Vasojevići

The Vasojevići ( sh, Васојевићи, ) is a historical highland tribe (''pleme'') and region of Montenegro, in the area of the Brda. It is the largest of the historical tribes, occupying the area between Lijeva Rijeka in the South up to Bihor under Bijelo Polje in the North, Mateševo in the West to Plav in the East. Likely of Albanian origin, most of the tribe's history prior to the 16th century has naturally been passed on through oral history.

Although the unofficial center is Andrijevica in north-eastern Montenegro, the tribe stems from Lijeva Rijeka in central Montenegro. The tribe was formed by various tribes that were united under the rule of the central Vasojević tribe. These tribes later migrated to the Komovi mountains and the area of Lim. The emigration continued into what is today Serbia and other parts of Montenegro.

Though sense of tribal affiliation diminished in recent years, is not a thing of a past. Tribal association and organizations still exist (e.g. Udruženje Vasojevića "Vaso"). It could be clearly seen during the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum with the Vasojevići united opposition.

Geography

The Vasojevići are located in the area between Lijeva Rijeka in the south up to Bihor near Bijelo Polje in the north, Mateševo in the west to Plav in the east. To the south, the Vasojevići border the neighbouring Kuči and Bratonožići tribes. To the east is the border with Albania, while the northeastern boundary has often changed in the past and gradually the Vasojevići expanded in that direction. Lijeva Rijeka is hilly terrain with forests, interspersed with streams and straits, and the same is true of all Upper Vasojevići. However, in Lower Vasojevići, there are more plains around the rivers, so the mountainous terrain is more gentle.

In modern Montenegro, the area of Vasojevići falls into the following municipalities: Berane, Podgorica, Kolašin, Plav and Bijelo Polje (around 15% of Montenegro. One of the highest mountains of Montenegro, Kom Vasojevićki (), is named after the tribe, and the whole area that the latter inhabits is frequently called “Vasojevići”.

History

Origins

Likely of Albanian origin, the Vasojevići ( Albanian: ''Vasaj'', also ''Vasoviqi'' or ''Vasojeviqi'') underwent a process of gradual cultural integration into the neighboring Slavic population.

Vasojevići is not a tribe (''pleme'') of common patrilineal ancestry, but was formed under the rule of a central tribe that extended its name to many other brotherhoods as it expanded in new territory.

Early history

The Vasojevići are first attested in 1444. At that time, they hadn't fully formed yet but were a small brotherhood organized in semi-permanent katun typically used by Albanian and Vlach pastoral communities. There it is described as not a tribe, but as an ethnic group (a people). The Ragusan Senate report filed by Ragusan merchants dating to October 29, 1444, speaks of the Vasojevići (and their leader Vaso), living near Medun, in Rikavac, having together with the Bjelopavlići and Piperi attacked Ragusan merchants, doing material damage. According to some historians, the fact that the Vasojevići were not mentioned in the 1455 document, points to them having migrated from Upper Zeta. Vasojevići is mentioned in the 1485 Ottoman cadastre of Shkodër, where the village of ''Reçiça'' was known by the alternative name ''Vasojević''. This village corresponds to modern Lijeva Rijeka.
According to the 1485 defter, the Vasojevići and Bratonožići were not yet established tribes. Some branches of Vasojevići migrated to Kosovo, and were slavicised after their arrival.

17th century

In 1613, the Ottomans launched a campaign against the rebel tribes of Montenegro. In response, Vasojevići along with the tribes of Kuči, Bjelopavlići, Piperi, Kastrat, Kelmend, Shkrel and Hot formed a political and military union known as “The Union of the Mountains” or “The Albanian Mountains” .In their shared assemblies, the leaders swore an oath of ''besa'' to resist with all their might any upcoming Ottoman expeditions, thereby protecting their self-government and disallowing the establishment of the authority of the Ottoman Spahis in the northern highlands. Their uprising had a liberating character. With the aim of getting rid of the Ottomans from their territories
Mariano Bolizza recorded in 1614 that Vasojevići had a total of 90 houses, of the Serbian Orthodox faith. It was commanded by ''Nicolla Hotaseu'' (Nikolla Hotasev) and ''Lale Boiof'' (Lale Bojov) and could field up to 280 soldiers.

In 1658, the seven tribes of Kuči, Vasojevići, Bratonožići, Piperi, Klimenti, Hoti and Gruda allied themselves with the Republic of Venice, establishing the so-called "Seven-fold banner" or "alaj-barjak", against the Ottomans. In 1689, an uprising broke out in Piperi, Rovca, Bjelopavlići, Bratonožići, Kuči and Vasojevići, while at the same time an uprising broke out in Prizren, Peć, Priština and Skopje, and then in Kratovo and Kriva Palanka in October ( Karposh's Rebellion).

18th and 19th century

During the Austro-Turkish War, which began in 1737, the Serbian patriarch Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta organized an uprising and the Orthodox population of Serbia and the Brda revolted. Alongside the patriarch, chiefs of the Vasojevići and other Brda tribes joined the Austrian forces in Serbia and helped them take Niš and Novi Pazar, in July 1737. Led by the Serbian patriarch and the voivode Radonja Petrović of the Kuči tribe, another 3,000 highlanders arrived in a deserted Novi Pazar, a day after the Austrian forces had withdrawn. On their way home, some of the Vasojevići and Kuči highlanders looted and burned Bihor.
In 1860, the Montenegrin government as part of an assimilation campaign, issued an order that certain embroideries and ornaments must be removed from varying parts of the costume of the women of the Vasojevici tribe, such the xhubleta, jackets, aprons etc, and that Montenegrin traditional costumes be worn instead. Later on officials were sent to Vasojevici to enforce the ruling. Despite , the women of the Vasojevici clan wouldn retain their traditional folk costume until the beginning of 20th century.
Vasojevići had historically strong ties with Serbia and Belgrade.

World War II

During the Second World War, the Vasojevići were divided between the two armies of Serb Chetniks ( royalists) and Yugoslav Partisans (communists) that were fighting each other (vojvoda Pavle Đurišić formed the most successful Chetnik units out of mainly Vasojevići). As a result, the conflict spread within the tribal structures. The partisans formed a distinct Vasojević battalion. In battles, against Chetniks and the Fascist Italian army, it routed 200 Chetniks and 160 Italian soldiers in defense of the position of Pešića Lake during the advance of the Chetniks from Kolašin.

21st century

In May 2006, Montenegro gained independence after a referendum on the future of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. However, 72% of voters in Andrijevica municipality, the unofficial centre of the Vasojevići region, voted against Montenegrin independence. It was the second highest result against breaking the state union with Serbia (after Pluzine municipality).

The People's Assembly of Vasojevići stated many times that, apart from being Montenegrin, all Vasojevići are Serb and, thus, strongly oppose and have always opposed Montenegrin secession from Yugoslavia. The Montenegrin census of 2003 revealed that 89,81% of the Vasojevići declared themselves as Serb while 9,43% declared themselves as Montenegrin. In the 2011 census, in most settlements linked to the Vasojevići the majority identified themselves as Serbs. In Andrijevica about 2/3 identified as Serbs and 1/3 as Montenegrins.

2010s

During the War in Ukraine, some locals of villages of Andrijevica, part of the Vasojevići tribe, decided to sell and give up land for free to Russia, stating that "we are brothers".

Culture

It is a tradition of all brotherhoods to show respect to ancestors by knowing precisely genealogy and the history of the tribe and a family. This also allows members of the clan to be unite, to act together and always to recognise kin. In terms of traditional customs, up to the end of the 19th century traces of a variant of the northern Albanian kanuns remained in use in Vasojevići. Two story houses were known as Kula
Traditional clothing in Vasojevići is similar to that of the other tribes of the Albanian-Montenegrin borderlands, as traditional Montenegrin dress is replaced by that of the Albanians. The women wear a woolen bell-shaped skirt named ''dzupeleta'' (from Albanian xhubleta or ), whereas British traveler and author Cozens-Hardy asserted that “the usual Montenegrin dress is replaced by the tight-fitting white trousers, braided with black, of the Albanians over the frontier.".

Tribe members were perceived as noblemen and rarely mingled with common folk – people who did not have a common ancestor. Vasojevići called them Ašani (earlier also Asa and Hasa) and today this term has come to denote Vasojevići of other origin.

Among the members of the tribe, the non-Vasojevići Serbs who lived in the areas the Vasojevici expanded, were known as ''Srbljaci'', which literally means "Serbs".

Folk traditions

The Vasojevići are considered to be one family or clan, descended from a single male ancestor called ''Vasoje''. There are various folk tales about this ancestor, and the aforementioned Vasoje stands out among them, as does ''Vaso'', who is said to be his descendant, although these two names are often mixed up in different legends. Vaso's descendants gradually expanded to the north-east and inhabited the region by the river Lim called Polimlje – the area around the Komovi mountains, Andrijevica and Berane.M. P. Cemović, 1993, "Vasojevići" (IInd edn), Izdavacki cavjet Zavicajnog udruzenja Vasojevicia, Beograd Thus, they formed the largest tribe (''pleme'') of all seven highland tribes of Montenegro (i.e. Vasojevići, Moračani, Rovčani, Bratonožići, Kuči, Piperi and Bjelopavlići). Part of the tribe that stayed free from the Turkish rule lives in the area of Lijeva Rijeka and Andrijevica (Upper Nahija) – they are all called Upper Vasojevići. Lower Vasojevici (or Lower Nahija) inhabited the area of Berane. Most of the Lower Vasojevići were within the Turkish reign until Balkan Wars in the 20th century.

Johann Georg von Hahn recorded one of the first oral traditions about Vasojevići from a Catholic priest named Gabriel in Shkodër in 1850. According to it the first direct male ancestor of the Vasojevići was ''Vas Keqi'', son of a ''Keq'' who fleeing from Ottoman conquest settled in a Slavic-speaking area that would become the historical Piperi region. His sons, the brothers ''Lazër Keqi'' (ancestor of Hoti), ''Ban Keqi'' (ancestor of Triepshi), ''Kaster Keqi'' (ancestor of Krasniqi) and ''Merkota Keqi'' (ancestor of Mrkojevići) had to abandon the village after committing murder against the locals, but ''Keq'' and his younger son ''Piper Keqi'' remained there and ''Piper Keqi'' became the direct ancestor of the Piperi tribe.

According to a folk myth, the founder of the tribe was ''Vaso''.I. R. Dragović, Beograd, 1997 In the 18th century, the folklore of the tribe was influenced by the Orthodox millenarianism that had developed during the mid Ottoman era. According to one such folk legend, an elder of the Vasojevići, Stanj, foretold Greek priests the advent of a Serbian messiah, a dark man (''crni čovjek'') who would liberate the Serbs from the Turks. These myths as part of the official Serbian Orthodox doctrine provided both a de facto recognition of Ottoman rule and the denial of its legitimacy.

Ethnographic accounts

According to a memorandum created by the Austro-Hungarian consul F.Lippich, which studied the demographic structure of the area, the Vasojevići are considered the northern linguistic border of Albanian and constitute a case of slavicised Albanians.

Marie Amelie von Godin in her travels still reported traces of bilingualism in the area of Vasojevici. According to her reports, although Albanian was no longer spoken in the area, some laments and oaths were still being sung and recited in Albanian.

Brotherhoods

The people of the Vasojevići consider themselves as the descendants of three Vaso sons: Rajo, Novak and Mioman. Hence the great clans (bratstva) of the Vasojevići:Miomir Dašić,Duka Vasojevići: od pomena do 1860. godine, Narodna knjiga, Beograd 1986
* Djurovici
* Rajevići
* Novakovići
* Mijomanovići

In a book "Pleme Vasojevići" written in 1935, R. Vešović describes the structure of the Vasojevići. The list of families was exhausting when the book was completed but since then new families may have developed. Sometimes, with the very distant genealogy, slight variations of names, chronology and relationships exist concurrently but there is no doubt among the Vasojevići members which family belongs to which brotherhood, branch and sub-branch. Never has any family questioned the structure depicted below.

Rajevići is the biggest branch. It is in turn divided into three branches
(again after Raja's sons or grandsons: Đuro, Dabet and Uglješa Damir-Kovač).

Families that descend from Lopaćani are:
* Raketići
** Marsenići
** Popovići
** Radulovići
** Vešovići
** Vulevići
* Bojovići
* Đukići
* Miloševići and Velidžinkići
* Čukići
* Golubovići and Lalevići
** Dragićiević
** Ivanovići
** Mikovići
** Novovići
** Pavićievići
** Raičevići
** Vasović
* Neradovići
** Aleksići
** Spasojevići
** Vukašinovići
* Stojanovići and Stojkovići
* Vukićevići and Boričići
* Labani and Mijovići
** Ivanovići
** Jelići
** Kiković
** Mirkovići
** Perovići
** Radovojevići
** Radunovići
** Ugrenovići
** Vukanići
* Karadžići and Sakovići
** Folići
** Zulevići

Families that are descendants of Dabetići are:
* Deletići
** Đekići
** Lekići
** Mirčići
** Novovići
** Rajovići
** Vukovići
* Labovići
** Ćirovići
** Grozdanići
** Rosnići
* Lazarevići
** Kuburovići
** Laskovići
** Osmajlići
** Stanisavići – Ilići
** Radunović – Labani
* Vulinići (or Vuline)
** Dragojevići
** Ivanovići
** Zonjići
* Arsenijevići
* Protići
* Vuksanovići
* Lakićevići
* Stanići
* Lalići
** Ostojići
* Lašići
* Žurići
* Kojići
* Mitrovići
* Palevići and Garčevići

Families of Kovačevići branch are:
* Kastratovići
** Mićovići
** Vojvodići
* Đurišići with Martinovići and Jojići
** Bradići
** Đurkovići
** Marijanovići
** Medonići
** Otaševići
** Plavšići
** Rakići
** Ružići
** Simovići (Carevići)
** Stanići
* Obradovići
** Jokići
** Miketići
** Savići
** Vučevići
** Vuksanovići
** Zekići
* Katanići (Raičevići)
** Aletići
** Bacanovići
** Novičići
** Šarovići
** Vulići
* Dedovići
* Đinovići
* Milovići
* Tajići

Novakovići is the second biggest branch.
Novak had three sons (Nikač, Vuksan/Vuica and Rečko), of which all families hail from:

All the families of Novakovići brotherhood are as follows:
* Dragovići
** Lekići
* Adžići
* Babovići
** Lakovići
** Vukovići
* Ćulafići
* Mimovići
* Milikići
** Tomovići
* Radevići and Đekići
* Mujovići
* Kićovići
* Lakušići
* Račići
** Jelići
** Vukići
* Asanovići
* Boričići
* Ljubići
** Mišovići
** Nikolići
* Pantovići
* Radunovići
** Ivanovići
** Malevići
** Radonjići
* Dujovići and Marnići
* Bakići
* Prelići
* Orovići
* Kočanovići
* Pajovići
* Salevići
** Bandovići
** Đekovići
** Radojevići
** Radosavljevići
** Vukadinovići
* Matovići
* Žujovići

Miomanovići is the smallest brotherhood of the Vasojevići. The families are:
* Delevići
** Cemovići
* Joksimovići
* Mićovići and Boičići
* Ćeranići
* Markovići
* Štipalji
* Zečevići
* Saičići
* Maslovarići
* Dubaci
* Gubernići
* Fatići
* Novovići
* Miškovići
* Vukovići
* Leposavići
* Đerkovići
* Turovići
* Jovovići
* Vučeljići
* Vujovići
* Savovići
* Vukičevići
* Stijovići
* Ćorac-Šunjevići
* Bajići and Šarbajići
* Mališići and Nedići
* Kruščići
* Vučetići

Notable people

By the beginning of the World War II there were more than 3600 Vasojevići “houses” in Polimlje and Lijeva Rijeka. Many notable Serbs (or people with Serbian roots, are Vasojevići by origin, e.g.:
* Karađorđe Petrović, Serbian revolutionary, leader of the Serbian Revolution and first Grand Vožd of Serbia
* Slobodan Milošević - former President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia.
* Radomir Vešović - War Minister of the Kingdom of Montenegro, General of Division in III Army of Kingdom of SHS.
* Gavro Vuković - a jurist, senator of the Principality of Montenegro, a military commander, Yugoslav politician and writer.Dimitrije-Dimo Vujovic, Prilozi izucavanju crnogorskog nacionalnog pitanja /The Research of the Montenegrin Nationality/ (Niksic: Univerzitetska rijec, 1987), p. 172.
* Avram Cemović, military officer who commanded Montenegrin units that captured Berane from Ottomans
* Momčilo Cemović - Presidents of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Montenegro (Prime Minister) from 1978 till 1982. Finance Minister of Yugoslavia from 1974 to 1978.
* Milla Jovovich - American actress, model, and musician
* Petar Bojović - one of four famous Serbian vojvode (field-marshal) in Balkan Wars and World War I.
* Đorđije Lašić, Montenegrin Serb military officer of the Royal Yugoslav Army.
* Dragan Nikolić - one of the most recognizable actors in Serbian cinema.
* Puniša Račić - Serbian and Yugoslav Radical politician who, in 1928, assassinated Croatian politician Stjepan Radić.
* Svetozar Marković - an influential Serbian political activist of the 19th century.
* Mihailo Lalić - a famous novelist of Serbian and Montenegrin literature. He is considered by some to be among the greatest Montenegrin authors.
* Radovan Zogović - one of the greatest Montenegrin poets of the 20th century.
* Jelena Janković - a Serbian professional female tennis player - formerly nr 1 ranked player in a WTA list.
* Milutin Šoškić - a legendary Serbian goalkeeper who played for SFR Yugoslavia.
* Borislav Milošević - Serbian diplomat
* Sofija Milošević - Serbian fashion model
* Žarko Obradović - Serbian politician and a former Minister of Education in the Government of Serbia.
* Slavica Đukić Dejanović - Serbian politician, former Minister of Health and former President of the National Assembly of Serbia
* Ljubiša Jokić - former general in the Military of Serbia and Montenegro
* Divna Veković - first female medical doctor in Montenegro.
* Vjera Mujović -an actress and writer of novels
* Lidija Vukićević - Serbian actress and politician
* Slavko Labović - Serbian-Danish actor
* Milija and Pavle Bakić, co-founders of Galatasaray football club
* Dragan Labović - Serbian basketball player
* Budislav Šoškić - Montenegrin communist and President of the People's Assembly of Socialist Republic of Montenegro
* Dejan Šoškić - Serbian economist, former Governor of the National Bank of Serbia
* Milić Vukašinović - drummer, rock singer and guitarist, most notable for his stint with Bijelo dugme.
* Bora Đorđević, famous Serbian musician and singer
* Željko Joksimović, famous Serbian musician and singer
* Boban Rajović, famous Montenegrin folk singer
* Blažo Rajović, Montenegrin footballer
* Goran Vukošić, popular Montenegrin folk singer
* Marko Vešović, Montenegrin footballer
* Siniša Dobrašinović, Montenegrin-born Cypriot football player
* Žarko Zečević, former Serbian basketball player, former football administrator and businessman
* Vladimir Dašić, Montenegrin basketball player
* Bojan Bakić, Montenegrin basketball player
* Boris Bakić, Montenegrin basketball player
* Ivan Djurkovic, Montenegrin handball player
* Sonja Barjaktarović, Montenegrin handball player
* Tanja Bakić. Montenegrin poet, essay and non-fiction writer
* Vasilije Tomović, Montenegrin chess master
* Mitar Milošević famous writer
* Đorđije Pajković -Montenegrin Yugoslav politician, Presidents of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Montenegro (Prime Minister) from 1962-1963
* Čedo Vuković - Montenegrin writer
* Stefan Babović - Serbian football player currently playing for FK Partizan and the Serbia national football team.
* Branislav Šoškić - Montenegrin economist and politician, President of the Socialist Republic of Montenegro's Presidency in 1985-1986
* Stevo Vasojević* - legendary ancestor of the Vasojevići tribe and character in the Kosovo Cycle

References

Bibliography

;About the tribe
*
*
*

External links

*
* http://sites.google.com/site/vasojevici

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasojevici

Tribes of Montenegro
Andrijevica Municipality
Berane Municipality
Montenegrin people of Albanian descent