Folk Song, Cultural Memory, and Community Identity: The Kapanci of Northeastern Bulgaria

This study examines the Kapanci folk song tradition through the interconnected perspectives of cultural memory, cultural identity, and intangible cultural heritage. Folk songs are approached not merely as artistic expressions, but as living cultural practices through which collective memory, social values, and community belonging are preserved and transmitted. Focusing on the Kapanci community of Northeastern Bulgaria, the study explores the role of traditional songs in maintaining cultural continuity and reinforcing local identity. Particular attention is given to collective performance, including the distinctive practice of antiphonal singing, and to the intergenerational transmission of cultural knowledge. The analysis also considers contemporary challenges associated with demographic decline, migration, urbanization, and changing mechanisms of cultural transmission. The study highlights the continuing role of community centers (chitalishta), folklore ensembles, educational initiatives, and local festivals in sustaining the Kapanci song tradition. The findings demonstrate that folk songs remain living repositories of collective memory and important mechanisms through which cultural identity is actively created, performed, and transmitted across generations.