#ymer aga

[arbenia]

Popular Albanian beliefs

Moon - The moon, Alb. hënë, def. hëna, serves as a popular symbol and motif in Albanian folk art, on gravestones and tattooing. It was believed that crops should be sown when the moon was waning, otherwise the growth would be all in the stalks and leaves and there would be no seed. The northern tribes also believed that hair should be also be cut at the waning at the moon, not during the new moon, because it would otherwise turn white. Edith Durham (1863-1944) records the following anecdote about her Albanian guide: “Marko was very proud of the fact that his hair had whitened very slightly - all owning to his careful regard to the moon. When we meet younger men who were quite white he used to say, “Look at this silly fellow! Cut his hair the wrong side of the moon!” As in Romania, marriages in Albania were traditionally celebrated at the time of the full moon in order to ensure offspring. Thus, a premature birth was known in Elbasan as a ‘moonless birth.’ In northern Albania, children underage of one were not allowed to look at the moon because they would otherwise suffer from diarrhoea. It was also believed that an eclipse of the moon was caused by vampires trying to eat it up. For this reason the highland tribes were wont to shoot at the moon during eclipses.

Numbers - The numbers three, seven and nine occur frequently in Albanian popular belief and are often associated with magic powers. The numbers three can be encountered in: the three miras or fatias who visit a child three days after its birth, the three candles lit on the feast of Saint Nicholas, the three gourds of water in a Korça wedding, the three-fold raising and lowering of the bier before a funeral in the Malësia e Madhe and the family gatherings three days after a death in Tirana and Gjirokastra, the three locks taken during the first ceremonial hair cutting and the three holes in stones used for sacred oaths, as well in Albanian folk tales: the three brothers, three apples, the Earthly Beauty and her two sisters, etc. The number seven occurs in: the seven tongues of a kulshedra or a lubia, the seven graves Sari Salltëk, the seven days and nights during which a father lies in bed in Couvade and the Sancti Septenarii, i.e the so-called seven-numbered saints of southern Balkan Orthodoxy. The number nine occurs for instance in: the period of the nine years and nine days in the legend of Aga Ymer, the nine sons in the legend of Doruntina and the nine years during which Gjergj Elez Alia lay on his death bed. Other magic numbers are 40, 99 and 101.

Monday - Monday, like Thursday and Sunday, was considered a lucky day of the week. Monday was also the preferred wedding day for the northern Albanian catholics.

Owls - In the northern highlands, the owl, Alb kukuvajkë, def. kukuvajka was also known by the euphemism herëkeqja ‘always (bringing) evil,’ because it was often seen as a bearer of evil tidings. According to one legend, there was a farmer who had a brother John, Alb. Gjon, a shepherd. On the way to see his brother, the farmer went hunting and accidentally killed him. On realising what had happened, he cried and prayed to God to be turned into a bird and sent into the wilderness to spent his remaining years in mourning. This is why the owl always cried “John! John!” Alb. Gjon! Gjon! . There are many similarities and much confusion in Albanian popular beliefs between owls and cuckoos. 

Old Wife’s Days -  March 29, 30, and April 1 are known traditionally as the Old Wife’s Days, Alb. ditët e plakës, and are equivalent to the western European ice Saints, i.e the last cold days of winter, which in Albania usually fall in the middle or end of March.

(Taken from A Dictionary Of Albanian Religion, Mythology, And Folk Culture By Robert Elsie)

[tirona]

Pellgu Rabies, Erzeni m’sevda ne zheg t’beharit. - Tregim Satirik

Pellgu Rabies, Erzeni m’sevda ne zheg t’beharit. – Tregim Satirik

Ishte dita ku Xoni Rapit msoj notin me kaptinen gjith berdunglla dhe Bajromi Lymit shfiu gabimisht sumen me hislla.

Ket hiqjaje ja kallxoi Delipi Merit kur erdh m’Tiron per ca damga m’beledije.

Delipi ishte nis prej Ibe per te shku m’beledije (bashki) t’Tirones se i duheshin ca damga (vula) prej hyqymetit. Masi zdrypi m’Tiron birden i del per karshi Meri.

-Selomun Alejqum Delibo. -Merhaba Ymer Aga…

[albanianvoices]

Se kishte qënë trim dhe trimi nderohet kudo.

Mitrush Kuteli’s Rapsody of Ymer Aga 

 “Because he’d been a brave man and brave men are honored anywhere”

The Rapsody of Ymer Aga is an Albanian legend of the zone of Ulqin. Ymer Aga is called for the army the very day of his wedding; before going he made his new wife promise to wait for his return for 9 years. If after that time he’s not back she could marry again. Unfortunately, Ymer Aga is taken as prisoner, though during his time in the cells he still sing and play with his compainions. When the 9 years came near their end, he abrubtly stops his joyful behavior, he starts having bad dreams, stops eating and drinking and even the king’s daughter worry so much that goes to talk to him. After some esitations the princess temporary free Ymer Aga when he gave her his besa (a sacred promise) to return after he’ll take back his wife. When he arrived to Ulqin, he goes to his house and find his bad dreams came truth: the father dead and forget, the mother alive but blind and his wife is going to another man. No one recognize him, so Ymer Aga fake his own death and ask the krushq (the men that take the bride to the husband’s house) to talk to the bride because Ymer Aga left him this as his amanet (his spiritual will). After some words his bride recogize him and “run dancing” to the krushq: fate retuned her to his first destiny, but when they’ll have children their families can join though another marriage. Ymer Aga have no time left to stay with his family and runs fast to his prison in the “cursed black land of Spain” where the king is ready to kill is own daughter for betray. When he comes back to the king, he sees how much of a brave and honourable man Ymer Aga is and frees him and his compains.

[sabiheja]

All his companions greeted him: "Welcome back Imer Aga! You're a boy and such good boy you kept the besa of the Albanian you kept the besa that you gave. The king his daughter had forgiven, but before Aga Imer comes back he her besa wanted to break! The king saw [how good was] Aga and don't put him back in prison, forgives him and let him go home. Aga Imer returned back to Ulqin and with his lady his life continued.

Rhapsody of Ymer Aga Ulqini

“Të gjith shôkt i dolën para:

 - Mirë se erdhe Imer Aga!   Kjenke djalë e pika e djalit ­   majte besën i shqyptarit,   majte besën qi ke dhane!   Mreti t'bine e ka fale,   se mas t'ardhke Aga Imeri,   besa t'binë ai desht m'i pre.

Aga mretit i doli n'faqe. N'burk mreti mâ s'e ka shtie, për krejt e fali m'u kthye n'shpie. Aga Imeri erth n'Ulqine vazhdaj jetën me vashë t'tie.”

[sabiheja]

­Aga Imeri na ka dek-e,  tash tri dit në dhé ka hi-e;  vetë e lava, vetë e kjava,  të shtatat me dorë ja dava.

Krajë Arbenesh, Rhapsody of Ymer Agë Ulqini

“Aga Imeri is dead,

It is three days that he was buried;

I myself  have washed him, I myself have cried for him, 

With my own hand I have placed him under the ground.”