The Kushneni or Kuzhneni tribe are an

Albanian tribe The Albanian tribes ( sq, fiset shqiptare) form a historical mode of social organization (''farefisní'') in Albania and the southwestern Balkans characterized by a common culture, often common patrilineal kinship ties tracing back to one progeni ...

and one of the traditional bajraks of 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 ...

region in northern central

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 ...

. The Kushneni tribe were one of the three traditional bajraks of Mirdita, which has now increased to five.

Geography

Kushneni tribal territory is situated in the

Mirditë Mirditë ( sq-definite, Mirdita) is a municipality in Lezhë County, northwestern Albania. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the former municipalities Fan, Kaçinar, Kthellë, Orosh, Rrëshen, Rubik and Selitë. The seat of the municipa ...

municipality, County of Lezhë, north central

. It is centred along the basin of the Greater Fan River and extends southwards to the Lesser Fan River. It is bordered by Kthella to the south, Oroshi to the southeast, Spaçi to the north and east, and Dibrri to the west. The main Kushneni settlements are Ndërfana, Gëziq, Blinisht, Pëshqesh and Simon. Kushneni tribal territory consists of the central part of the Fan i Gojanit and Shperlasa valleys, as well as the right bank of the Fan i Fandit.

Origins

The ancestral father of the Kushneni tribe was Gjin Biba, brother to Mark Biba and Dodë Biba, the ancestral fathers of Oroshi and Spaçi tribes respectfully. These three tribes formed the three original bajraks of Mirdita and therefore do not marry with each other due to their blood relations. Gjin and his two brothers are the sons of Bib Kola, and all three sons hailed from 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 ...

region near

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 ...

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 ...

, from where they migrated to what is now Oroshi tribal territory in Mirdita.

History

Kushneni was first mentioned in a 1795 report as ''Cuscnen'', again as ''Cusneni'' in 1866 and as ''Cusceni'' and ''Cusneni'' 1928. In 1881, it numbered to 3,600-4,000 inhabitants, and was already a bajrak by this point. In 1918, there were 318 households with 2,430 inhabitants in Kushneni territory. Their traditional meeting place is in Sh'Pal (the ancient abbey of

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

), which is also the main meeting place for Mirdita in its entirety. The bajraktar (flagbearer, chieftain) of the Kushneni tribe in 1931 was Ndrekë Bajraktari, and in 1956 it was Ndue Bajraktari.

Religion

The Kushneni are traditionally an exclusively Catholic tribe, and their patron saint is

Saint Stephen Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ''Stéphanos'', meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 – c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first ...

Relation with other tribes

Due to being blood related to the Oroshi and Spaçi tribes, with whom they form the three original bajraks of Mirdita, marriage is not permitted between members of these tribes. Additionally, they hold themselves to be related to the

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 ...

and Shoshi tribes and therefore do not intermarry with these tribes either. The Kushneni would regularly marry with the Dibrri tribe.

References

{{reflist Tribes of Albania