Malësia
Encyclopedia
Malësia or Malësia e Madhe, (Serbian
: Малесија, Malesija) is a historical geographical region in northern Albania
and eastern Montenegro
. It consists of an area of land that stretches from the southeast of Podgorica
to northern shores of Lake Scutari
, and includes much of the Malësi e Madhe District
of Albania. It is made up of five mountains , and seven Clans .
|image =
, the region was recorded as Pultí, though the earliest extant source in which the name "Malësia" is mentioned dates back to 1400 AD. Due to variations in the pre-standardized Albanian alphabet
, the region may also be spelled as Malesia, Malcia, Malesi, Malesija and Maltsia.
.
The largest settlement in the area is the town of Tuzi
, which has a population of about 4,000 people (over half of which are Albanians
).
The histories of the respective Clans(and hence the whole region) are amalgamations of both historical events and genealogies passed along by oral transmission.
Hoti is a Catholic Albanian village that is the brother village of Trieshi. Geographically, Hoti lies on the border separating Albania
and Montenegro
, on the north shore of Lake Scutari
. Hoti is regarded as the leaders (bajraktar) of Malësia e Madhe.
Grudë
is a village of Malësia that, along with Hoti, was instrumental during the Ottoman resistance. The mountain of Dechiq (Dečić), where the famed battle against the Ottoman conquerors took place, is located here, as is Tuzi, the de facto "capital" of Malësia. Grudë is mostly Roman Catholic but with a sizeable Muslim minority (20-30%). The Church of Grudë, known as Prifti, is the oldest church in the region, and it is not only an Albanian landmark, but, having been built in 1528, provides the most concrete date for tracing back ancestry.
Kelmendi
is located on the eastern shores of Lake Scutari
and stretches far into Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. The village is mostly Roman Catholic although there are some sizable Muslim populations on the outskirts of Kelmendi. Kelmendi consists of villages as Vermosh
, Selce
, Nikci, Vukel
, Boge
, Lepush, Tamare
, Budac
, and Gropate e Selces.
Kastrati
traces its descent from the famous fighting stock, Drekalović of Kuči. The people of Kastrati are Catholic and Muslim. Though some retain Slavic names, it is understood that this Clan is of Albanian origin. Gjekë Marinaj
is celebrated, domestically and internationally, as the most important public figure of Kastrati.
Shkrel
is one of the largest village of Malesia e Madhe. Shkreli led Malesia e Madhe in the resistance against communism
with their leader Major Llesh Marashi, during World War II
. Shkreli is Roman Catholic. Other examples of famous Shkrelsman are Bec Patani, Marash Mani, Dasho Shkreli, and Qek Deda.
Triesh
is commonly considered the "younger brother" of Hoti because they derive from the Hoti clan, as they share a common ancestor, Keq Preka of Herzegovina. The people of Triesh were, along with their Hoti brethren, known for their role during the Ottoman resistance. Specifically, they are said never to have given in to political or religious suppression by the Ottomans; and, as a result, they not only retained an overwhelmingly Catholic population, but they never willingly paid any taxes or tribute to the Ottoman pasha
s.
Koja e Kuçit
is a Catholic Albanian village that derives from the clan of Kelmendi near the Montenegrin Kuči
Clan. The people of Koja have been praised for their resistance to the Slavic expansion, guarding their borders with life and blood from advancing Slavs into the Albanian Malesia region. Not one house in Koja was converted to Islam after nearly 500 years of the Ottoman occupation in the region. Pretash Zeka Ulaj
the bajraktari Kojes was honored by the leaders of the other Six Malesia Clans and given the Albanian flag to mount on top of Deqic as a symbol of unity amongst the seven villages after finally defeating the Ottoman Turks.
as part of the Ottoman Empire
, the Malsia people sided with the Montenegrins for many centuries to come, fighting the Ottomans.
However, when the famous Albanian Nobles, called Bushatli, ran northern Albania, the Malcia people gave up their alliance with the Montenegrins and allied with the Bushatli as they were of Albanian blood and heritage, although officials of the Ottoman Empire. During the Ottoman occupation, Malesia people have had the most rights among many peoples of the Balkans
. Most of the time they have refused to pay taxes, give soldiers to the Ottoman Army, and accept the laws of the Ottoman Empire.
, which was an alliance among the Albanians as a result of weakening of the Turks
and raising new powers in the Balkans
, namely the Serbs
and the Greeks
. The League was called by Ali Pasha of Gucia, a region culturally and ethnically belonging to that of the Malcia e Madhe region. The League chose its leader from the city Dibra
, his name was Iljaz Pash Qoku-Dibra. The League was divided into two main fractions, that of those who wanted Albania to remain under the Ottoman Empire
, like Abdul Frasheri and Ali Pasha of Gucia, and those who sought total independence from both the Ottomans and the Slavs, like Marash Lula from the Dukagjini Region. Malcia sided with those who sought full independence.
Later, as the Ottoman Empire betrayed Albanians by making a deal with the Slavs and Greeks to split Albanian into four of five pieces, all leaders of the League of Prizren fought against the Turks. Ali Pasha of Gucia became one of the most distinguished anti-Ottoman leaders.
In the Selca Village of Kelmendi
, the Heads of Malcia along with the intellectuals and social and political activists from the city of Shkodër
drafted a memorandum through which they requested the independence of Albania
from the Ottomans. This was the first and boldest request for freedom made from Malsia during the 424 years of Ottoman occupation. The meeting was considered so important that leaders from all over ethnic Albania participated. Some of the participants did not sign the memorandum out of fear of persecution.
On April 6, 1911, the Malsia fighters reached the top of the strategic hill of Dečić (Deçiq). Many of them died that day, but they were able to crush the Ottoman forces and raise the Flag of Albania
after 432 years of occupation. This was the first time Albanians raised their Flag since the Castle of Shkodër had fallen in 1479.
About a year and a half later, with the help of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Albanian Flag was risen officially in the southern town of Vlora.
, they split Malsia in two parts. Gruda, Trieshi, Koja part of Hoti and many villages around Lake Scutari
and the Adriatic Sea
that were descendants of Malsia, were given to Montenegro
, while the rest of Malsia remained within the Albania
n border.
government. They dared, however, to start the first revolt against the communist rule. The uprising was crushed. The leaders either escaped to Montenegro, died in jail, or were executed. Prek Cali, the most distinguishable leader along with Llesh Marashi, are today held as heroes.
monk Gjergj Fishta
spent 35 years composing this epic poem, in which is chronicled the whole range of the ethnic Albainan cultural experience (e.g. weddings, funerals, historical battles, mythology, genealogy, and tribal law). It is as interesting to modern readers as an anthropological document as it is a magnificent poem.
Anton Harapi, Albania's most distinguished Christian philosopher, dedicated his masterpiece "Andrra e Pretashit" (Pretash's Dream), initially called “The Wise Men along Cemi River” to the people of Malcia.
The oldest book of modern Albania was written by a Maltsia Priest, four and a half centuries ago. The author, Gjon Buzuku
, was a Catholic priest. The only copy of the book, written in the dialect of Kelmendi Rugova, and Kastrati, that survives has a few pages missing.
In 1908, anthropologist Edith Durham visited the Malesia region and catalogued her findings in her ethnographic work "High Albania," which was, for nearly a century, the most trusted source of information about the Albanian highlanders.
Albanian anthropologist Kole Berisha wrote, among other books, the four-volumes ethnography entitled "Malcia e Madhe" written between 1900 and 1945
Malësia people were relatively independent from the Ottoman empire, meaning they did not pay taxes, did not give them soldiers and did not acknowledge their law. Hence, their enemy was the one that had been their “enemy” for a millennium before the appearance of the ottomans – namely Slavs. For this reason the majority of the confrontations in the “Knight Songs” happen among the Albanians and the Slavs.
The songs have been preserved as an authentic cultural heritage against musical heritage introduced by the Turkish occupying army in the low lands. The Turkish music is accompanied by “çiftelia”, a two string musical instrument in rural areas, and “aheng” a small gypsy orchestra in urban areas. In the Kosovo region developed another kind of music which also was brought into Balkans by the occupying Turks. The music is accompanied by an instrument with many strings, called “shargia”. It sounds like the classical Persian music of Iran.
There have been very few changes in the way the Albanian Lute is used. The main drive was to save themselves from “trukization” through “çiftelia” “shargia” and “aheng” music.
A lot of information has been lost too, but there are a few names that affirm the authenticity of the epic as having been developed in Maltsia/Rugova region. The city of the Slavs is the New Kotor. Kotor
is the name for a nearby Montenegrin
city by the Adriatic sea
. Accursed Highlands stretch from Maltsia to Rugova. The smiths/horse-shoe makers are from the city of Shkodra.
Robert Elsie has translated the “Lute of Malcia” in English (he titled it the Highland Lute) and about 30 songs from the “Albanian Epic”.
, born in Malësia e Madhe, Albania, in 1965, is widely regarded as the most prominent living Albanian-American poet, scholar, and achiever.
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
: Малесија, Malesija) is a historical geographical region in northern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and eastern Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. It consists of an area of land that stretches from the southeast of Podgorica
Podgorica
Podgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
to northern shores of Lake Scutari
Lake Scutari
Lake Skadar, also called Lake Scutari and Lake Shkodër is a lake on the border of Montenegro with Albania, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. It is named after the city of Shkodra in northern Albania .- Geography :...
, and includes much of the Malësi e Madhe District
Malësi e Madhe District
The Malësi e Madhe District is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Shkodër County. It has a population of 36,091 , and an area of 555 km². It is in the north of the country, and its capital is Koplik...
of Albania. It is made up of five mountains , and seven Clans .
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| Ded Gjo Luli Ded Gjo Luli Ded Gjo Luli formally known as Dedë Gjon Luli Dedvukaj , was born in Traboin-Hoti . He hails from the tribe of Hot located in the region of Malësia... | Baca Kurti Gjokaj |
| Pretash Zeka Ulaj Pretash Zeka Ulaj Pretash Zeka Ulaj is one of the most prominent Albanian heroes of the 1911 Battle of Deçiq , near Tuzi, in which Albanians defeated the Turks... | Gjekë Marinaj Gjeke Marinaj -Early life and career:Gjekë Marinaj was born in 1965 in the small town of Brrut located in the Malësi e Madhe District of northern Albania, half-way through the four-decade rule of communist leader Enver Hoxha. Raised within an authoritarian state, Marinaj aspired to a writing career early on and... |
Name
Malësia e Madhe is the region's official name (or, alternatively, Malcía, pronounced Malsia) which may be translated as "Greater Highlands." In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the region was recorded as Pultí, though the earliest extant source in which the name "Malësia" is mentioned dates back to 1400 AD. Due to variations in the pre-standardized Albanian alphabet
Albanian alphabet
The modern Albanian alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, and consists of 36 letters:Note: The vowels are shown in bold. to the pronunciation of the letters.-History:...
, the region may also be spelled as Malesia, Malcia, Malesi, Malesija and Maltsia.
Population
Malësia has a population of about 60,000 people and is mostly inhabited by ethnic AlbaniansAlbanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
.
The largest settlement in the area is the town of Tuzi
Tuzi
Tuzi is a town in the Podgorica municipality, Montenegro, located along a main road between the city of Podgorica and the Albanian border crossing, just a few kilometers north of Lake Skadar. The exact location of Tuzi is...
, which has a population of about 4,000 people (over half of which are Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
).
The Seven Clans
The region consists of a congregation of seven Clans—Hoti, Grudë, Kelmendi, Kastrati, Shkreli, Trieshi, and Koja e Kuçit—the first five making up the 5 mountains of Malësia.The histories of the respective Clans(and hence the whole region) are amalgamations of both historical events and genealogies passed along by oral transmission.
Hoti is a Catholic Albanian village that is the brother village of Trieshi. Geographically, Hoti lies on the border separating Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, on the north shore of Lake Scutari
Lake Scutari
Lake Skadar, also called Lake Scutari and Lake Shkodër is a lake on the border of Montenegro with Albania, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. It is named after the city of Shkodra in northern Albania .- Geography :...
. Hoti is regarded as the leaders (bajraktar) of Malësia e Madhe.
Grudë
Grude
Grude is a town and municipality in western Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Geography :Grude is 49 kilometers from Mostar,19 kilometers from Imotski, and 100 km from Split....
is a village of Malësia that, along with Hoti, was instrumental during the Ottoman resistance. The mountain of Dechiq (Dečić), where the famed battle against the Ottoman conquerors took place, is located here, as is Tuzi, the de facto "capital" of Malësia. Grudë is mostly Roman Catholic but with a sizeable Muslim minority (20-30%). The Church of Grudë, known as Prifti, is the oldest church in the region, and it is not only an Albanian landmark, but, having been built in 1528, provides the most concrete date for tracing back ancestry.
Kelmendi
Kelmendi
Kelmend, or Kelmendi mountains is a region and clan in the mountainous borderlands of Albania and Montenegro, of the wider Malësia-region . Part of the region lies within the Kelmend municipality, and is composed of a Roman Catholic majority and Muslim minority...
is located on the eastern shores of Lake Scutari
Lake Scutari
Lake Skadar, also called Lake Scutari and Lake Shkodër is a lake on the border of Montenegro with Albania, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. It is named after the city of Shkodra in northern Albania .- Geography :...
and stretches far into Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. The village is mostly Roman Catholic although there are some sizable Muslim populations on the outskirts of Kelmendi. Kelmendi consists of villages as Vermosh
Vermosh
Vërmosh is the northernmost village of Albania, a rural part of the Kelmend municipality, District of Malësi e Madhe.-Geography:...
, Selce
Selce
Selce is the name of:* Selce, Banská Bystrica District, a municipality of the Banská Bystrica District, in Slovakia* Selce, Krupina District, a municipality of the Krupina District, in Slovakia...
, Nikci, Vukel
Vukël
Vukël is a settlement in the Kelmend municipality, Malësi e Madhe District, Shkodër County, northern Albania.Vukel is one of the four original villages of Kelmend. Three of these villages, Seltsa, Niktsi, and Vukli are located in the Kelmend Commune. Boga is located in Shkreli Comune. ...
, Boge
Bogë
Bogë is a small mountainous village and also a holiday resort village in western Kosovo. Bogë is located in the Prokletije mountain range on an altitude of about 1,300m - 1,400m. Closeby the village is located the peak of Hajla at 2,403m and the Pećka Bistrica which has its source not far from the...
, Lepush, Tamare
Tamarë
Tamarë is a settlement in the Kelmend municipality Malësi e Madhe District, Shkodër County, northern Albania....
, Budac
Budaç
Budaç is a settlement in the Kelmend municipality, Malësi e Madhe District, Shkodër County, northern Albania....
, and Gropate e Selces.
Kastrati
Kastrati
Kastrati is an Albanian surname. It is derived from the name of a tribe of the Malësi e Madhe District district in Northern Albania.People called Kastrati include*Bekim Kastrati , football player*Flamur Kastrati , football player...
traces its descent from the famous fighting stock, Drekalović of Kuči. The people of Kastrati are Catholic and Muslim. Though some retain Slavic names, it is understood that this Clan is of Albanian origin. Gjekë Marinaj
Gjeke Marinaj
-Early life and career:Gjekë Marinaj was born in 1965 in the small town of Brrut located in the Malësi e Madhe District of northern Albania, half-way through the four-decade rule of communist leader Enver Hoxha. Raised within an authoritarian state, Marinaj aspired to a writing career early on and...
is celebrated, domestically and internationally, as the most important public figure of Kastrati.
Shkrel
Shkrel
Shkrel is a municipality in the Malësi e Madhe District, Shkodër County, northwestern Albania. There are 12 settlements within Shkrel.- Settlements :* Bogë* Bzhetë* Bzhetë-Makaj* Dedaj* Doç-Rrepisht* Kokë-Papaj* Lohe e Sipërme* Qafë-Gradë* Reç...
is one of the largest village of Malesia e Madhe. Shkreli led Malesia e Madhe in the resistance against communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
with their leader Major Llesh Marashi, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Shkreli is Roman Catholic. Other examples of famous Shkrelsman are Bec Patani, Marash Mani, Dasho Shkreli, and Qek Deda.
Triesh
Triesh
Triesh is one of the seven Albanian tribes of Malësi e Madhe. Today, around 400 descendants of the tribe live in the small but active tribal sub-region. Trieshi, as well as Hot, derive from a single ancestor named Keq Preka...
is commonly considered the "younger brother" of Hoti because they derive from the Hoti clan, as they share a common ancestor, Keq Preka of Herzegovina. The people of Triesh were, along with their Hoti brethren, known for their role during the Ottoman resistance. Specifically, they are said never to have given in to political or religious suppression by the Ottomans; and, as a result, they not only retained an overwhelmingly Catholic population, but they never willingly paid any taxes or tribute to the Ottoman pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
s.
Koja e Kuçit
Koja e Kuçit
Koja e Kuçit is considered one of the seven Northern Albanian tribes of Malësia. Koja is the Albanian Catholic tribe of Koja e Kuçit, the name derived from a combination of the Albanian Koja clan, within the Kuči mountain. The people of this tribe are said to be descendants of the tribe of Kelmend....
is a Catholic Albanian village that derives from the clan of Kelmendi near the Montenegrin Kuči
KUCI
KUCI is a college radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Irvine, California, USA, the station serves the Orange County area...
Clan. The people of Koja have been praised for their resistance to the Slavic expansion, guarding their borders with life and blood from advancing Slavs into the Albanian Malesia region. Not one house in Koja was converted to Islam after nearly 500 years of the Ottoman occupation in the region. Pretash Zeka Ulaj
Pretash Zeka Ulaj
Pretash Zeka Ulaj is one of the most prominent Albanian heroes of the 1911 Battle of Deçiq , near Tuzi, in which Albanians defeated the Turks...
the bajraktari Kojes was honored by the leaders of the other Six Malesia Clans and given the Albanian flag to mount on top of Deqic as a symbol of unity amongst the seven villages after finally defeating the Ottoman Turks.
Ottoman Occupation
After the establishment of AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
as part of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the Malsia people sided with the Montenegrins for many centuries to come, fighting the Ottomans.
However, when the famous Albanian Nobles, called Bushatli, ran northern Albania, the Malcia people gave up their alliance with the Montenegrins and allied with the Bushatli as they were of Albanian blood and heritage, although officials of the Ottoman Empire. During the Ottoman occupation, Malesia people have had the most rights among many peoples of the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Most of the time they have refused to pay taxes, give soldiers to the Ottoman Army, and accept the laws of the Ottoman Empire.
The League of Prizren
The People of Malcia participated actively in the League of PrizrenLeague of Prizren
The League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation commonly known as the League of Prizren was an Albanian political organization founded on 10 June 1878 in Prizren, in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire....
, which was an alliance among the Albanians as a result of weakening of the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and raising new powers in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, namely the Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
and the Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
. The League was called by Ali Pasha of Gucia, a region culturally and ethnically belonging to that of the Malcia e Madhe region. The League chose its leader from the city Dibra
Debar
Debar is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, near the border with Albania, on the road from Struga to Gostivar. It is the seat of Debar Municipality.-Geography:...
, his name was Iljaz Pash Qoku-Dibra. The League was divided into two main fractions, that of those who wanted Albania to remain under the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, like Abdul Frasheri and Ali Pasha of Gucia, and those who sought total independence from both the Ottomans and the Slavs, like Marash Lula from the Dukagjini Region. Malcia sided with those who sought full independence.
Later, as the Ottoman Empire betrayed Albanians by making a deal with the Slavs and Greeks to split Albanian into four of five pieces, all leaders of the League of Prizren fought against the Turks. Ali Pasha of Gucia became one of the most distinguished anti-Ottoman leaders.
The Gertsche Memorandum
(Kuvendi Greqes)In the Selca Village of Kelmendi
Kelmendi
Kelmend, or Kelmendi mountains is a region and clan in the mountainous borderlands of Albania and Montenegro, of the wider Malësia-region . Part of the region lies within the Kelmend municipality, and is composed of a Roman Catholic majority and Muslim minority...
, the Heads of Malcia along with the intellectuals and social and political activists from the city of Shkodër
Shkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
drafted a memorandum through which they requested the independence of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
from the Ottomans. This was the first and boldest request for freedom made from Malsia during the 424 years of Ottoman occupation. The meeting was considered so important that leaders from all over ethnic Albania participated. Some of the participants did not sign the memorandum out of fear of persecution.
On April 6, 1911, the Malsia fighters reached the top of the strategic hill of Dečić (Deçiq). Many of them died that day, but they were able to crush the Ottoman forces and raise the Flag of Albania
Flag of Albania
The national flag of Albania is a red flag with a silhouetted black double-headed eagle in the centre. It is the only red and black flag of a recognised sovereign state....
after 432 years of occupation. This was the first time Albanians raised their Flag since the Castle of Shkodër had fallen in 1479.
About a year and a half later, with the help of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Albanian Flag was risen officially in the southern town of Vlora.
Political Division
In 1913 when the European Powers established the borders of the BalkansBalkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, they split Malsia in two parts. Gruda, Trieshi, Koja part of Hoti and many villages around Lake Scutari
Lake Scutari
Lake Skadar, also called Lake Scutari and Lake Shkodër is a lake on the border of Montenegro with Albania, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. It is named after the city of Shkodra in northern Albania .- Geography :...
and the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
that were descendants of Malsia, were given to Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, while the rest of Malsia remained within the Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n border.
Malesia under Communism
The people of Malesia, as they were relatively rich and relatively patriotic, were declared "Enemies of the People" by the communistAlbanian Party of Labour
The Party of Labour of Albania was the sole legal political party in Albania during communist rule...
government. They dared, however, to start the first revolt against the communist rule. The uprising was crushed. The leaders either escaped to Montenegro, died in jail, or were executed. Prek Cali, the most distinguishable leader along with Llesh Marashi, are today held as heroes.
Religion/Mythology
Albanians in Malësia are predominately Catholic, with a minority of Muslims.Anthropology
Due to its rich culture, the highland region has attracted more attention from anthropologists, artists, writers and scholars than any other Albanian-populated region. It is Malesia that produced what has been considered the national epic of the Albanian people, Lahuta e Malcis (The Highland Lute). Author and FranciscanFranciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monk Gjergj Fishta
Gjergj Fishta
Gjergj Fishta was an Albanian Franciscan friar, poet, rilindas, and a translator. Notably he was the chairman of the commission of the Congress of Monastir, which sanctioned the Albanian alphabet. In 1937 he completed and published his epic masterpiece Lahuta e Malcis, an epic poem written in Gheg...
spent 35 years composing this epic poem, in which is chronicled the whole range of the ethnic Albainan cultural experience (e.g. weddings, funerals, historical battles, mythology, genealogy, and tribal law). It is as interesting to modern readers as an anthropological document as it is a magnificent poem.
Anton Harapi, Albania's most distinguished Christian philosopher, dedicated his masterpiece "Andrra e Pretashit" (Pretash's Dream), initially called “The Wise Men along Cemi River” to the people of Malcia.
The oldest book of modern Albania was written by a Maltsia Priest, four and a half centuries ago. The author, Gjon Buzuku
Gjon Buzuku
Gjon Buzuku was an Albanian Catholic clergyman who wrote the first known printed book in Albanian.Gjon Buzuku was born in the village of Ljare in the Bar district, close to Northern Albania , then Ottoman Empire. He probably lived in or near Venice, Italy...
, was a Catholic priest. The only copy of the book, written in the dialect of Kelmendi Rugova, and Kastrati, that survives has a few pages missing.
In 1908, anthropologist Edith Durham visited the Malesia region and catalogued her findings in her ethnographic work "High Albania," which was, for nearly a century, the most trusted source of information about the Albanian highlanders.
Albanian anthropologist Kole Berisha wrote, among other books, the four-volumes ethnography entitled "Malcia e Madhe" written between 1900 and 1945
Malësia’s Most Famous Two Gangs
They two main “gangs” of the mystic region of Yútbinah are the one led by Gjeto Basho Muji and the other led by the elder Dizdar Osman Aga. The warriors come from those Valleys and they do not fight each other. They are all from Jutbina.Cursed Mountains (Bjeshket e Namuna)
(Kelmend)Malësia people were relatively independent from the Ottoman empire, meaning they did not pay taxes, did not give them soldiers and did not acknowledge their law. Hence, their enemy was the one that had been their “enemy” for a millennium before the appearance of the ottomans – namely Slavs. For this reason the majority of the confrontations in the “Knight Songs” happen among the Albanians and the Slavs.
The songs have been preserved as an authentic cultural heritage against musical heritage introduced by the Turkish occupying army in the low lands. The Turkish music is accompanied by “çiftelia”, a two string musical instrument in rural areas, and “aheng” a small gypsy orchestra in urban areas. In the Kosovo region developed another kind of music which also was brought into Balkans by the occupying Turks. The music is accompanied by an instrument with many strings, called “shargia”. It sounds like the classical Persian music of Iran.
There have been very few changes in the way the Albanian Lute is used. The main drive was to save themselves from “trukization” through “çiftelia” “shargia” and “aheng” music.
A lot of information has been lost too, but there are a few names that affirm the authenticity of the epic as having been developed in Maltsia/Rugova region. The city of the Slavs is the New Kotor. Kotor
Kotor
Kotor is a coastal city in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of the municipality....
is the name for a nearby Montenegrin
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
city by the Adriatic sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. Accursed Highlands stretch from Maltsia to Rugova. The smiths/horse-shoe makers are from the city of Shkodra.
Robert Elsie has translated the “Lute of Malcia” in English (he titled it the Highland Lute) and about 30 songs from the “Albanian Epic”.
Prominent Figures
Gjekë MarinajGjeke Marinaj
-Early life and career:Gjekë Marinaj was born in 1965 in the small town of Brrut located in the Malësi e Madhe District of northern Albania, half-way through the four-decade rule of communist leader Enver Hoxha. Raised within an authoritarian state, Marinaj aspired to a writing career early on and...
, born in Malësia e Madhe, Albania, in 1965, is widely regarded as the most prominent living Albanian-American poet, scholar, and achiever.
- Luc (Bab) Ula Lulgjuraj
- Mark Gjeku Lulgjuraj
- Prenk Gruda
- Smail Martini
- Prek Cali
- Prenk Gruda
- Cun Mulja
- Ded Gjo LuliDed Gjo LuliDed Gjo Luli formally known as Dedë Gjon Luli Dedvukaj , was born in Traboin-Hoti . He hails from the tribe of Hot located in the region of Malësia...
- Llesh Marashi
- Bec Patani
- Norja e Kelmendit
- Ded Nika
- Baca KurtiBaca KurtiBaca Kurti Gjokaj was an Albanian freedom fighter who distinguished himself as one of the best commanders of Cuna Mula in the Battle of Ržanica....
- Tringa Smail MartiniTringa Smail MartiniTringe Smajl Martini Ivezaj was an Albanian young girl from the region of Grudë, within Malësia of then Albania, today part of southern Montenegro, who went to war against the Ottoman Empire army after her father Smajl Martini, the clan leader was kidnapped in 1911 at the Battle of Vranje, his...
- Nora of KelmendiNora of KelmendiNora of Kelmendi , is also referred to as the "Helen of Albania" as her beauty also sparked a great war. She is also called the Albanian Brünhilde too, for she herself was the greatest woman warrior in the history of Albania...
- Gjelosh Gjoka
- Gjeto Daka
- Pretash Zeka UlajPretash Zeka UlajPretash Zeka Ulaj is one of the most prominent Albanian heroes of the 1911 Battle of Deçiq , near Tuzi, in which Albanians defeated the Turks...
- Baca Nika Gjokaj
- Prel Marku Lulgjuraj
See also
- ProkletijeProkletijeProkletije or Albanian Alps is a mountain range in the Balkans that extends from northern Albania, to southwestern Serbia and eastern Montenegro. Its highest point, Jezercë in Albania at , is the tallest peak in the entire Dinaric Alps...
- Kelmend region
- Roman Catholicism in AlbaniaRoman Catholicism in AlbaniaThe Roman Catholic Church in Albania is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.Around 16.8%-17% of the population of Albania is Catholic — the second biggest religious denomination after Islam. More than 100,000 Albanian Catholics are...
- Albanians in MontenegroAlbanians in MontenegroAlbanians in Montenegro constitute 4.91% of the county's total population. They mainly live in South-Eastern Montenegro, in the region commonly known as Malesija as well as in the municipality of Ulcinj .-Geography:...