LABERIA
Banned
- Messages
- 1,969
- Reaction score
- 293
- Points
- 83
- Ethnic group
- Albanian
Ancient Albanian customs and traditions.
- Thread starter LABERIA
- Start date
LABERIA
Banned
- Messages
- 1,969
- Reaction score
- 293
- Points
- 83
- Ethnic group
- Albanian
LABERIA
Banned
- Messages
- 1,969
- Reaction score
- 293
- Points
- 83
- Ethnic group
- Albanian
One of the four pillars of Kanun is Hospitality (Albanian: Mikpritja):
1907
Marko Miljanov:
The Life and Customs of the Albanians
Marko Miljanov (1833-1901), known in Albanian as Mark Milani, was a Montenegrin warrior (chief of the Kuči tribe), a noted military figure and a writer. His father was an Orthodox Slav and his mother a Catholic Albanian. He served Prince Danilo I of Montenegro and led his forces against the Ottoman Empire (including Albania) in the wars of 1861-1862 and 1876-1878. After a disagreement with Prince Nikola in 1882, Miljanov withdrew from public life and, though illiterate up to then, decided to learn to read and write. His posthumously published book, ‘Život i običaji Arbanasa’ (The Life and Customs of the Albanians), Belgrade 1907, from which the following excerpts are taken, is without literary pretension but is fascinating for the views he offers about the neighbouring highland tribes of Albania, with which his Montenegrin tribe had much in common.
As I said before, it is a great honour for an Albanian to be able to give what he has to his guests. He is in pain and deep despair if he has nothing to offer them. I will give you an example of such pain and deep despair. During the reign of a Bushatli vizier, an Albanian robber from Hoti was waylaying travellers on the road from Shkodra to Rapsha. The vizier offered a large sum of money to catch the perpetrator. As such, after a certain time, he was caught and brought before the vizier who asked him: “Tell me, why are you making all this trouble?” “Just for fun, Milord,” replied the robber. “I then sentence you to death,” said the vizier. “May it be!” replied the robber who was taken away to his place of execution.
The henchman followed him with a sword in his hand, ready to chop his head off. When they arrived at the appointed place, the vizier said to him: “Come over here, Albanian, because I want to ask you something.” The Albanian turned. The vizier and the men around him watched the robber approach them in a leisurely manner, though with his hands in shackles, as if it were some matter that did not interest him at all, or as if they had called him over to ask him a simple question. When he was face to face with them, the vizier asked him: “You have acted like a man for all the crimes you committed, but I would want to ask you a question and would like an honest answer from you.” “Speak and ask your question.”
“You have committed many crimes that were grave and involved much effort. But I now want to know from you – were you ever in such a predicament as the one you are in now?” “Yes, I was. I was once in a far worse situation.” “What happened to you that could be worse than what has happened to you today? The henchman is standing behind you and is about to chop off your head in a few minutes. Think carefully. Was there ever a worse day in your life than today? Tell the truth. Do not shame yourself with any lies to all these people who are looking at you and listening to you.” The Albanian looked around at the henchman who was standing as straight as a statue with the sword in his hand and watching the vizier to carry out his orders immediately and to do his job in one fell swoop. Having looked at the henchman for a moment, he turned his head, raised his eyebrows and set to speak. All those present were convinced that he was going to beg the vizier to have someone else chop his head off and not that terrifying gypsy with long and sharp teeth who was holding the sword ready. There was an expression of cynical pride on the henchman’s face that made it evident to the vizier that, at the slightest nod, he would slice the robber’s head off in one fell swoop. The Albanian, however, had no intention of pleading with the vizier and did not ask for another henchman. He looked straight at the vizier who repeated the question, saying: “Speak up like a man. Have you ever been in such a predicament, Albanian?” “I already told you, I was in a worse situation, in fact twice.” “Tell us what happened.” “There were two occasions on which visitors came to my house and I had nothing to offer them for dinner and they were forced to spend the night without food. Those two occasions were much worse for me than what is happening now because I am sure that what takes place today will soon be forgotten, but those two events will be remembered forever.”
Having spoken the robber looked overwhelmed by the memories and blushed in shame. Those around him were amazed to hear that, in the face of death, he suffered more from the thought that a guest of his had gone without dinner than from the thought of his own death. The vizier, too, was deeply moved, and gave orders for the robber to be released and allowed to return to his home unhindered, to his tribe in Hoti.
Source: [Excerpts from Marko Miljanov, Život i običaji Arbanasa, Belgrade 1907. Translated by Robert Elsie.]
http://www.albanianhistory.net/1907_Miljanov/index.htm
1907
Marko Miljanov:
The Life and Customs of the Albanians
Marko Miljanov (1833-1901), known in Albanian as Mark Milani, was a Montenegrin warrior (chief of the Kuči tribe), a noted military figure and a writer. His father was an Orthodox Slav and his mother a Catholic Albanian. He served Prince Danilo I of Montenegro and led his forces against the Ottoman Empire (including Albania) in the wars of 1861-1862 and 1876-1878. After a disagreement with Prince Nikola in 1882, Miljanov withdrew from public life and, though illiterate up to then, decided to learn to read and write. His posthumously published book, ‘Život i običaji Arbanasa’ (The Life and Customs of the Albanians), Belgrade 1907, from which the following excerpts are taken, is without literary pretension but is fascinating for the views he offers about the neighbouring highland tribes of Albania, with which his Montenegrin tribe had much in common.
As I said before, it is a great honour for an Albanian to be able to give what he has to his guests. He is in pain and deep despair if he has nothing to offer them. I will give you an example of such pain and deep despair. During the reign of a Bushatli vizier, an Albanian robber from Hoti was waylaying travellers on the road from Shkodra to Rapsha. The vizier offered a large sum of money to catch the perpetrator. As such, after a certain time, he was caught and brought before the vizier who asked him: “Tell me, why are you making all this trouble?” “Just for fun, Milord,” replied the robber. “I then sentence you to death,” said the vizier. “May it be!” replied the robber who was taken away to his place of execution.
The henchman followed him with a sword in his hand, ready to chop his head off. When they arrived at the appointed place, the vizier said to him: “Come over here, Albanian, because I want to ask you something.” The Albanian turned. The vizier and the men around him watched the robber approach them in a leisurely manner, though with his hands in shackles, as if it were some matter that did not interest him at all, or as if they had called him over to ask him a simple question. When he was face to face with them, the vizier asked him: “You have acted like a man for all the crimes you committed, but I would want to ask you a question and would like an honest answer from you.” “Speak and ask your question.”
“You have committed many crimes that were grave and involved much effort. But I now want to know from you – were you ever in such a predicament as the one you are in now?” “Yes, I was. I was once in a far worse situation.” “What happened to you that could be worse than what has happened to you today? The henchman is standing behind you and is about to chop off your head in a few minutes. Think carefully. Was there ever a worse day in your life than today? Tell the truth. Do not shame yourself with any lies to all these people who are looking at you and listening to you.” The Albanian looked around at the henchman who was standing as straight as a statue with the sword in his hand and watching the vizier to carry out his orders immediately and to do his job in one fell swoop. Having looked at the henchman for a moment, he turned his head, raised his eyebrows and set to speak. All those present were convinced that he was going to beg the vizier to have someone else chop his head off and not that terrifying gypsy with long and sharp teeth who was holding the sword ready. There was an expression of cynical pride on the henchman’s face that made it evident to the vizier that, at the slightest nod, he would slice the robber’s head off in one fell swoop. The Albanian, however, had no intention of pleading with the vizier and did not ask for another henchman. He looked straight at the vizier who repeated the question, saying: “Speak up like a man. Have you ever been in such a predicament, Albanian?” “I already told you, I was in a worse situation, in fact twice.” “Tell us what happened.” “There were two occasions on which visitors came to my house and I had nothing to offer them for dinner and they were forced to spend the night without food. Those two occasions were much worse for me than what is happening now because I am sure that what takes place today will soon be forgotten, but those two events will be remembered forever.”
Having spoken the robber looked overwhelmed by the memories and blushed in shame. Those around him were amazed to hear that, in the face of death, he suffered more from the thought that a guest of his had gone without dinner than from the thought of his own death. The vizier, too, was deeply moved, and gave orders for the robber to be released and allowed to return to his home unhindered, to his tribe in Hoti.
Source: [Excerpts from Marko Miljanov, Život i običaji Arbanasa, Belgrade 1907. Translated by Robert Elsie.]
http://www.albanianhistory.net/1907_Miljanov/index.htm
This thread has been viewed 31056 times.