Trebisht

Trebisht ( mk, Требишта, bg, Требище or Требища) is a former municipality in the Dibër County, eastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Bulqizë. The population at the 2011 census was 993.2011 census results

Geography

The village is situated in the geographical area of Gollobordë.

Within the municipality, the village of Trebisht consists of the three neighborhoods of Trebisht-Muçinë, Trebisht-Balaj, and Trebisht-Çelebi. (in the local Macedonian dialect - Dunomala, Gurnomala and Unomala). These neighborhoods are divided into smaller ones.

Demographic history

A demographic study published in 1878, reflecting statistics of the male population from 1873, stated that the population of ''Trébichta'' consisted of 150 households with 144 Bulgarian Christians and 265 Pomaks.

In the early 20th century, Trebisht was a village with a mixed population of Bulgarian Muslims and Bulgarian Christians, according to Bulgarian geographer Vasil Kanchov's statistics. The Muslim population was prevalent, with 2500 Bulgarian Muslims reported and 70 Bulgarian Christians—97.3% Muslim and 2.7% Christian.Кънчов, Васил. „Македония. Етнография и статистика“. София, 1900, стр.261. (Kanchov, Vasil. Macedonia — ethnography and statistics Sofia, 1900, p. 261).
/ref> The neighboring villages of Gjinovec (210 Christian Slavs), Vërnicë (300 Christian Slavs) and Klenjë (240 Christian Slavs, 230 Muslim Slavs) together with Trebisht produce a total of 820 Christians and 2830 Muslims, meaning the total municipality at that time 23.1% Christian and 76.9% Muslim.

Villages located in the Trebisht administrative unit contain the following populations: Gjinovec and Klenjë are inhabited solely by a Slavic speaking population which contain Macedonian Muslim (Torbeš) or Muslim Bulgarians. Vërnicë is inhabited by an Albanian population that dominates demographically in the village that also contains a significant population of Slavic Speakers (Muslim and Orthodox Macedonians or BulgariansMangalakova, Tanya, Ethnic Bulgarians In Mala Prespa and Golo Brdo, Urgent anthropology Vol. 3 Problems of Multiethnicity in the Western Balkans. Fieldwork Edited by Antonina Zhelyazkova
The ethnic Bulgarian villages in Golo Brdo have both Albanian and Bulgarian place-names – Steblena (Stebljevo), Klenja (Klenje), Trebisht (Trebišta), Ostreni i Madh (Golemo Ostrene), Ostreni i Vogel (Malko Ostrene), Gjinavec (Ginovec), Tucepe, (Tucep), Sebisht (Sebišta), Borove (Borovo), Zabzun (Zabzun).). The Muslim Macedonian and Orthodox Macedonian population of the area are speakers of a south Slavic language ( Macedonian or Bulgarian).

The inhabitants of Trebisht are speakers of a south Slavic dialect "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." and the village has traditionally consisted of a mixed Slavic Orthodox Christian ( Macedonian or Bulgarian) and ( Macedonian Muslim Torbeš or Bulgarian Muslim) population. Within Macedonian academia, the language spoken has been regarded as Macedonian, 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)";
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." while within Bulgarian academia, the dialect of Trebisht is considered as part of the Bulgarian language.Тончева, Веселка Българите от Голо Бърдо, Република Албания. Традиции, музика, идентичност, София 2009, ч. І, с. 103. (Toncheva, Veselka. The Bulgarians from Golo Bardo, Albania. Traditions, Music, Identity, Sofia 209, p. 103.)
The local population of the village lack official recognition as a Macedonian minority from the Albanian government. In 2020, an ethnic Macedonian was elected as an administrator of Trebisht.Честитки до Тола и Османи за нивниот избор за администратори на Острени и Требиште
/ref>

Education

On April 14, 1914, in Peshkopi was established, the first Albanian school and then, in the village of Trebisht. After nine years, was opened dormitory in Dibra for the children in remote areas, who followed the Albanian lessons. In 2009, a Macedonian language school opened in Trebisht, however these courses were met with fierce opposition from local authorities who called for the school to be shut down. Intervention from the Albanian Ministry of Education and from the Albanian Prime minister, Sali Berisha, ensured that the Macedonian language courses were able to continue education over 200 young Macedonians in their native Macedonian language.

References

{{Trebisht Municipality

Former municipalities in Dibër County
Albania–North Macedonia border crossings
Administrative units of Bulqizë
Macedonian Muslim villages