Historic Homeland & Modern Diaspora
From the Pontic Alps along the Black Sea coast to descendant communities across North America and Greece.
Music, Instruments & Dance
The Kementzes (Pontic Lyra)
The musical centerpiece of Pontic culture is the kementzes, a three-stringed bowed instrument. Its resonant melodies anchor community feasts and historic ballads.
The Serra & Pyrrhichios
Rooted in ancient warrior dances, the iconic Serra features quick footwork, trembling shoulder rhythms, and tight-linked arms governed by the lyra and drum.
Diaspora Societies in the US
Through organizations like the Pan-Pontian Federation of the USA & Canada, descendants hold conventions, dance workshops, and youth gatherings.
Sounds of Pontos: Traditional Music & Dance
Historical Struggles & The Pontic Genocide
Between 1914 and 1923, Ottoman authorities implemented forced deportations and death marches against indigenous Christian populations. Alongside the concurrent atrocities suffered by the Armenians and Assyrians, hundreds of thousands of Pontic Greeks were displaced or killed, culminating in the 1923 population exchange.
Read the Full History