Rrezja journal

Quote

2012-01-11T19:06:00.002+01:00

Quote

2011-10-10T22:54:00.000+02:00

Quote

2011-10-09T01:57:00.001+02:00

Kids Dancing - Donati & Dibrani

2011-08-11T16:24:00.003+02:00

Cycling along Lumbardhi Valley / Prizren 2011

2011-07-20T19:28:00.000+02:00

Jorge Luis Borges (Instants)

2011-01-28T18:56:00.000+01:00

Çastet

Nëse do mundja ta jetoja përsëri jetën time

në tjetrën, do përpiqesha të bëja më shumë gabime.

nuk do tentoja të isha kaq i përsosur,

do të isha relaksuar me shumë.

do të isha më i marrë seç kam qenë

në fakt, do merrja pak gjëra me seriozitet .

do të isha më pak higjienik.

do rrezikoja më shumë.

do shkoja në pushime më gjatë.

do sodisja më shumë perëndime të diellit

do ngjitesha në male më shumë, do notoja në shumë lumenj

do të shkoja në vende që s’i kam bredhur kurrë

do të haja më shumë akullore e më pak bizele

do të kisha më shumë probleme reale, e më pak të imagjinuara

Kam qenë nga njerëzit që kanë jetuar me kuptim e begati

në secilin minutë të jetës së tij;

Sigurisht, kam pasur edhe momente gëzimi.

Por sikur të mundja të kthehesha prapa,

Do të shijoja vetëm momentet e mira

Sepse nëse nuk e dini, vetëm prej çasteve përbëhet jeta,

mos humb çastet e ditës së sotme.

Unë kam qenë një prej atyre që kurrë

nuk shkuan ndokund pa termometer,

pa shishe me ujë të ngrohtë,

ombrellë e parashutë.

Po të jetoja përsëri do udhëtoja më lehtë

Sikur të jetoja sërish.

do ecja këmbëzbathur nga pranvera

deri në fund të vjeshtës.

do luaja më shumë nëpër karusele

do sodisja më shumë agime mëngjesi ,

e luaja më shumë me fëmijë,

sikur të kisha një tjetër jetë para meje

Por siç e shihni, jam 85 vjeç

dhe e di që jam në buzë të varrit.

Rural Poverty Reporting- Journalism Training

2011-01-26T13:58:00.000+01:00

Course type:	Customised training
Start date:	18 Feb 2011
End date:	20 Feb 2011
Location:	Rome
Language:	English
Partners:	IFAD
Deadline:	28 Jan 2011

ELIGIBILITY
ll applicants for Thomson Reuters Foundation training courses must currently be working as journalists or regular contributors to media organisations. They must be able to demonstrate a commitment to a career in journalism in their country, must have at least two years’ professional experience and have a good level in spoken and written English.

FUNDING
Thomson Reuters Foundation, through IFAD funding and support, offers full bursaries for journalists from developing world countries working for established media organisations. Bursaries would include air travel expenses (economy class), accommodation, transfers and meals. Please note that visa costs or any other additional costs will be the responsibility of the participant. This arrangement is subject to variation.

SUBMISSIONS
-A biography of up to 250 words outlining your career.
-Two recent examples of your published work, preferably relevant to the course for which you are applying, with a brief summary in English (if necessary). TV/Radio journalists can send in their scripts and a brief summary.

For more information click here

COGNITION AND EMOTION

2011-01-23T20:49:00.001+01:00

By Jetmir ZYBERAJ,Bachelor of Psychology

Talking about cognitive and emotional processes, means talking about the most important aspects of human personality. These processes are important because their normal functioning is vital to individual and so on; in case of normal functioning of the individual these processes provide a secure prosperity and a better adaptation process in his social circle.

First of all, it is very important to make some operational definition about Cognition and Emotion. In these aspect, these processes have been analyzed from different perspectives within different contexts and fields, especially in the fields of linguistics, neurology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology and science. But, lots of authors and theories have stress different definitions about these processes.E.g.: David G. (2004) at his book, “Theories of Emotion”, stress: Emotion is the complex of psycho physiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical (internal) and environmental (external) influences. He enhanced too that, in humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience.
Lazarus (1991), defined emotions according to 'core relational themes' which are intuitive summaries of the 'molar appraisals' (e.g. of relevance, goal conduciveness) involved in different emotions. These themes help define both the function and eliciting conditions of the emotion. They include:
Anger - a demeaning offense against me and mine.
Fear - facing an immediate, concrete, and overwhelming physical danger.
Sadness - having experienced an irrevocable loss.
Disgust - taking in or being too close to an indigestible object or idea (metaphorically speaking).
Happiness - making reasonable progress toward the realization of a goal.
Some theories have emphasized the role of different factors. Thus, the two-factor theory of emotion, (Schachter-Singer theory, 1962), is a theory of emotion suggesting that human emotion has two components (factors): physiological arousal and cognition (a conscious understanding of that arousal). According to the theory, "cognitions are used to interpret the meaning of physiological reactions to outside events.
Another theory is James-Lange theory which states that within human beings, as a response to experiences in the world, the autonomic nervous system creates physiological events such as muscular tension, a rise in heart rate, perspiration, and dryness of the mouth. Emotions, then, are feelings which come about as a result of these physiological changes, rather than being their cause. Lange specifically stated that vasomotor changes are emotions. (Ex. A person rationalizes that because he/she is crying, he/she must be sad.)
What about cognition? Cognition is a term referring to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and comprehension, including thinking, knowing, remembering, judging and problem-solving. Based on this definition we can easily express that cognition is one of the most complex processes that needs to be study in a special way because of its importance. Processes that includes the preliminary definition, makes us think that it is the most important part of our personality too.
Many other researches and dates has been written on the importance of these processes, (Lazarus, 1991; Smith & Lazarus, 1993), proving that through operational definitions to emphasize the similarities and differences between them and about the role they have for the life of the individual.
Cognition as a process, has a special importance for the individual, so a concise study about it and its importance is very important, because it enables us at the same time recognizing the individual and the most important part of it. Some studies have emphasized that there are major differences between them, stressing a great role of cognitive processes and their impact on emotional processes, Parkinson (1994).So, they stress that cognitive processes impact more those emotional ones.
But the other theories emphasized that feelings more than anything else influence our personal lives, that they affect the quality of our mental states, our sense of bodily well-being, and the bodily well-being itself, [(Affective Neuroscience. Cognition and Emotion. Panksepp, J. (1998)].They say that emotions are critical for the survival of the individual.
Some authors trying to make the differences between these processes (John Wiley & Sons, 2005) have evaluated a dichotomy aspect by saying that emotion always involves cognition and cognition always involves emotion.
We can also mention that all these investigation were done through lots of studies when in some experimental ways were pronounced the role for both of these processes.

Definitions and the role of Cognition and Emotion

In the beginning we have enhanced the role or these processes, as one of the most important parts of personality and some of the theories that were most deal with these processes.
Both of processes are very important, but when researchers define and describe the role of them in our personality, they try to do it most, based on the similarities and differences between them.
But the best way to understand the role and importance of them is defining in some operational ways separated, looking for researches that were before done about these processes.
Thus, below we’ll define and through these definitions and some findings, we will express the role and importance of them.

What is Cognition and what does it impact most in our lives?

Different definitions were made by different authors and theories about cognition and cognitive processes in general. But despite from all of them it is very important to start defining emotions from the literal meaning, because there we can find what in fact the term has to do with and then we can easily judge about its role and importance.

In literal, Cognition means “to know”. Knowledge can be thought of as “memories formed from the manipulation and assimilation of raw input”, perceived through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell (Gregory Kellett, 2008).
If we only stop and analyze this definition that Kellet made, we could stress about the role of the of cognition in our lives. Until people are under cognition impact, almost all of his most important parts are under function, starting from senses of sight, hearing, taste etc, even the other parts, as is our emotional state, attention, intelligence, etc.
Cognition, in general is an ability (mental ability) for:
1. Ability to acquire knowledge: - The mental ability or process of acquiring knowledge by the use of reasoning, intuition, or perception
2. Knowledge acquired: - Knowledge acquired through reasoning, intuition, or perception processes.
Therefore, we can enhanced that cognition is the psychological result of perception, learning and reasoning as some mental processes.
Others definitions stress directly the impact and the role of cognition in our lives. So on, some authors (Lycan, W. (1999). Mind and Cognition) stressed that the term “Cognition”, ( latin: cognoscere, "to conceptualize" or "to recognize") refers to a faculty for the processing of information, applying knowledge, and changing preferences. Cognition, or cognitive processes, can be natural or artificial, conscious or unconscious. And as we stressed preliminary these processes have been analyzed from different perspectives within different contexts, especially in the fields of linguistics, anesthesia, neurology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, systemic and computer science. But within psychology or philosophy, the concept of “Cognition” is closely related to abstract concepts such as mind, intelligence, also cognition is used to refer to the mental functions, mental processes (thoughts) and states of intelligent entities (humans, human organizations, highly autonomous machines).
The sort of mental processes described as cognitive are largely influenced by research which has successfully used this paradigm in the past, likely starting with Thomas Aquinas, who divided the study of behavior into two broad categories: cognitive (how we know the world), and affect (feelings and emotions). Consequently, this description tends to apply to processes such as memory, association, concept formation, language, attention, perception, action, problem solving and mental imagery. Traditionally, emotion was not thought of as a cognitive process. This division is now regarded as largely artificial, and much research is currently being undertaken to examine the cognitive psychology of emotion; research also includes one's awareness of strategies and methods of cognition, known as metacognition (Coren, Ward & Enns, 1999).
It is very important to enhance that there is the Cognitive Science or how do some psychologist call it: “the science of knowledge”: Is exactly the scientific study of knowledge and how it is acquired, combining aspects of philosophy, psychology, linguistics, anthropology, and artificial intelligence.
Cognition as an intellectual process, affects almost every area of an individual life. His width includes even the exact sciences in addition to social ones. We can see this feature at cognition itself, because it includes one of the most important aspects of human beings such as memory, thinking, attention, intelligence and other intellectual processes.
Numerous authors have emphasized the role of cognition as more important at humans, compared with that of emotion (Coren, H. 1998). Based on researches done with animals, they note that the intellectual processes of the individual are those who control it, dominating so well in those behavioral and emotional processes.
Therefore, the role and importance of cognition as about human species, it is very important, because the normal functioning of the cognitive process to the individual, enables him a better adaptation in his social circle and in whole life in general.

Do animals have Cognition

An important part when we deal with the issue of cognition is the concept of animal cognition.
Do animals have cognition? Do they act instinctively or based on this process? What do studies enhanced about this process to animals?

“Animal cognition” is the title given to the study of the mental capacities of non-human animals from different researchers and studies. It has been developed out from the comparative psychology, but has also been strongly influenced by the approach of ethology, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary psychology. The alternative name “cognitive ethology” is therefore sometimes used; and much of what used to be considered under the title of ‘animal intelligence:’ is now thought of under this heading.
In practice, animal cognition mostly concerns mammals, especially to primates, cetaceans and elephants( besides canidae, felidae and rodents), but researches also extends to non-mammalian vertebrates such as birds including parrots, corvids, and pigeons, as well as lizards and fish, even to non-vertebrates such as cephalopods (Skinner, B. F. (1969). Contingencies of reinforcement: a theoretical analysis).
Studies shows us that animals in general act instinctively, except some concerns mammals for who they believe that they can make a lot of actions based on their “intellectual capacity”.
But they enhance that there is a different between the way that animals use they intellectual capacity and humans. Animals usually use these ability in complex situations while humans most of things that they do under this ability.
Even though there is a major number of studies that do support this statement, we can enhanced that cognitive aspect is the most important the one that makes humans species different from those non-human ones(animals).And so on, the debate about this issue, is continual, exactly because of the complexity that does this issue contents.

What is Emotion

A very important aspect about human species is the emotional side. It is very important having information about emotions because it contents the most important part of a human personality.
So on, lots of definitions and studies that were before done, shows us about the importance that do emotions have in our life. For neither of the definitions are not full, partly because the emotions are complex personal events, which are difficult to understand even to ourselves and to others (Pettijohn, T. 1996).They are copmplex in every aspect, starting from the way we exspress them.
The complexity with which we can express our emotions makes us think that emotion is a multifactorial or multidimensional process. We always have the impression that we lack words to describe our emotions accurately. But under this complexity, it underlies a common factor to all emotions: “each emotion expresses a quantity or magnitude in a positive or negative scale”. This way, we experience positive and negative emotions in different degrees and with diverse intensity. We can experience abrupt or gradual changes of emotional intensity, either towards the positive or negative side. That is to say, all emotion represents a magnitude or measurement along a continuum that can take positive or negative values (Wukmir, V.J., 1967).
Lazarus (1991) defines emotions according to 'core relational themes' which are intuitive summaries of the 'molar appraisals' (e.g. of relevance, goal conduciveness) involved in different emotions. These themes help define both the function and eliciting conditions of the emotion. They include:
Anger - a demeaning offense against me and mine.
Fear - facing an immediate, concrete, and overwhelming physical danger.
Sadness - having experienced an irrevocable loss.
Disgust - taking in or being too close to an indigestible object or idea (metaphorically speaking).
Happiness - making reasonable progress toward the realization of a goal.

Theories of Emotions

Theories about emotions stretch back at least as far as the Ancient Greek Stoics, as well as Plato and Aristotle. Also some sophisticated theories we can see in the works of philosophers such as René Descartes, Baruch Spinoza and David Hume. Later theories of emotions (as are somatic theories) tend to be informed by advances in “empirical research”. Often theories are not mutually exclusive and many researchers incorporate multiple perspectives in their work.
Since the first theories of emotions, from the work of philosophers, there have been formed lots of theories and each one stress different roles of emotions.

Most of authors agrees that these theories can be separated in six groups (David,1991):
1. Somatic theories
2. Neurobiological theories
3. Cognitive theories
4. Two-factor theory
5. Affective events theory
6. Cannon-Bard theory

1. Somatic theories -

These theories claim that bodily responses rather than judgments are essential to emotions. The first modern version of such theories comes from William James in the 1880s.
James-Lange Theory:
William James, (1884), in the article 'What is an Emotion?' (Mind, 9, 1884: 188-205) argued that emotional experience is largely due to the experience of bodily changes. Carl Lange, a Danish psychologist also proposed a similar theory at around the same time, so this position is known as the James-Lange theory. This theory, which was introduced in the late 19th century and its derivatives, state that a changed situation leads to a changed bodily state. As James says "the perception of bodily changes as they occur is the emotion". James further claims that "we feel sad because we cry, angry because we strike, afraid because we tremble, and neither we cry, strike, nor tremble because we are sorry, angry, or fearful, as the case may be."
This theory is supported by experiments in which by manipulating the bodily state, a desired emotion is induced. Such experiments also have therapeutic implications (for example, in laughter therapy, dance therapy). The James-Lange theory is often misunderstood because it seems counter-intuitive. Most people believe that emotions give rise to emotion-specific actions: e.g. "I'm crying because I'm sad", or "I ran away because I was scared". The James-Lange theory, conversely, asserts that first we react to a situation (running away and crying happen before the emotion), and then we interpret our actions into an emotional response.
In this way, emotions serve to explain and organize our own actions to us. The issue with James-Lange theory is that of causation (bodily states causing emotions and being a priori), not that of the bodily influences on emotional experience (which we would argue that it is still quite prevalent today in biofeedback studies and embodiment theory).

2. The neurobiological theories:

Based on discoveries made through neural mapping of the limbic system, the neurobiological explanation of human emotion is that “emotion is a pleasant or unpleasant mental state organized in the limbic system of the mammalian brain”. If distinguished from reactive responses of reptiles, emotions would then be mammalian elaborations of general vertebrate arousal patterns, in which neurochemicals (for example, dopamine, noradrenalin, and serotonin) step-up or step-down the brain's activity level, as visible in body movements, gestures, and postures.
For example, the emotion of love is proposed to be the expression of paleocircuits of the mammalian brain (specifically, modules of the cingulate gyros) which facilitate the care, feeding, and grooming of offspring. Paleocircuits are neural platforms for bodily expression configured before the advent of cortical circuits for speech. They consist of pre-configured pathways or networks of nerve cells in the forebrain, brain stem and spinal cord, (Kringelbach, M. L., O’Doherty, J. O., Rolls, E. T., & Andrews, C. (2003). Activation of the human orbitofrontal cortex to a liquid food stimulus is correlated with its subjective pleasantness. Cerebral Cortex, 13, 1064-1071).

3. Cognitive theories –

An influential theory here is that of Lazarus: emotion is a disturbance that occurs in the following order:
1.) Cognitive appraisal- The individual assesses the event cognitively, which cues the emotion. 2.) Physiological changes- The cognitive reaction starts biological changes such as increased heart rate or pituitary adrenal response.
3.) Action- The individual feels the emotion and chooses how to react. For example: Jenny sees a snake. 1.) Jenny cognitively assesses the snake in her presence, which triggers fear.2.) Her heart begins to race faster. Adrenaline pumps through her blood stream. 3.) Jenny screams and runs away. Lazarus stressed that, “The quality and intensity of emotions are controlled through cognitive processes”. These processes underlie coping strategies that form the emotional reaction by altering the relationship between the person and the environment.
There are some theories on emotions arguing that cognitive activity in the form of judgments, evaluations, or thoughts is necessary in order for an emotion to occur. A prominent philosophical exponent is Robert C. Solomon (for example, The Passions, Emotions and the Meaning of Life, 1993). The theory proposed by Nico Frijda where appraisal leads to action tendencies is another example.
It has also been suggested that emotions (affect heuristics, feelings and gut-feeling reactions) are often used as shortcuts to process information and influence behavior. The Affect infusion model (AIM) is a theoretical model developed by Joseph Forgas in the early 1990s that attempts to explain how emotion and mood interact with one's ability to process information,( Lazarus R., UC Berkeley psychology faculty member and influential researcher).

4. Two-factor theory –

Another cognitive theory is the Singer-Schachter theory. This is based on experiments purportedly showing that “subjects can have different emotional reactions despite being placed into the same physiological state with an injection of adrenaline”. Subjects were observed to express either anger or amusement depending on whether another person in the situation displayed that emotion. Hence, the combination of the appraisal of the situation (cognitive) and the participants' reception of adrenaline or a placebo together determined the response.

5. Affective events theory –

This a communication-based theory developed by Howard M. Weiss and Russell Cropanzano (1996) that looks at the causes, structures, and consequences of emotional experience (especially in work contexts). This theory suggests that emotions are influenced and caused by events which in turn influence attitudes and behaviors. This theoretical frame also emphasizes time in that human beings experience what they call emotion episodes—a "series of emotional states extended over time and organized around an underlying theme".

6. Cannon-Bard theory-

The Cannon-Bard theory, also known as the thalamic theory, is a theory of emotion developed by physiologists Walter Cannon and Philip Bard, suggesting that individuals experience emotions and physiologically react simultaneously. These actions include changes in muscular tension, perspiration, etc. This theory challenges the James-Lange theory of emotion introduced in the late 19th century, which suggests that emotion results from one's "bodily change," rather than the other way around.
The Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion is based on the premise that one reacts to a specific stimulus and experiences the corresponding emotion simultaneously. Therefore, if one is afraid of heights and is travelling to the top of a skyscraper, they are likely to experience the emotion of fear. Subsequently, the perception of this emotion (fear) influences the person's reaction to the stimulus (heights). Cannon and Bard posited that one is able to react to a stimulus only after experiencing the related emotion and experience. The emotion in which it goes into the brain.

Basic Emotions

Different authors have enhanced different kind of emotions. But we will collect some of main authors and their division.

Paul Ekman categories
Thus, Paul Ekman has dedicated his career to researching emotions, focusing primarily on these seven basic emotions:
Fear — Danger lurks
Sadness — Impending loss
Anger — Conspecific threat, trespass, thwarted goals, plea for justice
Joy — Impending gain
Surprise — Unexpected event
Disgust — Contamination, toxic contact
Contempt — Substandard behavior or being
But, he also enhanced (in his book “The Passion and Reason”,) that some of main emotions that we can meet already every day ,in our daily life can be as he provides in clear definitions and descriptions of all these 15 separate emotions :
Anger — Nonspecific threat, trespass, loss attributed to an agent, unjust insult, thwarted goals, plea for justice
Envy — Desiring other's stature objects
Jealousy — Threat to sexual access.
Fright — Concern for a future specific unpleasant event.
Anxiety — Concern for an unidentified unpleasant event.
Guilt — you have a standard and I did not meet it.
Shame — I have a standard and I did not meet it
Relief — anticipated undesirable outcome has not occurred
Hope — Anticipation of future desirable event or outcome
Sadness — A specific undesirable outcome has occurred
Depression — lost hope
Happiness — a desirable event or outcome has occurred
Pride — I approve of my actions, I have met a standard (mine = smug, yours = authentic)
Love — Attraction and caring
Gratitude — Appreciating another's kindness
Compassion — Feeling the pain of another
Aesthetic Experience — Awe, wonder, and slight fear of nature and its creations.

The Goleman categories

In appendix “A” of his book Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman proposes these basic families of emotions:
Fear: (Safety) anxiety, apprehension, nervousness, concern, consternation, misgiving, wariness, qualm, edginess, dread, fright, terror and in the extreme cases phobia and panic.
Anger: (Justice) fury, outrage, resentment, wrath, exasperation, indignation, vexation, acrimony, animosity, annoyance, irritability, hostility, and perhaps these are manifest in the extreme as hatred and violence.
Sadness: (Loss) grief, sorrow, cheerlessness, gloom, melancholy, self-pity, loneliness, dejection, despair, and depression in the extreme case.
Enjoyment: (Gain) happiness, joy, relief, contentment, bliss, delight, amusement, pride, sensual pleasure, thrill, rapture, gratification, satisfaction, euphoria, whimsy, ecstasy, and at the far edge, mania.
Love: (Attraction) acceptance, friendliness, trust, kindness, affinity, devotion, adoration, infatuation, and agape.
Disgust: (Repulsion) contempt, distain, scorn, abhorrence, aversion, distaste, and revulsion
Surprise: (Attention) shock, astonishment, amazement, and wonder
Shame: (Self-control) guilt, embarrassment, chagrin, remorse, humiliation, regret, mortification, and contrition.

Robert Plutchik categories

Plutchik created so on called “wheel of emotions” in 1980 which consisted of 8 basic emotions and 8 advanced emotions each composed of 2 basic ones:
Basic emotion Basic opposite
Joy Sadness
Trust Disgust
Fear Anger
Surprise Anticipation
Sadness Joy
Disgust Trust
Anger Fear
Anticipation Surprise

Non-Emotions

In his book Richard Lazarus (1991), Emotion and Adaptation , lists several mental states and called them non-emotions because as he stressed, they “may be” emotion related, but are not themselves actual emotions.
- The list includes:
-the complex states of:
Grief and depression
-the ambiguous positive states of:
Expansiveness, awe, confidence, challenge, determination, satisfaction, and being pleased
-the ambiguous negative states of:
Threat, frustration, disappointment, helplessness, meaningless, and awe
-the mental confusion states of:
Bewilderment and confusion
-the arousal states of:
Excitement, upset, distress, nervousness, tension, and agitation;
-and finally the pre-emotions of:
Interest, curiosity, amazement, anticipation, alertness, and surprise.
Lazarus, also emotions defined according to 'core relational themes' which are intuitive summaries of the 'molar appraisals' (e.g. of relevance, goal conduciveness) involved in different emotions. These themes help define both the function and eliciting conditions of the emotion. They include:
Anger - a demeaning offense against me and mine.
Fear - facing an immediate, concrete, and overwhelming physical danger.
Sadness - having experienced an irrevocable loss.
Disgust - taking in or being too close to an indigestible object or idea (metaphorically speaking).
Happiness - making reasonable progress toward the realization of a goal.

Relation between cognition and emotion?

Authors that most deal with this issue enhance lots of views and no one of them is similar with others. But we can discern or collect from the educational and psychological literature three kinds of answers about this issue:
First, some emotional reactions can be elicited without the intervention of cognition (the opposite has not yet been documented).
Second, cognition is a cause of emotion. Thus, many emotional reactions and modulations are contingent upon or influenced by the individual’s (cognitive) appraisal of the stimuli coming from his/her body, mind, and environment. There is also a robust relationship between the individual’s understanding of emotion (including of their regulation) and his/her emotional well-being.
Third, emotion is a cause of cognition. Thus, emotional arousal and valence have an influence on, for example, memory, attention, and creativity. This impact is neither linear nor symmetrical: Emotional arousal has to be neither too low nor too high to have an optimum impact and the impact of negative emotions seems clearer than the impact of positive emotions. In this article, we claim that the identification of causal relations between cognition and emotion may to a great extent depend on the moment one takes a snapshot in the flow of the individual’s subjective experience. We also claim that, as a function of the situation (context, circumstances, etc.) and the individual (personality level of development, etc.), either cognition or emotion may be dominating the individual’s mental functioning and, further, that the absence of this circularity would be dysfunctional for the individual (Lazarus, R. (1999).

General aspects of cognition and emotion research

The contemporary community of cognition-emotion researchers employs a wealth of different methodologies and techniques, within a variety of research designs, in order to understand its subject matter. Perhaps more importantly, and this is an idea that emerges from all of the sections of the present volume, there is a need to integrate research across different levels of explanation within psychology. At present, cognition-emotion relations are conceptualized at a number of levels of analysis: the neurobiological, the functional, the social, and the cultural. What will become necessary in the short- to medium-term are theories integrating across these various levels of analysis.
It is this need for integrative theorizing and research that is likely to extend the range of research methodologies employed in cognition and emotion over the next decade. The challenge in this field will be to resist the temptation to pursue a modern-day phrenological mapping of the brain, but, instead, to try and utilize neuroimaging techniques to refine and develop the functional-level theories about cognition-emotion relations such as those presented in Section Four of the present book. It seems likely that an intermediate stage of theorizing in which functional level theories are mapped onto theories in neurobiology may be necessary before tractable hypotheses can be generated and the potential of neuroimaging work will begin to be realized.
At the other end of the continuum, the development of more sophisticated techniques of qualitative data analysis is likely to provide a window into the complex cognitive dynamics of real-life interactions and dialogues revolving around emotions and emotional issues. These developments are already apparent in the increased interest in narrative, particularly in the trauma literature (see for example, Pennebaker, 1995). The emphasis on understanding supra-propositional meaning structures that emerge out of verbal protocols echoes the idea of the role for supra-propositional representations as formulated in the more recent multi-level theories described in the chapter by Teasdale.
Other research methodologies that have gathered momentum in the late 1980s and early 1990s, in terms of their application to cognition and emotion, are social cognitive techniques and, related to this, face processing (see chapter by Ekman). Researchers are beginning to consider the role of facial processing in emotional disorders and the similarities to the processing of non-facial emotional information (see chapter by Mogg & Bradley). Faces provide an ecologically valid set of complex emotional stimuli that avoid all of the methodological baggage associated with laboratory studies of word lists and verbal material in general. It seems likely that the use of faces as a heuristic tool in laboratory studies of cognition and emotion in the future will increase.
Finally, it seems clear that the emphasis in cognitive science on computational modeling, both connectionist and symbolic, will spread to the domain of cognition and emotion. At present, it is only relatively low-level aspects of processing such as attentional bias on the Stroop task that are seen as tractable in the modeling community (see Williams, Mathews & MacLeod, 1996). However, over the next decade, with increased emphasis on mathematical and attribute space modeling, more high-level aspects of cognition-emotion relations are likely to become the focus for modeling research.

Summary

As we enhanced in the beginning, the aim of this theme (essay) was to stress the role of cognition and emotion in human lives. But until working, there was importance to enhance the issue of these processes, at the animal too (more the role of cognition). We made it because this issue it has been debated for so many years and there is still continuing by the aim to make it clear if there is really something in animal’s behavior that (special cognition) has any importance.
We started to work on this theme by defining both of these processes in their literal meaning. It is important these aspect because most of people confuse, when they enhance the role of them.
After then, we summarized the role of these processes, enhanced some of main theories about emotions and through some findings we tried to make the differences between them.
It is not necessary to make any conclusion about these processes, because the them itself s has no need about it, but the importance is that we summarized some of the main information and enhanced the role of these processes in our life through finding, looking researches that were done, browsing the literature etc.
Even though we are conscious that there wasn’t done enough in these theme, maybe the fact that we tried to deal with the importance of this issue, will make us think that there is a lot to be about these processes. The importance (special for me ) was the educational aspect, after than, trying to deal with this issue I saw that there is a great importance of these processes in our lives and that there are a lot of question that needs to answer in the future as about these processes.
At the near future, the development of more sophisticated techniques, also qualitative data analysis is likely to provide a window into the complex cognitive dynamics of real-life interactions and dialogues revolving special around emotions and emotional issues.
So on, there is need to have more studies about this issue because of their importance in our life. Therefore, this theme will need to be modified later, because, for sure, there will be studies that will come with new findings about them and their importance.

References:

1. Pettijohn, T. (1996). Psychology. A Concise Introduction to Psychology. Tirana
2. Skinner, B. F. (1969). Contingencies of reinforcement: a theoretical analysis. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
3. Pettinelli, M (2009). Emotion. Open Educational Resource.

4. Power, M. J., & Dalgleish, T. (1997). Cognition and emotion: From order to disorder.

5. Maser, D. J., Breiling, J., & Stoff, M. D. (1997). Handbook of antisocial behavior. U.S.A: John Wiley and Sons.

6. Reznikova, Zh. I. (2007). Animal Intelligence: From Individual to Social Cognition.

7. Hilgard, E. R. (1958). Theories of learning, 2nd. London: Methuen.

8. Wolfgang K. (1917). The Mentality of Apes.

9. Griffin, D. R. (1992). Animal minds. University of Chicago Press.

10. Neisser, U. (1967). Cognitive psychology. New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts.

11. Pessoa, L. (2008). On the relationship between emotion and cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci.

12. Leventhal, H., & Scherer, K. (1987). Cognition and Emotion. Psychology press taylor & Francis group.

13. Leventhal, H., & Scherer, K. (1987). Cognition and Emotion. Psychology press taylor & Francis group.

14. Colman, A. A dictionary of Psychology. Third edition. Oxford.

15. Goleman, T. B. (1999). Emotional Alchemy. How the Mind Can Heal the Heart.

16. William, J. (1884). What is an Emotion?

17. Ekman, P. (1999). "Basic Emotions". Dalgleish T. and M. Power (Eds.). Handbook of Cognition and Emotion.

18. Plutchik, R. (1962) The Emotions: Facts Theories and a New Model. New York. Random House.

19. Ekman, P., Friesen, W.V., and Elsworth, P. (1983) Autonomic nervous system activity distinguishes among emotions. Science, 221, 1208-1211.

20. Ernest Holmes (1926) .The Science of Mind, (1980- 1981).

21. Dalgleish, T. & Power, M.J. (1999). Cognition and emotion: Future directions.

Sources from the Internet

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_factor_theory_of_emotion

2. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn12993-chimps-outperform-humans-at-memory-task.html.

3. http://psychology.about.com/od/cindex/g/def_cognition.htm

4. http://www.mrccbu.cam.ac.uk/research/emotion/cemhp/documents/dalgleish_future_directions.pdf
5. en.wiktionary.org/wiki/emotion

6. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion

7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion#James-Lange_theory

8. http://emotion-research.net/projects/humaine/earl.

9. http://www.emotionalcompetency.com/recognizing.htm

Shkolla Verore Ndërkombëtare 2011 Stamboll,Turqi

2011-01-23T19:14:00.000+01:00

International Summer School on Migrants and Cities, Turkey

Scholarships: 5 full scholarships based on merit,
Open to: graduate and postgraduate students as well as junior migration experts;
Dates and Venue: 3-10 July 2011, Istanbul, Turkey

Course offerings will take into account the various needs of academic and professional development in the field of international migration across a wide range of disciplines, including anthropology, demography, economics, political science, sociology, and international relations. The program seeks to bring together groups of interested individuals from an enormously varied geographical, cultural, and academic background to study intensively for a week in Istanbul. The courses will be taught by a team of well-known academics in the field who will also represent a wide range of countries in an effort to match the diversity of the student body. Such a multi-cultural composition will provide a stimulating environment for engaging participants and faculty in an inspiring and enriching dialogue during the summer school program on migration relation issues.

Participation
MiReKoc International Summer School is designed as a program for 20 graduate and postgraduate students as well as junior migration experts. The fee for the program is 900 Euros, which includes registration, course materials, coffee breaks, lunches, and accommodation. Accommodation will be subsidized by Koç University.

Deadline for applications is March 1, 2011.
A detailed resume, two reference letters, the transcript of the latest higher education institution attended, proof of English knowledge (such as TOEFL or IELTS scores), and a writing sample on migration and migration related issues (a conference paper, thesis, or an article) should be sent to dsert@ku.edu.tr. Decisions will be announced on April 15, 2011 via e-mail. Upon successful completion of the Summer School, students will be given three Koç University credits.

For more information visit The official webpage.

Competition open to EU bloggers, photographers

2011-01-22T17:21:00.005+01:00

The European Journalism Centre has launched the fifth round of its TH!NK ABOUT IT blogging competition series, shifting its focus from climate change to water in the lead-up to World Water Day on 22 March, 2011.

Submit photo(s) related to water/climate change and grab a chance to win a reporting trip to Portugal in April 2011! 10 winners will be selected from the following countries: EU27 member states, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Iceland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo (sponsored by the European Commission).

Prize Eligibility
Only persons who are at least 18 years of age can enter.

Contest Starts
January 10, 2011 @ 12:00 pm (CET)

Contest Ends
March 22, 2011 @ 12:00 pm (CET)

2 additional winners will be selected to represent the remaining countries outside of those listed above. (sponsored by the European Journalism Centre).
In support of aspiring and professional photographers alike, one additional winner will be awarded a 500 Euro Amazon gift certificate or 500 Euros in cash (the choice is up to the winner) to be used to purchase photography related supplies.
*Please note: This award applies to all nationalities. Contestants may only win one prize. This means if someone wins the 500 Euro gift certificate, they cannot win the reporting trip as well.
Contest Instructions.CL!CK ABOUT IT is a series of international photography competitions organised by the European Journalism Centre.
This round of CL!CK focuses on water and climate change. Submit your own photo(s) related to 1) water, 2) climate change or 3) both themes, and grab a chance to win a reporting trip to Portugal this spring. Please keep in mind, a contestant may upload a maximum of 8 entries to the competition platform. This upload must be done in one go. In other words, a participant has one chance to upload his/her photos. Once uploaded, the photos cannot be deleted, altered, or added to. Also check out our blogging competition platform, TH!NK ABOUT IT

For more information click here

Nivele të ndryshme të testeve nga Gjuha Angleze

2011-01-17T22:41:00.006+01:00

Level Test | IELTS | TOEFL | TOEIC | CPE | CAE | FCE | PET | KET | BULATS | BEC | ECCE | ECPE | PTE |CEF Levels

Për me shume informata klikoni në secilin nivel

Free Online Practice Tests for the most important international learners ESL/EFL exams: IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, and the Cambridge ESOL exams such as CAE, FCE, and PET. You can also find out information about the different exams.

(source: www.examenglish.com)

Festival Ndërkombëtar i Gazetarisë 2011 në Itali

2011-01-17T14:50:00.003+01:00

International Journalism Festival

Young journalists and journalism students are invited to volunteer at the International Journalism Festival, scheduled for April 1 to 5, 2009 in Perugia, Italy. Deadline to sign up to volunteer: January 30.

Volunteers can work in the press office, at the online festival magazine or in the photo and video departments, among other options. English, or any major European language, is required.

The articles, interviews, videos and photos produced by volunteers will be published on the festival's Web site and will credit the author. Volunteers will receive food tickets for the duration of the event and a certificate of participation, as well as the opportunity to network with journalists from all over the world.

For more information click here

(source:www.journalismfestival.com)

Trajnim per Gazetaret e Ekonomise

2011-01-16T23:37:00.004+01:00

Economic & Political Reporting from Southeast Europe

Course type: Business news
Start date: 03 Apr 2011
End date: 15 Apr 2011
Location: London
Language: English
Partners: Robert Bosch Stiftung
Deadline: 31 Jan 2011

The course is four weeks in length: two weeks in London, 3-15 April and two weeks in Frankfurt and Berlin, 19-30 September. Participants will be expected to attend both parts of the course.

ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be able to speak English and be full-time professional journalists who have been working for at least two years with a recognised publication, website, radio or television station. They must also have a portfolio that includes experience in economic journalism or must otherwise demonstrate a strong interest in economic and political issues.
Applying journalists must be citizens of Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, or Slovenia.

Click Here

(Source: http://www.reuterslink.org)

30 PhD Scholarships at Bocconi University, Italy

2011-01-16T22:49:00.013+01:00

30 PhD Scholarships at Bocconi University, Italy

In Italy, admission to a PhD program is subject by law to a public competition to be published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana.

Deadline: 15 February 2011

Full Official Call for:
PhD in Economics and Finance, Business Administration and Management, and Statistics
PhD in Diritto dell'Impresa (Law of Business and Commerce)
PhD in International Law and Economics

Click here

(Source :www.unibocconi.eu)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST - BEGINNER LEVEL

2010-05-17T22:10:00.000+02:00

Student’s name _________________________________

I. Reading Comprehension - My Best Friend

My best friend’s name is Tom. He’s very nice, and he’s really funny. He’ 22, and he’s a student at University. He isn’t married, but he has a beautiful girlfriend. Her name is Lisa, and she’s American. Tom’s parents have a flat in London. It’s near the centre of town. His father’s a taxi driver and his mother has a part-job in a hospital. He has two sisters. Their names are Alison and Molly. They’re both at school. Tom has a lot of CDs. His favourite music is rock music, and his favourite pop group is 3 Doors Down. He is also a fan of Liverpool.

II. Underline the correct information (20 points)

1. Tom is . . . a student / a bus driver / funny / pilot / nervous /

2. Tom has . . . two brothers / two sisters / a wife / a husband/ a girlfriend /

3. Lisa is . . . Tom’s sister / Tom’s girlfriend / American / crazy / a doctor /

4. Tom’s parents have . . . a house / a flat / one daughter/ three children / a plane /

5. Tom is a fan of . . . Liverpool / Beatles / Manchester United / 3 Doors Down /

III. Put the verbs in brackets into Present Simple. (5 points)

I Complain (complain) about the boss all the time, but Mary ______(think) the boss is a nice person. When I ______(finish) work, I like to drink beer with my friends, but Mary _______(study) at night school. The boss _______(think) Mary is perfect, but she _______(drive) me nuts!

IV. Complete the sentences with the correct possessive adjectives (my / your / his / her / its / our / their) (10 points)

1. She has a red shirt. This is _______ shirt.
2. They have a nice house. That is _______ house.
3. You have a nice camera. This is _______ camera.
4. Artan has a blue jacket. This is_________ jacket.
5. The elephant has a big nose. That is_____ nose.

V. Complete the sentences. Use an ARTICLE (a or an) and the word in the box. (10 points) (Insect,Animal,Machine,City) Country

1. Paris is ____________________ 6. Italy is ___________________
2. England is ____________________ 7. A computer is____________________
3. India is ____________________ 8. Prizren is ___________________
4. A cat is ____________________ 9. A fly is _____________________
5. A bee is ____________________ 10. A car is _____________________

VI. Write these numbers as letters. ( 10 points)

3 _______; 7 ________;. 12 _____________; 16_______________; 10_________;

4 ________ ; 15 ______________; 6 ________ ; 2 _____ ;18_________________;

VII. Complete the exercise. Write P for ‘s (possessive) or is for ‘s (to be). (10 points)

1. Eliot’s jacket is new. _____ 6. His mother’s at home. _____
2. it’s a house. _______ 7. My daughter’s flat is nice. ______
3. My brother’s name . _______ 8. Jack’s a student. ______
4. Arlind’s son. _______ 9. Arta’s school is in the village. ____
5. Gresa’s a nurse. _______ 10. Hana ’s a teacher. ____

VIII. Word order- Arrange the words to make affirmative sentences (5 points)

1. like / I / you ________________________
2. French / I / speak _______________________
3. hates / birds / he ______________________
4. they / song / a / sing _______________________
5. sell / flowers / we _________________________

IX. Writing a Topic- (30 points)

1) My daily routine 2) My best friend

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Letra lamtumirëse e Markezit

2009-11-24T18:08:00.001+01:00

Mësova se të gjithë dëshirojnë të jetojnë në majë të malit, pa e ditur se lumturia e vërtetë është kur i ngjitesh rrëpirës.

Nëse për një çast Zoti do të harronte që unë jam një marionetë prej stofi e do të më falte një copëz jetë, padyshim nuk do t’i thosha gjërat ashtu si i mendoj, por patjetër do mendoja çdo fjalë që do të thosha.
Do t’u jepja vlerë gjërave, jo për sa vlejnë, por për kuptimin që kanë. Do të flija më pak, do të ëndërroja më shumë. Do të vazhdoja kur të tjerët do të ndalonin, do qëndroja zgjuar kur të tjerët do të flinin, do dëgjoja kur të tjerët do të flisnin dhe sa do më shijonte një akullore plot me çokollatë!
Nëse Zoti do të më falte një copëz jete, do të vishesha thjesht, do të shtrihesha nën diell duke lënë zbuluar jo vetëm trupin, por edhe shpirtin. Zoti im, po qe se do të kisha zemër, do të shkruaja gjithë urrejtjen time mbi akull dhe do të prisja derisa dielli ta shkrinte.
Do të pikturoja me një ëndërr të Van Goghut mbi një yll. Një poemë e Benedettit dhe një këngë e Serratit, do të ishin serenatat që do i dedikoja hënës.
Do ujisja, me lotët e mi, trëndafilat, për të ndierë dhimbjen e gjembave të tyre dhe puthjen tërë pasion të petaleve. Zoti im, nëse unë do të kisha një copëz jete, nuk do të humbisja as edhe një ditë pa i thënë-të dua, personit që dua. Do i bindja të gjithë, burra e gra, që të jetojnë të dashuruar pas dashurisë Do u tregoja njerëzve se sa shumë gabojnë kur mendojnë se në pleqëri nuk ka më dashuri pa e ditur se plakja vjen kur nuk dashuron më.
Një fëmije do i dhuroja një palë krahë, por do e lija të mësonte vetë të fluturonte.
Të moshuarve do u mësoja se vdekja nuk vjen nga pleqëria, por nga harresa.
Shumë gjëra mësova nga ju, Njerëz!
Mësova se të gjithë dëshirojnë të jetojnë në majë të malit, pa e ditur se lumturia e vërtetë është kur i ngjitesh rrëpirës .
Kam mësuar se kur një i porsalindur shtrëngon për herë të parë, me doçkëzën e tij të vogël, gishtin e babait, nuk e lëshon për tërë jetën.
Kam mësuar se një njeri ka të drejtë të shikojë një tjetër nga lart-poshtë vetëm kur ky i dyti ka nevojë për një ndihmë për t’u ngritur.
Janë shumë gjërat që kam mundur të mësoj nga ju, por realisht nuk do të më duhen shumë, sepse kur të më mbyllin brenda asaj valixhes, i deshpruar do të jem duke vdekur

TANGO

2009-09-30T22:16:00.003+02:00

Vallëzimi Tango shpallet nga UNESCO pjesë e trashëgimisë kulturore

Vallëzimi i njohur “Tango” është shpallur pjesë e paprekshme e trashëgimisë kulturore të njerëzimit nga UNESCO. Organizata e KB-së për Arsim,shkencë dhe Kulturë, ka për qëllim të bëjë mbrojtjen e disa trashëgimive kulturore që janë nën kërcënimin e zhdukjes për shkak të ndryshimeve globale. Argjentina dhe Uruguai, prej ku e ka origjinën vallëzimi Tango, së bashku e kanë parashtruar kërkesën para UNESCO-së

UNESCO ka bërë një deklaratë duke thënë se “Trashëgimitë që kërkojnë aprovim, janë ato që transmetojnë trashëgimi prej gjenerate në gjeneratë dhe i dhurojnë komunitetit dhe grupeve të ndryshme njerëzore ndjenjën e identitetit”, duke shtuar se “Vallëzim Tango i bashkon dhe inkurajon dialogun diversitar dhe kulturor”. Zyrtari argjentinas Hernan Lombardi tha se ai është “shumë krenar se tash muzika dhe vallëzimi Tango, mbrohet si trashëgimi njerëzore”

Konventa e OKB-së,e cila ka filluar të martën në Abu Dabi , do të diskutoj nominime të tjera që sugjerohen nga shtetet të ndryshme botërore për trashëgimi të tyre kulturore. Belgjika ka bërë një kërkesë të tillë për “Kortezhin e Gjakut të Shenjtë” në Bruzh. Kina ka sugjeruar disa tradita të saj artistike, duke përshirë edhe “Operën Tibetiane”.

UNESCO ka deklaruar në vitin 2001 që traditat që ende frymojnë- prej vallëzimit, muzikës, ritualeve dhe artizanateve- meritojnë të njëjtën mbrojtje sikur thesaret natyrore dhe kulturore.

Traditat që miratohen për mbrojtje kulturore i shtohen listës që ka titullin “Lista Përfaqësuese për Trashëgiminë e Paprekshme Njerëzore”. UNESCO dhe Agjenci të tjera kujdesen për mbrojtjen dhe promovimin e përdorimit dhe kuptimit të këtyre trashëgimive njerëzore

Old timer cars show- May, 2009 , Prizren

2009-06-02T16:28:00.015+02:00

Photos by: Fazli Rrezja

Nanës

2009-03-08T08:55:00.002+01:00

Poetic World

2008-07-30T17:10:00.005+02:00

A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP

Don't matter if the road is long
Don't matter if it's steep
Don't matter if the moon is gone
And the darkness is complete
Don't matter if we lose our way
It's written that we'll meet
At least, that's what I heard you say
A thousand kisses deep

I loved you when you opened
Like a lily to the heat
You see, I'm just another snowman
Standing in the rain and sleet
Who loved you with his frozen love
His second hand physique
With all he is and all he was
A thousand kisses deep

I know you had to lie to me
I know you had to cheat
You learned it on your father's knee
And at your mother's feet
But did you have to fight your way
Across the burning street
When all our vital interests lay
A thousand kisses deep

I'm turning tricks
I'm getting fixed
I'm back on boogie street
I'd like to quit the business
But I'm in it, so to speak
The thought of you is peaceful
And the file on you complete
Except what I forgot to do
A thousand kisses deep

Don't matter if you're rich and strong
Don't matter if you're weak
Don't matter if you write a song
The nightingales repeat
Don't matter if it's nine to five
Or timeless and unique
You ditch your life to stay alive
A thousand kisses deep

The ponies run
The girls are young
The odds are there to beat
You win a while, and then it's done
Your little winning streak
And summon now to deal with your invincible defeat
You live your life as if it's real
A thousand kisses deep

I hear their voices in the wine
That sometimes did me seek
The band is playing Auld Lang Syne
But the heart will not retreat
There's no forsaking what you love
No existential leap
As witnessed here in time and blood
A thousand kisses deep

Leonard Cohen

Pink Floyd

2008-07-07T18:53:00.004+02:00

SKENA E MUZIKËS MBETËT E ZBRAZËT PA LEGJENDARËT- PINK FLOYD

Fazli Rrezja

Skena botërore ende ndien mungesën e arkitektëve muzikor, grupit premier te dimenzioneve galaktike Pink Floyd. Qysh prej mesit të viteve 60-ta muzika e tyre hyn në kombinimet elektronike dhe në të gjitha mënyrat e efekteve speciale, duke i bërë shtytje formatit muzikor për të shpërthyer përtej limiteve muzikore.

Nëse ndonjëherë ndonjë grup muzikore ne bote ka menduar te beje muzike qe do te degjohej edhe pas njeqind vjetesh, duke pershtatur kontekstin e tingujve ne menyre retrospektive, atehere ky grup eshte padyshim Pink Floyd. Mbase ky grup mund te shpjegohet nepermjet nje prej kengeve te famshme te tyre ” Comfortably numb” (Qetesishte i mpire) qe flet prej Pinkun, nje yll roku i cili ndihet i izoluar nga shoqeria dhe nuk mund ta duroje presionin e jetes per shkak te fames. Atij i bie te fiket ne nje dhome hoteli para se ai te dal ne koncert. Mjeku vie per ti bere nje injeksion per ti dhene atij energjine qe ka nevoje per te performuar. Konteksti i titullit te kesaj kenge jep te kuptoj ne ne menyre dy gjera; ikjen e grupit nga skena muzikore dhe mungesen e madhe te publikut per tingujt e Pink Floyd-it. “Qetesishte i mpire” ka mbetur publiku duke gjetur ngushllim ne kenget e tyre te realizuara deri tani dhe “qetesishte i mpire” ka mbetur vete grupi i ndare Pink Floyd, qe nuk kishte nje “mjek” te hajrit per t’i rienrgjizuar ata, te pakten per te pare kreativitetin ne pleqerine e tyre si grup, apo per te sjell ripertrirje duke lene trashigimtare te tingujve te se ardhmes qe do te kishte bere Pink Floyd.

Përkundër imazhit të tyre astronomik, ata kane zbritur në tokë në vitin 1980, pas një përpjekje të zakonshme për autoritet ndaj lidershipit. Pas kësaj kohe nuk veqohen shumë aktet gjigande, të mbushjes së stadiumeve dhe majeve të toplistave, por duke ofruar më pak rekreacione spektakulare. Mirpo zbehtësia e tyre në ditët e vonshme nuk mund ta errësoj faktin se qysh nga egzistimi i parë i tyre, grupi Pink floyd ka qenë grupi më kreativ në planetin tonë. Përderisa Pink Floyd, njihen për albumet e tyre me vlera të mëdha të viteve 70-ta. Pasi që filluan të parqesin vlerat e tyre së bashku, në mesin e viteve 60, ata ndjen vetbesim nën udhëheqjen e kitaristit Syd Baret, një gjenial që posedonte dhuntin kreative, i cili ka shkruar dhe ka kënduar materialet e tyre të hershme.

Ky djalosh ka ndarë skenën së bashku me Roger Waters (bas), Rick Wright (keyboards), dhe Nick Mason (daulle. Emri i grupit rrjedhë nga emrat e parë të muzikantëve të bluzit (Pink Anderson dhe Floyd Council). Grupi shumë shpejt filloj të eksperimentoj, duke zgjeruar këngët e tyre në shtigje të reja instrumentale, duke inkorporuar edhe tinguj përkrahës me efekte të pazakonshme.Në vitin 1966, ata filluan të paraqiten në skenat londineze, duke përfshirë efektet ndriquese.

Syd Barret, filloi të komponoi efektet zbukuruese (pop-psychedelic), që kombinonin arranzhime të tingullit preokupues dhe organit, me melodi prekëse dhe fjalë të thella që paraqisnin botën me një sensë poetik dhe mrekulli fëmijërore. Grupi filloi kontratën për incizim me kompanin EMI në vitin 1967, duke u vendosur në kulminacionin e toplistës me këngën “Arnold Layne”, pastaj me “See Emily Play”,po atë vit del edhe albumi “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”,një fascinim në udhëtimin hapsinor. Ky incizim ishte vepër që vetëm Pink Floyd do të kishte mundur ta bënte.Arsyeja që Pink Floyd asnjëherë nuk bëri një album të ngjashëm me albumin “Piper”, ishte sepse është incizuar nën udhëheqjen e Baretit. Kah mesi i viteve 1967, gjeniu filloi të përjetoi shenja alarmimi të jostabilitetit mental. Ai filloi të bënte muzikë që nuk i përshtatej materialeve , apo edhe nuk paraqitej fare.

Në fillim të vitit 1968, kitaristi Dave Gilmour, një mik i këtij grupi që ishte po ashtu nga Kembrixhi, erdhi si anetar i pestë. Ai ishte si arsye për të vazhduar funksionimin e grupit, përderisa Baret ishte ende në gjendje të kontribonte për grupin duke shkruar tekste dhe duke ndihmuar në incizime. Por, brenda disa muajve Baret doli jasht grupit. Gilmour, ishte një kitarist i mrekullueshëm, dhe grupi dëshmoi se është i gatshëm të vazhdoj më krijimin e materialeve për albume të tjera ambicioze.Pas albumit “Piper at the Gates of Dawn”, në vitin 1968 “A Saucerful of Secrets” u ngrit në vendin e parë të toplistës, me ndihmën e vizionit të Baretit.

Gjatë katër viteve të tjera, Pink Floyd do të vazhdoj të bëjë rok eksperimental. Të fshehur nën pulsin e tingujve, organit dhe kitarës, duke u përfshirë edhe ndikim të muzikës bluz dhe pop ata arritën të kenë qasje më të madhe tek adhuruesit.

Në fillim të viteve 70-ta, Syd Barret po zbehej nga memoria e shumicës së adhuruesve të Pink Floydit. Albumi “Meddle” (1971), ka formuar epin e gjërë të bendit në dicka madhështore duke pastruar ambientin fiktiv shkencor që ky grup e gjurmonte qysh prej vitit1968. Rrjedha kryesore drejtë produksionit të artit të suksesshëm erdhi me albumin e vitit 1973 “Dark Side of the Moon”, fokusimi në tekstet e këngëve, efektet e tingujve stereofonikë, ndikimi i ngjyrave të saksofonit dhe zërave përcjellës të femrave krijuan hapsirë galaktike të adhurimit ndaj këtij grupi.

Albumi “Dark Side of the Moon”, vendosi grupin Pink Floyd, në qendër të vëmendjes dhe toplistave në Amerikë. Duke pasur shitje marramendesë në historin e shitjeve të albumeve muzikore. Ndërsa si përkushtim ndaj ish antarit të tyre Baret vie kënga e njohur “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”. Në “Dark Side of the Moon”, dominon tematika e pasigurisë frikës, dhe shtjerrpësia e jetës moderne.

Albumet “Wish You Were Here” dhe “Animals” (1977), kanë reflektuar këto tematika me një zymtësi më eksplicite. Deri në këtë kohë Waters, po udhëheqte në mënyrë të fuqishme tekstet e këngëve dhe vizionin muzikor, i cili formoi me albumin “The Wall” (1979). Muret emocionale që njerzit i ndërtojnë rreth vetës për të mbijetuar. Albumi “The Wall” ishte një sukses i hatashëm, për shkak se disa nga tekstet e rënda eletronike kaluan në favor të elementeve të popit. Kënga "Another Brick in the Wall”, kaloj oqeanet dhe zyri vendet e para në toplistat botërore.

Në vitin 1980, hovi i grupit filloj të ngadalsohet. Secili nga katër antarët kishin punuar edhe në disa solo projekte. Në 1983 albumi “The Final Cut”,ishte një përkushtim mbresëlënës , me pak inovacione elektronike të ngjashme me punën e tyre të hershme. Pas pak kohe bendi u nda, për një periudhë të shkurt. Në vitin 1986, Waters ka akuzuar Gilmourin dhe Masonin në lidhje me rastin e zgjidhjes së lidershipit, Waters humbi këtë rast duke e lënë antarin Roger me albumin “Momentary Lapse of Reason”, në vitin 1987.

Pink Floyd përgjatë njezetë viteve kanë qëndruar nën hijen e liderit origjinal për të rifilluar karierën e tyre me një sukses të madh komercial. “The Division Bell”, album i tyre i parë pas shtatë viteve përjetoi sukses në vitin 1994, duke mos pasur ndikim në rok skenën e kohës, përveq në sensin e marketingut. Syd Baret ka mbetur larg syrit publik, duke qenë vetëm si një shembull i gjeniut të rrëzuar, përderisa skena e muzikës botërore ende vazhdon të mbetët e zbrazët pa legjendarët Pink Floyd

40 BUNAR FEST REFRESHES PRIZREN

2008-06-08T13:18:00.003+02:00

Fazli Rrezja

For the fourth time, 40 Bunar Fest, an event of floating with tractor tyres through the river “Lumbardhi” has refreshed thousands of people from swelter of the first Sunday of June in Prizren city.
From ninety five applicants who were enrolled to float with tyres in the river ”Lumbardhi” only fifty five had a courage to be part of this attractive festival. The winner of 40BunarFest 2008 is Kastriot Kelmendi, Dardan Berisha took the second place and the third place belonged to Zgjim Shabanit.

40 Bunar Fest- a unique sport in Kosovo, a competition of floating with tractor tyres in fast river in Prizren was held in an impressive atmosphere showing that this event has began to be a traditional festival.

Except the awards for the competitors, this festival will give awards for photographers for the best photo of KRK-2008.

This special festival represents a positive alternative to awake the city from the passivity of entertaining-sport activities. Starting from stimulus of veins of more that fifty participants who floated above the tractor tyres in ravishing waters full of cliffs and waves to the excitement that this sport for the eyes of citizens who have surrendered two sides of river banks in Prizren on Sunday, 8 June 2008.

Competitors, including female participants, have been equipped with helmets and proper clothes that helped them to be protected from cliffs, and holding to tractor inner tyres they have floated down the river of “Lumbardhi” to rich the finish, which was located at Bridgestone “ Ura e gurit”.

This festival has made the day beautiful also with award ceremony and Dj Party that gathered youth at river bank park “Kej” and a crazy party swayed after midnight’s hours.

Kosovo citizens who wished to spent a day off, to escape from the Sunday swelter, away from politics, news and tired daily life, have made the right choice participating in this refreshing festival.

All those people who traveled from other cities of Kosovo and from abroad in order to see this festival were not bored because in this entertainment they were accompanied by Castle, Prizren League, Old Mosques and churches, Turkish Bath and finally they might find a relaxing mood by a smooth walk on cobblestone square “Shatërvan”

The cultural event 40 Bunar Fest was organized for the fourth time from the Sober Sportsmen’s Association (Shoqnia e Sportistave T’kfillt) in true open air museum, one of the most beautiful town of Kosovo, Prizren city

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40 BUNAR FEST FRESKON PRIZRENIN

Fazli Rrezja

Për herë të katërt, 40 Bunar Fest, lundrimi me goma te traktorit nëpër lumin “Lumbardh” ka freskuar mijëra njerëz nga vapa e te dielës se parë të qershorit, që ishin mbledhur për ta përcjell ketë ngjarje atraktive ne Prizren.

Nga nëntëdhjetë e pesë aplikuesë që janë paraqitur të lundrojnë mbi lumbardhë me goma, pesëdhjetë e pesë prej tyre kanë marrë guximin te bëhen pjesë e këtij festivali atraktive. Fituesi i 40BunarFest 2008 është Kastriot Kelmendi, në vendin e dytë Dardan Berisha dhe vendi i tretë i takoj Zgjim Shabanit.

40 Bunar Fest- një sport atraktiv dhe unik ne Kosovë, gara e lëshimit me goma të traktorit nëpër lumin e rrëmbyeshëm ”lumëbardhi” ne Prizren, është mbajtur në një atmosfere impozante, duke treguar se kjo ngjarje ka filluar të bëhet festival tradicional.

. Ky festival përveç çmimeve qe ka ndarë për garuesit, po ashtu për fotografet do te jap çmimin për fotografinë ma të mirë të KRK-2008.

Ky festival i veçantë paraqet një alternative pozitive për të zgjuar qytetin nga pasiviteti i aktiviteteve sportive-argëtuese, duke filluar që nga nxitja e adrenalinës ne damarët e më shumë se pesëdhjetë pjesëmarrësve që lundruan mbi goma traktori në ujerat e rrëmbyeshme përplot shkëmbinj e valë e deri tek kënaqësia që ky sport atraktiv i ofroj syve të qytetarëve që kishin rrethuar të dy brigjet e lumit të Prizrenit ditën e diele, tetë qershor 2008

Garuesit, përfshirë këtu edhe te gjinisë femërore, kane qene te gjithë te pajisur me helmete dhe veshje te duhura qe ju kane ndihmuar për t’u mbrojtur nga shkëmbinjtë, dhe duke u mbajtur për gomën e brendshme te traktorit ata kane lundruar poshtë lumit te shpejt te Lumëbardhit për te arritur te caku, qe ishte vendosur tek Ura e Gurit.

Ky festival e bëri ditën edhe më interesante gjatë shpërndarjes së çmimeve te ndryshme tek fituesit dhe DJ party që mblodhi të rinj në parkun e vockël ”Kej” e deri tek një party më e trentë që u mbajt në orët e vona pas mesnate .

Qytetaret e Kosovës qe kane dëshiruar të kalojnë një ditë pushimi, për tu larguar nga vapa, larg politikës, lajmeve dhe përditshmërisë së lodhur, e kane bërë zgjedhjen e duhur duke marre pjese ne këtë festival freskues.

Të gjithë ata qe kane udhëtuar nga qytetet te tjera te Kosovës dhe jashtë saj, për ta pare këtë festival nuk janë mërzitur aspak sepse shoqëri ne ketë argëtim disave ju kane bere “Kalaja, Lidhja, Xhamitë e Kishat e vjetra, Banja turke ”Hamami” dhe ne fund ndoshta edhe një shëtitje e lehtë në kalldrëmet e sheshit “Shatërvan”

40 Bunar Fest- zhvillohet për herën te katërt me radhë. Kjo ngjarje kulturore është organizuar nga Shoqnia e Sportistave T’kfillt ne qytetin Prizrenit ku jetojnë mbi 200 mijë banorë.
---------------------

Ky artikull eshte botuar ne:

Gazeta e perditshme Express
Gazeta e perjavshme Java
Agjencioni i lajmeve Telegrafi
Agjencioni i lajmeve Kosovanews
Faqen zyrtare Bunarfest

NOBEL LAUREATE'S TALE OF BATTLE

2008-06-08T10:17:00.000+02:00

Jane Shilling reviews The Siege by Ismail Kadare

Telegraph

In 2005 Ismail Kadare was the first winner of the Man Booker International Prize, a honour that undoubtedly made him the world's most famous Albanian novelist, but perhaps did not altogether consolidate the international reputation his remarkable writing deserves.

Kadare was born in Albania in 1938 but now lives mainly in France. In an afterword to his novel The Siege, which Kadare has partly rewritten for a definitive edition of his complete works, the translator, David Bellos, who won the Man Booker translator's prize for his work on Kadare's texts, explains the background to the novel.

advertisement(Readers interested in the problems of double translation, from Albanian to French, and French into English, should read Bellos's fascinating essay on translating Kadare in The Complete Review Quarterly).

The Siege is one of a cluster of fictions set by Kadare in Albania's Ottoman past. It tells the story of an Albanian fortress besieged by the Ottoman army in the early 15th century.

The novel appeared in 1969, when Albania, the only European ally of Communist China, felt again besieged - as much by the Soviet Union as by the capitalist West. The reaction of Enver Hoxha, Albania's dictator, was to order the construction of concrete pillboxes across his country, as defence positions against possible invaders.

Kadare was inspired by an early chronicle: an account of the siege of Shköder by Marin Barleti, who was also the biographer of George Castrioti, known as Skanderbeg, the Albanian national hero who led the resistance against the Turks in the early 15th century. Skanderbeg does not appear in The Siege, but the novel is haunted by his presence, hiding in the mountains, biding his time while his countrymen struggle to repel the besieging army.

Although the story is told mainly from the viewpoint of the besiegers, among whom there is an official chronicler - an inglorious figure who hides in a hole when battle breaks out - brief 'interchapters' tell of conditions within the fortress.

The result is extraordinary: an epic with the force of myth and the delicacy of a miniature; with an immense cast in which each individual - from the military commanders to the harem girls and the siege-fodder, the janissaries whose bodies strew the plain beyond the castle walls - is delineated with a pungent and minute regard for his or her particular humanity.

You could reread The Siege every year for a lifetime and find something new each time. There seems no reason to refrain from calling this ideal collaboration between author and translator a masterpiece.
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Link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/06/08/bokad108.xml

Dervishes of Kosova

2008-04-07T22:08:00.002+02:00

The climax of mystical a ritual, which featured men attired in capes and gowns swirling about the room, occurred when each of the men approached Sheh Ruzhdi and he pierced their cheeks with a glinting skewer. Initially, Sheh the spiritual leader walks in taking his place in front of a semispherical cupola-wall, and only after that ceremonies start. He wears different robes, a woolen gown and a white hat. That is unlike the other ones and much higher. It also looks more theological. The followers are dressed in red silky robes wearing a white tunic over that, forming a kind of uniform. On top of their heads is a kind of plis (Albanian hat) looking woolen-hat though rounder makes it like a more traditional Muslim headgear. These hats are stored on a shelf that rings part of the room. The sons who stand in front to his left, occasionally guide traffic or oversee what is necessary to take care of during the performance. Valdrin, younger son, reads Kura’an verses from unfolding a scroll. The reading which is in Albanian lasts about ten minutes. Then, Dervishes continue moving their bodies to the right – left, that is really pronounced and also somewhat behind forming a kind of triangular movement.

Kreshnik Bajraktari

As the evening wears on, it is clear that they are moving into a trance state. The movement, the drumming, the cymbals, the singing, the guttural breathing when the singing stops release a kind of spiritual energy excellently projected to the function of Dervishes performing in this octagonal room. Dervishes are punctured in the inner part of mouth with skewers penetrating all the way through the other side. This ritual of piercing with long sword shape skewers takes place after about an hour long and intensive dancing trances followed by singing and callings. “Allah, Allah, All-ah… Hou, Hou, Hou,…” refrain goes for as long as it roars as a guttural, circumferential sound only.

A ceremony held on January 20 in the western town of Gjakova, Kosova, provided a vivid illustration of the growing importance of the ancient Muslim fraternities of Dervishes.

Afterwards, as dancing goes on, at another moment a small group of Dervishes form a small circle and then a larger circle is made around them, still another circle, and finally another circle. This last one in particular is made of audience members as virtually all join in.

“In Islam you have obligations, for instance, to name God. He has 99 attributes so it is important to name God. God himself said that he could not be confined to air or earth, but he could be confined to a person’s heart. So, if we are sitting, standing, or lying down, it is important to name God,” explains Sheh Ruzhdi the purpose of this rituals.
Sheh Ruzhdi refers to legendary figure of Sari Satluk, first known Dervish missionary in Balkans, as he talks on human efforts towards reaching perfection.

The ritual is always performed by the Sheh, who inserts swords to his Dervishes with delicate touch and silent prayers followed by voicing calls that roar loudly from participants. When the Sheh first takes it up, he twirls it around between his palms silently saying some prayer. At some point he calls out by name some of the Dervishes to approach. They stand in front of him and open their mouths. He takes the device and quickly pokes it through the cheek. “I know who of the Dervishes is ready to pierce. They communicate to me without saying any word,” explains Sheh, his selection of candidates, as not all the followers get pierced, but only ones that are ready. The same kinds of devices are also used later when the Dervishes are pierced in stomach. Precisely with this group of Dervishes were also pierced Sheh’s two sons after all their engagement with accommodating guests, religious singing, playing and dancing.

The men did not flinch either, and continued to dance. Holding skewers with one hand, Dervishes continue their dancing and the procession with determination. Anyway, pierced Dervishes do not bleed at all, not during the dancing or even after the swords are taken out by the Sheh. And one cannot see any blood or wound on them. It is the complete trust in God that makes it an easy obligation, they say.

The rationale of performance represents the miracle of overcoming physical pain and therefore pitching consciousness into some beyond the body plan. These practices are supposed to improve and elevate followers. “All the believers must do good deeds and our education consists only of good deeds,” says Sheh. “We do not wish to hurt the hearts of people. It is God himself who directs towards the supreme good. He is the only source of determination. Therefore, we ask for Dervishes to set an example,” he says.

Sheh has a very active role and tremendous physical and mental engagement during the ceremonies. He could be compared to an opera director, as he actively leads and directs all elements. He moves in a circle with his right hand up directed in front of him and sometimes when rhythm increases his movement is so fast that is difficult to follow.
Despite the fact that ceremony was in celebration of the Shiite festival of Ashoora, the order does not belong to this branch of Islam, according to him. That is confirmed by yet another independent source unrelated to Dervish orders, but nevertheless familiar with theological developments. Sabri Bajgora, from Islamic Community of Kosova, says Dervishes are not Shiite.

Once persecuted and marginalized by the Serbian regime, Dervish orders are enjoying resurgence throughout Kosova. Their numbers are increasing, once secret ceremonies and rituals are being conducted with greater public visibility, and new temples, or tekkes, such as a modest new building in a suburb of Prishtina, the Kosovo capital, are opening regularly. They seem to quickly embrace a compensation of the historical flounder.

The family Musliu that runs this tekke used to be affiliated with a Dervish order for four generations now. But the new tekke opening in Prishtina represents a new stage of their development. Rizahi Musliu, who worked as a teacher for nearly four decades was nominated for Sheh in 1995 by Sheh Ruzhdi of Gjakova. Dervish Blerimi is his deputy when Sheh Rizahi is away, and is elected for taking the position after him. The first one from the family was Sheh’s grandfather, who got affiliated with the order. “We’re working hard to reach out to the people and we’re interested to expand.” They started processions with 5 – 6 people in 1995, and today the number of followers reached over 250. “The tekke is small to cope with people during important nights, since not only followers (myhybs) attend,” says Blerim. They also claim to have good relations with Islamic Community of Kosova. “We meet and receive regular visits of imams and discuss issues of common interest.”

Despite the hoisting of the order, in the very same town, not far from its center remains a neglected building of tekke and turbe – tomb temple, a sign of difficult times Dervish orders experienced under the former regime. It belongs to Kadiri order, which for the moment has no Sheh. Although, in a crossroad junction even today, its presence is quite obscure and looks weary because of long periods of disregard. While other structures and housing were immensely constructed in the neighborhood near “Sami Frasheri” High school, this turbe seems just as an old dwarfed building waiting to collapse.

Persecutions of Dervish orders

Dervish orders were founded and exist for several hundred years in Kosova. They originate from the time of ascetic Dervish missionaries (like famous Sari Satlluk) that arrived in Balkans from the East, and are credited for being a first contact and the force of spreading Islamic religion. Nevertheless, these orders in time acquired and incorporated beliefs of the native population, thus becoming more acceptable and eventually popular. Historically, the circumstances precluded Dervish orders development into a nation-wide religious category, not only because of the stereotyping, but also through forceful oppression they experienced under all foreign rules. Initially, it was Ottomans that showed distrust and hostility particularly against the Bektashi order, and then Turks banned these orders in 1925.After that order comprised mainly of Janitors, recruited cavalry soldiers many of whom Albanians, relocated its headquarter in Albania.

Nevertheless, in 1932, the Bektashi order achieved to de facto rise into an independent religious community, a sign of recognition of the important national role it had played. The order came to dominate in the South Albania that resulted with official recognition as the world center of Bektashis.

Professor Jashar Rexhepagiqi, is a researcher who studied Islamic Sufi orders and published a book on historical development of Dervish orders. “Dervish missionaries that passed through Albanian lands helped spreading Islam by adopting it to native beliefs already existent.” In regions of the time, Dervishes succeeded spreading the Islamic culture and religion, and at the same time had merits on establishing urban settlements.

Instead of stressing Muslim unity throughout the Ottoman Empire, greater importance was attached to good relations with other Christian Albanians. In the final decades of the Nineteenth century, Albanian Bektashi lodges (often places of worship for Muslim and Christians alike) were generally known to be centers of Albanian nationalist activity. In addition, the order played a very important role in the establishment of clandestine schools and the distribution of Albanian books, as well as in supporting to Albanian fighters.

The Bektashi Notebook of the ideologist father of Bektashi philosophy among Albanians, Naim Frashëri was designed to attract Albanians to a liberal faith acceptable to Christians and Muslims alike and so to remove the one cause of the national dissention. It is precisely this cause of unity that made Dervish orders unacceptable and permanent foes to regimes of Ottomans initially and later Serbian Kingdom and Yugoslav communists.

Striking parallel can be drawn with totalitarian communist regime, which made efforts banning Dervish orders in Kosova. “But thanking to their devoted followers and their steady presence, primarily of Saadi order, Dervishes survived even in most difficult circumstances,” says professor Rexhepagiqi.

Shehs in Kosova tried to revive and institutionalize a version of Islam which was seen as less corrupted and affected by communism and at the same time a more traditional Albanian than the established Islam of Muslims in Bosnia and their collaborators in Kosova. Dervish orders and their tekkes in Sanjak (a Muslim region in Serbia bordering North Kosova) were closed and ceased to exist because of the domination from mainstream religious representatives in Bosnia and the oppressive political authorities. In the past these lodges of Dervishes had been close to Kosova orders, or perhaps derived from them, just as the population of Sanjak, which today is Slav-phone, had relations and is largely comprised of assimilated Albanians.

The War of 1999 followed with the same animosity against Albanian Dervishes. Sheh Ruzhdi, the leader of the Dervish order based at Saadi temple in Gjakova, was jailed by the Serbian authorities during the 1990s, but is now courted by the international officials who preside over Kosovo. A commander from KFOR, the multinational military force that has maintained order in Kosovo since the end of the NATO bombing campaign in 1999, is among the dignitaries who announced participation in the March 21 ceremony. His octagonal tekke was badly damaged during the war, but has been restored to pristine condition. “I was beaten publicly and in prison until my body was this color (pointing to something dark),” recalls Sheh Ruzhdi.

During the last war in Kosova one of the followers of Musliu family and also their cousin Myftar was killed together with his son by Serbian forces. About 50 members of the family were running for safety, when they were stopped by Serbian forces and Blerim was hold in two occasions. “Only God’s will saved me, since two people were murdered at the same place a day earlier,” recalls Blerim. “We’ve been targeted always and had problems with authorities, not only in war.”

Sheh Azizi of Bullaj village was massacred after being dragged from refugee lineup in the 1999 war. He was a deliberate target since police asked him to come forward. “Come up you Sheh ‘Adem Jashari’,” referring with ridicule to Sheh’s big mustaches, because of his resemblance to the KLA commander. Otherwise, most Shehs have mustaches.

The role of prominent Shehs meant they had influence, not only on own followers but wider in community. They were actively engaged together with representatives of all religions in 1990’s for the reconciliation of blood feuds between Albanians. Some of Sheh’s as Muhedini of Rahovec and Azizi of Bullaj were murdered for their role in sheltering and helping population and KLA fighters in the war, and others exerted on same path, alike.

Serbian forces burned and leveled with ground Bektashi tekke in Gjakova (founded in 1790), and the only tekke of this order in Kosova.

Today in Kosova after claiming their position between religious tolerance and religious freedoms officially guaranteed, Dervish orders welcome the opportunity. Islamic Community of Kosova, (ICK) claims that Dervish orders are a part of the official organization. That is specified with an article of their constitution. But, the situation is more complex than a regulation in paper. Officials admit the orders have big autonomy and except of categorization as such, they do not report and are not in control of the Islamic Community.

“Most of people who act as Shehs in tekkes now, are graduated in our Madrassah …,” says proudly Fitim Flokaj from ICK. He thinks that one day they will resemble to mainstream Islamic tradition, since they started applying practices of Islamic education. “Their existence is just in origins as Islam allows mystical practices, but has deviated especially in Kosova and Albania because of religious ignorance.” “They serve as bridge between Islam and Christianity”, says Mr. Flokaj raising his hands in dismay, as he believes the orders would eventually lead followers towards Christianization. “Their system of fathers (baballarët in Albanian) is purely of Christian origins and derives from it.”

The persecuted by Serbian regime, Sheh Ruzhdi of Gjakova is confident of the bright future of his order. This tekke is a reference point of the order that gathers several hundred followers from all Kosova and further in many European countries up to the US.

Sheh Ruzhdi seen as the obstacle for his role in the past is optimistic about democracy in Kosova, says “we want to contribute to the democratic process.” “The dignity of our people prevailed. We are now enjoying our freedom.”

He also talks of new religious groups that came in Kosova after the war, primarily of Wahhabis and evangelic orders of whom, he is critical because he says “We don’t need others to tell us how to run our religion and how to be religious.” He mentions names of his forefathers till the first one who become Sheh and raised his tekke in Gjakova about 400 years ago.

“We have been subjected in the bad times, but survived because of our determination and God’s help. Now we have been enlarging our tekkes and building new ones, also families enlarged and with God’s help we’ll become more and more.”

Although, no official data are provided on the number of religious affiliations from the last census of communist authorities in 1981, it is believed that their influence and size was intentionally downplayed. Mr. Flokaj making a simple calculation puts the number of Dervishes at 5 percent in Kosova. At another instance he admits that in Gjakova they formed absolute majority of Muslims during past years, but claims they’re losing ground to the mainstream. Anyway, nor Islamic Community categorized Dervishes on its census, and consequently has no accurate data or numbers. In Albania for instance, approximately 20 percent of Albanians identify themselves as having some connection to the Bektashis.

The headquarters of Bektashi Harabati tekke in Tetova founded by Sersen Ali Dede (northwestern town in Macedonia inhabited by Albanians) for five hundred years played important cultural and historical role of emancipation. In 2002, a group of armed members of the Islamic Community of Macedonia, the official organization which claims to represent all Muslims in Macedonia, invaded the Harabati Tekke aiming to turn it into a mosque, although the facility has never functioned as such. Anyway, the situation was appeased though no solution was found. Harabati Tekke was also damaged and taken and by government forces during the civil war with ethnic Albanians in 2001.Uncertainty is added with the complexity of Macedonia’s multiethnic and multi-religious fragile character.

Anyway, no matter their differences, the both, Dervish orders and Islamic Community of Kosova have found common interest and communication.

Ruzhdi is not only a religious figure, who presides in processions, debates and funerals. He can be met in different events and festivities such as wedding parties, where he sits in the place of honor with his wife. In such festivities they always wear civilian clothing without any mark of differentiation from other guests. Furthermore, he enjoys the music and as a very forthcoming person joins the singing in Albanian traditional table sofra, when the atmosphere of the wedding is at its heights. This traditional way of singing while sitting on “sofra” usually involves songs of patriotic character, but also the theme of Karbala depicted in the poem of Naim Frashëri.

Sheh’s youngest son, Valdrin recently graduated for Islamic studies in the Prishtina Madrassah. Valdrin himself or his elder brother are expected to inherit someday the Sheh’s position in the Sheh Emini tekke of Gjakova. They clearly ought to continue the path of the order with over 400-years history in 21st century. As12 candles that continue to light during ceremonies and 12 medallions hang on wooden ceiling in respect to their forefathers, Sheh Ruzhdi is the 13th Sheh of this Tekke heir, but certainly will not be the last.

The cake of Independence

2008-02-19T10:23:00.003+01:00

The 1.5 ton cake of Kosova Independence tastes sweet and delicious, 17 february 2008 (Photo by Rrezja Journal)