The Highlands of Gjakova or Gjakova Highlands ( sq, Malësia e Gjakovës) refers to the mountainous ethnographic region in the eastern

Albanian Alps The Accursed Mountains ( sq, Bjeshkët e Nemuna; sh-Cyrl-Latn, Проклетије, Prokletije, ; both translated as "Cursed Mountains"), also known as the Albanian Alps ( sq, Alpet Shqiptare), are a mountain group in the western part of the B ...

that sits between north-eastern

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

and western

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...

, serving as the historical centres of the Albanian Gashi,

Krasniqi Krasniqi is a historical Albanian tribe and region in the Accursed Mountains in northeastern Albania, bordering Kosovo. The region lies within the Tropojë District and is part of a wider area between Albania and Kosovo that is historically k ...

Bytyqi Bytyçi () or Bytyqi, Bityçi and Bitiçi refers to an Albanian tribe or ''fis'' centred in the southeastern Highlands of Gjakova. The surname derived from the tribe is found throughout Albania and Kosovo. Geography The Bytyçi tribe are situate ...

Morina ''Morina'' is a genus of the angiosperm family Caprifoliaceae. It is unofficially the provincial flower of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. ''Morina'' is named in honor of Louis Morin de Saint-Victor (1635–1715), a French physician ...

, Nikaj and Mërturi tribes. Traditionally, parts of the Gjakova Highlands that are now located in southern

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

were used as pasturelands by the local

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

tribes The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to conflic ...

Geography

The Highlands of Gjakova are bordered by Kosovo's Plain of Dukagjin to the east, the Fierza Lake to the south, the ethnographic Dukagjin Highlands region to the west and the mountains of Plav and

Guci In Chinese culture, Guci () are the prosimetric lyrics of '' dagu'', one musical entertainment form in the ''shuochang'' or "speak and sing" genre. The performers narrate a story based on the lyrics, usually accompanied by singing, while beatin ...

to the north. Much of the region corresponds to the Tropoja Municipality of Albania, with the main municipal centre in

Bajram Curri Bajram Curri (16 January 1862 – 29 March 1925) was an Albanian chieftain, politician and activist who struggled for the independence of Albania, later struggling for Kosovo's incorporation into it following the 1913 Treaty of London. He wa ...

. This section consists of 54 villages and around 28,154 inhabitants. The Gjakova Highlands of Kosovo consist of

Koshare The Pueblo clowns (sometimes called sacred clowns) are jesters or tricksters in the Kachina religion (practiced by the Pueblo natives of the southwestern United States). It is a generic term, as there are a number of these figures in the ritual ...

, Botushë,

and the other mountainous areas and settlements in the west of the

District of Gjakova The District of Gjakova is one of the seven districts of Republic of Kosovo, with seat in the city of Gjakova. Municipalities The district of Gjakova has a total of 4 municipalities and 170 other smaller settlements. Settlements Gjakov ...

. In Montenegro, areas to the east of Vuthaj are also considered to be part of the ethnographic Gjakova Highlands region. The region consists of the valued and protected

Valbonë Valley National Park The Valbona Valley National Park ( sq, Parku Kombëtar i Luginës së Valbonës) is a national park inside the Albanian Alps in northern Albania. The park covers a total area of , encompassing Valbona River and its surrounding areas with mountai ...

, Gashi Nature Reserve and the

Nikaj-Mërtur Regional Nature Park The Nikaj-Mërtur Regional Nature Park ( sq, Parku Natyror Rajonal Nikaj-Mërtur) is a regional nature park in northern Albania, strategically inside the southeastern Albanian Alps in Tropojë. It lies within the area of the historical Nikaj-Më ...

, as well as certain sections of the

Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park The Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park ( sq, Parku Kombëtar Bjeshkët e Nemuna) is a national park in the districts of Gjakova and Peja in western Kosovo. It encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous lakes, dense deciduous and conifero ...

across the border. There are several rivers, basins and waterways within the region, including but not limited to the Valbona, Gashi, Curraj/Nikaj, Bushtrica and Llugaj rivers as well as lakes such as the Xhema. It is home to many different peaks due to its mountainous terrain, including Maja e Hekurave, Maja e Kollatës, Mali i Zhaborreve, Shkëlzeni and

Maja Jezercë Jezerca Peak ( sq, Maja Jezercë) is the highest peak in the Dinaric Alps, the fifth highest in Albania and the sixth highest in the Balkans, standing at above sea level. It is the 28th most prominent mountain peak in Europe, and is regarded ...

Flora

The Gjakova Highlands are characterised by alpine

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...

s, deep

valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...

s, vertical

cliff In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on co ...

s, dense

coniferous Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extant ...

and

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s, small

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

s and

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

s. The levels of

vegetation Vegetation is an assemblage of plant species and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic character ...

in the Albanian Alps meet the alpine level, from upland

s through the montane mountain stage on forest-free alpine and subalpine mats and subnivale

tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless moun ...

caused by permafrost in vast heaps of rubble with raw soils. In view of

phytogeography Phytogeography (from Greek φυτόν, ''phytón'' = "plant" and γεωγραφία, ''geographía'' = "geography" meaning also distribution) or botanical geography is the branch of biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution o ...

, the

falls within the

Dinaric Mountains mixed forests The Dinaric Mountains mixed forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome in Southeastern Europe, according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agenc ...

terrestrial

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

of the

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

temperate broadleaf and mixed forest Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest is a temperate climate terrestrial habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature, with broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions. These for ...

. The forests of the park are covered by a mixture of

and

trees growing on

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

and dolomite, which is characteristic to the

. The most typical feature of the park's landscape is represented by its forests being a major resource in terms of their

ecological Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

functions, as well as in terms of the beauty they lend to the landscape. The

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

is one of the most common species of tree in the park. The area, which is dotted with pine, is mainly overgrown with

austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...

balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

, bosnian and

scots pine ''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and orang ...

. The area around the village of Valbona is characterized by the predominance of different

beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...

species such as

european beech ''Fagus sylvatica'', the European beech or common beech is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae. Description ''Fagus sylvatica'' is a large tree, capable of reaching heights of up to tall and trunk diameter, though mor ...

. The park is, however, considered to be the only area in the country, where a high number of forest formations with

norway spruce ''Picea abies'', the Norway spruce or European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It has branchlets that typically hang downwards, and the largest cones of any spruce, 9–17 cm long. It is very close ...

can be found. A lush

mixed forest Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest is a temperate climate terrestrial habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature, with broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions. These for ...

occurs in the upper part of the valley represented with a mixture of

silver fir Silver fir is a common name for several trees and may refer to: *''Abies alba'', native to Europe *''Abies amabilis'', native to western North America *''Abies pindrow ''Abies pindrow'', the pindrow fir or west Himalayan fir, is a fir native ...

common beech ''Fagus sylvatica'', the European beech or common beech is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae. Description ''Fagus sylvatica'' is a large tree, capable of reaching heights of up to tall and trunk diameter, though more ...

, norway spruce and scots pine. The banks of Valbona River are covered mainly with forests of

grey alder ''Alnus incana'', the grey alder or speckled alder, is a species of multi-stemmed, shrubby tree in the birch family, with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Tolerant of wetter soils, it can slowly spread with runners ...

, olive willow and

goat willow ''Salix caprea'', known as goat willow, pussy willow or great sallow, is a common species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia.Meikle, R. D. (1984). ''Willows and Poplars of Great Britain and Ireland''. BSBI Handbook 4. . Des ...

. Besides, the park contains

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

lands, which are situated in the wet low lying environments whereas various species of narthecium,

carex ''Carex'' is a vast genus of more than 2,000 species of grass-like plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges (or seg, in older books). Other members of the family Cyperaceae are also called sedges, however those of genus ''Carex'' ...

and

sphagnum ''Sphagnum'' is a genus of approximately 380 accepted species of mosses, commonly known as sphagnum moss, peat moss, also bog moss and quacker moss (although that term is also sometimes used for peat). Accumulations of ''Sphagnum'' can store wa ...

can be found. The steep slopes and

ravine A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.largeleaf linden,

sycamore Sycamore is a name which has been applied to several types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. The name derives from the ancient Greek ' (''sūkomoros'') meaning "fig-mulberry". Species of trees known as sycamore: * ''Acer pseudoplata ...

ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

and

wych elm ''Ulmus glabra'' Hudson, the wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese and Sicily, where the species reaches i ...

, which grow mostly in cool and humid locations. Similarly, the

falls within the

terrestrial

of the

biome A biome () is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. Biomes may span more than one continent. Biome is a broader ...

. The vegetation of the park includes many communities of a Mediterranean and Eurasian type. It is covered by a mixture of

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

and

trees growing on

and

dolomite Dolomite may refer to: *Dolomite (mineral), a carbonate mineral *Dolomite (rock), also known as dolostone, a sedimentary carbonate rock *Dolomite, Alabama, United States, an unincorporated community *Dolomite, California, United States, an unincor ...

, which is characteristically to the Alps. The most widespread floral communities of oak are dominated by italian oak,

austrian oak ''Quercus cerris'', the Turkey oak or Austrian oak, is an oak native to south-eastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is the type species of ''Quercus'' sect. ''Cerris'', a section of the genus characterised by shoot buds surrounded by soft bristles, ...

sessile oak ''Quercus petraea'', commonly known as the sessile oak, Cornish oak, Irish Oak or durmast oak, is a species of oak tree native to most of Europe and into Anatolia and Iran. The sessile oak is the national tree of Ireland, and an unofficial embl ...

and

macedonian oak ''Quercus trojana'', the Macedonian oak is an oak in the turkey oak section ( ''Quercus'' sect. ''Cerris''). It is native to southeast Europe and southwest Asia, from southern Italy east across the southern Balkans (Croatia, Albania, Serbia, No ...

. The beech and pine trees are represented by species such as

bosnian pine ''Pinus heldreichii'' (synonym ''P. leucodermis''; family Pinaceae), the Bosnian pine or Heldreich’s pine, is a species of pine native to mountainous areas of the Balkans and southern Italy. Description It is an evergreen tree up to in height ...

and

austrian pine ''Pinus nigra'', the Austrian pine or black pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across Southern Europe from the Iberian Peninsula to the eastern Mediterranean, on the Anatolian peninsula of Turkey, Corsica and Cyprus, as wel ...

. The climate of the Gashi Nature Reserve is

subarctic The subarctic zone is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic, north of humid continental regions and covering much of Alaska, Canada, Iceland, the north of Scandinavia, Siberia, and the Cairngorms. Generally, ...

and

oceanic Oceanic may refer to: *Of or relating to the ocean *Of or relating to Oceania **Oceanic climate **Oceanic languages **Oceanic person or people, also called "Pacific Islander(s)" Places * Oceanic, British Columbia, a settlement on Smith Island, ...

, having cool summers and generally cold winters. Forests occupy the majority of the region's area. The region falls within the

Balkan mixed forests The Balkan mixed forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of southeastern Europe according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agency. It belongs in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests bio ...

and

terrestrial

of the

temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest is a temperate climate terrestrial habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature, with broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions. These fo ...

. The river is particularly known for the

diversity Diversity, diversify, or diverse may refer to: Business *Diversity (business), the inclusion of people of different identities (ethnicity, gender, age) in the workforce *Diversity marketing, marketing communication targeting diverse customers * ...

of flora and fauna and is surrounded by swamps and canals that drain the whole local basin such as the region of Malësia e Gashit within the

into the

Adriatic sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...

. Forests occupy the majority of the total area. The diverse flora is characterized with high endemism due to the combination of southern geographic latitude and high altitude variation. The forests are host to several plants such as

macedonian pine ''Pinus peuce'' (Macedonian pine or Balkan pine) (Serbo-Croatian/ Macedonian: молика, molika; Bulgarian: бяла мура, Byala mura) is a species of pine native to the mountains of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, the e ...

, and

Fauna

Due to the temperature and climate differences between different areas and elevations, the

is characterized by exceptionally rich and varied

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

. The park represents one of the most important national bio centers of wild fauna in the country. The wider land area is one of the last areas in Europe, in which a great number of

brown bear The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is kno ...

s and

grey wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly u ...

can be found. The park is potentially a habitat for the

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

lynx A lynx is a type of wild cat. Lynx may also refer to: Astronomy * Lynx (constellation) * Lynx (Chinese astronomy) * Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory Places Canada * Lynx, Ontar ...

. One of the park's special attractions is the existence of the rare

chamois The chamois (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Alps, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Ril ...

, which can be found at higher altitudes far from human activity. Most important wildlife inhabiting the Valbona Valley include

roe deer The roe deer (''Capreolus capreolus''), also known as the roe, western roe deer, or European roe, is a species of deer. The male of the species is sometimes referred to as a roebuck. The roe is a small deer, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapt ...

and

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

. Zonat e mbrojtura të Shqipërisë", authors Nihat Dragoti, Zamir Dedej dhe Pëllumb Abeshi, 2007;chapter 6, page 204./ref> We can also witness the presence of western

western capercaillie The western capercaillie (''Tetrao urogallus''), also known as the Eurasian capercaillie, wood grouse, heather cock, cock-of-the-woods, or simply capercaillie , is a heavy member of the grouse family and the largest of all extant grouse species. ...

and

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of p ...

Swedish_Brown_Bear_at_Skansen_(14055543755)

Sources of water, becks and glacial lakes are the basis of life for water insects, amphibians, and salmons. Species of fish are represented with species such as the

marble trout ''Salmo marmoratus'', the marble trout, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Salmonidae. It is characterized by a distinctive marbled color pattern and high growth capacity. The marble trout is found in only a handful of drainages and ...

and

river trout ''Salmo trutta fario'', sometimes called the river trout, and also known by the name of its parent species, the brown trout, is a predatory fish of the family Salmonidae and a subspecies or morph of the brown trout species, ''Salmo trutta'', whic ...

. The limited number of species is determined by the predominant bodies of water including glacial lakes, streams and upper river courses, which are inhabited by fish species. Due to its strategic position and the mosaic distribution of various types of

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s, the park is quite rich of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

genera. The total number of bird species is 145. Important

birds of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators ...

with high conservation value include the

booted eagle The booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus'', also classified as ''Aquila pennata'') is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a ...

egyptian vulture The Egyptian vulture (''Neophron percnopterus''), also called the white scavenger vulture or pharaoh's chicken, is a small Old World vulture and the only member of the genus ''Neophron''. It is widely distributed from the Iberian Peninsula and ...

sparrowhawk Sparrowhawk (sometimes sparrow hawk) may refer to several species of small hawk in the genus ''Accipiter''. "Sparrow-hawk" or sparhawk originally referred to ''Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus'', now called "Eurasian" or "northern" sparrowha ...

goshawk Goshawk may refer to several species of birds of prey, mainly in the genus ''Accipiter'': * Northern goshawk, ''Accipiter gentilis'', often referred to simply as the goshawk, since it is the only goshawk found in much of its range (in Europe and N ...

lanner falcon The lanner falcon (''Falco biarmicus'') is a medium-sized bird of prey that breeds in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia. It prefers open habitat and is mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the breeding season. A l ...

saker falcon The saker falcon (''Falco cherrug'') is a large species of falcon. This species breeds from central Europe eastwards across the Palearctic to Manchuria. It is mainly migratory except in the southernmost parts of its range, wintering in Ethiopia ...

peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (Bird of prey, raptor) in the family (biology), family Falco ...

and honey buzzard. The park hosts seven species and populations

owl Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...

s, such as the

barn owl The barn owl (''Tyto alba'') is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds, being found almost everywhere except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalaya ...

scops owl Scops owls are typical owls in family Strigidae belonging to the genus ''Otus'' and are restricted to the Old World. ''Otus'' is the largest genus of owls with 59 species. Scops owls are colored in various brownish hues, sometimes with a lighter ...

eagle owl The American (North and South America) horned owls and the Old World eagle-owls make up the genus ''Bubo'', at least as traditionally described. The genus name ''Bubo'' is Latin for the Eurasian eagle-owl. This genus contains 19 species that ar ...

little owl The little owl (''Athene noctua''), also known as the owl of Athena or owl of Minerva, is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea, and North Africa. It was introduced into Britain at ...

tawny owl The tawny owl (''Strix aluco''), also called the brown owl, is commonly found in woodlands across Europe to western Siberia, and has seven recognized subspecies. It is a stocky, medium-sized owl, whose underparts are pale with dark streaks, an ...

long-eared owl The long-eared owl (''Asio otus''), also known as the northern long-eared owlOlsen, P.D. & Marks, J.S. (2019). ''Northern Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)''. In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook o ...

and

short-eared owl The short-eared owl (''Asio flammeus'') is a widespread grassland species in the family Strigidae. Owls belonging to genus ''Asio'' are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or ...

. Other families of birds inhabiting the park include the

alpine swift The alpine swift (''Tachymarptis melba'') formerly ''Apus melba'', is a species of swift found in Africa, southern Europe and Asia. They breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalaya. Like common swifts, they are migratory; the souther ...

alpine accentor The alpine accentor (''Prunella collaris'') is a small passerine bird in the family Prunellidae, which is native to Eurasia and North Africa. Taxonomy The Alpine accentor was described by the Austria naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1769. ...

great cormorant The great cormorant (''Phalacrocorax carbo''), known as the black shag in New Zealand and formerly also known as the great black cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the black cormorant in Australia, and the large cormorant in India, is a w ...

grey heron The grey heron (''Ardea cinerea'') is a long-legged wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern ...

rock partridge The rock partridge or common rock partridge (''Alectoris graeca'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family, Phasianidae, of the order Galliformes (gallinaceous birds). It is native to southern Europe, and is closely related and very similar to its ...

common ringed plover The common ringed plover or ringed plover (''Charadrius hiaticula'') is a small plover that breeds in Arctic Eurasia. The genus name ''Charadrius'' is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from ...

stock dove The stock dove (''Columba oenas'') is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It is widely distributed in the western Palearctic. Taxonomy The stock dove was first formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Li ...

common cuckoo The common cuckoo (''Cuculus canorus'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals. This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa. I ...

and

eurasian golden oriole The Eurasian golden oriole (''Oriolus oriolus'') also called the common golden oriole, is the only member of the Old World oriole family of passerine birds breeding in Northern Hemisphere temperate regions. It is a summer bird migration, migrant ...

. The

features a great variety of

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

s and shelters

wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animal species (biology), species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous ...

. It dwells a number of various species that are fast becoming rare in Southern Europe, with animals such as the

eurasian lynx The Eurasian lynx (''Lynx lynx'') is a medium-sized wild cat widely distributed from Northern, Central and Eastern Europe to Central Asia and Siberia, the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. It inhabits temperate and boreal forests up to an eleva ...

which inhabits the rugged forested areas, the

and

gray wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly ...

. Moreover, the woods provide also shelter for species including

and

griffon vulture The Eurasian griffon vulture (''Gyps fulvus'') is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. It may also be known as the Griffon vulture, though it may be used for the genus as a whole. It is not to be confused with Rü ...

. The park is an important sanctuary of the

and

common kestrel The common kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus'') is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In the United Kingdom, where no ...

. The fauna of the Gashi Nature Reserve is represented by 64 species of

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s, such as the

eurasian otter The Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra''), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia. The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of ...

and 14 species of amphibians.

History

Antiquity

The Highlands of Gjakova were inhabited by the Illyrian tribes during antiquity, as is evidenced by archaeological findings such as castles and

tumuli A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or ''kurgans'', and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones buil ...

found within the ethnographic region. The region lies within the geographical span of the

Dardani The Dardani (; grc, Δαρδάνιοι, Δάρδανοι; la, Dardani) or Dardanians were a Paleo-Balkan people, who lived in a region that was named Dardania after their settlement there. They were among the oldest Balkan peoples, and their ...

tribe. Rosuja was considered to be the most popular city on the border of the

and Labeat tribes, and it is dated to around 400BCE.

Middle ages

In the 15th century, the

Spani family The Spani (alternatively, Span) were a northern Albanian noble family. They emerged in the 14th century as an important family in the fortified town of Drivasto (Drisht) and owned large estates in the wider area of Shkodra. In the late 15th centu ...

is documented as being in control of the general region; Pjetër Spani was documented as ruling over Lekbibaj, and his son, Leka, lived in Geghysen (present-day Selimaj) in the second half of the fifteenth century. Leka is referenced as one of the ancestral fathers of the Gashi tribe.

Ottoman period

After the Ottoman conquest of Albania and the subsequent period of Ottoman rule, the Highlands of Gjakova were initially administrated as part of the Nahiya of Altun-ili within the

Sanjak of İpek The Sanjak of İpek ( tr, İpek Sancağı, al, Sanxhaku i Pejës, sr, Пећки санџак) or Sanjak of Dukakin ( tr, Dukakin Sancağı, al, Sanxhaku i Dukagjinit, sr, Дукађински санџак) was a ''sanjak'' (an administrative ...

and the Sanjak of Shkodra. In the 15th-16th centuries, the Nahiya of Altun-ili, including the Highlands of Gjakova, were predominantly inhabited by Albanians. Many villages and their inhabitants were registered with characteristically Albanian anthroponomy during the 15th-16th centuries without a trace of Slav anthroponomy. The Gjakova Highlands were home to many participants of the various Albanian patriotic movements and rebellions of the 19th-21st centuries. The region was represented by notable figures such as

Binak Alia Binak Alia (1805–1895) was an Albanian leader from the Highlands of Gjakova. He is remembered mainly for his participation in the Albanian Revolt of 1845, and as a wise old man who helped resolve blood feuds in the area. Life Alia was bor ...

Mic Sokoli Mic Sokoli (1839 – 20 April 1881) was an Albanian nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter from the Highlands of Gjakova. He was a noted guerrilla leader during the years of the League of Prizren and took part in the fighting in Yakova agai ...

Tahir Sinani Tahir Sinani (25 May 1964 – 29 July 2001) was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army in Kosovo and the National Liberation Army in Macedonia. During the Kosovo War, he was the commander of the Pashtrik Operational Zone, which comprised area ...

and

Shpend Dragobia Shpend Dragobia (may also known as Zeqir Elezi of Krasniqi, Shpend Bali Bisheva, or Zeqir Halili) (b.1853, Margegaj, Tropojë - d. March 29, 1918, Dragobi, Tropojë) was an Albanian warrior during the pre-Albanian declaration of independence perio ...

. The Highlands of Gjakova were one of the regions that played an important role in Albanian independence and were integral to its foundation. In May 1845, following Reşid Pasha's outlawing of the right to bear arms, 2,000 people from the

Gjakova Gjakova, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the seventh largest city of Kosovo and seat of Gjakova Municipality and Gjakova District. The city has 40,827 inhabitants, while the municipality has 94,556 inhabitants. Geographicall ...

region, as well as the Highland tribes of (

, Gashi and Bytyçi, rose in revolt. The rebels, about 8,000 men, drove the Ottoman garrison out of

. The Ottomans suppressed the rebellion, but did not succeed in establishing effective control of the region. In 1862 the Ottomans sent Maxharr Pasha with 12 divisions to implement the

Tanzimat The Tanzimat (; ota, تنظيمات, translit=Tanzimāt, lit=Reorganization, ''see'' nizām) was a period of reform in the Ottoman Empire that began with the Gülhane Hatt-ı Şerif in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional Era in 1876. ...

Reforms in the Highlands of Gjakova. Under the leadership of

and

, the tribes of

, Gashi, Bytyçi and Nikaj-Mertur organized a resistance near

Bujan Bujan is a village and a former municipality in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë. The population at the 2011 census was 2,550.

. The rebels were reinforced by the forces of

Shala Shala (Šala) was a Mesopotamian goddess of weather and grain and the wife of the weather god Adad. It is assumed that she originated in northern Mesopotamia and that her name might have Hurrian origin. She was worshiped especially in Karkar an ...

, led by Mark Lula. After heavy fighting, they managed to defeat the Ottoman force and expel them from the highlands. During the Albanian uprising of 1912,

led the Krasniqi tribe to Prush Pass, near the Has region, where the Ottomans had left a garrison of four battalions. A bloody battle would follow, in which the Krasniqi were joined by the

Hasi People's Socialist Revolutionary Party ( eu, Herri Alderdi Sozialista Iraultzailea; HASI) was a non-legal Basque political party, considered commonly to be the political branch of ETA. It always ran as part of the coalition of the Basque National ...

, Gashi and Bytyqi tribes in their siege of Prush Pass. This resulted in a heavy defeat for the Ottoman Turks, which left the rebels with much ammunition, arms, machine guns and cannons. There were many casualties for the Turks; hundreds of dead, wounded and prisoners of war. The prisoners of war were disarmed and released, and were told that the uprising was an attempt to free Albanian and Anatolian peasants from oppression in order to deceive them - they were surprised and had believed what they were told, and upon their return to the garrison of

, they had virtually demoralised the town's entire garrison. This battle improved the morale of the Albanians in their movement for independence.

World wars

The

Bujan Conference The Bujan Conference was a political assembly held between December 31st, 1943 and January 2nd, 1944 in Bujan, a village in the Highlands of Gjakova. It was attended by 49 delegates from the Communist Party of Albania and the Communist Party ...

was held in the Gjakova Highlands between December 31, 1943, to January 2, 1944, and it was a concrete undertaking by Albanians to unite the Kosovo region with Albania. There was not much enthusiasm for the fascist administration throughout Albanian-inhabited lands during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, but Kosovo Albanians preferred it over Serbian rule. By November 1944, the

Yugoslav Partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод ...

had subdued and taken control of Kosovo; Tito's Communists initially promised to allow the inhabitants of Kosovo (of an Albanian majority) to democratically decide on whether they wished to join Albania or Yugoslavia. The Bujan Conference confirmed the desire of Kosovo's Albanian majority for unification of Kosovo with Albania, but believing Serbia would not accept it, Tito wound up reneging on his promise and incorporated Kosovo into Yugoslavia instead.

Tribes

There are several Albanian tribes centred in the Gjakova Highlands - the aforementioned

, Gashi,

, Nikaj and Mërturi (Nikaj and Mërturi are usually grouped together) tribes - who have been integral to the history and the development of the region. All of these tribes relied on

as their closest market town and were traditionally and culturally linked with the town itself. However, after the partition of the lands which had Albanian ethnic majority and the subsequent loss of the Ottoman Empire to Serbia and other Balkan countries, many of the Gjakova Highland tribes became destitute after being cut off from their main market town as the region of Kosovo became a part of the Serbian state. The tribes of the Gjakova Highlands are known to follow the ''Kanuni i Malësisë së Madhë'', a variant of the Kanun.

Krasniqi

The

tribal territory is situated in the District of Tropoja, north of the Drin River from Fierza eastwards to the district of

Has HAS or Has may refer to: Organizations * Hawaii Audubon Society, bird conservation organization in Hawaii * Hellenic Actuarial Society, association of actuaries in Greece * Hubbard Association of Scientologists International, corporation founded ...

. It borders Montenegro to the north, the Nikaj and Mërturi tribes to the west, the Bytyqi to the southeast and the Gashi to the northeast. The Krasniqi traditionally consisted of two bajraks; Dragobia in the Valbona Valley, and Bujan (between Bajram Curri and Fierza). They were believed to have arrived in their present region sometime after 1600, driving the Gashi eastwards and the Thaçi westwards, and the tribe can be traced to a common ancestor by the name of Kolë Mekshi. Their settlements within the Gjakova Highlands include: * Bajram Curri (Kolgecaj) *

* Shoshan * Kocanaj * Dragobia * Bradoshnicë * Degë * Dushaj *

Llugaj Llugaj is a village and a former municipality in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë Tropojë (; sq-definite, Tropoja) is a municipality in Kukës County, ...

Margegaj Margegaj is a village and a former municipality in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë. The population at the 2011 census was 2,346.

* Lëkurtaj * Gri * Selimaj (Gegëhysen) *

Valbonë Valbonë ( sq-definite, Valbona) is a village in the Kukës County, northern Albania. It is part of the former municipality Margegaj, and situated in the valley of the river Valbonë, south of the mountain Maja e Thatë. At the 2015 local governm ...

Gashi

The Gashi tribal territory is situated eastwards of Bajram Curri in the District of Tropoja to the western parts of the District of Gjakova. Much of their tribal territory corresponds to the Llugaj and Bushtrica river valleys. They border the Krasniqi to the west and the Bytyqi to the south, over the Luzha Pass (Qafa e Luzhës), and they possessed summer pasturelands east of Vuthaj in present-day

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

. The Gashi are believed to have been formed by the amalgamation of the smaller Shipshani, Bardhi and Luzha tribes, and are believed to have moved to their current area sometime around 1660. Their settlements within the Gjakova Highlands include: * Ahmataj (Shushicë-Ahmataj) * Babina * Begaj * Berbat (Shkëlzen) * Botushë * Buçin * Gegaj * Kernaja * Kovaç * Luzha * Mejdan * Papaj * Tropoja *

Viçidol Viçidol ( sq-definite, Viçidoli) is a village in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Tropojë. It is located away from the town of Tropojë and from the border with Kosovo. ...

Bytyqi

The

tribal territory is situated in the southeastern Gjakova Highlands. It borders Gashi to the northwest, Krasniqi to the southwest, Hasi to the south and Morina to the east. Bytyqi territory consists of a plain surrounded by low hills and the high mountain pastures of Sylbica. The tribe traces their lineage back to the ancestral father Lekë Bytyqi, who initially hailed from the are around Koman, but another similar legend traces them back to the Shkreli tribe. Their settlements within the Gjakova Highlands include: * Pac * Zherkë * Çorraj * Leniq * Kam * Kepenek * Zogaj * Viliq (Çorr-Velaj) * Vlad * Bregut të Vladit * Çorroj * Mash * Prush * Visoça * Zogaj

Nikaj

The Nikaj tribal territory is situated north of the Drin River and in the present-day western parts of the District of Tropoja. It borders Shala to the west, Krasniqja to the north and east and Mërturi to the south. They live primarily on the western side of the Curraj/Nikaj river. They trace their origins to the ancestral father Nikë Mekshi, a herdsman from Krasniqi who left at around 1550-1600 and settled in presently Nikaj territory, where they replaced the local Mavriqi tribe. Their settlements within the Gjakova Highlands include: *

Lekbibaj Lekbibaj is a village and a former municipality Tropojë northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë. The population at the 2011 census was 1,207. It is the historical center of the Nik ...

* Gjonpepaj * Peraj * Curraj i Eperm * Curraj i Poshtem * Qeresh * Kuq

Mërturi

The Mërturi tribal territory is situated north and south of the Drin River, west of Fierza in the Districts of Tropoja and Puka. It borders Shoshi to the west, Nikaj to the north, Krasniqi and Thaçi to the east, Berisha to the south and Toplana to the southwest. The tribe traces their origins to the ancestral father Lek Poga, brother to the ancestral father of the Berisha - Kol Poga - and as such were considered one tribe. The Mërturi would separate 1520 and move northwards to their current regions. Their settlements within the Gjakova Highlands include: * Bregluma * Apripa * Tetaj * Mertur * Brisë * Palc * Salca * Kotec * Bëtosha * Shengjergj * Garas * Rajë

Morina

The

tribal territory is situated along the current Albania-Kosovo border. It borders Gashi to the north and west, Bytyqi to the southwest and Hasi to the south. Their territory is mostly within Kosovo, corresponding to

Qafë Morinë Qafa e Morinës is a mountain pass through the Albanian mountains along the border between Albania and Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr ...

, the village of Morinë itself within Kosovo and the surrounding areas. They are believed to trace common origin with the

Mirdita Mirdita is a region of northern Albania whose territory is synonymous with the historic Albanian tribe of the same name. Etymology The name Mirdita derives from a legendary ancestor named Mir Diti from whom the tribe claims descent. Other ...

tribe, who in turn trace their origins to the

Pashtrik Pashtrikë or Pashtrik ( sq, Pashtriku) or Paštrik ( sr-Cyrl, Паштрик), is a mountain located in Kosovo and Albania. Its highest peak is located on their mutual border. It is high. The White Drin river passes along by it. Mount Pashtrik i ...

Mountain on the Kosovo-Albanian border. It is likely the Morina tribe remained in the area whilst the Mirdita tribe migrated westwards.

Culture

As with any ethnographic region, the Highlands of Gjakova have their own unique aspects of Albanian culture and linguistics.

Women's Clothing

Women's clothing has greater diversity than the men's clothing does. The main forms of clothing are the prevalent wide skirts known as ''pështjellak të gjanë'', tight clothing, laced clothing with scarves (as is typical to the Lumi i Keq - or Reka - region in Kosovo) and the xhubleta. The decorative ornaments on women's clothing for women is less striking than the ornamental decorations on textiles that are not worn, but the appearance of the clothing is particularly impressive when the ''rubat'' (a complex ornamental headscarf), ''qafshokat'' (waist-scarfs) and the ''riza'' (two large red folded scars) are placed on both sides of the skirt. The ''rubat'' is mostly unicoloured, but it can vary, and women's aprons covering the front waist area are traditionally decorated in the corners (which remains uncovered by the midriff scarf). In the areas of Zogaj, Kamenica, Luguizi, Padesh and Zherkë, women's clothing contains similar elements to that of the Lumi i Keq (or Reka) region (which runs from

itself to the Highlands of Gjakova), as well as with the rest of the Plains of Dukagjin. Below is a description of the four main types of women's clothing: * The wide skirt outfit, known as ''pështjellak i gjanë'', consists of a ''rubat'', as well as ''qafshokat'' and ''riza'' on the sides of the pleated skirt over a short braided fabric that had varying chest embroidery to the sleeves. A large yellow silk scarf was tied to the middle of the skirt. The belt known as ''shoka'' was located in the midsection. A vest, waistcoat, long woollen socks that reached the knees and traditional Albanian shoes called

opinga Opinga (Gheg Albanian: Apânga) are traditional shoes worn by Albanians in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia (opinci), Montenegro, Greece (by the Arvanites), and the Arbëresh villages of Italy. They were also worn by countrymen in Romania (opinca) ...

were also worn. This outfit is near identical to that worn by the women of the Kabashi tribeswomen of the Puka region. * The tight outfit of the Gjakova Highlands consists of a ''rubat'', a long shirt over woven fabrics with either a certain type of vest, known as ''mitan pa krahë'' or ''krahoçe'', or a tehri wire-decorated vest. The woollen front apron, or ''pështjellak'', is of a trapezoidal shape, and is larger than the woollen back apron. The ''qafshokat'' and ''riza'' are also used on both sides of the skirt. Wool socks are worn, as well as jewellery and the like. This particular outfit is common in the Rugova region as well. * The lace and scarf clothing, or ''lidhcë e merhame'', is the typical clothing of the

tribeswomen as well as the Albanian women of the Lumi i Keq region that runs from the city of Gjakova to the highlands. The main aspect is the ''lidhcë e merhame'', the head cover or scarf; the head of the ''lidhcë'' is linked downwards towards the chin like a pillow (''vatinë''), and the purpose is to shape a more attractive head form. This outfit contains a long loom-woven shirt with either beige, brown (dyed with alder or walnut) or white stemming. There is a simplistic slit and collar by the end of the chest, and numerous, asymmetrical ornamental motives are found on either side of said slit. The front ''pështjellak'' (apron) is bigger than the back one; the ''pështjellakët'' are decorated, and motifs are easily observable on dark backgrounds. They are generally situated on the sides of the ''pështjellak'', and are decorated on the lower parts with hooks, or ''shtiza''. A velvet green, blue or brown vest called ''mitani'' is also worn, and is decorated with ''kllapedan'' (threads of gold and silver) and tehri colours. The vest, or ''jeleku'', is decorated with ''kllapedan'', lace and tehri colours; the forearm sleeves on this vest variant are embroidered with asymmetrical motifs. Woollen long black socks are worn up to the knee with decoration. The leather shoes are decorated with colours in the upper section. * The

xhubleta The xhubleta is an undulating, bell-shaped folk skirt, worn by Albanian women. It usually is hung on the shoulders using two straps. Part of the Albanian traditional clothing, it has 13 to 17 strips and 5 pieces of felt. The bosom and the part o ...

is a sleeveless, thick and sturdy black felt drees. The Nikaj and Mërturi tribeswomen wore a ''xhubletë'' with a shirt and a waistcoat (''krahol'', ''kërdhokull''), a vest with fringe, a silver belt, a front apron ''pështjellakët'', leather shoes with black wool socks, a handkerchief with fringe and silver adornments. The ''xhubleta'' is particularly noticeable due to its decorative colours and motifs - in Nikaj-Mërtur, they are traditionally decorated with sun and moon symbols, floral or animal motifs, snakes/serpents and more. For young girls, the ''xhubleta'' is white and black.

Men's Clothing

Men's clothing in the Gjakova Highlands are characterised by the ''tirq'' - white felt pants that fit tightly around the legs that were sometimes brown (after which they'd be called ''Galana'') or black. A vest, or ''jelek'', is also worn, as well as a white felt doublet, or ''xhamadan'', and cloaks known as ''gujën''. The cloaks are traditionally made from white felt decorated with black braiding. Men's clothing traditionally compose of the following pieces: * Tirq: The ''tirq'' are white pants that can be white or brown and dark (''galana''), that are made with pieces of wool in the loom. They extend to the ''valanicë'', which are pressed and taken back in the soutane ''zhgun''. They are tied slightly underneath the middle of the body (''kopaçë'') with a lace that is inserted into a hole in the top part. Below the front part of the ''kopaçve'' are two empty spaces, or ''shkekë'', the are cut and sewn according to the body. The cloth curves on the bow of the legs, beginning with the lower empty spaces which are sewed back. The bottom parts are endowed with 3-12 threads piping yarn, depending on the wearer's economic situation and position in society. * Shirts: The shirts are made of cloth that is woven on a loom. They can be white, beige, striped (brick-coloured stripes), brown etc. They are long-sleeved with a simple military-form colour and an open top. They are usually slightly embroidered with white thread (white thread on white shirts) in symmetrical ways at the end of the sleeves towards the wrist. * Mitan: The ''mitan'' is a black velvet long-sleeved vest that is decorated with lace ornaments on the sides of the sleeves and collar. The lace ornaments can be of maroon, violet or brown colours. They contain buttons, or ''kamcana'', on both left and right sides of the front. * Xhamadan: The

xhamadan A xhamadan or xhamadani is a traditional wool garment worn by Albanian men. It can be sleeved or sleeveless. The sleeveless xhamadan is only one type of the Albanian vest, the other two being the ''xhamadani me reshme'', and the ''xhamadani ferme ...

is a doublet with a variety of colours, ranging from red, maroon, brown, blue and more, with long and open sleeves. It is decorated with piping, tehri and ''kllapedan'' - which is gold and silver thread. * Vest: The vests compose of sheets of black cloth. They are decorated and framed with tehri. They are short, with round buttons called ''sumbulla'', and made with braid, tehri and ''kllapedan''. * Shokë e shallë: The ''shokë e shallë'' are known in English as the belt and scarves respectively. The belt, or ''shoka'', is made of wool with a loom, and is decorated with dyed wool yarn. They are horizontally patterned and very colourful. It is very long and is wrapped several times around the midbody section. The scarves, or ''shallë'', are also long (generally the same length as the ''shoka'') and are wrapped around each other from the midbody downwards to the two empty spaces within the ''tirq'', or the ''shtjeka''. * Plis: The

plis The ''qeleshe'', ''plis'', ''qylaf'' or ''kësul'' is a white brimless felt skull cap traditionally worn by Albanians. It has spread throughout Albanian-inhabited territories, and is today part of the traditional costume of the Albanians. The h ...

is a spherical, round hat that is worn atop the head. It is a symbol of the

Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...

. Within the Gjakova Highlands, the ''plis'' is sometimes surrounded by a handkerchief (which may be black or white), whereas the Nikaj-Mërturi tribesmen use red handkerchiefs. In Valbona and Çerem, as well as in other regions of northern Albania (such as the Rugova region near

Peja Peja ( Indefinite Albanian form: ''Pejë'' ) or Peć ( sr-Cyrl, Пећ ) is the fourth largest city of Kosovo and seat of Peja Municipality and Peja District. It is situated in the region of Rugova on the eastern section of the Accursed Mount ...

), the ''plis'' is wrapped with a white cotton scarf, ''merhamë'' or ''shallë'', that loops around the head and chin. * Opinga: The ''Opinga'' are leather shoes that are either knitted above with white thread or twined with leather using decorations. Woollen white socks were made with more finesse, using coloured string for different symbolic motifs. *Stoli: ''Stoli'' refers to ornaments; in this particular outfit there are various ornaments used from the sheath of the cloak that hangs on the neck and curves down in the men's chest. Cigarette holders are decorated with amber. Silver jewellery are also present, and decorated artisanal weapons are kept around the waist. *Young Boys: The clothing of young boys in the Gjakova Highlands are similar to that of the men, but they are more simple. Rather than colourful decorations, everything is white. The shirt collars are of military form, and the shirts themselves embroidered and decorated with light-coloured motifs on the sleeves, collar and joints. Woollen long-sleeved shirts of a natural wool colour, decorated with different motifs, are also used. White doublets and coarse woollen cloth shirts are also worn, and they usually have simple decorations and lacing on the sides. White tirq, waist scarves, wool socks and ''opinga'' are worn.

Notable Figures

, Albanian chieftain, politician and activist, Krasniqi tribe. *

, Albanian leader, rebel and fighter born in Bujan, Krasniqi tribe. *

Fatime Sokoli Fatime Sokoli (18 June 1948 – 12 August 1987) was an Albanian 20th century folk music singer. References External links * * * * * 20th-century Albanian women singers Albanian folk musicians 1987 deaths 1948 births People from Tropo ...

, Albanian folk music singer born in Dragobi, near Margegaj, Krasniqi tribe. * Islam Aga, Albanian leader, distinguished

League of Prizren The League of Prizren ( sq, Besëlidhja e Prizrenit), officially the League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation ( sq, Lidhja për mbrojtjen e të drejtave te kombit Shqiptar), was an Albanian political organization which was offi ...

fighter, slew 28 Turks in battle before being killed by cannon fire, from Botushë. * Jashar Salihu -

Hero of Kosovo Hero of Kosovo ( sq, Urdhri Hero i Kosovës) is an official Orders, decorations, and medals of Kosovo, order in Kosovo. It is awarded by the President of Kosovo. Award "Hero of Kosovo" is a state decoration given to historical figures of Kosov ...

recipient, Albanian diplomat, activist and general born in Botushë, Gashi tribe. *

Haxhi Zeka Haxhi Zekë Byberi mostly known as Haxhi Zeka ( tr, Haci Zeka; 20 December 1832 – 21 February 1902) was an Albanian nationalist leader, a member of the League of Prizren, while in 1899 he was part of the establishment and leadership of the Leag ...

, Albanian nationalist leader born in Shoshan, Krasniqi tribe. *

, Albanian nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter from Fang, near Bujan, Krasniqi tribe. * Ndoc Nikaj, Albanian priest, writer, and historian, Nikaj tribe. *

, Albanian chieftain, rebel and fighter born in Margegaj, Krasniqi tribe. * Sulejman Aga Botusha, Albanian leader, rebel and fighter from Botushë, Gashi tribe. *

, Albanian martyr, commander in the KLA, KPC, LAPMB and the NLA, born in Gri, Krasniqi tribe.

References

{{coord missing, Albania Accursed Mountains Landforms of Kosovo Landforms of Albania Kosovo Ethnographic Regions Albanian ethnographic regions