GUSLAR

plural Guslari, any of a group of popular narrative singers of the Balkans who inherit a tradition that dates from the 17th century. Guslari are among the few performers continuing the oral tradition of epic poetry in the West and serve as transmitters and interpreters of a repertory of song and epic. Most of their songs are about the era of Turkish rule and were handed down by teachers or older singers. Because the narratives are orally transmitted, variation in content is inevitable. The guslari, performing largely in cafes, accompany themselves on the gusla (a one-stringed instrument) and intone their musical stories.