Living in Shkoder, Albania

Rudi Vata

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 18:58:00 +0000

Here is a clip of Rudi Vata playing for Celtic and scoring against Rangers.

Rudi played in the Scottish Cup Final winning team beating Airdrie 1-0 in 1995, but he will always be remembered for scoring a goal in beating Rangers. Every Celtic player that has scored a goal in beating Rangers is well remembered by the Celtic fans.

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Just another blood feud killing?

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 22:13:00 +0000

Today I lost a friend, Dritan Prroj. He was shot at midday in one of the busiest areas in Shkoder. I was going to say he was shot doing nothing...but that would not be true. He was shot whilst preaching a belief from the bible of peace, love, tolerance and forgiveness and actively involved in helping the poor - he had been extremely busy helping families that suffered during the flooding in Shkoder earlier this year.
The reason he was shot was due to a “blood feud”.
His uncle had killed someone some years ago.
He had taken no part in the killing, nor had he been in agreement with it.

I wonder how Albania can seek to have visas to travel freely through Europe when they do little or nothing to stop these blood killings. Why would other countries want such people to come and visit or live in their land? ( I know not all Albanians have this mentality( thankfully) , but at the same time, the government do little to stop these killings) Surely NOW is the time for the government, in fact all political parties, to join together and to take action and make a new law taking sever action on any blood killings.
Far too many families are living indoors in fear of their lives.

This is the first time, as far as I am aware that a religious leader has been shot in a blood feud.
Dritan was the Pastor of an evangelical church in Shkoder.

Tonight my prayers are for his wife and children and his family. They will be much like me, still in shock and unable to comprehend WHY this happened.

The only good that come out of this ( as far as I can think) is that if Dritan’s death was remembered as the last killing in all blood feuds.
Unfortunately I think it will not be so.

I just hope the media and the social groups now put pressure on the government to ACT and get much tougher against the blood feuds.

Old Photos - Shkoder 1930's

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 12:44:00 +0000

I picked up a couple of postcards when i visited the National Marubi Fototek in Shkoder.
I love the old photos.

One of is of the centre of Shkoder in 1932.

It is interesting to see that the shops stretch across the road over to the mosque.
I can make out a couple of the shops....
One is called "Rruestore" - no idea what that means.
One is called "Udhtimit te perditshem" - I would have liked to know where they went, but I can't make that out.
Kafe Drini - no surprise there then - a cafe in Shkoder!

The other photo is of a family in Dukagjin in 1937.
I really like this photo.

It reminds me so much , and gave me a lot of help in visualizing life in the mountains, when reading the excellent book "Peaks of Shala" by Rose Wilder Lane.
Notice there is no "chimney" in the house for the smoke to leave. I take it the roofs were thatched and the smoke eventually rises up and through the roof.

I have a couple of questions though...
1) What does the woman on the right have in her hand?
2) What is hanging from the roof, and also what is hanging on the wall under the oil can?

I previously heard that the old bank on the new pedestrian walkway in the Piaca, would be turned into a museum to show off much more of the old Marubi photos than are currently displayed. The outside of the bank has been finished for ages, but still no sign of any work on the inside, nor of the Marubi exhibition moving. I am disappointed. Tourist season is starting and even leaving entrance fee as free, I am sure the the sale of postcards, booklets and magazines on Marubi and his photographs would allow the museum to function.

( I have not posted for a while, but hopefully I will keep the blog up. I have some posts I have not done, so over the next few weeks I should have a few posts)

Happy New Year Shkoder 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:59:00 +0000

Changing Face of Shkoder

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:56:00 +0000

Shkodra po ndryshon!

Well Shkoder is looking a little different. Not everything I like. I really think that the fountain isn't that great. I am beginning to think the whole idea of moving the 5 heroes was so they could make the roundabout smaller, and give the big apartment room on the road opposite our house.
i also think that in the centre of the town, within a mile radius of the centre, there should be no apartments higher than at the very most 6 floors!!
You really want to keep the look of the centre of your town, much as they have done in the Piaca - which the local towns house should be very proud of! - they did a great job there.

Baby Ema

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:47:00 +0000

A couple of friends at my church have a 9 month baby daughter named Ema.

Ema was ill when she was 4 months with a high temperature.
She was diagnosed with an infection just above her kidney and was operated on Tirana.
They thought she had fully recovered, only to be told later on that the doctors had found a malignant tumour and she would need chemotherapy.

Ema then went to Germany for an operation, and the parents hoped that Ema would have the tumour removed.

However, she still requires 6-9 months chemotherapy and at the moment, she is there for the treatment with her dad. Her mum is working in Shkoder and will go whenever she gets some free days off work.

They have set up a small blog to let us know what is happening.
Please pray for Ema's full healing...

http://emaevogel.blogspot.com/

...and if possible, visit the blog and give Ema's dad a little bit of encouragement. I am sure he will appreciate it.

Do not play on the grass!

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:03:00 +0000

Another beautiful day here in Shkoder.

I have been really busy recently, but decided that as my 3 boys have been in the apartment day and night, it was time to take them out for some games. So, down to the park at the bottom of the apartment and we played with the football and throwing the frisbee. Lots of fun. My 4 year old was having a great time!

But then there came a man from the Town House and told us that we were not allowed to play on the grass!

I mean - what is that all about?!

I asked him where we could go to play and he just laughed.
He told me that in Tirana someone was playing in a park, kicked a ball and a woman with a baby was passing, the baby got hit on the head and the child died.
therefore, there was no games allowed in the park.
And that he was employed to make sure that no-one played in the park.

Now, if that is true, then it is a tragic accident for which I am sorry about!

But at the same time, i have got to say...
Has Albania gone mad?!
Is this the proper reaction?

What next?
Are they going to ban cars from the road , because there are accidents?
Stop people selling in shops because there is food poisoning?
Stop people going to the beach as some drown in the sea?

Get real!

Then an old woman sitting nearby proceeded to tell me that abroad no-one is allowed to play on the grass in the parks EVER!
Yeah!?
I told her I am a foreigner and we have many parks full of children playing.
In fact, that is their purpose.
Somewhere for the children to go to and play!!! ( maybe Albania can learn from that!!)
But, no this old woman proceeded to tell me that she had also been abroad and what she was saying was right!

I guess she must know better than me !

Shqiperia ne NATO

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:21:00 +0000

The new home for "5 Heronjte"

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:31:00 +0000

( Can you spot them - they ARE in the photo!)

I met a friend this week on a visit to Shkoder.
He came up from Tirana by train.
When I met him, he told me that he had found the 5 Heroes.( and full credit to him - because they are NOT easy to find)
he said to me...."They are in a rubbish dump just outside of the city!"

So yes - it is true - the 5 heroes have a new home!!

...and yes there is some good news.
You can actually view the beauty of this sculpture from above and not just below. You can actually touch it. You can actually appreciate just how great a work of art it is.
That is really good!!

...of course, that is if you can actually find where the 5 heroes are!

They are in the middle of nowhere.
wait...that is not true.
they are in the middle of a rubbish dump....way outside of Shkoder....

The only people there were two men burning rubbish and a donkey!

Talking of donkeys.
What a stupid decision to send them here!!

And there is more...
I went to get my wife a birth certificate and family certificate today.
First of all, why does she have to have a birth certificate dated within the last 3 months?!
Her details of her birth do not, and never will change, so any birth certificate will ALWAYS be the same.
Anyway, whilst i was there , and waiting ( as you do for a certificate!! - usually for most of the morning!) I decided to check the maps on the wall to see what zone we are in for my wife's identity card.

Maybe I just got very stupid or disorientated, or maybe geography was never my strong point, but I could not find where we live!!

I mean , we live at "5 heronjte".
How difficult can it be to find that!!!

Then I realised the problem.
" 5 Heronjte" does not exist anymore...neither does Rruga Çlirimi....nor nearly every other road in Shkoder. they have all been renamed.
I now live on rruga Qemal Draçini, Sheshi Demokraci, Shkoder. ( ?!)

So here is Sheshi Demokraci!
The lasting legacy of democracy....

I remember seeing a Documentary in 1994 on the BBC in the UK, before I came to Albania. It was by Andy Kershaw a Radio One DJ on a visit to eastern Europe and of course - to Albania. His program only lasted 30 minutes and , 15 minutes were for Albania. I always remember how he finished off his report. he was up in the mountains somewhere having been invited to a wedding. There, he was with Albanians sitting on a wooden seat drinking raki and toasting the happy couple....
As the day went on, someone got in a Mercedes car and started driving round and round a field...as there was in fact no real road to the house where the wedding was celebrated.

The film showed a group of mainly young men laughing as the driver reversed in circles at high speed in a huge field....and Andy Kershaw gave us his prophetic words...

"My lasting view of Albania.....

Travelling at high speed into democracy - but in reverse gear - not knowing where they are going!"

Separated at Birth

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Isa Boletini and The Phantom of the Opera

Snowdër

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:39:00 +0000

Shkoder in the snow

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:18:00 +0000

Yes the snow has come.

It was forecast for Thursday but it has been snowing non-stop for the last 8 hours...and the forecast is for more snow during the night and tomorrow.

The kids love it, it makes a great photo...but I would rather a beautiful warm Spring day!

This is the heaviest snow fall that i can remember for a good few years, so I cannot complain. In fact my boys once asked me why it never snows in Albania like it does in Scotland!
I told them , no-where snows like it does in Scotland!!

I'm sorry for those of you living abroad, because Shkoder is looking beautiful and peaceful tonight!

O sa keq, o sa mire

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Just found an interesting website.

Thought some of you might like it.

www.vogelushet.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

No More Heroes (5Heronjte)

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 19:54:00 +0000

Today they knocked down and removed the “5 heroes” statue in Shkoder.
What a ridiculous decision!

Just so happened I was in Tirana (with my camera) and missed the whole episode. My wife took some video and phone camera photos and as soon as I find her USB connection for her phone I’ll post them up.

So, I found out about it whilst having a coffee in Tirana watching the news.

What a shock!

I mean, the “5 Heroes” are the view from my window.
I see them every day.
I like them.
They are, in a strange way, reassuring to me!

My middle son used to shout ‘Daddy” and point to the statue when I cycled with him to nursery. ( I have no idea which of the heroes reminded him of their dad!)

I couldn’t care if they fought for communism. I mean, what did they know about communism. I don’t believe they knew very much at all. I think they fought to free Albania! That to me makes them, and will always make them heroes! They were fighting for the freedom of the country and not for communist principles! What were they to know what the next 50 years would bring.

Just as we do not know what the next 50 years will hold.
Maybe in 50 years they will look back at some of our current politicians with great regret wandering how anyone could have ever given them their support!

So, I’m very disappointed tonight!
I certainly do not want a fountain in their place!

When I arrived back from Tirana, I took a walk down to the ‘5 Heroes” to see what was there. Just a pile of rubble. I took a couple of photos. As I was walking away, a car traveling round the roundabout suddenly braked sharply and stopped. The driver rolled down the window. He was Italian, and shouted to me,
‘Where are the Heroes?”
“They took them away!” I replied.
“I’m sorry” he shouted as he drove off, winding up the window.

I’m sorry too!

Edit: ( to add article from Newspaper Shekulli. Sorry, but it is in Albanian. But this man explains exactly what i am thinking. Të lumte gojën!)

Vrasja e dytë e 5 Heronjve të Shkodrës

(Marre nga Shekulli)

Prelë Milani*

Kulti më i shtrenjtë i një kombi janë heronjtë e tij. Sikur ta dinin këtë gjë anëtarët e përkohshëm të Këshillit Bashkiak Shkodër, nuk do të guxonin të votonin verbërisht, për të hequr nga sheshi qendror i qytetit, një nga përmendoret më madhështore të arkitekturës sonë të shekullit XX.

Më një nxitim të qëllimshëm, në tetor të vitit të kaluar, me një prapavijë të qartë politike, për denigrimin dhe mospërfilljen deri në absurditet të vlerave të LANÇ-it, me arrogancën e numrit të kartonëve, mospërfillës ndaj opinionit qytetar, në mënyrë të çuditshme, një këshill i zgjedhur në mënyrë të çuditshme, alla militare, me 27 kartuça partiakë, "legjitimoi "heqjen e një dëshmie të historisë, për ta zëvendësuar me një shatërvan apo "shurrtore"!!

Ky vendim ishte gjyqi politik për dënimin e dytë me vdekje të 5 Heronjve të Shkodrës. Duke përdorë si maskë të ashtuquajturin "plani e ri urbanistik", ustallarët e sundimit absolut politik 18-vjeçar të këtij qyteti, shfrytëzuan rastin të realizojnë në mënyrë të kamufluar, atë që kishin deklaruar disa herë nëpër aktive dhe tubime partiake përpara militantëve të tyre fanatikë: zhdukjen e 5 komunistëve të Vigut nga qendra e Shkodrës.

Vonë, shumë vonë, pas 17 vjetësh u zgjua nga gjumi letargjik Këshilli Bashkiak, për të zbatuar planin rregullues të qytetit të Rozafës, të murosur në hekur e beton. Qyteti i karafilave, në një rrokopujë kaotike ndërtimesh ngjason si një lis i dërmuar nga sëpata e pamëshirshme e druvarëve me pushtet politik, që pushtuan sipas qejfit hapësirat e gjelbra e publike të qytetit.

Tre muaj pas gjyqit politik bashkiak, dje erdhi ekzekutimi dhe vrasja e dytë e 5 heronjve të pavdekshëm. Dje, mercenarët e rinj ekstremistë të baskisë, urdhëruan sulmin me goditje të përqendruar ndaj përmendores madhështore.

Në prezencë të qindra e qindra qytetarëve të mbushur me habi, trishtim dhe revoltë të brendshme shpirtërore, u sulmua mbi të gjitha një vepër e shkëlqyer arti. Përmendorja u shkul me forcën e absolutizmit partiak, me rushkullin e fadromës, me dhëmbët e matrapikut dhe çengelin e vinçit të policisë shkatërrimore.

Aksioni spektakolar u zhvillua nën mbikëqyrjen rreptë të uniformave policore që vëzhgonin çdo lëvizje dhe përgjonin me radio në duar, duke demonstruar karshillëk. Shkodrës po ia marrin frymën pallatet hijerënda.

(Pallati i Jozit në lulishten e vjetër të qytetit, godinat madhështore tek Kinena verore, Rozafati i ri i Topalli + Gurakuqit, që e kanë futur plotësisht nënsqetull godinën e Radio Shkodrës dhe të filialit të TVSH-së në Shkodër.

Këshilli Bashkiak, me heshtjen, pa aftësinë dhe afrate e dyshimta u ka lënë dorë të lirë grabitësve të uritur të sulen në një garë ndërtimesh të shfrenuara pa kurrfarë kriteri, pa pyetur për traditë, pa pyetur urbanistikë, pa pikë mëshirë dhe vdekjeprurëse ndaj objekteve private e publike.

Në qoftë se për hir të një plani të ri rregullues, bashkëkohor të standardeve evropiane (që në fakt nuk rezulton i tillë, përkundrazi, mjaft i kontestuar nga specialistët), duhej lëvizë monumenti. Atëherë atij i duhej gjetur vendi i duhur brenda qytetit si pjesë e vlerave të veçanta të tij.

Dërgimi i tij përtej Zallit të Kirit, aty ku dergjen dëshmorët e Shkodrës, me varre të shkallmuara, të rrethuara me male plehrash dhe të mbuluara nga tymrat e zeza të djegies së mbeturinave, do të thotë që edhe ky monument të pësojë të njëjtin fat si monumenti i partizanit të varrezave që u tërhoq zvarrë për t'u shitur për hekurishte në Mal të Zi, në vitin e mbrapshtë '97.

Deshi zoti dhe një polic i ndërgjegjshëm, thonë se nuk e lejoi të kalonte Urën e Bunës. Shtatorja e partizanit të Varrezave të Dëshmorëve ka 8 vjet që qëndron në ambientet e Drejtorisë së Policisë Shkodër.

Në atë zonë të shkretë dhe të tymosur, ku prehen dëshmorët e Shkodrës, askush nuk i garanton të pestit në bronz se nuk do të hidhen në erë përsëri si monumenti i vjetër i tyre në Vig dy.

Nuk i garanton njeri se nuk do të goditen nga e njëjta dore pa gjak shqiptari, siç janë goditë bustet e Qemal Stafës, Vojo Kushit, Manush Alimanit, siç janë gjymtuar Migjeni, PashkoVasa, Vasil Shanto, etj.

Nisma të tilla, në dukje juridikisht të ligjshme, mbartin ngarkesa negative dhe nxisin frymën e përçarjes dhe urrejtjes se grupimeve sociale e politike të shoqërisë sonë. Ekzekutimit i djeshëm nuk ishte thjeshtë një zhvendosje e një përmendoreje, por është një hedhje guri dhe fshehje dore mbi integritetin e memories kombëtare.

Nën vellon e demokracisë dhe të antikomunizmit me dy gishtat lart, ka vite të tëra që në Shqipëri, e sidomos në Shkodër, vazhdon heretizmi ndaj vlerave të Luftës Antifashiste. Shpërngulja fizike e 5 heronjve është një tentativë e dhunshme për të shtyrë, spostuar sa më larg drejt periferisë dhe madje për ta fshirë një kapitull të rëndësishëm të historisë së popullit tonë.

Në Shqipërinë postkomuniste, rivlerësimi objektiv i historisë është detyrë e historianëve objektivë. Historia nuk mund të shkarravitet sipas qejfit të çdo sharlatani politik që i jepet rasti të hipë në karrocën e pushtetit.

Historia e heronjve të Vigut është e shkruar, është e ditur. E zezë, e shëmtuar, makabre ishte vrasja e tyre, si vetë ngjyra e këmishëzijve fashist dhe pafytyrësia e kolaboracionizmit. Ka disa zvarranikë gjakftohtë që thonë; se këta "dëshmorë" nuk luftuan me gjermanin dhe për rrjedhojë nuk meritojnë përmendore. Nuk e dinë këta të gjorë se duke arsyetuar kështu, nxjerrin akoma më lakuriq vrasësit e tyre kolaboracionistë.

Ata nuk kishin shkuar të luftonin me shqiptarët, por të bashkonin shqiptarët në luftë kundër nazi-fashizmit. Ato ishin idealistë të vertetë, paqedashës e atdhetarë. Kush ua vrau pranverën atyre?!

Çfarë sakrifice më sublime mund të bëjë njeriu në jetë se sa të flijohet si engjëll në emrin e Shqipërisë. Mjaft na kanë nënshtruar, shtypë e poshtëruar gjithfarëlloj pushtuesi. Për të shpëtuar këtë vend nga këto plagë vdekjeprurëse, u flijuan heronjtë.

Deri kur duhet të lejojmë baglaxhitë dhe jashtëqitjet e këtij populli të shumëvuajtur të na përdhosin simbolet e paprekshme të krenarisë kombëtare. Pesë Heronjtë e Vigut nuk kanë asnjë lidhje me sistemin që u instalua në Shqipëri pas Luftës së Dytë Botërore.

Ata dhanë jetën për idealin më të shtrenjtë të një kombi, si mijëra të tjerë bashkëkohës të tyre që kontribuuan dhe na radhitën në aleancën më të madhe të njerëzimit kundër nazi-fashizmit. Përveç epokës kastriotjane, ne si komb nuk kemi tjetër luftë më të lavdishme dhe krenari më të madhe kombëtare.

Ndaj, i duhet thënë një herë e mirë ndal vandalizmit dhe sulmeve të paprecedente ndaj vlerave dhe simboleve të kësaj lufte. Në qoftë se dje diktatura, në mënyrë të çmendur vuri dorë mbi objektet e kultit, ajo aventurë nuk do të përsëritet më kurrë. Monumentet e LNÇ-së duhet të jenë po aq të paprekshme si ata të besimit fetar.

Konkretisht, 5 heronjtë, si pjesë e jetës së përditshme të Shkodrës në qendër të saj, duhet të jenë, aty të paprekshëm, si heronjtë e 2 prillit, si monumenti i Isa Boletinit, etj.

Forcat e djathta në Shqipëri, nëse pretendojnë të jenë vërtet demokratike, duhet të mbajnë qëndrim të prerë ndaj fenomenit kolaboracionist dhe të çlirohen një orë e më parë nga reminishencat neofashiste dhe truket politike antikomuniste, që manifestojnë emocionalisht, herë pas here në lidhje me rehabilitimin e elementëve kolaboracionistë.

Shkodrës i ka mbetur në majë të gjuhës fjala mburrëse, "jemi djepi i kulturës". Jemi djepi i kulturës dhe shkallmojmë të gjitha monumentet e heronjve! Jemi djepi i kulturës dhe rrafshojmë shtëpinë-muze Luigj Gurakuqi, i heqim edhe emrin e tij një rruge të vjetër të qytetit. Jemi djepi i kulturës dhe tjetërsojmë shtëpinë-muze Migjeni, madje e mallkojmë me herezi si të kuq.

Jemi djepi i kulturës dhe ngrihemi të mos pranojmë shtatoren e Nënë Terezës. Jemi djepi i kulturës dhe u ngremë përmendore gjeneralëve pushtues dhe bashkëpunëtorëve të hapur të fashizmit Jemi djepi i kulturës e luftojmë si Sanço Panço me kryqet dhe minaret, të cilët nga ana tjetër, në rivalitet njëri me tjetrin, na kanë rrethuar si bunkerët e Enverit.

Një komb që nuk e din të djeshmen e vet, është foshnjarak, prandaj nuk mund të dijë as të sotmen, as të nesërmen mjerane që e pret.

*Poet dhe Publicist / Shkodër

Video - New Year Shkoder 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 09:28:00 +0000

New Year in Shkoder 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:19:00 +0000

The sunset of another year

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:14:00 +0000

Some sunsets this past week.

Genc Tukiçi - variation on an Albanian Theme (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 21:16:00 +0000

Saw the Christmas concert tonight on TVSH. At least I watched some of it...

I was very impressed with Genc Tukiçi's version of the Albanian National anthem. I thought it was absolutely fantastic.

Unfortunately I can't find a version of it on the internet, but here is another he did for TV Klan. This is also very, very good...but I still like the Albanian national anthem one better.

Natë e Shenjtë! Natë e qetë!

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:50:00 +0000

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

here is one of my favourite carols sung at Christmas time. And here is a couple of translations into Albanian.

Natë e shenjtë! Natë e qetë!

Natë e shenjtë! Natë e qetë!
Janë në gjumë njer'zit krejt
Vetëm Jozefi edhe Maria
Janë të zgjuar me të shenjtin fëmijë
Fli me paqen qiellore!
Fli me paqen qiellore!

Natë e shenjtë! Natë e qetë!
Ç'dashuri! Zoti vetë
Si një foshnjë na u zbulua
Plot hare për të na shpëtuar
Ja, Jezusi u lind
Ja, Jezusi u lind

Natë e shenjtë! Natë e qetë!
Ca barinj me të shpejtë
Lajmet e engjëjve i dëgjuan
Edhe në Bethlehem vrapuan
Shpëtimtari u lind!
Shpëtimtari u lind!

Shetja natë (ALBANIAN - Gheg dialect)

Shetja natë e lumja natë
krejt janë fjetë veç kanë mbetë
shën Jozefi dhe Zoja Mri
rahatojnë te bukrin Fmi:
Flej me t’ambël gjum,
flej me t’ambël gjum.

Shejtja natë e bukra natë
Krishti Fmi Zojës Mri
qe, në prehen sa mirë po rri,
ejtë këndojnë me brohori:
Erdh i lum Mesi,
Erdh i lum Mesi!

Shetja natë e lumja natë
me shpejti vin bari
me shique ket bukuri
me adorue njiket Fmi:
Krishtin plot dashni,
Krishtin plot dashni.

Shejtja natë e bukra natë
o njerzim plot gëzim
heq mjerimin ti me shpejtim
kqyr ket Fmi, qi me ngushllim:
mbushi botën mbar,
mbushi botën mbar.

All I want for Christmas is.....?

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:26:00 +0000

Well I certainly do not want these gifts!

1) An Albanian Christmas present.
Sound good?
Not according to Urban Dictionary.
It is described as an "unwelcome present"...as well as something else, which is not in my vocabulary!!

(Surely there is an e-mail address that I can write and complain to Urban Dictionary...or even better, a postal address, and I can send them an Albanian Christmas present!!)

2)A Merry Christmas Yard Sign

The hosts at Parking Site Corner certainly hope we all rush out to buy a yard sign wishing all our friends and neighbours a Merry Christmas.

It can be yours for $18 + post.

They also seem to be hoping that all our friends and neighbours ( and maybe us as well) are so drunk we don't notice that both words are misspelt.

3) An Albanian Christmas T-shirt

Here is what is advertised...
"Check out this great Albanian christmas T-shirt design from DustBuster Tee's collection of incredible gifts "
Unfortunately, they seem to think we are stupid enough to buy anything that is written in Albanian.

I mean it really is a bargain at only $24.85!!!! + post.

Come on, seriously - get a decent design!!

At least it is spelt correctly!
(Oh wait a minute....what is that funny squiggle above the "e" in Gëzuar. Oh no...we live in Albania NOT France!! That should be an "ë" not an acute accent!)

And so the winner is...
and I am not being sarcastic now, I would really like this for Christmas!

A Bottle of Skenderbeg Beer.

" Skenderbeg. Provo një birrë të fortë për burra të fortë:"

With directions to not put it in the fridge, and to not shake the bottle, and pour it with great care...it sounds like a great beer!

More information here.
Only problem is that it appears the beer is only available in the U.K.

Video Kejsi Tola - Me Merr Ne Enderr Eurovision 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:57:00 +0000

Winner of Festivali i Kenges 47 in Tirana yesterday.

Good luck in Moscow for Eurovision 2009.

It's quite a catchy tune, and I think it has a chance of getting quite a few votes.

Salloni i Vjeshtes - Art Show

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:20:00 +0000

Visited the recent show at the art gallery - "Salloni i Vjeshtes"

It was a collection of paintings from some Shkoder artists and also from the "Nentor" group in Tirana.
I'm not that qualified as an artist to give you a run down of all that was on display, but I will show some photos I took -especially of some paintings that I really liked.

This one of Father Zef Pellumbi.

Another of a typical street in Albania.

And my personal favourite, of a street scene in the mountains.

Apologies for the quality of the photos, but I took them with the mobile phone.

Festivali #47 TVSH

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:10:00 +0000

The festival is due to take place on 19th, 20th and 21st December.

The presenters this year will be Elsa Lila and a couple of the members from the group "The SHBLSH" - Julian Deda(right in photo above) and Gentian Zenelaj(left in photo above).

I must admit, I am not too keen on seeing Elsa Lila as presenter (again). I did not think she was very good last year, and I don't know why she doesn't just enter a song rather than be presenter.She's a far better singer than presenter.

They should have just left the guys to be presenters...

Anyway, not much information on the go, although we are less than 3 weeks away from the festival.

Of course the winner will go forward to represent Albania in the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest.

This appears to be the line up...

1. ADELINA THAÇI
2. AGIM POSHKA
3. EMI BOGDO
4. BESA KOKEDHIMA
5. BURN
6. DORINA GARUCI
7. ENDRI & STEFI PRIFTI
8. ERA RUSI
9. ERGA HALILAJ
10.EUGENT BUSHPEPA
11.JULIANA PASHA & LUIZ EJLLI
12.JULIAN LEKOCAJ
13.KEJSI TOLA
14.KUJTIM PRODANI
15.ROVENA DILO
16.SHPAT KASAPI
17.SONI MALAJ
18.VEDAT ADEMI
19.WEST SIDE FAMILY

Again I will go for my pick, before I even hear the songs...and as usual my pick will be nowhere near the final 3.
So my pick is...Adelina Thaçi.
Why?
Because Adrian Hila wrote her song, and his songs usually win.

It will be interesting to see if Soni Malaj wins...especially after she accused Serbia of stealing one of her songs when they won Eurovision in 2007.

Gëzuar Ditën e Pavarësisë (Peaks of Shala - Rose Wilder Lane)

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:29:00 +0000

I am reading a great book just now called "Peaks of Shala" by Rose Wilder Lane.( Published in 1923)
I will post something when I finish.
But I found this part interesting -and by coincidence, I just happened to read it last night!

Mrs Lane has pneumonia, and is struggling to get back to Shkoder from Shala.
She is led by two Albanians and sheltering from the torrential rain in a cave, they find they are sharing the cave with a bandit. The bandit tells them this story...

"It was at this time that the chiefs of Kossova came secretly by night through the Serbian lines to the house of Ahmet Bey Mati, and I was called by Ahmet to take them to Valona. He said that a word would be spoken in Valona to make Albania free. I said to Ahmet:
"The Montenegrins hold Scutari and the seacoast even to San Giovanni, the European Powers are in Durrazo, the Serbs have Kossova and the Dibra, the Greeks are in the south. What is talk of freedom? This is not a time to talk; it is a time to fight."
Ahmet said
"Before the war cry, the council of chiefs."
Ahmet is chief of the Mati, head of the family that has ruled the Mati since the days of Scanderbeg. He was a boy of sixteen, newly come from the court of Sultan Abdul Hamid; he did not wear the clothes of the Malisori and the chiefs of the Mati laced his opangi before every battle, because he did not know how to lace opangi. Yet it must be said that it was his coming that saved the Mati from the Serbs. He came quickly killing seven horses between Monastir and Borelli and he told the chiefs what to do, and they saved the Mati. It was hot fighting. For five months he had been fighting and sleeping on rocks. His chiefs loved him.
"I said, "I am killing Serbs, and have no wish to go to Valona."
Ahmet said,
" When my father died, my older brother sent me from my country to the Turks, I do not know the trails. The chiefs of Kossova are my guests, and they do not know the trails. We must go to Valona through Elbassan where the Serbs are. There is a meeting of all the chiefs of Albania in Valona. If we are killed by the Serbs, there will be no chiefs of Malisori at the meeting. There will be only Toshks - men of the plains."
I said,
"Tonight the moon will be dark. We must start as soon as we can see the small stars."

" In three nights we were at the house of Asif Pasha in Elbassan. No, nothing disturbed us on the way, except that we were obliged to kill with our hands the dogs that sometimes came upon us from the villages. The Serbs were everywhere and we could not use our guns. When we came to the house of Asif Pasha, the chiefs of Kossova with Ahmet slept in one room, and I sat with Asif Pasha by the fire in another room. Elbassan was held by many hundred Serbian soldiers. At midnight five officers with thirty soldiers came to the door. They came in, and would not take coffee. They stood and said,
" Who are the twelve men who sleep tonight in this house? Do not lie for we know that they are here."
"Asif Pasha said,
"This is one of them"
I said,
" I will tell you who they are, but I beg you not to let them know that I have told. I am only a servant, and they are great chiefs. They are byraktors of five villages of the Mati, three villages of Shala and Shoshi. They have come to Elbassan to talk with the Serbs. They have come secretly, hiding from the other chiefs. I do not know why. I beg you not to tell them that I have told, for they are tired and dirty, and they are sleeping while the women clean their clothes so that they will be clean tomorrow when they go to speak to your chiefs."
"The officers sat down then and one of them wrote. He wrote the names of the chiefs as I gave them to him, and he wrote what I said, that the Malisori were tired of fighting, and had little ammunition, and did not like their chiefs that made them fight. While he wrote, Asif Pasha gave them rakejia, and more and more rakejia but no coffee. When the Serbs had become foolish I went to the other room where the chiefs were listening with their rifles in their hands, and I took them all by a way I knew, out of Elbassan.
" So we came to Valona, the the house of Ismail Kemal Bey Vlora, the same who had been Grand Vizier of Abdul Hamid. He had come on an Austrian warship to Durrazo, and there they had tried to kill him, and he had come secretly, as we had come to Valona. Valona was the only free village in Albania then, except our mountain villages. There was a council in his house. Chiefs of all the tribes from Kossova to Janina were there, and when the council was ended Ismail Kemal Bey brought the flag of Scanderbeg, which had always been hidden in his house, and with a rope he made it run to the top of as pole in his house. It was the red flag with the two headed black eagle on it. I stood in the street and saw it go to the top of the pole. The chiefs were on the balcony, and Ismail Kemal Bey wept. Many men had tears on their cheeks. In the street they cried, "Roft Shqiperia!" and embraced one another. They said that the spirit of Scanderbeg lived, and that Albania was free"

Dhori Qiriazi

noreply@blogger.com (Kolin) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:36:00 +0000

I should have included this in the last post. To be honest i forgot I had this information, and only discovered it today, but still the last post was long enough without this!. Here is some information on Dhori Qiriazi.

( I find it interesting that he has written "Krishterimi në Shqiperi: botohet me rastin e 2000 vjetorit te Krishterimit në Shiperi". I wonder if he is any relation to Gjerasim Qiriazi. That I have not found out yet!)

from the Irvine Burns Club

A special item is the Works of Burns, translated into Albanian, by Dhori Qiriazi, who sent us two copies, one of which is in our library, the other of which we have presented to the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, to include in its excellent Burns section.
Robert Bërns, Poezi, dhe një ese nga T. Karlajli ne shqip nga origjinali: Dhori Qiriazi (Poems: The essay of Thomas Carlyle and Translations from the orginals by Dhori Qiriazi)
Dhori Qiriazi inscribed the volumes: "To Irvine Burns Club - In admiration for my most beloved poet and the most sincere poet in the world. 9 March 2003".
When we sent him booklets, he wrote back: "I saw the photo of the Irvine statue of Robert Burns and I think this is the best statue of the poet that I have seen till now. Also I wish to compliment Colin Hunter McQueen for his album of the life of Robert Burns. My translation of the verses of Robert Burns into Albanian lasted fifteen years and it is the first - and only - translation in Albanian of him from the original language. I am glad to say the poet has lost nothing of his flavour in Albanian. To the crown of world poetry Robert Burns, I am sure, is the brightest jewel. He is very sincere and wrote in an unaffected way the truth and only the truth."
For a flavour of Albanian, here are the lines from Tam O'Shanter, which start "O Tam, had'st thou but been sae wise" where lines 3-6 are telling Tam off for being a "drunken blellum":
O Tam, ti s'mbajte në rradake
asnjë këshillë të Kates sate:
"Një grosh nuk vlen, të thotë, lum miku,
kur flet me grahma pijaniku,
se të gjithë vitin, gjer në fund,
çdo ditë pazari bëhesh thumb!"

I was born on 16 December 1932 in the village of Lëngëzë near the Erseka town in the region of Kolonja in south-eastern Albania. I have studied at the Faculty of History and Philology of the University of Tirana. In 1958 I'm graduated in Albanian language, literature and history. I have worked as a teacher of Albanian language and literature in Erseka and in the region of Kolonja from 1958 till 1988.
I began publishing in the 50' s in varying kinds of publications. From 1958 I have published several verse collections: Kur zemra rreh së pari ('When the heart first beats') 1958, Ballada intime ('Intimate ballad') 1963, (second edition in 2001), Poema e ushtarit ('A soldier's poem') 1968, Pishat me kristale ('The crystal torch') 1971, Vitet ('Years') 1982, Kukuli dhe shigjeta ('Kukul and the arrow' - satires) 1984.

I have also published several short stories. After 1982 I began to focus more on translation work. I know Russian language and I have translated several authors as well as Pushkin, Esenin, Necrasov, Tolstoy, etc.
In the 70's I began to learn English. In 1984 I had translated the book you have now with selected poems songs and ballads of Bums. Some of them are: Tam 0 'Shanter, The Jolly Beggars, The Twa Dogs, The Brigs of Ayr, Poor Mailie's Elegy, Scotch Drink, To a Mouse, Holy Willie's Prayer, John Anderson, My Jo, Mary Morison, My Love is like a Red Red Rose (My Luve's like a red red rose), Afton Water, Duncan Gray, Scots Wha Hae, etc. This book was published only in 1998 with the title: Poetry and an essay by Thomas Carlyle. I have also translated from English George Byron, John Keats, John Cam Hobhouse (A Journey through Albania), etc.
I have translated from Italian language the Italian classical poet Petrarca (The Book of Songs), the poet Salvatore Quasimodo, Leopardi, etc.
I have written a few historical research books: Krishterimi në Shqipëri ('Christianity in Albania'), Dhimitër Kamarda (an Albanian-arbëresh linguist) and I have translated also from Italian language a historical book of Gjon Muzaka (Remembrances) a prince and a general of our national hero Scanderbeg.

I include Qiriazi's translation of the classic "A red, red rose" again by Robert Burns.

Dashuria ime

Si trëndafil më je, moj dashuri,
që hapet në qershor
dhe kaq e ëmbël rrjedh si melodi
që derdhet nga një kor

Si ty moj çupë kurrë nuk kam hasur,
të dua, dot s'përmbahem,
do të të dua ty gjithmonë, e dashur,
gjer detet krejt të thahen.

E dashur, gjer të thahen detet
gjithnjë do të të dua,
gjer guri copa-copa të tretet,
të bjerë baltë mbi mua.

Ah, lamtumirë e vetmja dashuri
ah, lamtumirë për pak
nga fundi i dheut do vija përsëri
tek ty, po t'isha larg.

Burns Original

O, my luve's like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June.
O, my luve's like the melodie,
That's sweetly play'd in tune.
2.
As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I,
And I will luve thee still, my Dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.
3.
Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun!
O I will luve thee still, my Dear,
While the sands o' life shall run.
4.
And fare thee weel, my only Luve,
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' it were ten thousand mile!