Gollobordë

Gollobordë ( sq-definite, Golloborda, bg, Голо Бърдо/Golo Bărdo, mk, Голо Брдо/Golo Brdo) refers to a geographical area of traditionally 24 villages of which 18 are situated primarily in eastern Albania, with a small portion consisting of six villages lying within North Macedonia. This region is located within the Dibër and Elbasan counties which contain both Macedonian and Albanian villages.

This region, like neighboring regions, has historically been economically linked to the city of Debar, which was traditionally referred to by inhabitants as simply "the City".

History

Ottoman period

The Islamization process is held to have occurred in Golloborda relatively late in Ottoman times.Toncheva, Veselka (2013). "The Slavonic Community from the Golo Bardo Region, Republic of Albania: Traditions, Music, Identity". ''Our Europe. Ethnography – Ethnology – Anthropology of Culture''. Volume 2. Pages 40–42
In 1519, the region was still entirely Christian.Limanoski Niyazi (1993), Islamizatsijata i etnichkite promeni vo Makedonija slamization and Ethnical Changes in Macedonia Skopje: Makedonska kniga (in Macedonian). Page 258 Some authors have held that the Islamization process in Golloborda to have occurred in the late 18th century, whereas others asserted that the impetus to mass Islamization in the region was the ''bedel'' tax, imposed only on Christians because they were not drafted and initiated in the region in the year 1832. According to this second theory, this tax was particularly harsh and caused many families to turn to Islam as a means of avoiding it.Stamatov Stefan (1938), Grad Debar i negovoto osnovavane
ity of Debar and its Founding Parvo prilozhenie na periodichnoto spisanie "Debarski glas", Sofia: Debarsko blagotvoritelno bratstvo (in Bulgarian). Page 23 During the same period, a mass emigration process occurred, and many Muslim families settled elsewhere, including in Debar, in Struga's Drimkol region, and in Thessaloniki.Limanoski Niyazi (1993), Islamizatsijata i etnichkite promeni vo Makedonija slamization and Ethnical Changes in Macedonia Skopje: Makedonska kniga (in Macedonian). Page 260 The families that settled in Debar became Albanized, but retain memory of their origins which are denoted by their last names, including Klenja, Trebishta, Ostreni, Torbaçi, Serpetova, and others.

Early 20th century

In 1913, the majority of the region was awarded to Albania while six villages were assigned to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.Toncheva, Veselka (2013). "The Slavonic Community from the Golo Bardo Region, Republic of Albania: Traditions, Music, Identity". ''Our Europe. Ethnography – Ethnology – Anthropology of Culture''. Volume 2. Pages 39–40. However, despite the border that divided the region in pieces, the region remained culturally and economically unified at this time, and Debar served as the unifying point for the entire region. There were plenty of migratory movements across the border during this period, and during King Zogu's reign, people on both sides of the Albanian-Yugoslav border running through the region would cross it to cultivate farmland on the other side. During this period, the official border changed a number of times—at one point, it ran between Klenja and Steblevo, but now these two towns are both in Albania.Risteski Lyupcho S. (2006), Zhivot na granitsa ife on the Borderin: A. Svetieva (ed.) Golo Brdo. Zhivot na granitsa, Skopje: Institut za etnologija i antropologija, pp. 26–34 (in Macedonian). Pages 28–30

Under Communism

The fates of the two sides of the region diverged much more sharply after the rise of communism in the aftermath of World War II. In 1948, the regime of Enver Hoxha in Albania closed down the border, and a barbed wire fence was erected on the border, accompanied by guard posts. The Albanian communist state was extremely suspicious of Gollobordian communities, a fact one Macedonian author attributed to their "weak Albanian patriotism". This new heavy enforcement of the border caused many people to lose contact with their relatives who lived on the other side.

Demographics

Both Muslims and Christians today live in harmony and celebrate the holidays of both faiths together.Toncheva, Veselka (2013). "The Slavonic Community from the Golo Bardo Region, Republic of Albania: Traditions, Music, Identity". ''Our Europe. Ethnography – Ethnology – Anthropology of Culture''. Volume 2. Pages 44 Bulgarian ethnologist Veselka Toncheva believes that this phenomenon, seen elsewhere in post-communist Albania, cannot be attributed solely to the anti-religious policies of communist leader Enver Hoxha, but also due to the perception of local communities as whole units of which local Christians and local Muslims both are part.

Albania

In the region of Gollobordë, villages located on the Albanian side of the border have the following population demographics:

Trebisht administrative unit: Gjinovec and Klenjë are inhabited solely by a Slavic speaking population which contain Muslim Macedonians ( Torbeš) or Bulgarian Pomaks.Миланов, Емил. Регионални и етно-културни български общности зад граница, В: Да не угасват българските огнища извън България, Кишинев, 2016, с. 120–123.
/ref> Vërnicë is inhabited by an Albanian population that dominates demographically in the village, and also contains a significant population of Muslim Macedonians and Orthodox Macedonians. Trebisht is traditionally inhabited by a mixed Slavic Orthodox Christian and Muslim population considered Macedonian or Bulgarian.

Ostren administrative unit: Lejçan, Lladomericë and Tuçep are inhabited solely by Macedonian/Bulgarian Muslims; Radovesh, Kojavec, Orzhanovë are inhabited solely by a Slavic speaking population which contain Macedonian/Bulgarian Muslims. Okshtun i Madh, Okshtun i Vogël and Tërbaç have some Macedonian/Bulgarian Muslims residing there while Pasinkë, Ostren i Madh and Ostren i Vogël are inhabited by an Albanian population that dominates demographically in the villages that also contain significant populations of Muslim Macedonians/Bulgarians and Orthodox Macedonians/Bulgarians.

The villages of Zabzun, Borovë, Llangë, Moglicë, Prodan are located in the Stëblevë administrative unit and two villages are inhabited by Slavic populations: Stëblevë, which is inhabited solely by a Slavic speaking population that contains Macedonian Muslims. Sebisht is inhabited by an Albanian population that dominates demographically in the village and contains three families from the Muslim Macedonian/Bulgarian and Orthodox Macedonian/Bulgarian population.

Gjoricë administrative unit: Lubalesh has some Muslim Macedonians living in the village.

The Muslim Bulgarian/Macedonian and Orthodox Bulgarian/Macedonian population of Gollobordë are speakers of a south Slavic language (Macedonian or BulgarianМиланов, Емил. Регионални и етно-културни български общности зад граница, В: Да не угасват българските огнища извън България, Кишинев, 2016, с. 121
"Езикът, който се говори, е от най-западномакедонските български говори. Те го наричат български. За преобладаващата част от жените и децата той е единственото средство за комуникация.").The Muslim Macedonian speaking community of the area is known as ''Gollobordas'' and in Albania people from the community are considered Albanians instead of Macedonians, even by the Albanian state, and they are known to intermarry with Muslim Albanians and not with Orthodox Macedonians. Until the 1990s the local Orthodox Macedonian minority, who have since migrated, used to live in some villages alongside the Gollobordas of whom in the 2010s number some roughly 3,000 people.

North Macedonia

In the region of Gollobordë, villages located in North Macedonia have the following population demographics:

Debar Municipality: Otišani has traditionally been inhabited by a Muslim Macedonian population and Džepište has traditionally been inhabited by Orthodox Macedonians and a Muslim Macedonian population. p. 214. "Заедно со македонско христијанско население Торбеши живеат и во селата: Могорче, Требиште, Велебрдо, Ростуше, Јанче, Долно Косоврасти (во Река), Горенци, Житинени (во Жупа), Џепиште, Себишта, Пасинки, Големо и Мало Острени, Требишта, (во Голо Брдо),"; p
309
"Во западна Македонија исламизирано македонско население живее во неколку географски региони на македонско-албанската пограничје:... Голо Брдо (Врмница, Владимирци, Гиновци, Клење, Лешничани, Љуболези, Големо и Мало Острени, Окштун, Отишани, Пасинки, Радовиште, Себишча, Српетово, Стеблево, Тучепи, Торбач, Џепишта)"; p
339
"Во повеќето од спомнативе села живее население - со македонски и со албански мачин јазик. Албанското население доминира во северните голобрдски села (Себишта, Пасинки, Врмница, Големо и Мало Острени). Селата: Лешничани, Требиште, Српетово, Торбач, Љуболези, Владимирица и Тучепи се населени со Македонски муслимани (Торбеши), а во Себишта, Требиште, Г. и М. Острени живее мешано население - православни и Торбеши."

Struga Municipality: Manastirec, Drenok, Modrič and Lakaica "Heute umfaßt das Gebiet von Golloborda in Albanien 22 Dörfer, die verwaltungstechnisch auf drei verschiedene Gemeinden aufgeteilt sind: 1. Die Gemeinde Ostren besteht aus dreizehn Dörfern, und Südslavisch wird in den folgenden neun Dörfern gesprochen: Ostreni i Madh (Golemo Ostreni/Ostreni Golemo), Kojavec (Kojovci), Lejçan (Lešničani), Lladomerica (Ladomerica/Ladimerica/Vlademerica), Ostreni i Vogël (Malo Ostreni/Malastreni/Ostreni Malo), Orzhanova (Oržanova), Radovesh (Radoveš/Radoeš/Radoešt), Tuçep (Tučepi) und Pasinka (Pasinki). 2. Die Gemeinde von Trebisht umfaßt die vier Dörfer Trebisht (Trebišta), Gjinovec (G'inovec/G'inec), Klenja (Klen'e) und Vërnica (Vărnica), und in allen wird Südslavisch gesprochen. 3. Die übrigen Dörfer von Golloborda gehören zur Gemeinde Stebleva, und zwar Stebleva, Zabzun, Borova, Sebisht, Llanga. Südslavisch wird in Stebleva (Steblo) sowie von drei Familien in Sebisht (Sebišta) gesprochen. Wie aus den bisherigen Ausführungen und den Erhebungen vor Ort hervorgeht, gibt es nur noch in fünfzehn der insgesamt Dörfer, die heute zu Golloborda gehören, slavophone Einwohner. Die Zahl der Dörfer in Golloborda wird manchmal auch mit 24 angegeben. Dann zählt man die Viertel des Dorfes Trebisht, und zwar Trebisht-Bala, Trebisht-Çelebia und Trebisht-Muçina separat. Zu Golloborda rechnete man traditionell ferner die Dörfer Hotišan, Žepišt, Manastirec, Drenok, Modrič und Lakaica, die heute in Makedonien liegen." are inhabited solely by Orthodox Macedonians.Macedonian Census (2002)
''Book 5 - Total population according to the Ethnic Affiliation, Mother Tongue and Religion''
The State Statistical Office, Skopje, 2002, p. 134.

Identity of the local Slavic-speakers

The local Slavs' ethno-linguistic identity is an issue of debate. According to the findings of Aleksander Novik and his team in 2008-10, the identity of the local Slavs is largely determined by their religious backgrounds and their native language. Novik's team recorded four main options for self-identifications among the Slavs: ''Makedonci'', ''Muslimane'', ''Turci'', and ''Naši''. Intrinsically linked to the first form of identification, many of the local Slavs (Muslim or Orthodox Christian) acknowledge a connection to the neighbouring Macedonians. However, the Muslims clearly distinguish themselves from their Orthodox brethren through the usage of the ethnonyms ''Muslimane'' and ''Turci'', the latter of which harks back to issues of ethnic and religious identity in the Ottoman millet system. Both religious groups commonly use the ethnonym ''Naši'' (lit. "ours") to distinguish themselves from the region's native Albanian-speaking population. The ''Bulgarian'' identity was very rarely used in Golloborda according to the team's findings. The majority of the Slavs (particularly those of Muslim faith) are bilingual in their native tongue and Albanian, although the older generation have a very poor understanding of Albanian.

Identity and dialects of the local Albanians

The local Albanians are concentrated in the western and south-western extremes of Golloborda and are to be found in the villages of Okshtuni i Madh, Okshtuni i Vogël, Oreshnja, Tërbaçi, Zabzuni, Borova, Sebishti, and Llanga. However, due to the uncertain and fluid borders of the region, villages on the periphery such as Zerqani are also often included by locals. In their expedition of 2008, Alexander Rusakov and his team noted that the locals of Borova did not consider themselves to be a part of Golloborda as they associated the region only with the Slavic-speakers and their villages. The team also noted that there was no clear dialectal uniformity among the Albanians. The dialect of Borova demonstrated a number of characteristics typical of the Southern Geg dialects, while also showing some influence from Central Geg which was attributed to historical migrations into the village from regions such as Mati. On the other hand, the Albanian spoken in Okshtuni and Tërbaçi were more typical of Central Geg despite the former showing some influences from Southern Geg.

See also

* Bulgarians in Albania
* Macedonians in Albania
* Mala Prespa

References

Further reading

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golloborde
Albanian ethnographic regions
Geography of North Macedonia
Debar Municipality
Struga Municipality