, native_name_lang = , image = Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 18.jpg , image_upright = 1.20 , alt = , caption = , map_type = Australia Victoria City of Greater Shepparton , map_size = 260 , map_alt = , map_relief = 1 , map_caption = Location in the City of Greater Shepparton , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , religious_affiliation =

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

, locale = , location = 8 Acacia Street, 3632 , deity = , rite =

Sunni Islam Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagre ...

, sect = , tradition = , festival = , cercle = , sector = , municipality = , district = , territory = , prefecture = , state = Victoria , province = , region = , country = , administration = , consecration_year = , organisational_status = Mosque , functional_status = Active , heritage_designation = , ownership = Shepparton Albanian Moslem Society (SAMS) , governing_body = , leadership = Hysni Merja , bhattaraka = , patron = , religious_features_label = , religious_features = , architect = , architecture_type = Mosque , architecture_style = , founded_by = , creator = , funded_by = , general_contractor = , established = , groundbreaking = 1956 , year_completed = 1960 , construction_cost = , date_demolished = , facade_direction = , capacity = , length = , width = , width_nave = , interior_area = , height_max = , dome_quantity = 4 , dome_height_outer = , dome_height_inner = , dome_dia_outer = , dome_dia_inner = , minaret_quantity = , minaret_height = , spire_quantity = , spire_height = , site_area = , temple_quantity = , monument_quantity = , shrine_quantity = , inscriptions = , materials = , elevation_m = , elevation_footnotes = , nrhp = , designated = , added = , refnum = , footnotes = , website = The Albanian Mosque ( sq, Xhamia shqiptare), also known as the Shepparton Mosque, is a rural

Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...

mosque located in a residential area of

Shepparton Shepparton () ( Yortayorta: ''Kanny-goopna'') is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in northern Victoria, Australia, approximately north-northeast of Melbourne. As of the 2021 census, the estimated population of Shepparton, ...

, a regional city in Victoria,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Associated with the Albanian Australian community, the mosque is owned by and the centre of the Shepparton Albanian Moslem Society (SAMS). Built in the late 1950s, the mosque is the first and oldest in Victoria.

History

Most Shepparton Albanians originate from the Korçë region in south-eastern Albania. The Shepparton Albanian community began with immigrants arriving in

Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for ...

, Western Australia (1924), later relocating to Queensland for agricultural employment, and eventually moving to Shepparton (mid 1920s) becoming one of the earliest Muslim communities to settle there. Shepparton Albanians became a well integrated successful community, with many employed as market gardeners and orchardists. In the interwar period until the 1950s, Shepparton Albanians associated being Muslim as closely connected to being an Albanian, significant elements that contributed to their place in the country and established sentiments of community among its members. Prior to the mosque's existence, Albanians wanting to perform Friday prayers would visit each other's homes, however over time with the growth of the community it became infeasible. Post-war, unable to go back to Albania, the community desired to establish a permanent structure. Unlike Christian Albanians, Muslim Albanians had no Muslim infrastructure they could access in the area and the need for a large building arose that could serve as a place to congregate and hold community events. The mosque symbolised the Albanian community's intention to remain in their new homeland. In 1953, the local Albanian community established an organisation named the Shepparton Albanian Moslem Society (SAMS). The creation of the Albanian Society was in part due to the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

, its members thought that individuals with communist sympathies would be hesitant to join a mosque, unlike an ethnic-based organisation. The Albanian community perceived its actions to be line with its ethos of being loyal Australians accepted by the Australian government.

Finances for mosque construction were fundraised by Albanians from within their community, and donations for the project came from its members employed in local farm work. The foundation stone of the mosque was laid by Shepparton Albanians in 1956, construction began thereafter and finished in 1960. "the Albanian Muslim community has established two mosques, a rural mosque at Shepparton opened in 1960 and another in an inner city area of Melbourne in 1969." Apart from Albanians, people involved in the mosque construction were local Australians and other non-Albanian immigrants who lived in the area. At the time, the mosque location was at Shepparton's outskirts, on a dirt and at times muddy street. Shepparton council laid gravel on the road in preparation for the opening ceremony and to ensure accessibility to the mosque for arriving dignitaries and Albanian community members. At the ceremony, the mosque was opened by the Indonesian ambassador Dr. A.Y Helmi and speeches were given by non-Muslim dignitaries. Many local non-Muslims also attended the ceremony and it was broadcast and reported on by the ABC national media network. The Shepparton mosque was one of the first members of the Australian Federation of Islamic Societies (AFIS). In the late 1960s, Albanians from Melbourne travelled far to the Shepparton mosque for Bajram (

Eid al-Fitr , nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast , observedby = Muslims , type = Islamic , longtype = Islamic , significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan , dat ...

and Eid al-Adha) celebrations and Muslim burial services ( janaza). The difficulties over geographical distances with Shepparton motivated Albanian Melburnians to build a mosque within their own city. The mosque was also used by Shepparton Turkish Australians until 1988 when they built their own mosque in another suburb of the city. Since its establishment, the mosque has been a significant place for Shepparton Albanian community activities, catering to its needs such as being important for the maintenance of its religious identity and worship. Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 23

SAMS, as a committee is in charge of maintaining the mosque, its finances and membership, and organises other community events like the Albanian Harvest Festival celebrating Albanian culture and Albania,

Albanian Independence day Flag Day ( sq, Dita e Flamurit or ''Festa e Flamurit''), or Independence Day, is celebrated every 28 November as a holiday in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and the Albanian diaspora. It refers to the Albanian Declaration of Independence on 28 ...

, New Years celebrations and other functions. Fundraising for the mosque and SAMS also occurs during the Harvest Festival, held annually at the Shepparton Showgrounds. These SAMS events attract Albanians from other areas in Victoria to Shepparton and are important in connecting the dispersed Albanian community. In the 1990s, some discord flared between new arriving Albanian migrants from previously atheist communist Albania and the older Albanian community. The new Albanian immigrants, though many stating they were Muslims perceived SAMS as a non-secular organisation with religious overtones and refused to join it or partake in their events, instead organising their own functions for some time. For the older Albanian community, the mosque and SAMS has served as a focal point for keeping contact with friends, relatives and instilling a sense of roots in the area. The mosque for newer Albanian arrivals lacked significance and some viewed it as a barrier to integration in Australia. Albanians in Shepparton are secular or non-observant Muslims, with a few devout in

. In the late 2000s, artifacts from the mosque were donated to Museums Victoria. They include a building trowel used by R. Sherif Islam and Myrteza Adem in placing the foundation stone (1956), and a 300 year old Quran from Ohrid, North Macedonia, donated by Erik Lloga (late 1990s) to celebrate the establishment of a community centre extension to the mosque. SAMS for some years devoted efforts toward having the towns of Shepparton and Korçë establish a

twin-town A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

relationship, a goal achieved in 2013. In solidarity with victims of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, the mosque like others in Victoria held an open day in March for the public to support or acquaint themselves with Islam and Muslims. In early 2022 to meet growing community needs, the mosque interior was renovated with new plaster, painted walls and carpet, the green garden and community centre was refurbished and a new kitchenette added. The $650,000 renovation was funded by the Victorian Government and donations from the Albanian and wider Shepparton community. The mosque runs teaching programs for children regarding culture and religion in local primary and high schools. Apart from Albanians, in the modern period the mosque congregation is multicultural and includes people from other backgrounds. From the early 1980s until 2022, Eljam Bardi served as imam. Hysni Merja became the current imam in 2022.

Structure

File:Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 19.jpg, Mosque (left) and community centre (right) on Acacia St File:Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 5.jpg, Mosque entrance File:Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 22.jpg, Interior of mosque File:Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 8.jpg, Side view of mosque The mosque is a large structure and reflects a building style that incorporates parts of traditional architecture with popular architectural elements in 1960s Shepparton. The brickwork is of a white cream colour. Atop on all sides is a crenellated parapet that contains some decorative brown infill brickwork and the roof has 4 small domes. There are vertical pointed lancet windows on one side and rectangular windows on the other, all with white frames. The entrance is a centralised white rendered panel and its upper section has a pointed arch with coloured glass. Above that is written in gilded letters "Moslem Mosque". The second half of the centralised panel consists of two white framed doors with glazed rectangular panes, and in front the canopy has two squared brick columns. There are landscaped gardens on the premises. File:Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 20.jpg, Rock monument and its nearby flagpole honouring mosque founders File:Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 9.jpg, Back view of mosque (right) and community centre (left) File:Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 24.jpg, Mosque car park sign File:Albanian Mosque (Shepparton) 25.jpg, Mosque car park on Maple St

References

External links

Official WebsiteFacebook
{{Mosques in Australia Shepparton Mosques completed in 1960 1960 establishments in Australia

History

Structure

See also

References

External links