- O moj Shqypni
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O Moj Shqypni (English: Oh Albania) is a poem written by Pashko Vasa, a writer and activist of the Albanian National Awakening, around 1878-80. A critique of religious and political factionalism, the poem is considered to be one of the most important and influential literary works of the Albanian National Awakening and the best known work of Pashko Vasa, while its verse The faith of the Albanian is Albanianism (Albanian: Feja e Shqyptarit asht Shqyptaria) has become the motto of various Albanian organizations.
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Content
Written in Vasa's native dialect of Shkodër O Moj Shqypni is a 72-verse poem, which was first published by the Czech linguist Jan Urban Jarnik in his work Zur Albanesische Sprachenkunde published in 1881. Throughout the Ottoman Empire it was disseminated in the form of brochures and flyers. Two other versions have been found in Thimi Mitko's archives in Alexandria and those of Jeronim de Rada in Cosenza. Found in 1975 the latter version unlike the other two has a different first verse, which is Mori Shqypni instead of Moj Shqypni. It was originally considered to have been transcribed by Vasa, but eventually it was proven that it's a transcription of Sami Frashëri, another important Albanian writer of the era.[1]
Pashko Vasa wrote the poem during the era of the formation of the League of Prizren, which sought to unify all Albanian-inhabited areas into one single state entity and later adopted the verse The faith of the Albanian is Albanianism of the poem as its motto.[2] O Moj Shqypni contains the widespread view among Albanian intellectuals, which considered the overcoming of religious division as a way to reinforce national consciouness that could be realized by replacing the importance of religion with that of Albanian culture and patriotism.[3] The poem criticizes political and cultural factionalism, which Vasa considered an obstacle to national unity.[4]
Legacy
O Moj Shqypni is considered to be one of the most influential works of 19th century Albanian literature and has been described as one of the most influential and most important poems written in Albanian.[5][6] Its verse The faith of the Albanian is Albanianism (Albanian: Feja e Shqyptarit asht Shqyptaria) was the motto of the League of Prizren and in modern times remains the motto of various Albanian nationalist organizations. During the assemblies of 1910 the music director of the orchestra of Vlorë melodized the poem.[7]
References
- Notes
- Sources
- Sindbaek, Tea; Hartmuth, Maximilian (2011-03). Images of Imperial Legacy: Modern Discourses on the Social and Cultural Impact of Ottoman and Habsburg. LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN 9783643108500. http://books.google.com/books?id=SY1KtsDAtnMC. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- Michelson, Paul E.; Treptow, Kurt W. (2002-03). National development in Romania and southeastern Europe: papers in honor of Cornelia Bodea. Center for Romanian Studies. ISBN 9789739432375. http://books.google.com/books?id=8OCgAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- Elsie, Robert (2005). Albanian literature: a short history. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 9781845110314. http://books.google.com/books?id=ox3Wx1Nl_2MC. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- Clark, Howard (2000). Civil resistance in Kosovo. Pluto Press. ISBN 9780745315690. http://books.google.com/books?id=OTW9XKUmrxsC. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- Studime historike. Academy of Sciences of Albania. 1969. http://books.google.com/books?id=tIAhAQAAMAAJ. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- Ammon, Ulrich; Dittmar, Norbert; Mattheier, Klaus J. (2006). Sociolinguistics: an international handbook of the science of language and society. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110184181. http://books.google.com/books?id=LMZm0w0k1c4C. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- Duijzings, Gerlachlus (2000). Religion and the politics of identity in Kosovo. C. Hurst. ISBN 9781850654315. http://books.google.com/books?id=aJRYkzl5YC4C. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
External links
- O moj Shqypni poem at YouTube
Categories:- Albanian poems
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