Malësi e Madhe District

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The Malësi e Madhe District (Albanian: Rrethi i Malësisë së Madhe) is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. It has a population of 37,000 (2004 estimate), and an area of 897 km². It is in the north of the country, and its capital is Koplik.

The Region

Malesia (pronounced Malsia) as her inhabitants call it, is made up of five smaller regions, Hoti, Gruda, Kelmendi, Kastrati, Shkreli. However, this is one of the greatest misconceptions derived from lack of anthropological work throughout Albanian regions in the Balkans. Truthfully, then Malesia e Madhe is made up of the five forementioned regions, plus Trieshi, Koja, Luhari, and all the villages and including the town of Koplik. In addition, Villages like Narhelm (Podhume), Vuthaj and Martinaj and the Region of Rugova are all part of Malesia, meaning people who share the same ethnic, cultural and genetic background. Also, the groups of villages and including the town of Velipoja, the group of villages near Mati River - Gurez, Gajush, et cetera, as well as the town of Shengjin and villages around it are all made up of Malesia inhabitants who have lived there for centuries and yet retain the dialect, tradition, canon, and the blood relations. Recently, however has began a mixture of the towns and villages of Malesia. Some of them are about to loose their Malesia distnictness. The greatest (or the saddest) examples are the towns: Gruda e Re, Hoti i Ri, Shtoji i Ri, around the city of Shkodër, which used to be its greatest suburbs, but now have become part of Shkodër herself. One of the later extensions has been the populating of the town of Tuzi in Montenegro by Bosniac Muslims and other war refugees. The town, the main center of Malesia and regarded as the Malesia capital in Montenegro, has historically been populated only by Albanians, and at one time extended to what is present-day Podgorica.

The Expansion

The origins of Malesia people are dubious, but most scholars believe the original Seven Tribes who extended to the above mentioned regions are direct descendants of the ancient Illyrians. Although the original congregation of Malesia live in the northernmost part of Albania, the people of Malesia expanded their territory by purchasing or occupying unused lands around rivers and swamps in regions along the Adriatic coast. Such groups those around the Mati River, Shen Gjini Beach, Velipoja Beach, around the city of Lezhë and most of the northern and eastern part of Shkodër suburbs like Hoti i Ri, Gruda e Re, Shtoji i Ri, Gucia e Re. However, the largest expansion of the Malesia tribes occurred near the city of Pejë in the Rugova region. The region of Rugova, which is mostly descendant of Kelmendi has developed its own heritage and some people do not even know the affinity between the two regions.

Balshai Dynasty

According to Marin Sirdanihttp://www.gjuha.com/GegetKlasike/Sirdani_Ne_Shka_Fajiset_Skanderbegu.htm, the founder of Albanian Historical Discourse, after the fall of the Serbian Empire, Maltsia people followed the Balshais and occupied the city of Shkodër. That was the beginning of an expansion, lead by the Balshai Dynasty, which created and Albanian State along the borders of the Ancient Illyrian Kingdom. One of the daughters of Balshai family became the wife of Gjon Kastrioti, the father of the Albanian National hero, Gjergj Kastrioti - Skanderbeg.

Ottoman Occupation

After the establishment of Albania as part of the Ottoman Empire, the Malcia people sided with the Montenegrans for many centuries to come, fighting the Ottomans. Even today, there are many things that the Malcors and Montenegrins have in common. One of them is intermarriage, although, not very wide spread, it has been an accepted practice for centuries. However, when the famous Albanian Nobles, called Bushatli, ran northern Albania, the Malcia people gave up their alliance with the Montenegrans and allied with the Bushatli as they were of Albanian blood and heritage, although officials of the Ottoman Empire. During the Ottoman occupation, Malcia people have had the most rights among many peoples of the Balkans. Most of the time they have refused to pay taxes, give solders to the Ottoman Army, and accept the laws of the Ottoman Empire.

Nora of Kelmendi

Nora of Kelmendi can be called the Helen of Albania, for one of the biggest wars was "caused" by her beauty. But she can be called the Albanian Brunhilde too, for she herself was a warrior and refused to fall in love with the enemies of her people. There are two versions of Nora and both versions end with her killing the Pasha (a Bosnian man ) who was the leader of the Ottoman Army and who had taken a Public Oath to put the whole Maltsia up in flames Nora did not become his wife. He did not care how.

The events happened around the year of the Lord 1620. Nora is said to have been abandoned by her father at her birth for he, a Noble Fighter, wanted a son who would grow to become another fighter for the fatherland. Nora's aunt found the abandoned baby and raised her as a boy. Nora's biological father, unknowingly, trained her as a fighter. When Nora grew up, there was no way of hiding her boobs behind her clothes, so everybody knew she was a boy. Everybody wanted to marry her. Her fame spread through the whole country. Pasha, the Ottoman official, heard of her too. One day Nora came down to the Shkodra city with her parents. Pasha came out of the Rozafa Castle and saw her. He fell in love. Initially, he wanted to marry her by the laws of the Albanian Canon, but Nora's family replied that the Canon did not allow for marriages with non-albanians. Pasha was not used to be refused by his officers. He had a harem full of women from all over the world. The Bosnian Dude went mad. "I'll burn all of Maltsia to ashes he said". That was not the first or the last time for Maltsia to be burned to the ground, so nobody got really scared. It was bound to happen either for taxes, solders or the refusal of the law anyway. But the Pasha was serious. He got a huge army and settled to go toward Maltsia. Nora had proven to be a warrior, then had proven to be the most Beautiful Girl, now it was her turn to prove that she was wise. So she devised the plan how to kill the Mad Bosnian Pasha, or the madly in-love dude. This is what happened. Nora pretended to want to marry the Pasha without the permission of her family. Dressed with the girl-xhubleta, a dress made of white and either black or dark plue stripe running horozontally, she want to Pasha's tent. Seeing her, the Pasha fell on his knees and began to pray to the heavens that had rewarded him one more time by the almighty. Pasha ordered his troops to stop the march and rest. While everything was quiet around the Pasha's tent, Nora pulled a dagger that her father had given it to her. That was a dagger that the father himself had inherited from his own father, and Nora's grandfather from his father. The dagger was in the family longer than anyone could remember. It was used strictly in wars, that is to only to kill people. People said that the dagger had magic powers. On Nora's hand, though, it turned out to be a regular dagger. She stabbed the Pasha a few times, and ran, but he survived the stabs and followed her. He could not catch her, though, because as the plan had devised, the five Tribes of Maltsia attached the army unexpectedly and Nora returned safely to Maltsia. While the war was going on, the Pasha took a few solders and followed Nora to her home. There comes in the second legend. It is said that Nora never went to the tent, but as the men were fighting on one side and the Ottomans had sneaked a part of their army to attack the villages, she led an army of 300 women against the Ottomans who had decided to burn, rob and rape. It is said that Nora had a duel with Pasha and she killed him. In both versions, however, Nora kills the man. And in both stories he is from Bosnia and is called Vutsi Pasha. It is proven historically that around 1620, the Bosnian Pasha, Vutsi Pasha, lead an expedition against the Maltsia people and there are documents that say that a woman was one of the most distingished warriors. Anyhow, both stories are interesting, and as they are legends, the whole history of Maltsia people should be seen as mythological for they are, after all, the creaters of Albanian Epic, which is nothing more nothing les but a great mythological saga.

The League of Prizren

The People of Malcia participated actively in the League of Prizren, which was an alliance among the Albanians as a result of weakening 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 of city of 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.

The Gertsche Memorandum

In the Selca Village of Kelmendi, the Heads of Malcia along with the intelectuals and Social and Political Activists from the city of Shkodër drafted their set of requests and sent them to the Ottomans, which requested full autonomy of Albania. This was the first and the boldest kind of request during the 434 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.

Deĉits -- After 442 Years, the Albanian Flag is Raised for the First Time

The Young Turks played a nasty trick to Albania. They promised independence and freedom as long as the Albanians gave up their weapons. Thinking that Turkey was going to implement a western style government, Albanians trusted them. As long as the Albanians were disarmed, the Ottomans began oppressing the Albanians even more. That caused the Malcia People, under the Leadership of Ded Gjo Luli Albanian Hero(1840-1915) from Hoti, to raise in a war against the Turks. The main war happened in the Hot, Grude, Kastrat, Koplik region where the prople of Malcia faced thousands of Janissers, lead by the infamous, Turgut Pasha. While the war went on, the women and the children of Malciia, as usual migrated to Montenegro, where they were treated as their own kind. As expected, the Turks were not able to crush the Malcia fighters, but having enough solders, they send part of their army into the abandoned villages of Malcia and burned all the houses.

On April 6, 1911, the Malcia fighters reached the top of the strategic high hill of Deĉits. Many of them died that day, but they were able to crush the Ottoman resistance and raise the Albanian Flag after 442 years of occupation. This was the first time Albanians raised their Flag since the Castle of Shkodër had fallen in 1469. About a year and a half later, with the help of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Albanian Flag was risen in the southern town of Vlona.

Culture | Heritage | Canon

Malcia has, arguably, the richest heritage amongst the Albanian regions. Probably the most distinguishable feature of Malcia people is their tendency to develop a micro-culture that resembles the heritage of a whole nation.

They adapted the Canon of Lekë Dukagjini into the Canon of Mountains. The Canon worked in a way similar to a constitution. If two parties could not resolve a conflict, then they had to pay for the Elders to act as interpreters of the Canon of Mountains. The Elders has nothing to do with age, neither is it a title one inherits. Instead, the Elders were intelligent people who knew how to interpret the Canon and got paid for it.

The region has attracted the attention of anthropologists, artists, writers and scholars more than any other region in Albania. The "Lute of Malcia" is as irreplaceable for the Albanian Culture as "Iliad" is for the ancient Greek Epics. It took father Fishta 35 years to write the book. Anton Harapi, Albania's most distinguished Christian philosopher, dedicated his masterpiece "Andrra e Pretashit" (Pretash's Dream) to the people of Malcia. Foreigners from Edith Durham in 19th century to today's scholars have studied the region, written books and made movies about the region. The oldest book of modern Albania was written by a Malcia Priest, five and a half centuries ago. He, John Buzuku, was a Catholic priest, who in the tradition of Martin Luther had decided to bring Protestantism to Albania. The only copy of the book that survives has a few pages missing. Needless to say, soon after the book Albania was taken over by the Ottoman empire, converted to Islam and the Protestant Initiative of Buzuku was forgotten.

Malcia is a place of Heroes. The men of Malcia are called "Leket of Malcia" which means seasoned, tough, wise men. They never paid any taxes or gave any solders to the Ottoman Empire and yet were, probably, the richest region in the whole Albania with their lands stretching from Adriatic Sea to the Albanian Alps. But what is even more interesting, Malcia is the place of Her-oines too. Nora of Kelmendi, the Albanian Helen, was said to have been so beautiful that the chief representative of the Ottoman Empire in Albania, a Bosnian man, said, "I'll either marry her or I'll burn all of Malcia". A great confrontation happened as a result of his attraction. To make a time-less story short, Nora, against her own people's will dressed like a bride and went to the Pasha who had surrounded Malcia with his army. The Pasha is said to have fainted at Nora's sight because she is believed to have been as beautiful as a true fairy. What the Pasha did not know, however, was that Nora was part of a bigger plan. She stabbed the Pasha, set his place in fire and without giving his army enough time to figure out what was going on, she escaped. Malcia attacked and the Ottoman Army was destroyed. The Pasha, however, put together a few men and chased Nora up in the Albanian Alps. There it is said that they had a duel where Nora chopped his head off. Pasha did not know that Nora was the only daughter of one of Malcia's most distinguishable noble warriors and was trained as a warrior herself.

Tringa Smaili, a girl from Gruda, according to "Lute of Malcia" was caring for her wounded brother when Montenegrins attacked the small village. She fought and defended her brother until she was herself wounded. At the very moment when she was about to die, the Leket of Malcia saved her, of course; great her-oes or heroes never die in Malcia Tales.

Another, more ordinary story, is the story of Drane of Kelmendi. A thug (cub) from the Mirdita region, who according to the song had already killed 21 men, raped her while she was near her villa owned by her family near the Mati River. She went home and told her family what had happened to her. According to the Albanian Canon, her husband was supposed to kill the rapist. Her father-in-law, however, had a different idea in mind. He took Drane up to the Alps, trained her how to shoot and then they came together down at the city of Lezhë. Drane, then, was let on her own to find and kill Gjin, the rapist. She found him at a local bar, killed him using a pistol and ran away.

The Albanian National Epic

The great imagination of Malcia people has created what is known as the Albanian Epic, in addition to legends, and monster tales. The main heroes of the songs accompanied by a one-string lute are called Gjeto Basho Muji, Sokol Halili, Gjergj Elez Alia, Zuku Bajraktar, Aikuna, Omeri, etc. The events in the Epic involve Albanians, Slavs, and Hungarians. There is only one mention of the Ottoman rulers who were present in the Balkans for five centuries. The character that always comes from the sea and is huge, ugly, and has no morals. He usually challenges ancient warriors to either fight him or give him their women, domestic animals and the land. The most famous song of all is the one called Gjergj Elez Alia. He fought the Monster of the Sea (Balozi i Detit in Albanian) The songs are so well crafted that hold their own against the "Lute of Malcia", Albania's most irreplaceable book written by Gjergj Fishta, a Franciscan priest, whom some believe to be Albania's National Poet. The songs intended for enjoyment as well as for the education of the children are filled with themes and symbols of the Albanian Canon and heritage, but there is no preaching anywhere in the songs. The characters are well rounded and the stories are seen from multiple perspectives. One distinct feature of these songs is that the main hero almost always starts as the underdog, but ends up winning because he/she is either on the right or in love. The Main City of the imaginary region where the Mythical Heroes live is called Jutbina (pronounced Yutbinah). The region itself is called Lugjet e Verdha (the Yellow Vallies). All of the people are gangsters.

The War Against Ottoman Empire

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Ded Gjo Luli was the leader of Malcia in their war against the Slavs and the Turks at the break of the 20th century. The book, "Lute of Malcia," is dedicated to those men and women who raised Albania's National conscience after 500 years of oppression. They showed that it was possible for Albania to exist without the Ottoman Empire, as an independent state. It was their war that made the news in the western world and raised the conscience of Europe too in regard to the Albanian nation.

Political Division

In 1913 when the European Powers established the borders of the Balkans, they split Malcia in two parts. Gruda, Trieshi, Koja, Rugova, Vuthaj, Martinaj, part of Hoti and many villages around Shkodër Lake and the Adriatic Sea that were descendants of Malcia, were given to Montenegro, while the rest of Malcia remained within the Albanian border.

After the communists took hold of Eastern Europe, Albania fell under the Russian influence (from Turks to Russians). Malcia, as they were relatively rich and relatively patriotic, were declared "Enemies of the People" by the proletarian, internationalist, and the Stalinist government. They dared, however, to raise in the first Eastern European uprising against the communists. 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 that dared to fight the Albanian puppies of the big Russian Dogs.

Religion

Malësia e Madhe is predominantly Roman Catholic, with a minorty of Muslims.

There are many traces of Ancient Illyrian Religion in Malsia.

The Sun, being the most important deity, is worshiped and feared by the people of Malcia. To this day, they swear on the sun ("Pasha njate rreze diellit" - "I swear on that ray of sunshine". The Sun seems to have been the most powerful god and probably known as the God of Light. When mentioning the deceased, the people of Malcia say "Past Dritë" ("May he/she Have Light"). There are many curses related to the light too, for example, "Mos te errte nata" ("May the dark find you not"), or "Most dalesh ne dritë" ("May you not see the dawn"). Day and Light are closely related in Albanian Language ("Ditë" - "Day", "Dritë" - "Light").

Ora is the god of bravery and wisdom. Ora does not exist as a deity similar to Christ, but as some being beyond human senses. His presence, however, is felt in a way that is similar to the existence itself. Ora helps one in all endeavors. He does not protect you, instead he encourages you to protect yourself. If you are a loser, than it is said that Your Ora is Dead. Ora can be seen in a striking resemblance to Martin Heidegger's Dasein (Being). Everyone has an Ora (a being), but every entity too has a being (Ora). For example, Kelmendi has her ora, so does Malcia, so does Albania, so does Europe, so does Julia and Jim. The best blessing is to say to someone "Te Ndihmofte Ora" (May the Ora Help You). Young people nowadays believe more in Eminem than Ora. That makes sense.

Zana is the goddess of beauty, imagination and dreams. She is what Norse and Celtic ancient religions would refer to as a fairy, but her main qualities are not beauty and sensuality. It is the lucidity of her mind and the nobility of her feelings that makes her different from a traditional fairy. She inspires the sense of beauty and aesthetics.

Te Lumet (The Blessed), (aka shto-zo-vallet). Closer to traditional fairies, they are young and beautiful girls that have magic and evil powers (more like a real beautiful girl). They celebrate existence and nature's fertility, by singing, dancing, and eating. Their food is similar to ancient Greek Gods, meaning it comes from the essence of flowers and honey. There is always a table with food near where they live. If a human, unknowingly, (humans can neither see them nor their possessions) steps on any of their possessions, especially their table, he or she will be crippled, turned mad or caused to have great misfortunes in his life. Philosophically, they represent that domain and those powers, which humans can neither know, nor possess.

Life in a Dictatorship

Here is a list of Malcia priests, who contributed to the Albanian Culture before the Stalinist government of 1945 declared them enemies of the people, exiled them or imprisoned them -- that is if they were lucky. Many of the intellectuals, artists and priests of Malcia were murdered by the communists. Marin Sirdani - the foremost Political Historian and one of the founders of post-colonialism. His masterpiece is "The Legend of Gjergj Kastrioti". Khol Berisha - Anthropologist. Among other books, the four volumes of anthropological research titled "Malcia e Madhe" written between 1900 and 1945 According to Kol Berisha, a Malcia Anthropologist and Priest, that worked before World War II. Malcia held once a year a beauty contest way before Miss Universe began. It still goes on. Men and women wear those great ancient costumes for that day and it is definitively the most authentic and the most beautiful show in Albania, probably one of the most interesting in the whole world. It happens every year on St Prena's day (Around August 25th) at Brodolec, where one can also visit the Albanian Alps' Pearl -- the village of Lepusha. http://www.malesia.org/miss_bjeshka_2004/pages/Untitled-12.htm Alexander Sirdani, Anthropologis George Volai Victor Volai Nichol Radovani

Albania's most disginguished (maybe the greatest) tenor Luk Kachai spent most of 45 years of Stalinist dictatorship in maximum security prison. The reason is currently unknown.

Emmigrants

Many of the Malcors have emigrated and enclaves can be found today in New York, Detroit,Boston, Germany,Italy and Australi.

Famous Malsors

• Angjelin Perljocalhttp://www.preljocaj.org/Pages/uk/frame.htm, an artist
• The Malotas - Malcia's own Hollywood Family http://www.imdb.com/find?q=malota;tt=on;nm=on;mx=20
• Rexhep Qosia - a distinguished Malsia thinker, literary critic, writer and political activist http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author=Rexhep%20Qosja/104-9568382-2545544
• Azem Schreli from the Schreli Village of Rugova is one of the greatest writers to ever write in Albanian language and one of the few to be deeply grounded into the Albanian perspectives, from the ancient to the new. http://www.Gjuha\Literature\Post_Modernists\Shkreli_Azem.htm
• Gjovalin Shkurtaj - a distinguished Albanian linguist http://www.geocities.com/MadisonAvenue/2065/
• Gjek Marinaj, who wrote the poem "The Horses" which marked the open "war" of the Albanian writers and artists against the communist dictatorship. Currently he teaches English Literature at a College in Texas and is the President and the founder of Albanian American Writers. http://www.marinajpublishing.com/
• Nua Sinishtaj and Anton Gojcaj, two modern writers. http://www.gjuha.com/New_Waves.htm

Also many Malcia men and women are involved in the Albanian American Politics http://www.naac.org

References

• Anton Harapi, Andrra e Pretashit, Shpresa & Faik Konica, Prishtinë, 2003
• At Gjergj Fishta, Lahuta e Malcise, Shtypshkronja Franceskane, Shkodër 1938
• At Marin Sirdani, Mbi Kontributin e Elementit Katolik Ne Shqipni, "Hylli i Drites", Shkodër, 1935
• At Marin Sirdani, Per Cka Fajesohet Skanderbeu, "GEER", 2001
• Dom Nik Ukgjini, Shkreli, Nji Veshtrim Historiko-Kulturor, Shtepia Botuese "At Gjergj Fishta", Shkodër, 1998
• Kole Progni, Malesia e Kelmendit, Monografi, "Camaj-Pipa", Shkodër, 2000
• Nikolla Spathari, Monografi, Malesia e Madhe sic e Njoha Une, "Shkodër", 2001
• Halil Bucpapaj, Kreshta Historie ne Kelmend, "Kristalina-KH", Tiranë, 2003
• Rush Dragu, Kelmendi... drite hije, Publicistike, Enti Botues, "Helena Kadare", 2001

Districts of Albania
Berat | Bulqizë | Delvinë | Devoll | Dibër | Durrës | Elbasan | Fier | Gjirokastër | Gramsh | Has | Kavajë | Kolonjë | Korçë | Krujë | Kuçovë | Kukës | Kurbin | Lezhë | Librazhd | Lushnjë | Malësi e Madhe | Mallakastër | Mat | Mirditë | Peqin | Përmet | Pogradec | Pukë | Sarandë | Shkodër | Skrapar | Tepelenë | Tiranë | Tropojë | Vlorë

 

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