Kuzman Shapkarev
Encyclopedia
Kuzman Anastasov Shapkarev, , (1 January 1834 in Ohrid
- 18 March 1909 in Sofia
) was a Bulgarian
folklorist, ethnographer and scientist from Macedonia
, author of textbooks and ethnographic studies and a significant figure of the Bulgarian National Revival
. He is considered an ethnic Macedonian
in the Republic of Macedonia
.
, Bitola
, Prilep
, Kukush (Kilkis), Solun
(Thessaloniki) (1854-1883). In these towns he was especially active in introducing the Bulgarian language
in local schools. Не initiated the establishment of two Bulgarian high schools
in Solun in 1882–1883.
He wrote the following textbooks: "Bulgarian ABC book" (1868), "A Big Bulgarian reader book" (1868), "Mother tongue" (1874), "Short Land description (Geography)" (1868), "Short Religion Book" (1868) and others. Shapkarev shared the view that the codified Bulgarian language should have more features of the Macedonian dialects. He considered the dialect of some of his textbooks as "more comprehensible for Bulgarians from Macedonia" ("A Big Bulgarian reader book", 1868, p. 4).
Shapkarev was a contributor of many Bulgarian newspapers and magazines - "Tsarigradski vestnik" (Constantinople newspaper), "Gayda" (Bagpipe), "Macedonia", "Pravo" (Justice), "Savetnik" (Adviser), "Balgarska pchela" (Bulgarian bee) and others. Shapkarev was a collaborator of the revolutionary Georgi Rakovski and in the field of ethnography
, he assisted the Miladinov Brothers
.
After 1883 he lived in Bulgaria
- in Plovdiv
, Sliven
, Stara Zagora
, Vraca
and Orhanie (Botevgrad
). Along with his scientific and public occupation in Bulgaria he worked as a notary and a judge.
From onwards 1900 he was a regular member of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
.
His autobiographical book is called "Materials for the Revival of Bulgarian national spirit in Macedonia".
The son of Kuzman Shapkarev - Climent Shapkarev was one of the leaders of VMORO.
Ohrid
Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
- 18 March 1909 in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
) was a Bulgarian
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
folklorist, ethnographer and scientist from Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
, author of textbooks and ethnographic studies and a significant figure of the Bulgarian National Revival
Bulgarian National Revival
The Bulgarian National Revival , sometimes called the Bulgarian Renaissance, was a period of socio-economic development and national integration among Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule...
. He is considered an ethnic Macedonian
Macedonians (ethnic group)
The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness...
in the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
.
Biography
Kuzman Shapkarev was born in Ohrid in 1834. He was a teacher in a number of Bulgarian schools in OhridOhrid
Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
, Bitola
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
, Prilep
Prilep
Prilep is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Macedonia. It has a population of 66,246 citizens. Prilep is known as "the city under Marko's Towers" because of its proximity to the towers of Prince Marko.-Name:...
, Kukush (Kilkis), Solun
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
(Thessaloniki) (1854-1883). In these towns he was especially active in introducing the Bulgarian language
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
in local schools. Не initiated the establishment of two Bulgarian high schools
Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki
The Sts. Cyril and Methodius Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki was the first Bulgarian high school in Macedonia. One of the most influential Bulgarian educational centres in Macedonia and Southern Thrace, it was founded in autumn 1880 in Ottoman Thessaloniki and existed until...
in Solun in 1882–1883.
He wrote the following textbooks: "Bulgarian ABC book" (1868), "A Big Bulgarian reader book" (1868), "Mother tongue" (1874), "Short Land description (Geography)" (1868), "Short Religion Book" (1868) and others. Shapkarev shared the view that the codified Bulgarian language should have more features of the Macedonian dialects. He considered the dialect of some of his textbooks as "more comprehensible for Bulgarians from Macedonia" ("A Big Bulgarian reader book", 1868, p. 4).
Shapkarev was a contributor of many Bulgarian newspapers and magazines - "Tsarigradski vestnik" (Constantinople newspaper), "Gayda" (Bagpipe), "Macedonia", "Pravo" (Justice), "Savetnik" (Adviser), "Balgarska pchela" (Bulgarian bee) and others. Shapkarev was a collaborator of the revolutionary Georgi Rakovski and in the field of ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
, he assisted the Miladinov Brothers
Miladinov Brothers
The Miladinov Brothers , Dimitar Miladinov and Konstantin Miladinov , were Bulgarian poets and folklorists from Macedonia, authors of an important collection of folk songs, Bulgarian Folk Songs...
.
After 1883 he lived in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
- in Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, Sliven
Sliven
Sliven is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality. It is a relatively large town with 89,848 inhabitants, as of February 2011....
, Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora is the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, and a nationally important economic center. Located in Southern Bulgaria, it is the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province...
, Vraca
Vratsa
Vratsa is a city in northwestern Bulgaria, at the foothills of the Balkan Mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Vratsa Province. As of February 2011, the town has a population of 60,482 inhabitants....
and Orhanie (Botevgrad
Botevgrad
Botevgrad ; pre-1866: Samundzhievo ), is a town in western Bulgaria. It is located in Sofia Province and is close to Pravets. Botevgrad is situated at a 47-km-distance from Sofia.-Geography:...
). Along with his scientific and public occupation in Bulgaria he worked as a notary and a judge.
From onwards 1900 he was a regular member of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
.
His autobiographical book is called "Materials for the Revival of Bulgarian national spirit in Macedonia".
The son of Kuzman Shapkarev - Climent Shapkarev was one of the leaders of VMORO.
Scientific works
- Rusalii. The old and too interesting Bulgarian custom preserved in Southern Macedonia, Plovdiv, 1884
- "The Serbian Greatideas' endeavours and our scientifists", 1888
- "Several notes about Macedono-Slav collection of P. Draganov" 1895
- "Collection of folk monuments (Bulgarian folk tales and beliefs), 1885
- Collection of Bulgarian Folklore (Сборник от български народни умотворения), vol. І-ІІІ, Sofia, 1891–1894
- Materials for biography of Miladinov BrothersMiladinov BrothersThe Miladinov Brothers , Dimitar Miladinov and Konstantin Miladinov , were Bulgarian poets and folklorists from Macedonia, authors of an important collection of folk songs, Bulgarian Folk Songs...
- Dimitar and Konstantin (Материали за животоописанието на Братя Миладинови, Димитрия и Константина), Plovdiv 1884
Textbooks
- "Bulgarian ABC book", 1868
- "A Big Bulgarian reader book", 1868
- "Mother tongue", 1874
- "Short Land description (Geography)", 1868
- "Short Religion Book", 1868
Autobiographical books
- Contribution to education in Macedonia. One autobiography of Kuzman Shapkarev, Macedonian review, Sofia 1927, vol 2
- "Materials for Revival of Bulgarian national spirit in Macedonia", Sofia 1984