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Dhërmi

Coordinates:40°9′0″N19°38′20″E/ 40.15000°N 19.63889°E/40.15000; 19.63889
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Dhërmi
Δρυμάδες
Village
A view of the Dhërmi coastline
A view of the Dhërmi coastline
Dhërmi is located in Albania
Dhërmi
Dhërmi
Coordinates:40°9′0″N19°38′20″E/ 40.15000°N 19.63889°E/40.15000; 19.63889
CountryAlbania
CountyVlorë
MunicipalityHimarë
Municipal unitHimarë
Elevation
200 m (700 ft)
Population
• Total1,800
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Postal Code
9422
Area Code393

Dhërmi(Albaniandefinite form:Dhërmiu;Greek:Δρυμάδες,Drymádes) is a village inVlorë County,Albania.It is part of the municipality ofHimarë.[1]The village lies 42 kilometers south of the city ofVlorëand 69 kilometers north of the southern city ofSarandë.It is built on a slope of theCeraunian Mountainsat approximately 200 meters in altitude, and comprises three neighborhoods: Gjilek, Kondraq, Kallami, and Dhërmi itself. The mountains descend to the southwest into theIoniancoast andCorfuin the distance to the south. Nearby is the village ofPalasë.The local inhabitants of Dhërmi areethnic Greeks[2]that mainly speak a variant of the GreekHimariote dialect,and partly theTosk Albanian dialect.[3][4]During the last decade, the coastal area has seen a boom in the construction of accommodation facilities, such as wooden villa complexes.

Name

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The official Albanian name "Dhërmi" is mainly used by those inhabitants and seasonal workers who use either the Tosk or Gheg Albanian dialect. Many of these newcomers and seasonal workers moved to the Dhërmi from other parts of Albania during the socialist period (1945-1991) or more recently. On the other hand the Greek name of the village, "Drimades" or "Drymades", is mainly used by the inhabitants, in particular the ones who mainly use the local Greek dialect and partly the southern Albanian (Tosk) one.[5]

History

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Dhërmi is recorded in theOttomandefterof 1583 as a settlement in theSanjak of Delvinawith a total of 50 households. The anthroponymy recorded predominantly belonged to theAlbanianonomastic sphere (e.g.,Leka Gjini,Gjin Kondi,Gjoka Qezari), however, personal names reflecting broaderOrthodox Christiananthroponymy are also recorded (e.g.,Petri Dhima,Nikolla Kosta,Kristo Dhimo). Albanian historian Kristo Frashëri further writes that none of the recorded personal names can be classified as ethnic Greek onomastics.[6]

In 1632 the first Albanian school in Dhërmi was founded by Greek Cypriot missionaryNeophytos Rodinos.[7][8]A Greek-language school was also founded in 1633 in Dhërmi by the same missionary.[9]

Additional Greek schools operated by 1682 with the support of the local bishopric of Himara. During the 17th century (precise year is unknown) another Greek school (theVizilios School) opened under the sponsorship of a local benefactor. In the 1898–1899 school season three Greek schools were operating: elementary, secondary and a girls' school.[10]

On the request ofHimariotsto the Pope of Rome, a newBasilianmission to Albania was launched in 1693. Among the missionaries were Nico Catalano, who in Albania had already been titledArchbishop of Durrës,and Basilian monk Filoteo Zassi, from theArbëreshëtown ofMezzojuso.They departed by the end of January 1693, and firstly stopped in Dhërmi, where they found a deteriorated spiritual state of the people, with pressures firstly from the Ottomans, and secondly from the Greek bishops who, as reported by Catalano, "were making of God's house a house of traffic, of affairs and of sacrilegious trade". Catalano opened a school in the Himarë region, raised in the village of Dhërmi, where more than eighty students, both Christian and Muslim, were registered from the adjacent villages. Catalano taught Christian spirit and morals, as well as farming techniques and other professions. Catalano was particularly careful in teaching and preaching in the Albanian language, since he considered it to be the most effective method to counter the diffusion of Islam. The Archbishop stayed in the Himarë region visiting the peoples of local villages, until in Vuno he fell ill, and he died on June 3, 1694. He was buried at the Church of St. Athanasius in Dhërmi.[11] The initiative by the Catholic missionaries finally failed since the locals didn't show any interest and the recruitment of student was unsuccessful.[12]The Italian missionaryGiuseppe Schiròwrote in 1722 that Dhërmi was inhabited by Greeks.[13]

On November 5, 1912, when the nearby town ofHimarawascontrolled by the Greek forcesof the local majorSpyros Spyromilios,armed groups from Dhermi declared that they were prepared to assist his movement for the incorporation of the rest of the region into Greece.[14]

In 2015 the demolition of the local church of St. Athanasius by the state authorities caused a storm of reactions between theAlbanian Orthodox Churchand the Albanian Government as well as sparked tensions between the municipality ofHimarëand both the local Albanian and ethnic Greek orthodox communities.[15][16][17][18]Three years later the church was being reconstructed.[18]It was second demolition of the specific religious monument by the state authorities, the first having taken place during the era of thePeople's Republic of Albania,but at the time the church was rebuilt by the local Orthodox Church after the restoration of Democracy in the country (1991).[19][20]

As of 2018,Dhërmi has been hosting manymusic festivals,making it a popular tourist destination.[21]

Demographics

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The village is inhabited by an ethnic Greek community.[2]The inhabitants of Dhërmi are primarily Greek-speaking and partly Tosk Albanian-speaking, calling themselveshorianiorDrimadiotes,a term used to denote that they are locals who originate from the village.[3][4]They speak avarietyof the GreekHimariote dialect,[3][4]which is characterized by archaic features not retained inStandard Modern Greek.[22]There are also some Tosk-speaking and Gheg-speaking newcomers and seasonal workers, who moved to Dhërmi from other parts of Albania during the communist era (1945-1990).[4]

Tourism

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Dhërmi is considered to be a popular tourist destination, especially due to its well-known beaches and at times riotousnightclub-based nightlife centred on the modern resorts of Dhërmi's coastline. In 2018 Dhërmi was considered a center in theAlbanian Rivieraarea by theMinistry of Tourism and Environment.The beach is 5km long and it ends into a hill where the monastery of Saint Theodore is located.[23]The former ministerBlendi Klosicreated a touristic campaign named "Smile Albania" on promoting the localAlbanian cuisine,part of the "Local products, an added offer in our touristic package".Dhërmi and the rest ofHimarëregion is famous for theBeekeepingand the production ofHoney,where a three-days fair "Mjalt Fest" takes place every year.[24]The government also promotes the "Kala Fest" festival to boost the tourism of Dhërmi.[25]

Landmarks

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Notable people

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View of part of the village.
  • Dhërmi
    Dhërmi
  • A local beach
    A local beach
  • Dhërmi beach
    Dhërmi beach
  • Camp of Workers
    Camp of Workers
  • Dhërmi long beach
    Dhërmi long beach
  • A local beach bar
    A local beach bar
  • The Ceraunian mountains (Llogara)
    TheCeraunian mountains(Llogara)
  • Gogo Leka
    Gogo Leka

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^"Law nr. 115/2014"(PDF)(in Albanian). p. 6376.Retrieved25 February2022.
  2. ^abKallivretakis, 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. 53.
  3. ^abcTourism, Culture & Communication.Cognizant Communication Corporation. 2006. p. 124.The local people of Dhërmi/Drimades, its neighboring village Palasa, and the municipal town Himarë/Himara mainly use the local Greek dialect and partly the southern Albanian (Tosk) dialect in their day-to-day conversations.
  4. ^abcdGregorič Bon 2008b,p. 9: "The official Albanian name Dhërmi is mainly used by those inhabitants and seasonal workers who use the southern (Tosk) or the northern (Ghek) Albanian dialects. Many of these newcomers and seasonal workers moved to the village from other parts of Albania during (1945-1990) or after the communist era. In contrast to Dhërmi, the local, Greek name Drimades is mainly used by the inhabitants who are believed to 'originate' from the village and declare themselves to be locals,horianiorDrimadiotes.They primarily use the local Greek dialect and partly the southern Albanian (Tosk) one in their day to day conversations, as is the case with the neighbouring village Palasa and the municipal town of Himarë/Himara. The people inhabiting the other five villages of the Himarë/Himara area (Ilias, Vuno, Qeparo, Pilur, and Kudhes) mainly speak the southern Albanian dialect. "
  5. ^Gregorič Bon 2008b,p. 27
  6. ^Frashëri, Kristo (2005).Himara dhe Përkatësia Etnike e Himarjotëve.Toena. pp. 40–1.
  7. ^Temo, Sotir (1985).Education in the People's Socialist Republic of Albania."8 Nentori" Publishing House. p. 7.... the primary schools in Korça (1637), in Pedhanë and Blinisht in the Shkodra district (1639) where a secondary school was opened that same year, the Albanian schools in the region of Himara: Dhërmi, Vuno, Palasë (1632).
  8. ^Gaçe, Bardhosh (1999).Lëvizja kombëtare në Vlorë, 1878-1912(in Albanian). Botimet Toena. p. 224.ISBN978-99927-1-185-9.Shkollat e para u çelën në Dhërmi, Palasë, Vuno dhe Himarë. Këtu vinin nxënës nga Dukati, Tërbaçi, Kuçi, Lukova, Piqerasi e tjerë. Shkollat e para i çeli Noefit Rodinoja, që besohet se në fshatrat e Himarës arriti në vitin 1632
  9. ^Gregorič Bon 2008a,p. 67: In spite of these differences in opinions, both sides agree that the first school of Himarë/Himara area was initiated by the Bazilian missionary Neofit Rodino, whose lessons in 1627 were held in Greek language. Some years later the school was closed down and reopened again in 1633 – this time not only in Himarë/Himara, but also in Dhërmi/Drimades and later in Palasa in 1663
  10. ^Koltsida, Athina.Η Εκπαίδευση στη Βόρεια Ήπειρο κατά την Ύστερη Περίοδο της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας(PDF)(in Greek). University of Thessaloniki. pp. 126, 174.Retrieved27 December2014.
  11. ^Murzaku, Ines Angeli (2009).Returning Home to Rome - The Basilian Monks of Grottaferrata in Albania.Analekta Kryptoferris. pp. 77–78.ISBN978-88-89345-04-7.
  12. ^Koltsida, Athina.Η Εκπαίδευση στη Βόρεια Ήπειρο κατά την Ύστερη Περίοδο της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας(PDF)(in Greek). University of Thessaloniki. p. 258.Retrieved27 December2014.Η προσπάθεια των ρωμαιοκαθολικών μισσιοναρίων δεν τελεσφόρησε, αφού οι κάτοικοι επέδειξαν παντελή αδιαφορία και η αλίευση μαθητών για το «σχολείο» τους απέβη άκαρπη
  13. ^Kyriazis 2016,p. 9: "Δεν τα έφερε εκείνος τα ελληνικά στη Χιμάρα, αλλά τα βρήκε εκεί, κι αυτό μας το μαρτυρά ο εξ Ιταλίας ιεραπόστολος Giuseppe Schiro (Zef Skiro) από το έτος 1722,... O Schiro έγραφε ότι «η Cimara (Χιμάρα)..., Drimades (Δρυμάδες), Balasa (Παλάσα) [είναι] ελληνικής εθνότητας - "di natione greci" -, ενώ τα υπόλοιπα χωριά της Χιμάρας είναι αλβανικής εθνότητας - "di natione albanesi" ». "
  14. ^Kaphetzopoulos Ioannis; Flokas Charalambos; Dima-Dimitriou Angeliki (2000).The struggle for Northern Epirus(1.udg. ed.). Athens: Hellenic Army General Staff, Army History Directorate.ISBN9789607897404.Retrieved27 December2014.
  15. ^Giakoumis, Konstantinos (6 June 2020)."The policy of non-discrimination and the protection of minority cultural heritage in Albania".International Journal of Cultural Policy.26(4): 490–509.doi:10.1080/10286632.2019.1567722.S2CID150417947.Retrieved5 August2022.
  16. ^"The Church of Saint Thanas in Dhërmi is razed".Retrieved9 March2023.
  17. ^"Rrafshohet Kisha e Shën Thanasit në Dhërmi".
  18. ^ab"FOTOT: Ringrihet kisha e" Shën Thanasit "në Dhërmi".Gazeta Tema(in Albanian). 14 April 2018.Retrieved3 April2023.
  19. ^Erebara, Gjergj (26 August 2015)."Albanian Church Demolition Angers Greece".BalkanInsight.Retrieved26 October2015."Albanian police have demolished a contested church dedicated to St Athanas in the southern village of Dhermi, angering the Orthodox Church and neighbouring Greece, which supports the Church's mission. The Orthodox Church called it a vandalistic act of desecration and a violation of church property.... Police used heavy machinery to reduce to rubble the roof built in 1994 to cover the foundations of a much older church destroyed during the communist era. The renovated church was declared an" illegal construction "by the local authorities in Himarë municipality two weeks ago, pitting Albanian nationalists against the Greek-supported Orthodox Church.... Speaking about the church, Prime Minister Rama said on Monday that" the old church in Dhermi will be regenerated in the name of national heritage [over] the 'parking lot' that is illegal, which they call a church. ""
  20. ^"Press Release 26.08.2015-The Orthodox church of St. Athanasius was destroyed, Dhermi (Drymades), Himara".orthodoxalbania.org.Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania.Retrieved26 October2015.
  21. ^"How music festivals are putting the Albanian Riviera on the map".Time Out Europe.14 November 2022.Retrieved2022-11-14.
  22. ^Gregorič Bon 2008a,p. 60
  23. ^"Dhërmiu, një nga destinacionet turistike me tërheqëse në Shqipëri".30 April 2020.
  24. ^"Produktet vendase, ofertë e shtuar në paketën tonë turistike".
  25. ^"Kalendari Turistik per vitin 2020" Kala Festival 2020 – Dhërmi "".turizmi.gov.al.16 April 2020.Retrieved3 April2023.

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toDhërmi.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forDhermi.
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