Balkan Prejudices

SHUMKA_BALKAN PREJUDICES

A real story

December 2020

PROLOGUE

Every day of our life we encounter problems of one kind or another, but not all of them could be forgotten. What does it mean? Last year some days before Christmas, according to the Gregorian calendar happened an unusual event that caused me anxiety and nervousness… For several months could not find peace, no sleep, trying to free me from its chains… Finally could breathe freely, only when revealed in a short story. Today, in general, is decreasing the interest to read books. It is a fact, and it is not difficult to prove, enough to ask the booksellers; but this story is too short; it takes only ten minutes to read…

***

I agreed to meet with the manager of Italian clothing company[1] Mr. Leo, and his colleague, Ms. Paola, after working time. We met several years ago as soon as they came to my city.

The manager was a medium-height man with slightly whitened hair. His smiling look showed peace and friendship. His colleague Paola was shorter than him but attractive, thanks to her slim body and blue eyes. I wanted to company with them, because they were good people, honest and, above all, smart; even such persons could seldom be found elsewhere. Both had such a relationship with our community to think they were born and grown up among us.

I was glad to meet them and for the language, as I had the opportunity to practice it. It is known that if you do not speak a language, and why you have achieved good skills before, you will lose it over time. This is confirmed by the Italian proverb for languages "Don't leave me; if you leave me a month, I will leave a year, and if you leave me a year, I will leave you ten years."

Let me now continue with the story...

Normally when I have a meeting am used to be before others, waiting for them and not waiting for me; a characteristic inherited from my ancestors.

As soon as left my office, I was faced with darkness and low temperature. I could barely arrive at the bar, holder of the name of a great patriot, located in front of the first school in Albania[2].  

A few minutes later, my friends arrived. With them was and a person unknown to me. She was a woman with a healthy body and long dark black hair.

After greeting, Leo took the floor,

“Ms. Vita is an audit inspector and part-time lecturer.”

He, of course, had told her about me before they arrived, adding...

 “Last week offered me a book written in his Macedonian language.”

The lecturer intervenes promptly,

“Is there a Macedonian language?”

I immediately blushed and felt tightness in my chest...moved a little away from the table...my body started to tremble... Instantly in the cafe prevailed such silence as if someone had died. While I was thinking … “What bad propaganda is made against us? How is it possible to be a lecturer in the middle of Europe? Does she know how much hurts...?” Meantime, tears were a river flowing down my cheeks … 

Instinctively I make up my mind…Even, and today I do not know where I found that power! Sure, it came from God, and if anyone considers me theist, I would tell him that I know and atheism, as a witness of alone atheist state[3] until the 1990s,’’ and addressed to her,

“May I ask you something?”

"Yes," she replied.

“How many words do you know in French, Romanian, Spanish, and Portuguese?”

She answered,

“Up to 80% French, nearly 60% Spanish and Romanian, and no more than 30-40% Portuguese.”

Satisfied and obedient that the wind was blowing on my side went on...

“While I know the Serbian words up to 50 %, Bulgarian no more than 40%, while other Slavic languages no more than 30%...  WELL, THEN MY LANGUAGE DOES NOT EXIST OR YOURS??!!”

The lecturer did not react, which allowed me to continue. In June 2004 the owners of the hydro-power plant[4] decided to do the generators service. They were dealing with a Bulgarian electricity devices service. I had to interpret. Do you know what happens? Neither I could understand their Bulgarian language, nor they mine Macedonian.  

The manager smiled and intervenes,

“Nation and language are one, and denial of their language is a prejudice that reminds us of Byzantine times.”

Ms.Paola knew perfectly my origin, due to her several years working in the area, said,

“It is well-known that they are under pressure from neighbors for their existence, for the problem of Macedonians living in their countries.”

I thought “I’m winning right now...” realized from the face of Vita and continued...

“What you say is possible only if you come from another planet and do not know that the language is spoken by its people, who own scientific academies, universities, colleges, institutions, scientists, professors, doctors, and COUNTLESS WRITERS AND POETS.”

           As I raised the voice a little at the last words, paused a moment, waiting for intervention, and when I saw that nobody was ready to take the floor, restarted,

“I should like to point out some visible features of my local area culture[5]. For example, at us is repeated commonly... if it is about popular songs and dances, we are the best. At this moment someone will ask me, Can you prove it? Yes, I can... In the time of communism, and looked out the window, right there at the square before the cathedral, were organizing the well-known folk festivals[6]. When the Macedonian folk group performed, it was fantastic. Everything around was involuntary shivering... were so fast and original like the famous Spanish dances.” 

In the meantime, I noticed the approval from the look on their face and carried on...  

“In June 1996s was partly employed by a good heart person from Italy, who enabled surviving the leather factory[7]. I had to interpret in a Macedonian Premise. During all the time of my interpretation, he was so happy and sometimes was smiling. Really, for a moment, I was afraid, thinking something was not okay with me, but no other choice except being correct. The meeting finished, and I could not find tranquility yet. Suddenly, he set his hand on my arm and said,

“I was very impressed all the time, and do you know why? You are speaking your language so fast, and it looks like a miracle”

“I agree with you,” said Leo, “that is made out and by me due to my presence here, but I mean that some languages in Asia are spoken faster because of short words.”

“In your language,” said I, “there are opportunities for the alterations of the words, which are common and to us. Another special feature of our language is the use of epithets. Do you know how many? Each of us has not one or two but three names. The first is from the Godfather, with whom we are acquainted with documents; the second is a caressing or short name received from the family; the third is a nickname given from people around.”

As time went on, and I was speaking incessantly did not see any dissatisfaction in them. Although I was convinced of that asked,

“Sorry if I bother you?”

“No, they answered.”

“Everyone is proud of his native language.” continued I, “My mother language is richest in words, for example, many languages use only one verb for all living being’s births, while we have a special word for each of them...up to 8[8].”  ““Finally, I want to remember what did happen to me two months ago[9] in the office of the Society of Poets. I wrote in my Macedonian language 32 lines poesy within an hour. When I finished reading, they concluded that such a rhyme offers only a musical language.”

The lecturer, for the first time after the insulting statement at the beginning, said,

"We Italians say, water that's flowed past the mill grinds no more".

"Certainly," said Leo, “Big fish eats little fish.”

I answered softly,

“You are right. After many years of misinformation about our existence, isolation, and pressure, our souls are oppressed, utterly disappointed with the policies implemented in the Balkans, comparing them to the saying of Napoleon, "Justice is at the top of my sword."

“I promise you, next year I will find a way to invite others to visit you,” said Vita

***

Unfortunately, after a while broke up an unheard and unseen Pandemic. Better days will come, and one day the vaccine will defeat this wickedness...

***

EPILOGUE

If somebody does not trust me, I offer another option…we live among you, integrated into your society, so it is not difficult to find any Macedonian. Please enter in their interior spirit to discover why Vita said…If not, replace yourself with us...

Author

Vasil SHUMKA

Korce, Albania

[1] The clothing and footwear industry is one of the largest employers since the 1990s.

[2] The first Albanian school was established on March 7, 1887, in Korce, that time ago was known by the beautiful name Gorica. Today, Korca is one of the largest and most important cultural centres of Albania, located in the south-eastern part of the country. The city is known for its typical quarters, composed of low houses and villas, a range of museums, and many taverns. Korca is a very good base for exploring many tourist points located in the nearby mountains. Today the city is the best tourist destination in our country and all around the region. The number of tourists who want our city to visit is increasing every day.

[3] In 1976, the former Communist Government declared Albania as an "Atheist state", putting a ban on religious belief in the constitution and imposing punishments for participating in religious ceremonies Through a well-organized system of propaganda including media and movies, the dictatorial state denigrated clerics, targeting them as backward and negative influences on society. Believers faced harsh punishments, and many priests and imams were killed.

[4] It's about the first hydropower plant in our country built in Vithkuq, Korce in 1936. At this time Italian investments in our country were increasing under the bilateral agreement. In 2004, a company with a good reputation named “Favina” purchased this power station that was out of operation since 1990. Favina managed to reconstruct it and put it back into operation. 

[5] It’s about Macedonians living in the region of Korce, Albania

[6] Every year, until the end of the communist system, were organizing folk festivals.

[7]One of the few factories that survived the change of systems

[8]Words perfectly inherited from generation to generation... се отеле(The cow gave birth to a calf), се објагна(The sheep gave birth to a lamb)...

[9] In October 2020, on the premises of the society of poets of our city called called "Bota e Re" (New World)