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Zagori, Albania

Coordinates:40°13′N20°13′E/ 40.217°N 20.217°E/40.217; 20.217
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with the Greek region and municipality ofZagori.
For other uses, seeZagori (disambiguation).
Zagoria
Zaguria,Zagurii
Municipal unit
Zagoria is located in Albania
Zagoria
Zagoria
Coordinates:40°13′N20°13′E/ 40.217°N 20.217°E/40.217; 20.217
CountryAlbania
CountyGjirokastër
MunicipalityLibohovë
Population
(2011)
• Municipal unit
411
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Area Code0883

Zagoria(Aromanian:ZaguriaorZagurii) is a former municipality in theGjirokastër County,southernAlbania.During the 2015 local government reform, Zagoria became a subdivision of the municipalityLibohovë.[1]The population at the 2011 census was 411.[2]Since 2018, the region has been at the centre of the expanded Zagoria Nature Park.[3][4]Zagoria is also considered to be a distinct "ethnographic region" (Albanian:krahina etnografike),[5]traditionally consisting of ten settlements:Sheper,Nivan,Ndëran, Topovë, Konckë, Hoshteve,Lliar,Vithuq,Doshnicëand Zhej.[6]

Geography

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The region is primarily defined by the Zagoria valley, which is 27 kilometres (17 mi) long with a watershed of 171 square kilometres (66 sq mi).[6]Its highest point is Mount Nemërçkë at 2,485 metres (8,153 ft) above sea level, while the lowest is at 350 metres (1,150 ft). It is valued for its natural scenery and its pastoral traditions and includes the fields of Çajupi, Çajupi Mountain, and a twenty-meter-high waterfall called the "oars of Doshnica" (Albanian:Rrema e Doshnicës).[6]

Demographics

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The municipality of Zagori has an Orthodox Albanian majority and an Aromanian minority.[7]The municipality consists of the following villages:Sheper,Nivan,Konckë, Vithuq, Hoshtevë, Doshnicë, Zhej,Lliar,Topovë and Nderan.[1][8]Konckë is inhabited by an Orthodox Albanian population.[7]Doshnicë and Lliar are wholly populated by Orthodox Albanian Christians.[7]The villages of Nderan, Nivan, Sheper, Topovë and Zhej are inhabited by Orthodox Albanians, and these villages contain someAromanianfamilies, while inHoshtevëand Vithuq the Aromanian community is a significant minority population of the villages.[9][7]Aromanian communities were part of the local population of Zagori in 1880, in particular in the villages of Topovë, Zhej and Lliarë.[10]During the Communist era, a number of Aromanian families settled in some villages of Zagori as part of the resettlement policies of thePeople's Republic of Albania.[9]

Its people practisedendogamyby intermarrying within their group, although occasionally the Greeks ofPogoniwould marry a bride from the area and teach herGreek.[11]The population of Zagori has dialectal and cultural characteristics of both theLabandToskAlbanian subgroups, though they also form a unique unit of their own, which traditionally does not marry with people from the neighbouringkrahina etnografikeofLunxhëria.[11]

Its population is mostlyAlbanian-speaking, traditionally with anEastern Orthodox Christianmajority. It borders the regions ofLunxhëriato the west andPogonito the south. Historically, from Ottoman times when it was part ofTepelena kazauntil 1920, Zagoria depended onTepelena,but in 1920 it was instead subordinated toPërmeti,and then from 1924 until modern times, it has been subordinated toGjirokastra.[6]

Etymology

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The placename "Zagori" itself is probably derived from theSlavicZagoremeaning "beyond the mountains". The name of the region Zagoria is also found in a region ofGreecewith the same name meaning (Ζαγόρια) and also inBulgaria,(Загоре) with two settlements being calledStara ZagoraandNova Zagora.It was a vaguely definedmedievalregion in what is nowBulgaria.This shows the etymology of Zagori inAlbaniais derived from thetime of the FirstandSecond Bulgarian Empiresin Albania and from theBulgarian language.The mountains in this region of Albania to which the name Zagori refers are Mount Arapi and the Çajupi Mountains. The region was first mentioned as Ζαγόρια inGreek(in anOld Bulgariantranslation, it was rendered as Загорїа).

History

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The region was first mentioned as Ζαγόρια inGreek(in anOld Bulgariantranslation, it was rendered as Загорїа) The region was named in the rule of theFirst Bulgarian Empirein Albania.

The "Zenevias", probably the Zenebishi, are mentioned in 1304 as one of the families that were granted privileges by theAngevinPhilip I, Prince of Taranto.[12]According toRobert Elsie,the family originated from the Zagoria region.[13]Gjon Zenebishiwas one of the most notable members of thisAlbanian noble family;he was born in Zagori. Between 1373 and 1414, he controlledGjirokastërand its surroundings. After theOttomanscaptured the region ofEpirus,some members of the family fled toMorea,while other members held high positions within the Ottoman hierarchy. Gjon Zenebishi's descendants continued to live undisturbed in the mountains of Zagoria and eventually faded into history. Gjon established thePrincipality of Gjirokastër (1373–1418)which included Zagori. Gjon Zenebishi was appointedsebastocratoror prefect ofVagenetianearDelvinaand in 1386 he became prince. Notable descendants of Gjon and this family include his sons,Thopia ZenebishiandHamza Zenebishi,and his grandson,Simon Zenebishi.

In 1319-1414 the region was known as "Great Zagori" and was part of theDespotate of Epiruswith its capital inIoannina.[14]In 1399, the Greek-speaking population of Great Zagori joined theDespot of Epirus,Esau,in his campaign against various Albanian tribesmen.[15]

In 1431–1432, there were 188 families and 1600 inhabitants in total; by 1583, this number had grown to 3300, with Sheperi, the largest village, having 600 houses alone.[6]The population growth in the intermittent period was driven by migrations into Zagoria, coming fromKolonja,Labëria,the region ofSuliinGreece,and other areas. The incomers came in order to flee religious persecution as well as persecution by personal enemies or foreign invaders.[6]

The population of Zagori also migrated to southern Italy during the 16th century, these people are referred to as the Arbereshe. They founded the village ofZagarise(Albanian:Zagari) it is anArbëreshëvillage andcomunein theprovince of Catanzaroin theCalabriaregion of southernItaly.They named it after the region they were from.

During the17th century,Greek elementary schools were opened in the villages and monasteries of the region. Local Greek education was sponsored by the Orthodox communities and the guilds of Orthodox craftsmen.[16]

During the era ofconversions to Islamin the 18th century, Christian Albanian-speaking areas such as the region of Zagori strongly resisted those efforts, in particular the villages of Konckë and Sheper.[17]Christianity was preserved in Zagori due to the contributions of various prominent scholars, such as theGreek OrthodoxmissionarySophianoswho preached in the villages of the area in the early 18th century.[17]

In the mid-19th century, there were 4300 inhabitants of Zagoria. However, this peak population struggled with the limited space of Zagoria, the relative lack of natural resources, and difficulties such as bread shortages. These factors caused a large wave of emigration out of Zagoria.[6]During the 18th to 20th centuries, 80 percent of males in Zagoria worked abroad[6](a custom known in the Albanian South askurbet). The first major wave of permanent emigration occurred in the early 20th century, withIstanbul,GreeceandEgyptbeing major destinations, while theUnited StatesandCanadasoon became more popular as destinations; emigration to other parts of Albania was also extensive.[6] Worldwide today, there are about 18,000 people paternally descended from traceable ancestors in Zagoria.[6]

InWorld War II,Zagoria was a base for theAlbanian partisanswithinGjirokaster County,and two partisan brigades were created locally. Major meetings were also held in the area among Partisan leaders.[6]The war saw 323 houses in Zagoria destroyed, 220 of which were rebuilt after the victory of the Partisans.[6]

In the years following the war, new schools were built in the area, as were irrigation works, a local hospital and maternity center, and a cultural center. All villages were connected to the electricity grid by 1969.[6]Today, however, many important services remain lacking in the area.[6]

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ab"Law nr. 115/2014"(PDF)(in Albanian). p. 6371.Retrieved25 February2022.
  2. ^"Population and housing census - Gjirokastër 2011"(PDF).INSTAT.Retrieved2019-09-25.
  3. ^"Parku natyror i Zagorisë, me një plan menaxhimi të avancuar | Agjencia Telegrafike Shqiptare".Archived fromthe originalon 2015-12-08.Retrieved2015-12-03.
  4. ^"PËR ZGJERIMIN DHE KTHIMIN E PARKUT RAJONAL" ZAGORI "NË PARK NATYROR"(PDF)(in Albanian).Retrieved2023-08-26.
  5. ^Gilles de Rapper (2005). "Better than Muslims, not as good as Greeks. Emigration as experienced and imagined by the Albanian Christians of Lunxhëri". In: Russell King, Nicola Mai, Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers (eds.).The New Albanian Migration,Sussex Academic Press, pp. 173-194: "Lunxhëri is thus an 'ethnographic region' (krahinë etnografike) surrounded by others, namely Zagori, Pogon, Dropull and Kurvelesh. "
  6. ^abcdefghijklmn"Zagoria, e harruar dhe e braktisur mes malesh".Sot. 24 May 2013.
  7. ^abcdKallivretakis, Leonidas (1995). "Η ελληνική κοινότητα της Αλβανίας υπό το πρίσμα της ιστορικής γεωγραφίας και δημογραφίας [The Greek Community of Albania in terms of historical geography and demography."In Nikolakopoulos, Ilias, Kouloubis Theodoros A. & Thanos M. Veremis (eds).Ο Ελληνισμός της Αλβανίας [The Greeks of Albania].University of Athens. p. 51. "Ε Έλληνες, ΑΧ Αλβανοί Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί, AM Αλβανοί Μουσουλμάνοι, ΤΣ Τσάμηδες, Β Βλάχοι, Μ Μικτός πληθυσμός"; p.56. "KOMUNA ZAGORI/KOINOTHTA ΖΑΓΟΡΙΟΥ (ΑΧ+β), DOSHNICA ΔΟΣΝΊΤΣΑ 108 Χ, ZHEJ ΖΕΗ 219 ΑΧ, HOSHTEVE ΧΟΣΤΕΒΑ + VITHUQI ΒΙΘΟΥΚΙ 203 Χ, LLIAR ΛΙΑΡΗ 93 Χ, KONCKA ΚΟΝΤΣΙΚΑ 116 ΑΧ, TOPOVA ΤΟΠΟΒΑ 133 ΑΧ, NIVANI ΝΙΒΑΝΉ 130 ΑΧ, SHEPERI ΣΕΠΕΡΗ 253 ΑΧ, NDERANI ΔΕΡΑΝΉ 193 ΑΧ"
  8. ^ "Greece – Albania Neighbourhood Programme".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-03-27.Retrieved2011-07-13.
  9. ^abKahl, Thede(1999).Ethnizität und räumliche Verbreitung der Aromunen in Südosteuropa.Universität Münster: Institut für Geographie der Westfälischen Wilhelms.ISBN3-9803935-7-7.p. 133. R. Rrămăn (Aromunen mit der Eigenbezeichnung Rrămăn = Farscheroten, Arvanitovlachen) "; p. 146." Hoshtovë-Vithkuq... hoher Anteil R; Zheji... einige familie R; Nivan... einige familie R; Nderan... einige familie R; Sheper... einige familie R; Topovë... einige familie R; zu kommunischtischer Zeit angesiedelte aromunische Bevölkerungsgruppen aus südostalbanischen Gebirgen und aus Greichenland. "
  10. ^Kukudēs, Asterios I. (2003).The Vlachs: Metropolis and Diaspora.Zitros. p. 289.ISBN9789607760869.In 1880, Lambridis gives us the names of seventeen villages near Permet and in the Zagoria area that were inhabited by Arvanitovlachs: Topove, Iliar, Zheji, Maleshove, Mbrezhdan, Grabove, Argove, Buhal, Lipe, Leuse, Badelonje, Gjinkar, Bodar, Kutal, Kosine, Hotove, and Lupcke.
  11. ^abHammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1967).Epirus: the Geography, the Ancient Remains, the History and Topography of Epirus and Adjacent Areas.Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 29.ISBN9780198142539."Zagorië has the same characteristics, its ten villages extending from Doshnicë to Shepr; the group is endogamous and does not marry with the people of Llunxherië. The people of Zagorië have some characteristics of the Liaps and some of the Tosks in their dialect and customs, but form a 'a special unit of their own'.... The Pogoniates normally only marry within their own group, but occasionally a bride may be taken from Zagorië and she is taught Greek."
  12. ^Winnifrith, Tom (2002).Badlands, Borderlands: A History of Northern Epirus/Southern Albania.Duckworth.ISBN978-0-7156-3201-7.
  13. ^Elsie, Robert (2013).A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History.Bloomsbury Academic.ISBN978-1-78076-431-3.
  14. ^Marandet, Marie-Claude (2017).La ville et le plat pays(in French). Presses universitaires de Perpignan. p. 175.ISBN9782354122881.Carte 8
  15. ^Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1976).Migrations and Invasions in Greece and Adjacent Areas.Noyes Press. p. 61.ISBN9780815550471.There the Greek pocket of resistance, which preserved the Greek language even when its ruler was Serb or Italian, was the plateau of Ioannina and its hinterland... When Isaou, the Italian ruler of Ioannina, passed to the offensive in 1399, he had already won over the Mazarakii (Albanians) and the Malakasaei (perhaps Vlach-speakers) and he recruited Greeks evidently from Zagori, Papingo (above Konitsa), and "Druinoupolis with Argyrokastro and the great Zagoria" (probably the high-country northwest of Argyrokastro, of which a part is still called Zagorie).
  16. ^Stavro, Skendi (1982)."The Millet System and its Contribution to the Blurring of Orthodox National Identity in Albania".Christians and Jews in the Ottoman Empire: The Functioning of a Plural Society(1. publ. ed.). New York, NY [u.a.]: Holmes & Meier: 246.ISBN9780841905191.Greek elementary schools were... of Orthodox craftsmen.
  17. ^abGerogiorgi, Sofia (2002)."Επιγραφικές μαρτυρίες σε λειψανοθήκη από τη Βόρεια Ήπειρο".Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας.23:79."Ιδιαίτερη εντύπωση προκαλεί η ισχυρή αντίσταση που προέβαλαν ορισμένες περιοχές στο έντονο κύμα εξισλαμισμών του 18ου αιώνα, όπως οι περιοχές της Ζαγοριάς (όπου υπάγεται η Κόνσκα και η Σέπερη), της Ρίζας (όπου υπάγεται το Χόρμοβο και η Πρεμετή) και της Λιντζουριάς, μολονότι κατοικούνταν από αλβανόφωνους χριστιανούς... δίδασκε το λόγο του Θεού στα χωριά της Ζαγοριάς "
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