Albanian and Turks causing chaos in the region.1 “After a successful attack the pirates would celebrate with a roistering party...boiling oriental halvah in great cauldrons stirred with an oar... [and] ritual dances would be performed on the part of Rana [Small Beach] also known as Arabian Field (Fush-Arabi). They danced to an amalgam of Balkan and African music, which in time developed into the exotic Sharaveli.”2 When or why the festivities were moved from the Small Beach in front of the Slave Square to Pinješ Hill is unknown but several distinct African characteristics of the Shreveli give credibility to the theory of its African origin. As I have observed, the Shreveli begins with traditional African call and response. To the sound of syncopated polyrhythms, the dancers move fish netting through their hands simulating a rope pulling others onto the stage. The fish netting is a prop—props are signature features in traditional African performance often used, for example, in African American Greek fraternity dances where canes are used as props. Once on stage, the fishermen form a semi-circle, interlocking their arms and bending their knees, asymmetrically, “towards the ground and flattens the feet against it in a wide, solid stance.”3 In addition to the Shreveli, Lopašić writes that both free and enslaved Africans socialized in the Fush-Arabi with foods such as “halva and sarailiya (a sweet pie made of dried grapes, sherbet and flour); they drank sherbet, lemonade and coffee. These dishes and drinks were the usual Fush-Arabi menu, but they also liked to eat the pungent paprika called fūl fūl, meat and mulaki, spiced small pieces of grilled meat.”4 According to Mediterranean culinary expert, Clifford A Wright, fūl fūl or Fūl mudammas is an ancient Egyptian breakfast dish made of fava beans, paprika, lemon, garlic and chili, served with spiced beef.5 Other “ritual dances would be performed”6 and games such as ashik would be played. Ashik consisted of trying to hit one lamb bone with another. Those who succeeded in hitting the bone won the game and the losers had to pay the cost of a cup of coffee, sherbet or lemonade. After the festivities, everyone would go to the Arabes Café for coffee.”7

There was no mention in Lopašić’s study of other activities such as a rite of passage, naming ceremonies, funerals or political meetings. More than the extraordinary implications of cultural retentions under duress, is the freedom by which enslaved and free Africans were allowed to openly socialize, in stark contrast to American society. In southern states such as North Carolina and Virginia, ordinances were instituted to prevent free Africans from socializing with the enslaved community for fear of fomenting insurrections. Laws expressly forbade free Blacks and Mulattos from living in the state of their manumission imposing fines of $500 and threats of imprisonment up to and including re-enslavement for failure to obey the laws.8 Excepting the status of being “free”, the similarities of slave societies in the U.S. and in Ulcinj, functionally, legally, socially and morally, mirror each other. As mentioned previously, interracial marriage is still “considered an offence and a mésalliance.”9