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'''Arvanites''' (Greek: Αρβανίτες, see also ] about names) are a population group in Greece who traditionally speak ], a form of ]. They settled in Greece during the late Middle Ages and used to be the predominant population element in some regions in the south of Greece up to the 19th century. Today, Arvanites have become largely assimilated and self-identify as Greeks. The Arvanitic language is under danger of extinction due to language shift towards Greek and due to large-scale migrations into the cities. '''Arvanites''' (Greek: Αρβανίτες, see also ] about names) are a population group in Greece who traditionally speak ], a form of ]. They settled in Greece during the late Middle Ages and used to be the predominant population element in some regions in the south of Greece up to the ]. Today, Arvanites have become largely assimilated and self-identify as Greeks. The Arvanitic language is under danger of extinction due to language shift towards Greek and due to large-scale migrations into the cities.


==History== ==History==
Arvanites in Greece originate from nomadic Albanian settlers who moved south at different times between the ] and the ] centuries from what is today southeastern ].<ref>See Biris 1960, Poulos 1950, Panagiotopulos 1985, Ducellier 1994).</ref><ref>Some authors, particularly Biris (1961), have likened the medieval Arvanitic migrations to that of the ancient ]. Some Greek authors go one step further, and have proposed theories that link the ultimate ancestors of the Arvanites with pre-Greek "]" (Kollias 1983), or relate the ] with ]. These views have found no echo in mainstream scholarship. The "Pelasgian" view, which was fashionable in the 19th century, is currently still propagated by the largest association of Greek Arvanites (Αρβανιτικός Σύνδεσμος Ελλάδος, and .</ref> Arvanites in Greece originate from Albanian-speaking Greek settlers who moved south at different times between the ] and the ] centuries. They migrated from the Greek territories of Albanitia (''Αλβανιτία'') in the ] (today’s southeastern ]).<ref>Philippides, Daniel and Kostantas, Gregory. “Γεωγραφία Νεωτερική”. Επιμέλεια: Κουμαριανού, Αικατερίνη, Ερμής, Αθήνα, 1988 (first edition, Vienna 1791).</ref><ref>See Biris 1960, Poulos 1950, Panagiotopulos 1985, Ducellier 1994.</ref><ref>Some authors, particularly Biris (1961), have likened the medieval Arvanitic migrations to that of the ancient ]. Some Greek authors go one step further, and have proposed theories that link the ultimate ancestors of the Arvanites with pre-Greek "]" (Kollias 1983), or relate the ] with ]. These views have found no echo in mainstream scholarship. The "Pelasgian" view, which was fashionable in the 19th century, is currently still propagated by the largest association of Greek Arvanites (Αρβανιτικός Σύνδεσμος Ελλάδος, and .</ref>


The reasons for this migration are not entirely clear and may be manifold. In many instances the Albanians were invited by the Byzantine and Latin rulers of the time. They were employed to re-settle areas that had been largely depopulated through wars, epidemics and other reasons, and they were employed as soldiers. Some later movements are also believed to have been motivated to evade Islamization after the Ottoman conquest. The main waves of migration into southern Greece started around 1300 and reached a peak some time during the 14th century. Arvanites first reached ], then ] and finally the ].<ref>Biris gives an estimated figure of 18,200 Arvanites who were settled in southern Greece between 1350 and 1418.</ref> The reasons for this migration are not entirely clear and may be manifold. In many instances the Arvanites were invited by the Byzantine and Latin rulers of the time. They were employed to re-settle areas that had been largely depopulated through wars, epidemics and other reasons, and they were employed as soldiers. Some later movements are also believed to have been motivated to evade Islamization after the Ottoman conquest. The main waves of migration into southern Greece started around ] and reached a peak some time during the 14th century. Arvanites first reached ], then ] and finally the ].<ref>Tselalis, Plapoutas Agis. ''Το 1350 – 1430 επί Μανουήλ Κατακουζηνού και Θεοδώρου Β’ Παλαιολόγου ήρθαν στην Πελοπόννησο αλβανόφωνοι χριστιανοί, καλεσμένοι από τους δεσπότες του Μυστρά να πυκνώσουν τον αραιωμένο από τους συνεχείς πολέμους, τους λιμούς και τις θεομηνίες πληθυσμό. Η καταγωγή τους ήταν από τους πανάρχαιους Ιλλιρυείς Έλληνες της Ηπείρου. Ορεσίβιοι βοσκοί και κυνηγοί, απλοϊκοί και άξεστοι, καρτερόψυχοι, με μεγάλη αντοχή, ρώμη και τόλμη, ψηλοί, αρρενωποί, λιγερόκορμοι και ωραίοι...Χριστιανοί, ακραιφνείς Έλληνες Ηπειρωτικής κι’ αυτοί καταγωγής, όπως και οι Σουλιμοχωρίτες (σ. σ. Σουλιμοχώρια Τριφυλλίας), ήσαν και οι Λιδωρίσιοι της Γορτυνίας.'' pp. 31 and 45.</ref><ref>Biris gives an estimated figure of 18,200 Arvanites who were settled in southern Greece between 1350 and 1418.</ref>


In many instances Arvanite groups placed themselves in the services of local Greek rulers who were descendants of some of the dynasties of old Byzantine nobility. During the 15th and 16th centuries, such groups were renowned as mercenaries, the so-called ], serving in the armies of the ] and other foreign forces. Many of them became bilingual and culturally assimilated to the Greeks. In many instances Arvanite groups placed themselves in the services of local Greek rulers who were descendants of some of the dynasties of old Byzantine nobility. During the 15th and 16th centuries, such groups were renowned as mercenaries, the so-called ], serving in the armies of the ].<ref>Commines, Philippe de. ''Ήσαν άπαντες Έλληνες, ελθόντες εκ των πόλεων ας κατέχουσα εν Ελλάδι οι Βενετοί, τινές μεν εκ του Ναυπλίου εν Πελοποννήσω, άλλοι δε εξ Αλβανίας, ενώπιον του Δυρραχίου...''(translated from French to Greek by Spyros Lambrou).</ref> Aside from the Venetians, the Arvanites have also fought in the armies of Eric VII of England and Ireland (] – ]). While fighting, they would profess their identity as Greeks.<ref>''Ελλήνων εσμέν παίδες...και τοις εχθροίς...την πάλαι θρυλουμένην Ελλήνων ανδρείαν έργοις αυτοίς φανεράν ποιήσωμεν.''</ref> Arvanites also held positions in many Greek Orthodox churches. In ], Michael Bouas and Alexander Moscholeon not only chronicled their positions in the Greek Orthodox Church of Naples, but they also professed their Greek identity.<ref>Magistri Capellani nationis Graecae.</ref>


] fighter in the early 19th century.]] ] fighter in the early 19th century.]]
⚫ Being Orthodox Christians, the Arvanites identified with the Greeks in their conflicts with Muslims during the time of the ]. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Arvanites from Epirus constituted a prominent element in the establishment of the effectively independent state of the ] in the mountains of ], which resisted Ottoman domination. During the ], many Arvanites played an important role fighting on the Greek side against the Ottomans, acquiring the role of national Greek heroes. With the formation of modern nations and nation states in the Balkans, Arvanites have come to be regarded as an integral part of the Greek nation. In 1899, leading representatives of the Arvanites in Greece, among them descendants of the independence heroes Botsaris and Tzavelas, published a manifesto calling their fellow Albanians outside Greece <!-- note to editors: yes, fellow Albanians, the text says "we" throughout referring both to Albanians outside Greece and Arvanites within, never making a distinction --> to join in the creation of a common Albanian-Greek state.<ref>First published in ''Ελληνισμός'', Athens 1899, 195-202. Quoted in Gkikas 1978:7-9.</ref>


⚫ Being Greek Orthodox Christians, the Arvanites obligated themselves to helping other Greeks in their conflicts with Muslims during the time of the ]. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Arvanites from Epirus constituted a prominent element in the establishment of the effectively independent state of the ] in the mountains of ], which resisted Ottoman domination. During the ], many Arvanites played an important role fighting on the Greek side against the Ottomans, acquiring the role of national Greek heroes. With the formation of modern nations and nation states in the Balkans, Arvanites have come to be regarded as an integral part of the Greek nation. In ], leading representatives of the Arvanites in Greece, among them descendants of the independence heroes Botsaris and Tzavelas, published a manifesto calling their fellow Albanians outside Greece <!-- note to editors: yes, fellow Albanians, the text says "we" throughout referring both to Albanians outside Greece and Arvanites within, never making a distinction --> to join in the creation of a common Albanian-Greek state.<ref>First published in ''Ελληνισμός'', Athens 1899, 195-202. Quoted in Gkikas 1978:7-9.</ref> In ], Arvanites like Vangelis Koropoulis (from Mandra Attica) participated during the Macedonian Wars.<ref>Stamou, Ch. Μακεδονικός Αγώνας (1903-08). ''...θα αγωνισθώ μέχρι να ελευθερωθεί η Μακεδονία και θα πεθάνω εδώ...''</ref>
⚫ During the 20th century, after the creation of the Albanian nation-states, Arvanites in Greece have come to dissociate themselves much more strongly from Albanians, stressing instead their national self-identification as Greeks. Many are reported to find their designation as "Albanians", or that of their language as "Albanian", offensive.<ref>GHM 1995.</ref> At the same time, it has been reported that many Arvanites in past decades have maintained a stance of social self-deprecation, leading to a progressive loss of their traditional language and a shifting of the younger generation towards Greek. At some times, particularly under the nationalist ] regime of 1936-1940, Greek state institutions followed a policy of actively discouraging and repressing the use of the Arvanitic language.<ref>GHM 1995, Trudgill/Tzavaras 1977. See also Tsitsipis 1981, Botsi 2003</ref>


⚫ During the ], after the creation of the Albanian nation-states, Arvanites in Greece have come to dissociate themselves much more strongly from Albanians, stressing instead their national self-identification as Greeks. Many are reported to find their designation as "Albanians", or that of their language as "Albanian", offensive.<ref>GHM 1995.</ref> At the same time, it has been reported that many Arvanites in past decades have maintained a stance of social self-deprecation, leading to a progressive loss of their traditional language and a shifting of the younger generation towards Greek. At some times, particularly under the nationalist ] regime of ] - ], Greek state institutions followed a policy of actively discouraging and repressing the use of the Arvanitic language.<ref>GHM 1995, Trudgill/Tzavaras 1977. See also Tsitsipis 1981, Botsi 2003</ref>


==Demographics== ==Demographics==
] ]

Regions with a strong traditional presence of Arvanites are found mainly in a compact area in southeast Greece, namely across ], southern ], the north-east of the ], the south of the island of ], the north of the island of ], and several islands of the ] including ]. In parts of this area they formed a solid majority until c.1900. Within Attica, parts of the capital ] and its suburbs were Arvanitic until the late 19th century. There are also settlements in some other parts of the Peloponnese, and in ] and ]. Regions with a strong traditional presence of Arvanites are found mainly in a compact area in southeast Greece, namely across ], southern ], the north-east of the ], the south of the island of ], the north of the island of ], and several islands of the ] including ]. In parts of this area they formed a solid majority until c.1900. Within Attica, parts of the capital ] and its suburbs were Arvanitic until the late 19th century. There are also settlements in some other parts of the Peloponnese, and in ] and ].


Line 71: Line 72:


=== The role of women === === The role of women ===

According to Kollias (1983), women held a relatively strong position in traditional Arvanite society. Women had a say in public issues concerning their "phara", and also often bore arms. Widows could inherit the status and privileges of their husbands and thus acquire leading roles within a phara, as did, for instance, ]. According to Kollias (1983), women held a relatively strong position in traditional Arvanite society. Women had a say in public issues concerning their "phara", and also often bore arms. Widows could inherit the status and privileges of their husbands and thus acquire leading roles within a phara, as did, for instance, ].


===Arvanitic songs=== ===Arvanitic songs===

Traditional Arvanite folk songs offer valuable information about social values and ideals of Arvanite societies.<ref>Songs have been studied by Moraitis (2002), Dede (1978), and Gkikas (1978).</ref> Arvanitic songs share similarities with ], ] and ]. Traditional Arvanite folk songs offer valuable information about social values and ideals of Arvanite societies.<ref>Songs have been studied by Moraitis (2002), Dede (1978), and Gkikas (1978).</ref> Arvanitic songs share similarities with ], ] and ].


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*Paschidis, Athanasios (1879): ''Οι Αλβανοί και το μέλλον αυτών εν τω Ελληνισμώ'' . Athens. *Paschidis, Athanasios (1879): ''Οι Αλβανοί και το μέλλον αυτών εν τω Ελληνισμώ'' . Athens.
*Poulos, Ioannis (1950): "Η εποίκησις των Αλβανών εις Κορινθίαν" . ''Επετηρίς μεσαιωνικού αρχείου'', Athens. 31-96. *Poulos, Ioannis (1950): "Η εποίκησις των Αλβανών εις Κορινθίαν" . ''Επετηρίς μεσαιωνικού αρχείου'', Athens. 31-96.
*Sasse, Hans-Jürgen (1985): "Sprachkontakt und Sprachwandel: Die Gräzisierung der albanischen Mundarten Griechenlands" . ''Papiere zur Linguistik'' 32(1). 37-95. *Sasse, Hans-Jürgen (1985): "Sprachkontakt und Sprachwandel: Die Gräzisierung der albanischen Mundarten Griechenlands" . ''Papiere zur Linguistik'' 32(1). 37-95.
*Sasse, Hans-Jürgen (1991): ''Arvanitika: Die albanischen Sprachreste in Griechenland'' . Wiesbaden. *Sasse, Hans-Jürgen (1991): ''Arvanitika: Die albanischen Sprachreste in Griechenland'' . Wiesbaden.
*Schukalla, Karl-Josef (1993): "Nationale Minderheiten in Albanien und Albaner im Ausland." . In: K.-D. Grothusen (ed.), ''Südosteuropa-Handbuch: Albanien.'' Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 505-528. *Schukalla, Karl-Josef (1993): "Nationale Minderheiten in Albanien und Albaner im Ausland." . In: K.-D. Grothusen (ed.), ''Südosteuropa-Handbuch: Albanien.'' Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 505-528.

Revision as of 20:12, 15 August 2006

Ethnic group
Arvanites
File:FArvanites.jpg
Regions with significant populations
Greece
Languages
Arvanitic, Greek
Religion
Greek Orthodox

Arvanites (Greek: Αρβανίτες, see also below about names) are a population group in Greece who traditionally speak Arvanitic, a form of Albanian. They settled in Greece during the late Middle Ages and used to be the predominant population element in some regions in the south of Greece up to the 19th century. Today, Arvanites have become largely assimilated and self-identify as Greeks. The Arvanitic language is under danger of extinction due to language shift towards Greek and due to large-scale migrations into the cities.

History

Arvanites in Greece originate from Albanian-speaking Greek settlers who moved south at different times between the 13th and the 15th centuries. They migrated from the Greek territories of Albanitia (Αλβανιτία) in the Despotate of Epirus (today’s southeastern Albania).

The reasons for this migration are not entirely clear and may be manifold. In many instances the Arvanites were invited by the Byzantine and Latin rulers of the time. They were employed to re-settle areas that had been largely depopulated through wars, epidemics and other reasons, and they were employed as soldiers. Some later movements are also believed to have been motivated to evade Islamization after the Ottoman conquest. The main waves of migration into southern Greece started around 1300 and reached a peak some time during the 14th century. Arvanites first reached Thessaly, then Attica and finally the Peloponnese.

In many instances Arvanite groups placed themselves in the services of local Greek rulers who were descendants of some of the dynasties of old Byzantine nobility. During the 15th and 16th centuries, such groups were renowned as mercenaries, the so-called Stradioti, serving in the armies of the Venetian Republic. Aside from the Venetians, the Arvanites have also fought in the armies of Eric VII of England and Ireland (1491 – 1547). While fighting, they would profess their identity as Greeks. Arvanites also held positions in many Greek Orthodox churches. In 1697, Michael Bouas and Alexander Moscholeon not only chronicled their positions in the Greek Orthodox Church of Naples, but they also professed their Greek identity.

An Armatole fighter in the early 19th century.

Being Greek Orthodox Christians, the Arvanites obligated themselves to helping other Greeks in their conflicts with Muslims during the time of the Ottoman Empire. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Arvanites from Epirus constituted a prominent element in the establishment of the effectively independent state of the Souliotes in the mountains of Epirus, which resisted Ottoman domination. During the Greek War of Independence, many Arvanites played an important role fighting on the Greek side against the Ottomans, acquiring the role of national Greek heroes. With the formation of modern nations and nation states in the Balkans, Arvanites have come to be regarded as an integral part of the Greek nation. In 1899, leading representatives of the Arvanites in Greece, among them descendants of the independence heroes Botsaris and Tzavelas, published a manifesto calling their fellow Albanians outside Greece to join in the creation of a common Albanian-Greek state. In 1903, Arvanites like Vangelis Koropoulis (from Mandra Attica) participated during the Macedonian Wars.

During the 20th century, after the creation of the Albanian nation-states, Arvanites in Greece have come to dissociate themselves much more strongly from Albanians, stressing instead their national self-identification as Greeks. Many are reported to find their designation as "Albanians", or that of their language as "Albanian", offensive. At the same time, it has been reported that many Arvanites in past decades have maintained a stance of social self-deprecation, leading to a progressive loss of their traditional language and a shifting of the younger generation towards Greek. At some times, particularly under the nationalist Metaxas regime of 1936 - 1940, Greek state institutions followed a policy of actively discouraging and repressing the use of the Arvanitic language.

Demographics

Areas in Greece with significant presence of minority languages.

Regions with a strong traditional presence of Arvanites are found mainly in a compact area in southeast Greece, namely across Attica, southern Boeotia, the north-east of the Peloponnese, the south of the island of Euboea, the north of the island of Andros, and several islands of the Saronic Gulf including Salamis. In parts of this area they formed a solid majority until c.1900. Within Attica, parts of the capital Athens and its suburbs were Arvanitic until the late 19th century. There are also settlements in some other parts of the Peloponnese, and in Phthiotis and Locris.

Other groups of Arvanites live in the north of Greece in areas closer to Albania and the historical centers of contiguous Albanian populations (Banfi 1996). Some of them live in Epirus (Thesprotia and Preveza); in Florina/Konitsa (near the border of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia); and in some locations further east in Thrace. These settlements are believed to be of a later date than the southern ones (GHM 1995).

There are no reliable figures about the number of Arvanites in Greece today. The last official census figures available come from 1951. The number of active speakers of the Arvanitic language is believed to be much lower than the number of people who identify culturally as Arvanites owing to family tradition and local loyalties, and that number is likely to be still lower than the number of people of ultimately Arvanitic descent. The following is a summary of the widely diverging estimates (Botsi 2003: 97):

  • 1928 census: 18,773 citizens self-identifying as "Albanophone", i.e. Arvanitic-speaking.
  • 1951 census: 22,736 "Albanophones".
  • Furikis (1934): estimated 70,000 Arvanites only in Attica.
  • Trudgill/Tzavaras (1976/77): estimated 140,000 only in Attica and Boeotia.
  • Sasse (1991): estimated 50,000 Arvanitic speakers in total.
  • Ethnologue, 2000: 150,000 Arvanites, living in 300 villages.
  • Federal Union of European Nationalities, 1991: 95,000 "Albanians of Greece" (MRG 1991: 189)
  • According to some estimates: up to 250,000 (quoted in Schukalla 1993: 523) or even over a million (Albanian life No.2, 1994, quoted in Clogg 2002) people of ultimately Arvanitic descent.

Like the rest of the Greek population, Arvanites have been emigrating from their villages to the cities and especially to the capital Athens. This has contributed to the loss of the language in the younger generation.

Names

The name Arvanites and its equivalents are today used both in Greek (Αρβανίτες, singular form Αρβανίτης, feminine Αρβανίτισσα) and in Arvanitic itself (Arbëreshë or Arbërorë). In Standard Albanian, the name is Arvanitë. Arvanites are thus distinguished from ethnic Albanians, who are called Shqiptarë in Standard Albanian, and Alvaní (Αλβανοί) in Greek. Arvanites have referred to their place of origin as Arvanitiá (today southern Albania and NW Greece). Sometimes this term has also been applied to the whole of Albania and/or Epirus.

The name Arvanites and its equivalents go back to an old ethnonym that was at one time used by all Albanians to refer to themselves. It goes back to a geographical term, first attested in Polybius in the form of a place-name Άρβων, and then again in Byzantine authors of the 11th and 12th centuries in the form Άρβανον or Άρβανα, referring to a place in what is today Albania. "Arvanites" ("Arbanitai") originally referred to the inhabitants of that region, and then to all Albanian-speakers. The alternative name "Albanians" (Αλβανοί) may ultimately be etymologically related, but is of less clear origin (see Albania (toponym)). It was probably conflated with that of the "Arbanitai" at some stage due to phonological similarity. In later Byzantine usage, the terms "Arbanitai" and "Albanoi", with a range of variants, were used interchangably, while sometimes the same groups were also called by the classicising names "Illyrians" or "Macedonians". In the 19th and early 20th century, Αλβανοί ("Albanians") was used predominantly in formal registers and Αρβανίτες ("Arvanites") in the more popular speech in Greek, but both were used indiscriminately for both Muslim and Christian Albanophones inside and outside Greece. In Albania itself, the self-designation "Arvanites" had been exchanged for the new name "Shqiptarë" since the 15th century, an innovation that was not shared by the Albanophone migrant communities in the south of Greece. In the course of the 20th century, it became customary to use only "Αλβανοί" for the people of Albania, and only "Αρβανίτες" for the Christian Arvanites integrated into Greek society, thus stressing the national separation between the two groups.

Arvanites are distinguished in Greece from Cham Albanians (Greek: "Τσάμηδες"), another group of Albanophones in the northwest of Greece. Unlike the Christian Arvanites, the Chams were predominantly Muslims and identified nationally as Albanians. Muslim Chams were expelled from Greece at the end of the Second World War, after violent clashes and atrocities committed during and after Axis occupation.

There is some uncertainty to what extent the term "Arvanites" also includes the small remaining Christian Albanophone population groups in Northwest Greece (Epirus and western Macedonia). Unlike the southern Arvanites, these speakers are reported to use the name Shqiptarë both for themselves and for Albanian nationals (Banfi 1996), although this is reported not necessarily to imply Albanian national consciousness (Kollias 1983). The word Shqiptár is also used in a few villages of Thrace, where Arvanites migrated from the mountains of Pindos during the 19th century. Moraitis (2002) reports that such speakers also use the name Arvanitis in their Greek, and the Euromosaic (1996) report notes that the designation Chams is today rejected by the group. The report by GHM (1995) subsumes the Epirote Albanophones under the term Arvanites, although it notes the different linguistic self-designation. Botsi (2003: 21), on the other hand, applies the term "Arvanites" only to the populations of the compact Arvanitic settlement areas in southern Greece, in keeping with the self-identification of those groups. Linguistically, the Ethnologue () identifies the present-day Albanian/Arvanitic dialects of Northwestern Greece (in Epirus and Lechovo) with those of the Chams, and therefore classifies them together with standard Tosk Albanian, as opposed to "Arvanitika Albanian proper" (i.e. southern Greek Arvanitic). Nevertheless it reports that in Greek the Epirus varieties are also often subsumed under "Arvanitika" in a wider sense. It puts the estimated number of Epirus Albanophones at 10,000. "Arvanitic proper" () is said to include the outlying dialects spoken in Thrace.

Language use and language perception

Main article: Arvanitic language

While the Arvanitic language was commonly called Albanian in Greece until the 20th century, the wish of Arvanites to express their ethnic identification as Greeks has led to a stance of rejecting the identification of the language with Albanian as well. Breu (1985: 424) and Tsitsipis (1983) reported that many Arvanites had only very imprecise notions about how related or unrelated their language was to Albanian. Today, many Arvanites prefer to regard Arvanitic as different from Albanian. Since Arvanitic is almost exclusively a spoken language, Arvanites also have no practical affiliation with the Standard Albanian language used in Albania, as they do not use this form in writing or in media. The question of linguistic closeness or distance between Arvanitic and Albanian has come to the forefront especially since the early 1990s, when a large number of immigrants from Albania began to enter Greece and came into contact with local Arvanitic communities (cf. Botsi 2003, Athanassopoulou 2005).

Since the 1980s, there have been some organized efforts to preserve the cultural and linguistic heritage of Arvanites.

Minority status

Although sociological studies of Arvanite communities (Trudgill/Tzavaras 1977) still used to note an identifiable sense of a special "ethnic" identity among Arvanites, the authors did not identify a sense of 'belonging to Albania or to the Albanian nation'. Arvanite identity is subordinated to that of being part of the Greek nation. Arvanites often not only reject the designation as Albanians but also object to the term "minority" being applied to them, a term that is politically highly charged in Greece. No political desire to obtain any officially recognized minority status for themselves or protection for their language has been reported on the part of Arvanite groups. Attempts at making the Arvanites the topic of a political "ethnic minority" issue between Greece and Albania, which were made briefly during the 1990s under Albanian president Sali Berisha, were met with furious or amused rejection by public opinion in Greece.

Arvanitic culture

Phara

Phara (φάρα) is a descent model, similar to Scottish clans. Arvanites were organised in phares (φάρες) mostly during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. The apex was a warlord and the phara was named after him (i.e. Botsaris' phara). In an Arvanitic village each phara was responsible to keep genealogical records (see also registry offices), that are preserved until today as historical documents in local libraries. Usually there were more than one phares in an Arvanitic village and sometimes they were organised in phratries that had conflict of interests. Those phratries didn't last long, because each leader of a phara desired to be the leader of the phratry and would not be lead by another.

The role of women

According to Kollias (1983), women held a relatively strong position in traditional Arvanite society. Women had a say in public issues concerning their "phara", and also often bore arms. Widows could inherit the status and privileges of their husbands and thus acquire leading roles within a phara, as did, for instance, Bouboulina.

Arvanitic songs

Traditional Arvanite folk songs offer valuable information about social values and ideals of Arvanite societies. Arvanitic songs share similarities with Arbëresh, Albanian and Greek Epirote music.

Famous Arvanites

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. Philippides, Daniel and Kostantas, Gregory. “Γεωγραφία Νεωτερική”. Επιμέλεια: Κουμαριανού, Αικατερίνη, Ερμής, Αθήνα, 1988 (first edition, Vienna 1791).
  2. See Biris 1960, Poulos 1950, Panagiotopulos 1985, Ducellier 1994.
  3. Some authors, particularly Biris (1961), have likened the medieval Arvanitic migrations to that of the ancient Dorians. Some Greek authors go one step further, and have proposed theories that link the ultimate ancestors of the Arvanites with pre-Greek "Pelasgians" (Kollias 1983), or relate the Arvanitic language with Ancient Greek. These views have found no echo in mainstream scholarship. The "Pelasgian" view, which was fashionable in the 19th century, is currently still propagated by the largest association of Greek Arvanites (Αρβανιτικός Σύνδεσμος Ελλάδος, and .
  4. Tselalis, Plapoutas Agis. Το 1350 – 1430 επί Μανουήλ Κατακουζηνού και Θεοδώρου Β’ Παλαιολόγου ήρθαν στην Πελοπόννησο αλβανόφωνοι χριστιανοί, καλεσμένοι από τους δεσπότες του Μυστρά να πυκνώσουν τον αραιωμένο από τους συνεχείς πολέμους, τους λιμούς και τις θεομηνίες πληθυσμό. Η καταγωγή τους ήταν από τους πανάρχαιους Ιλλιρυείς Έλληνες της Ηπείρου. Ορεσίβιοι βοσκοί και κυνηγοί, απλοϊκοί και άξεστοι, καρτερόψυχοι, με μεγάλη αντοχή, ρώμη και τόλμη, ψηλοί, αρρενωποί, λιγερόκορμοι και ωραίοι...Χριστιανοί, ακραιφνείς Έλληνες Ηπειρωτικής κι’ αυτοί καταγωγής, όπως και οι Σουλιμοχωρίτες (σ. σ. Σουλιμοχώρια Τριφυλλίας), ήσαν και οι Λιδωρίσιοι της Γορτυνίας. pp. 31 and 45.
  5. Biris gives an estimated figure of 18,200 Arvanites who were settled in southern Greece between 1350 and 1418.
  6. Commines, Philippe de. Ήσαν άπαντες Έλληνες, ελθόντες εκ των πόλεων ας κατέχουσα εν Ελλάδι οι Βενετοί, τινές μεν εκ του Ναυπλίου εν Πελοποννήσω, άλλοι δε εξ Αλβανίας, ενώπιον του Δυρραχίου...(translated from French to Greek by Spyros Lambrou).
  7. Ελλήνων εσμέν παίδες...και τοις εχθροίς...την πάλαι θρυλουμένην Ελλήνων ανδρείαν έργοις αυτοίς φανεράν ποιήσωμεν.
  8. Magistri Capellani nationis Graecae.
  9. First published in Ελληνισμός, Athens 1899, 195-202. Quoted in Gkikas 1978:7-9.
  10. Stamou, Ch. Μακεδονικός Αγώνας (1903-08). ...θα αγωνισθώ μέχρι να ελευθερωθεί η Μακεδονία και θα πεθάνω εδώ...
  11. GHM 1995.
  12. GHM 1995, Trudgill/Tzavaras 1977. See also Tsitsipis 1981, Botsi 2003
  13. Attaleiates, Ιστορία 297 mentiones "Arbanitai" as parts of a mercenary army (c.1085); Anna Comnena, Αλεξιάς, VI:7/7 and XIII 5/1-2 mentions a region or town called Arbanon or Arbana, and "Arbanitai" as its inhabitants (1148). See also Vranousi (1970) and Ducellier (1968).
  14. See Biris (1960) and Kollias (1983).
  15. Songs have been studied by Moraitis (2002), Dede (1978), and Gkikas (1978).
  16. ^ Απομνημονεύματα Μακρυγιάννη Cite error: The named reference "makriyannis" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  17. Πάγκαλος, Θεόδωρος (1950), Τα απομνημονευματά μου, 1897-1947 : η ταραχώδης περιόδος της τελευταίας πεντηκονταετίας
  18. Κριεζής, Θεόδωρος (1948), Οι Κριεζήδες του Εικοσιένα
  19. "Εικονοστάσι ηρώων". Τα Νέα. March 3, 1999. p. P12.

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