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Top Ten Hidden Gems of Macedonia

From vast sparkling lakes and lush forests to the towering mountains that surround them, the Republic of Macedonia is home to a variety of magnificent sights fit for anyone to explore! Due to its rich, ancient history this region has accumulated more wonders than it can showcase. This fortunately makes for a land littered with gorgeous archeological and historic sites that, until recently, have been criminally underrated and traded for more acclaimed destinations in nearby countries from Croatia to Greece. There are certainly many popular points of interest in the country but this article will introduce some hidden gems that only locals would know of.

KOKINO

Martin Dimitrievski

Move over Stonehenge, a personal favourite and a must-see is the ancient megalithic observatory of Kokino. This 3800 year old site is located near the northern Macedonian town of Kumanovo on the Tatikjev Kamen summit. It has been promoted by NASA as being an astounding prehistoric site. Kokino has finds dating back from the 19th century BC that indicate a period of settlement into the 7th century BC as demonstrated by the pendants, bronze axe moulds, and the vessels of offerings found on the hill which go to support a theory claiming it had once been regarded at as a ‘holy mountain’. Overall, evidence largely points to it having held a purpose as an observatory consisting of two platforms tracking the movement of the Sun and the Moon through the use of stone markers. Making the trip up to Kokino and taking a seat in one of the four stone thrones of the lower platform would certainly make for an unforgettable experience impossible to be replicated anywhere else!

STYBERRA

Haemus.org

West of Prilep on a picturesque hillside one will find the marvelous ruins of an ancient Macedonian city called Styberra by the shores of the river Erigon (now Crna Reka). Although the country is well-known for the ancient cities of Stobi and Heraclea, Styberra is often neglected. Nonetheless, this extraordinary ruin offers plenty to see, such as: a temple for the goddess Tyche described as the protector of the city; 28 busts or monuments of prominent citizens, deities and emperors; numerous well preserved marble inscriptions; as well as remnants of public buildings like gymnasiums and lecture spaces. The list of incredible finds in this city appears endless! Styberra reached its height during the 2nd century AD being home to upwards of 20 000 citizens, although its beginnings date back to the 4th century BC. However in the later half of the 3rd century, life in this seemingly flourishing city came to an abrupt and brutal halt; although still uncertain, most believe it to be a result of raids by Goths.

KUKLICA

Hotam.org

Near the small town of Kratovo lies the peculiar spectacle that is Kuklica. 120 stone figures stand tall in this small space created by volcanic rocks which have existed for 100 000 years. Yet, an alternative theory of its creation can be seen through a popular folk tale. According to the legend of the townspeople, there existed an indecisive man who struggled to choose between two women to marry – one being poor but beautiful while the other was rich although not as striking. His strategy was to wed both on the same day, keeping this secret from each woman. However, he suffered an unimaginable fate when the loud music caused the poorer woman to stumble across the secret wedding intended for the other. As a result, she cursed the entire wedding party turning them into stone. The town therefore bears the name Kuklica which roughly translates to ‘little dolls’. Despite the trek it may take to get there, it is certainly worth a visit for this unique and oddly mystical site!

KALINA CAVE

Kate Angelova and Filip Gligurovski

In Lazaropole, a town encompassed in the broader region of the Mijak tribe, tales are still being told about the cave of Kalina. As the story goes, during the Ottoman Empire, Macedonian villagers feared the onslaught of Turkish soldiers who garnered a reputation for pillaging and burning down the villages they crossed. During an ambush, the villagers went to hide themselves and their families in a cave with a very narrow entrance. They were determined to wait as long as they had to in order to survive. Kalina, a young girl in the cave, thought that the Turks had left by the time she had started singing a joyous song of celebration. Unfortunately, the Turks were still in the area and Kalina’s voice led them to the cave where the villagers were slaughtered and in turn, the village burned. In the end, only one man named Lazar was left alive to tell the tale and after him the village was named. Spend a day wandering through the fields of Lazaropole and exploring the cave or simply enjoy a coffee at the famous Hotel Kalin and hear the locals tell this captivating tale.

PEŠNA CAVE

Macedonia Timeless

Only 6 kilometers from Makedonski Brod, Pešna Cave opens up to the breathtaking view of the natural scenery surrounding it. This spot has garnered some modest fame among travel writers comparing it to that in The Lord of the Rings films. Regardless, it remains an unexploited gem and seldom visited tourist destination. After inspecting the cave, speleologists concluded that it has the largest entrance in the Balkans and this particular system of caves is believed to stretch over 10 kilometres! Moreover, the experts exploring this cave have come across a lake with an endemic species of fish whose scales eerily resemble human skin – a feature only found in the Postojna Caves in Slovenia. If bats are no bother for you, then a visit to Pešna cave is highly recommended for its gorgeous views and an incomparable experience as at its entrance you will also find remnants of a medieval fortress. Legend says King Marko built two of his four sisters a home by the cave so they could communicate via echoes. In the 14th century, Pešna, his older sister, was gifted a home at the entrance of the cave and Deva, his younger sister, obtained a home opposite the cave.

GOLEM GRAD

1tv.mk

Golem Grad is found in the middle of Lake Prespa and is Macedonia’s only island, but nonetheless one with plenty of history. The name of this island translates simply to ‘Big City’ or ‘Big Fortress’ although it sometimes goes by other titles. For example, it has more recently been dubbed ‘Snake Island’ due to the many species of snakes that inhabit it. After his battles Tsar Samuel, a medieval king of Macedonia, would return to this very island which is believed to hide many of his treasures – now guarded by snakes as the legend claims. This island contains nine impressive archeological sites, most of which are churches dating between the 4th and the 19th century complete with beautiful frescoes. Those researching the island believe that throughout the ancient period it was inhabited by the Macedonian tribe Oresti which has been proved through careful inspection of the priests graves near the monastery complex.Through a small boat ride and a little motivation, this island is easily accessible with help from the friendly locals!

KALIŠTA MONASTERY

JourneyMacedonia

In Struga on the coast of Lake Ohrid lies a charming monastery complex called Kališta, consisting of four churches from different time periods. Although each component is indisputably breathtaking, a central feature that caught my eye is the cave church, The Nativity of Holy Mother of God, which was built in the 14th century and remains almost entirely unaltered and impeccably preserved. The newer church that goes by the same name was founded in the 18th century and protects an icon of the Holy Mother of God (famous for its dark-skinned portrayal of the figures) which villagers associate with a remarkable story of how the icon had been tossed into the lake routinely during the Second World War but each time it inexplicably found itself back on shore. Hence, many believe that this site has truly been blessed.

ELEN SKOK

Hypertech

Between the deep forests and mountain valleys in the quaint village region of the Mijaks, an old bridge resembling that of Stari Most in Bosnia and Herzegovina stands out. Interestingly enough, it is said that both bridges were designed by the same architect. The name Elen Skok translates to ‘Deer Jump’ and is derived from an ancient tale of the region set during the Ottoman period where a provincial ruler and his men pursued a deer but in their efforts only managed to wound it. With consistent pursuit, the deer was eventually trapped; its only escape was to jump across the rapid waters of the Garska River below. Unfortunately, in the deer’s attempt to cross to the other side it had broken its legs. Despite this, the men were baffled by the bravery of this little deer and built the bridge in the shape of the deer’s leap to honour it. With the relaxing sound of the splashing waters and the sight of the bridge overlooking a sea of green trees and soaring mountains, one cannot help but feel at peace.

BAY OF BONES

Tadej Mulej

Although an already blossoming tourist attraction, the Bay of Bones in Ohrid is often overlooked for sites like the Monastery of Saint Naum. The Bay of Bones however offers a rare experience that one cannot find anywhere else in Macedonia. It allows visitors to explore an authentic reconstruction of a prehistoric pile-dwelling settlement that dates back from 1200 to 700 BC on the waters of one of Europe’s deepest and oldest lakes. This one of a kind archeological museum offers an increasingly more interactive experience than that provided anywhere else. Visitors are free to wander in and out of the 24 decorated huts accompanied by everything from ceramic vessels and stone artifacts to animal bones – establishing that this was in fact a highly developed civilization during its time. In addition, for those seeking even more adventure, a scuba diving tour can be provided showcasing the ruins that still remain at the floor of the lake.

SUNKEN CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS

Rililnd Hoxha Photography

Passing through Mavrovo Lake one cannot help but set their gaze on the partially submerged church of St. Nicholas. Alas, there is no mythical tale that explains this event. To put it simply, the church had flood as a result of the creation of the artificial lake intended to supply water to a local power plant, ultimately it ended up covering many sections of the older villages in the area. However, this does not deter locals and tourists alike from trying to capture a photo of this unparalleled sight. The location alone provides an astonishing view of a scenic mountain landscape which is only made more appealing by the position of this church in the middle of the lake. Today we see plant life begin to cover the ruins as the tiles holding it together fall apart, therefore while it lasts don’t miss a chance to visit this iconic feature of the Mavrovo region.

Macedonia has thus proven to be a land of wonders. It is without a doubt a region worth exploring and for those who believe they’ve already seen every nook and cranny, I urge you to take some time to delve into some of the lesser-known gems this country has to offer – you certainly won’t regret it.

 

References:

Angeleska, Kristina. “Cave from the tales, legends, and ‘Lord of the Rings’.” Balkon3. http://balkon3.com/en/cave-from-the-tales-legends-and-lord-of-the-rings/.

“Bay of Bones.” My Guide Macedonia. June 9 2017. https://www.myguidemacedonia.c.om/travel-articles/bay-of-bones.

Blazeski, Goran. “Valley of the Dolls: The Stone Dolls of Kuklica and the Legend of the Petrified Wedding Party.” The Vintage News. April 10 2017. https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/04/10/valley-of-the-dolls-the-stone-dolls-of-kuklica-and-the-legend-of-the-petrified-wedding-party-2/.

Derliev, Vladimir S. “The Exceptional Kokino Observatory – Ancient Megalithic Site, Holy Mountain.” Ancient Origins. October 4 2015. https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/exceptional-kokino-observatory-ancient-megalithic-site-holy-mountain-004070.

HAEMUS. “Styberra.” http://haemus.org.mk/styberra/.

“Kalishta Monastery (Манастир Калишта) near Struga.” Macedonia Travel Guide. https://whereismacedonia.org/kalista-monastery-near-struga/.

T., Ana. “Elen Skok – The Legend behind the Mythical Bridge in Macedonia.” Slavorum. https://www.slavorum.org/elen-skok-the-legend-behind-the-mythical-bridge-in-macedonia/.

T., Ana. “Golem Grad – The only Macedonian Island, but it’s overrun by snakes.” Slavorum. https://www.slavorum.org/golem-grad-the-only-macedonian-island-but-its-overrun-by-snakes/.

Temelkovski, Duško. “A Day with Macedonian Archaeology – Styberra, Center of Devriop.” Day of Archaeology. http://www.dayofarchaeology.com/a-day-with-macedonian-archaeology-styberra-center-of-devriop/.

“The Flooded Church of St. Nicholas Submerged in Mavrovo Lake, Macedonia.” Urban Ghosts. https://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2012/09/the-flooded-church-of-st-nicholas-submerged-in-mavrovo-lake-macedonia/ .

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The Lost Son of Macedonia

C. Benjamin Tracy is an author and educator, holds a Master of Science in Education, a Bachelor of Arts in English and Latin, teaching Latin. The author specializes in the Monarchy-Early Republic of Rome and the Roman-Macedonian Wars. The fascination for Alexander the Great has been lifelong, and it is expressed in the ancient autobiographical novel “In the Theater of the World”. A Macedonian translated edition is now available per request at cbenjamintracy@gmail.com. The author has received international acclaim as well as interviews in Canada and in Macedonia. Additional publications include three historical articles on Philip V and King Perseus of the Roman-Macedonian Wars, and an article on Alexander the Great’s influence on Christianity. The articles have been translated into Greek and Macedonian

It was the end of the Third Macedonian War with Rome (171 BCE – 168 BCE). The Roman Consul, Aemilius Paullus, defeated King Perseus of Macedonia in the Battle of Pydna on June 22, 168 BCE. Historians Livy, Diodorus of Sicily and Plutarch explain in great detail the surrender of King Perseus to Paullus, and both Diodorus and Plutarch recount the procession in Rome of the victor, the defeated and his children. “Not far behind the [royal] chariot, Perseus’ children were led along as slaves… There were two boys and one girl, too young to comprehend the magnitude of the disaster – and this made people feel so much more sad for them, considering the fact that one day this incomprehension would end…many people started crying…until the children passed by…Two of [Perseus’] children died as well, but the third, Alexander, is said to have become an expert at chasing and fine engraving; also, once he had learned to write and speak the Roman language, he used to act as secretary/scribe to people in office, a job which he was found to perform in a skillful and accomplished manner.” (Plut., Aemilius Paullus. 33.7-9; 37.6).

Who was Alexander? Who was this only surviving child of King Perseus? Who was this royal Macedonian who lived in Rome? Many questions come to mind about Alexander, but only one answer had been provided, only one sentence had been contributed to the history. We do know that he had lived in a significant time during the late Roman Republic, and we know his occupation. Yet, Alexander is by that very fact significant as he does represent the continuation of the Macedonian dynastic monarchies. It is ironic that the Roman Senate knew the future of the legacy had to be eradicated and Macedonia neutralized and, yet, they still permitted Alexander to survive!

The last King of Macedonia, Perseus

Further examination of Alexander is speculative due to insufficient resources and silent details, but is intriguing. Alexander was the last surviving descendant of the Antigonid and Argead dynasty of Macedonian kings, and he is to be explored.

What was Alexander’s age at the time of his arrival in Rome? Was he a slave of Rome? Was he a prisoner of war? Was he an immigrant who became a Roman citizen? Was he adopted during his childhood? Was their communication between him and his mother, Laodice, who also went silent in history? What were his experiences during the final war between Macedonia and Rome, the fall of Carthage, and the beginning of the fall of the Roman Republic? Did he marry and have children?

Alexander had arrived in Rome as a prisoner of war at a young age, perhaps five or ten years old. Alexander’s exact age upon his arrival in Rome is unknown, as Plutarch’s “…too young to comprehend the magnitude of the disaster” places him in early childhood. The historian Diodorus of Sicily, however, neither identifies Alexander by name nor age in his account of King Perseus’ procession in Rome: “Then came Perseus, the ill-fated king of the Macedonians, with his two sons, a daughter…” (Diod. XXXI.8.12). Livy accounts Alexander (prior to the war with Rome) standing at his father’s side on a platform while his father delivers a speech to his troops to arouse them to war against Rome (Livy XLII.52). Moreover, if we place Alexander’s birth to nine to twelve months after Perseus’ marriage to Princess Laodice of Syria in 178 BCE, the child would have been ten years old (though contradicts Plutarch’s “too young to comprehend”). This historical inconsistency offers the contemporary reader, historian and writer literary license to decide Alexander’s age.

 

Macedonia Falls to Rome at the Battle of Pydna, 165 B.C.

The son of Perseus may have been sold into slavery, or assigned a guardian as a ward of the state, or been granted Roman citizenship in his adult years. Plutarch indicates slavery, yet both Diodorus and Livy do not. Conceivably, Alexander may have been assigned as a ward of the State upon Perseus’ death, as an act of Roman clemency in honor of his Macedonian royal legacy. Through custodial guardianship, Alexander may have been sponsored to learn the metalsmith trade, and later, notary training.

The mother of Alexander, Queen Laodice V, disappears in history after 168 BCE. After King Perseus and his entire family were captured in Samothrace and brought to the seacoast city of Amphipolis in Macedonia, Queen Laodice vanishes. It is assumed by historians she died between the capture of Perseus with their children, and the triumphal parade of Aemilius Paullus in Rome. Nevertheless, there is scholarship that accounts for her survival, though no evidence of her flight to Syria to seek refuge from King Demetrius I Soter. And, yet, there is no evidence of her presence in Amphipolis. It is interesting to note two facts: the symmetric occurrence of the inscribed name of “Queen Laodice” wife of Demetrius I Soter of Syria on a marble plaque dedicated to Aphrodite (post 166 BCE); and the sudden appearance of a king of Macedonia in 152 BCE by the name of Andriscus, who claimed himself to be the son of Perseus. The strong connection between Alexander, Andriscus and Laodice V is now apparent.

Sixteen years after Alexander arrived in Rome with his father and siblings (152 BCE), a Macedonian named Andriscus announced to the world he was the son of Perseus, crowned himself king, and shortly thereafter declared war against Rome. The Fourth and final Macedonian War began (149 BCE – 148 BCE). Where was Alexander during this time? What tensions may have arose in Rome with another son of Perseus residing in the city, and a potential sibling at war with Rome? The historians do not record the tension, do not draw the connection of Alexander to Andriscus, and do not even refer to Alexander. He does not exist during the Fourth Macedonian War — he, too, vanishes.

Suspicion arises as to the omission of Alexander’s presence during the final war between Rome and Macedonia, coinciding with the ascent of King Andriscus and the deaths of Demetrius I Soter and Queen Laodice V in 150 BCE. Two concurring sons of a conquered Antigonid king could have certainly threatened the security of Rome’s plan for dominion, as Carthage to the south was an ally of Macedonia through Philip V and Perseus. The Roman Senate would have been compelled to dispel any fears in the Roman people, extinguish inspiration in the slaves of Rome, and undermine support in any potential sympathizers. A persuasive rhetoric would have been broadcasted throughout Italy.

Additionally, taking into consideration Alexander was a notary of Rome, the historians’ exclusion or disregard of him thereafter is partisan and unwarranted. Alexander’s existence during this time in Rome is, indeed, deserving of attention, which may explain the lack of reference to him, other than to his occupation (Plut., Aemilius Paullus. 37.6). The Romans did not want to reinforce Alexander’s existence at the time, or, even more threatening, acknowledge the possibility of he having children. Better to ignore him.

Did Alexander have children? To insure homeland security, Rome may have attempted to prohibit him, though doubtful. Conversely, Alexander may not have wished to bring into the Roman world conquered offspring. If, however, Alexander did have children, why did not Plutarch, Diodorus and Livy report it? Again, that would have been a major occurrence to record. Was this intentional suppression or inadvertent exclusion of legacy?

Nevertheless, the final inquiry into the investigation of the son of Perseus materializes: are there descendants of the Antigonid Prince Alexander in Italy? That investigation remains open.

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.

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DEFINITIVE BREAKDOWN: Why Macedonians Aren’t Slavs

Slavo-Skopijans. Slavo-Bulgars. Slavo-Tito-Vardarskians. For a people claiming descent from the great rhetoricians such as Demosthenes and Aristotle, our Greek friends find it incredibly difficult to conjure a cogent and scathing insult against us. Any derivative with the “Slav” prefix seems to be the end-all, be-all argument. After all, it is the Slav communists, together with the Jewish bankers, and the Turkish army that conspire against the Greeks in a fantastic, global, anti-Hellenic conspiracy. For those who have not uttered the name “Macedonia” on social media only to be hounded by a nameless, faceless, group of Greek internet warriors pasting the same canned responses ad infinitum, the Greek narrative usually goes something like this:

The barbaric Slavic tribes came from the swamps of the Ukraine to the Balkans in the 7th century. Presumably, they were either turned back at passport control at the modern Medzhitlija-Niki border crossing, or they found Macedonia completely de-populated, since the modern-day Greeks completely escaped the Slavic incursion. Somehow, these wandering Slavs managed to displace the Byzantine Empire and impose their language on most of Eastern Europe, while it was the gracious Greeks to gifted them their alphabet. Fast-forward to Tito and 1944, and these subhuman Slavs, now communists, wanting to usurp the proud “Hellenic” history, were artificially made Macedonians by Tito in a bid to annex Greek land. And they’ll show you an out-of-context stamp [1] to prove it!  The Jews are also probably complicit here, but one paranoid delusion after the next.

So what exactly are “Slavs”? Besides the so-called “usurpers” of Greek history, are modern-Macedonians really the result of a recent colonization to the Balkans? Let’s start with the word “Slav” itself and branch out. The world “Slav” comes in its present form from the Latin Scalvus which, in turn, comes from the Byzantine Greek Σκλαβηνος (Sklabenos), which was ultimately a corrupted form the Slavic relation term  словѣне (Slovene). “Slovene” according to most linguists, comes from the Slavic-root слово (slovo) meaning “word”. Put differently, the “Slavs” were a group who could reasonably understand each other, as opposed to the German “Nemci”, whose name literally means “mute”. So did the tribe of the “Word People” somehow manage the greatest demographic displacement in history? There are detailed records of the migration of the Anglo-Saxons, Normans, Goths, Tartars, Mongols, Turks, and other groups yet the Slavic-migration, which would be arguably one of the most massive migrations in recent history, went virtually unnoticed by historians. This begs the question–could the Slav label simply be a new reference for existing populations undergoing a dramatic linguistic and political shift?

Let’s look at it piecemeal.

Historical Evidence

The first time the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire came across these Slavs was under the reign of Justinian in the 6th century, by which time a group of barbarians (non-Greek speakers [2] ) from across the Danube river began to regularly attack the Empire. Beforehand, the Balkans were home to the Illyrians, Greeks, Macedonians, Dacians, Triballians, Thracians, Veneti, Sarmatians, and Scythians to name a few. Most sources placed the Slavic-speaking tribes right along the Danube River, and no source indicates a recent arrival instead referring to them as “our Slavic neighbors”[3]. In fact, Byzantine chronicler Theophylact Simocatta gives an interesting perspective as to what Slavs (Sklaebenes) could have meant to Byzantine administration. He states, “As for the Getae, that is to say the herds of Sklabenes, they were fiercely ravaging the regions of Thrace”[4]. The Getae, however, were an indigenous Thracian tribe that has been recorded since ancient times [5]. It is clear that they did not migrate from anywhere, nor were they previously called Slavs until this moment in history. A possible explanation is that they became labeled Slavs because they, along with other tribes, began revolting against and attacking the Byzantine Empire. More importantly, it was not limited to the attackers; it soon became used to refer to local populations who also rebelled against the empire; some Slavic “tribal” names, such as the Timochani [6], Strymonoi [7], Caranatianians [8] are indigenous Balkan place names, having existed long-before the Slavs ever arrived.

Florin Curta’s 2005 book “The Making of the Slavs” provides scholarly criticism of the so-called “Slavic Migration”

Therefore, Sklabenes, based on Slovene, came to signify a rebel, with a derogatory connotation. In other words, they did not become Slavs  because they exclusively spoke in a Slavic tongue. In fact, some Slavic tribal names have Iranian [9] and Nordic [10] roots. Even though some groups may have used Slavic languages as a lingua franca [11], the important takeaway is that they all became Slavs because at least some of the participating groups used the relational term Slovene to signify kinship. By the time indigenous pockets of population began to ally themselves with the Slavic-speaking groups  and started forming rebel enclaves called Sklavinaes, the derogatory term became synonymous with an anti-Byzantine rebel or marauding barbarian. As Florin Curta, leading archaeologist and historian on the early Slavs says in “Making of the Slavs, “Instead of a great flood of Slavs coming out of the Pripet marshes, I envisage a form of group identity which could arguably be called ethnicity and emerged in response to Justinian’s implementation of a building project on the Danube frontier and in the Balkans. The Slavs, in other words, did not come from the north, but became Slavs only in contact with the Roman frontier [12].

The idea that the people who became labelled the Slavs in the 6th and 7th century were, for the most part, the same people who existed previously has found more support in modern academia. “It is now generally agreed that the people who lived in the Balkans after the Slavic “invasions” were probably for the most part the same as those who had lived there earlier, although the creation of new political groups and arrival of small numbers of immigrants caused people to look at themselves as distinct from their neighbors, including the Byzantines. [13]” Italian anthropologist Mario Alinei states the Slavic-migration is full of inconsistency, demonstrating that both linguistic and archaeological evidence points to the earliest presence being the in the Balkans [14]. Even the taboo subject of speaking of modern Macedonians in books on ancient Macedonians is slowly being breached. In his book, By the Spear Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire, British historian conceded the point that the ancient Macedonians may have been a Slavic-people that “fell under heavy Greek influence and embraced their culture”[15].

Genetic Evidence

I believe that genetic testing to prove how pure someone is not only incredibly myopic, but only diminishes the best among us. After all, some of the greatest Macedonians in history have been either partially Macedonian or not at all ethnically Macedonian. Many Aromanians and Jews that fought for the independence of Macedonia are just as Macedonian as we are. But since this is the game of racial identities we are forced to play, we must nonetheless defend ourselves. Modern research has revealed the fallacy of using such an approach to explain our “Slavic” origins. In an attempt to solidify the homeland of the Slavs, geneticists isolated a special haplogroup-, a group of similar DNA variations, to be the “Slavic gene”. Named Haplogroup R1a, it naturally showed its highest frequencies in Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus, averaging 65%-70% [16] . In the Southern Balkans, however, the national frequencies averaged only about 15%, not nearly enough to show evidence of mass-migration. More troublesome for the Slavic Migration Theory is that some Scandinavian countries show a higher frequency, about 30%, than the Southern Balkan populations.  Furthermore, the one haplogroup that is the highest defining haplogroup for the region, Haplogroup I2, is simply labeled “Southern Proto-European”. This is not shocking; modern Macedonians differ even anthropologically from the so-called Slavs,  described as being tall and with reddish blonde hair, a trait much more frequent in Central Europe [17].

However, if were to look at the same primary sources and come up with a theory of a great migration, we must take that premise to its logical conclusion. The so-called Slavs, if part of a massive migration, reached into the Southern Greek Peloponnesus region, meaning Greeks are also partially Slavic. It was by no chance that German historian and linguist Max Vasmer’s work in the 1900s, discovered more than 1,300 Slavic place names scattered all throughout Greece [18]. So our Greek friends have an “either or” conundrum at hand–either the Slavic incursions and raids weren’t part of a massive migration, or they were, and most of the Balkans would have been affected by it. But then again if Albanian speakers in the Attic region [19] can magically become descendants of ancient Hellenes by speaking Greek, “abdication from reality” seems to be the filled-in answer for some Greek nationalists.

Cultural Evidence

The Macedonian sun adorned in traditional Macedonian architecture from the 1800s and before.

It is a modern travesty that archaeologists and historians alike go to the far-reaches of Pakistan to look for the remnants of the ancient Macedonians, while completely glossing over the treasure trove of information our culture has to offer. The very core of ancient Macedonia has remained part of our national identity for centuries. Kostur, from whence the Macedonian kings descended, is still proudly Macedonian-speaking. Beautiful Voden, rumored to be the first capital of Macedonia, has a mythical founding by King Perdicas that has found its way into the pages of the Brothers Miladinov in the mid-1800s. Pella, the seat of Macedonian power and the city where Alexander took his first steps, was the birthplace of the modern Macedonian language by way of its native, Krste Petkov Misirkov. The list goes on. Our churches were adorned with the Macedonian sun in the 1800s, more than a century before Greece “discovered it”. Our national animal since ancient times has been the lion [20], showing up in our modern coat of arms as early as 1314. Not only has Greece never decided to usurp this otherwise obvious symbol of Macedonians, but by the time the so-called Slavs came to the Balkans, the lion had been long extinct in Macedonia. Our songs and folklore, once performed by our illiterate peasants, have songs about Alexander, Phillip, Olympia, Caranus [21],  and Perseus [22] to name a few. In 1867, a traveling Jewish salesman (deep breaths, Golden Dawn) was amazed when he heard the Hazhi-Sekov brothers sing of King Caranus [23], the mythical if albeit obscure first king of Macedonia. When asked how they knew such a song, they replied they learned it from their grandfather! Even our first constitution, from the Kresna Uprising in 1878, makes explicit reference to Alexander the Great in its preamble. Defying modern science, our uneducated villagers also knew that Alexander died of a mosquito bite, decades before British researcher Ronald Ross hypothesized this in 1878, and some 100 years before it was universally confirmed that mosquitoes carry malaria. For all this rich cultural heritage, there is conspicuously not one song or folklore tradition detailing our supposed migration from the great Carpathian mountains.

Linguistic Evidence

As Macedonians, we lose little by conceding we do, in fact, speak a Slavic language. Many nations today speak a completely different language than they did in ancient times. But seldom has our language, and the language of our ancestors been properly studied. After all, by virtue of being “Slavs”, we are immediately disqualified from having a seat at the table. Nonetheless, our language proves a degree of continuity between ancient and modern Macedonians.  

  • The Bryges, the ancestors responsible for the ethnogenesis of the Macedonian people, have a tribal name akin to the Slavic root БРЕГ meaning “hill”, an adequate description for hillsman of ancient Macedonia [24].
  • Stobi the Paeonian city, now an archaeological site in modern Macedonia, has a name deriving from the modern Macedonian words СТОЛБ meaning “pillar”, possibly denoting the presence of a religious temple there.
  • While Greeks may claim the true name of Voden is “Edessa”, ancient history shows the original name was ΒΕΔΥ (B/Vedu), meaning “watery”, a clear cognate that shows remarkable continuity by way of of the modern name, Воден [25].
  • German linguist Heinrich Tschiner, in his lexicon of the ancient Macedonian language, has determined the city of Pella, to be a cognate with the modern-day term ПОЛЕ, meaning “field” [26].
  • The Macedonian-Paeonian city of Bylazora, containing the last temple of ancient Macedonian kings, comes from the Slavic roots БѣЛъ  and ЗОРА meaning “white dawn”.
  • The ancient Macedonian city of Gortunia, lacking any etymology in Greek, is remarkably similar to the proto-Slavic root ГОРДъ meaning “city”.
  • Modern-day basic Macedonian words such as ГЛАВА [27] (head), ГРАНКА [28](branch), ГУДЕ [29] (pig), ЗЕЛКА [30] (cabbage) also have roots in the ancient Macedonian language.

Furthermore, there are ancient Macedonian words that are not present in Macedonian, but in other languages grouped in the wider Balto-Slavic linguistic classification [31]. Slavic words that show up in antiquity do not end there, as it is also found in Illyrian, Thracian, and even Homeric Greek [32]. As an example, compare the following hypothetical sentence, constructed entirely from known Thracian words and compared to modern-day Macedonian.

As for the name Macedonia? Recall that blue flower that is at the center of our sun, the ethnic symbol of Macedonians going back millennia. The Macedonian and general Slavic root for poppy happens to be “макъ”[33]. Now, I am not claiming that the ancient Balkan peoples were Slavic speakers. I am not even attempting to claim we speak the same language as the ancient Macedonians. But it is difficult to ignore the presence of Balto-Slavic words in the Balkans before the so-called Slavic migration.

However, let us not lose the forest for the trees. We can look to any number of people today who have ancient roots. Did the Egyptians become any less Egyptian when they underwent Arabization in the 7th century? Do the Mexicans, who experienced near exterminations  throughout history, and who are now mixed with the Spanish and speak almost exclusively Spanish, any less descendants of the Mayans? How about the French, a people descended from the Celtic-speaking Gauls, and who have a Germanic ethonym? As a result of their Latinization, are they any less French? 

But as Macedonians, even if we concede (however inaccurate) that our name is Greek, that our roots are mixed, and that our ancestors once spoke Greek, by what objective standard, applied consistently to all nations, are we excluded from being Macedonians? By what standard should we submit to being called “Slavo-Macedonians” when the world is conspicuously absent of the “Slavo-Czechs”, or the “Latin-French.” When we realize that our identity, is no different from any number of other people, the double standard becomes something much more sinister—cultural genocide. And this cultural genocide cannot succeed, so long that a small mountainous patch of earth, one that means the world to us, remains Macedonia and its people Macedonians.

Citations/Footnotes

[1]  “Vardarska Banovina” was simply an administrative region of Yugoslavia, and in no way corresponded to the borders or names of any country. The same stamp also doesn’t show any country named Serbia, Bosnia, or Slovenia, but instead has their Banovina titles.

[2]Perseus Tufts Ancient Greek Lexicon Entry for “Βαρβαρος”

[3] Curta, 108

[4]  Simocatta, The History of Theophylact Simocatta. IV, 4.7

[5] Encyclopedia Britannica Entry for “Getae”

[6] From the Timok River, Timacus in Latin, which flows through the duskiness of the Škocjan caves. In Slovenian Ti(e)ma means “darkness”

[7]  Strumon, a river in ancient Macedonia. From the proto-Slavic *struja meaning “flowing current”

[8]  Possibly derived from the Proto-Slavic *korǫt’ьsko meaning “rocky”. France Bezlaj, Etimološki slovar slovenskega jezika(Slovenian Etymological Dictionary). Vol. 2: K-O / edited by Bogomil Gerlanc. – 1982. p. 68. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, 1976-2005.

[9] Curta, 11

[10]  See Guduscani, etymologically related to Gothiscandza, ultimately derived from Scandza (Scandinavia)as attested in Jordanes’ Getica.

[11]  F Curta, “The Slavic Lingua Franca, Notes of an Archaeologist Turned Historian”, 2004, East European Dark Ages: Archaeology, Linguistics and History of Early Slavs

[12] Curta, 11

[13]  T. E. Gregory, A History of Byzantium, pg. 169 (Edinburgh, 1855)

[14]  Mario Alinei, Origini delle lingue d’Europa, Vol. I: La teoria della continuit, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1996

[15] Ian Worthington “”By the Spear Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire” (Oxford University Press, 2014) pg. 20

[16] http://www.eupedia.com/europe/european_y-dna_haplogroups.shtml

[17]  Procorpius, De Bellis

[18]  Max Vasmer “Die Slaven in Greichenland”  (Berlin, 1941)

[19] Edmond About, “Greece and Greeks of the Present Day”, pg. 32

[20] http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/Macedoniansymbols/MacedonianLion.html

[21] “Mihailo Georgievski “Slavic Manuscripts in Macedonia), (Skopje, 1988), pp 161-173, citing “The Anthology of Macedonian and Bulgarian Folk and Art Songs (1909-1910), pp 68.

[22]  “Narodna Volya” (Blagoevgrad, July 1994).

[23] Isaija Mazhovski “Memories”, (Sofia, 1922)

[24] Müller, Hermann. Das nordische Griechenthum und die urgeschichtliche Bedeutung des Nordwestlichen Europas, p. 228.

[25] http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=edessa-1&highlight=vedy

[26] http://www.heinrich-tischner.de/22-sp/1sprach/aegaeis/mak-th.htm#%CE%A0%CE%99

[27] Ancient Macedonian word ΓΑΒΑΛΑ http://www.palaeolexicon.com/Word/Show/26691/

[28] Ancient Macedonian word ΓΑΡΚΑΝ  http://www.palaeolexicon.com/Word/Show/21689/

[29]  Ancient Macedonian word ΓΟΤΑΝ  http://www.palaeolexicon.com/Word/Show/25662/

[30] Ancient Macedonian word ΖΑΚΕΛΤΙΔΕΣ: Cited by the Macedonian lexicographer Amerias, this was the ancient Macedonian word for “turnip” or “cabbage.” According to Dr. Otto Hoffmann, it is cognate to the Brygian word “ζέλκια (zelkia)” or “ζέλκεια (zelkeia)” and the old Slavic word “злакъ (zlakă)” meaning “cabbage.” ( Hoffmann, Otto; Die Makedonen, ihre Sprache und ihr Volkstrum; p. 8)

[31] Authentic Ancient Macedonians words such as ΒΕΝΔΙΣ (goddess of hunt) and ΠΕΛΙΓΑΝΕΣ (senator) are both preserved almost identically in modern Lithuanian and Latvian. 

[32] Homeric familial terms such as ΔΑΒΕΡΟΣ/DAVEROS, (brother-in-law), ΣEΚΥΡΟΣ/SEKUROS (father-in-law), MAIA/MAYA (mother, older woman) are terms still used, albeit slightly changed, in modern-Macedonian. For more information see: http://stephanus.tlg.uci.edu/cunliffe/#eid=1&context=lsj

[33] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BA#Etymology

 

 

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On This Day: Death of Jane Sandanski

Today marks the anniversary of the death of Macedonian revolutionary Jane Sandanski, a legendary commander of VMRO and the Macedonian struggle for freedom. Nicknamed “The Tsar of Pirin”, Jane was born around his namesake in the village of Vlahi, present-day Bulgaria. Even from an early age, Jane was steeped in a revolutionary milieu–his father was a leading figure in the local militia in the 1878 Kresna Uprising, which produced Macedonia’s first constitution. Even when playing a game of war as children, Jane would always take on the role of the Macedonian komita. However, the defeat of the uprising saw Jane’s family move to Dupnica, a town near Kyustendil, Bulgaria. Entering high school, as was the case for many Macedonians, was Jane’s formal exposure to the revolutionary ideas that spoke of an independent Macedonia–a home for all of Macedonia’s ethnic groups to live side-by-side in peace.

By 1892, as well-paying jobs within Macedonia were scarce, Jane joined the Bulgarian Army which helped to mold the patriotic mindset into a a skilled leader of military forces. Despite being a Macedonian in Bulgaria, he still remained connected to his homeland and the revolutionary movement starting within, To do his part, Jane formed a Macedonian youth organization called “Mladost”. Further exposure to VMRO (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization), including a historic meeting with Goce Declev, saw Jane dedicate his life to the movement.

Jane in military uniform. (Mario Hristovski collection)

Recognizing his military prowess, Goce appointed Jane as military commander of Serress–a highly contested region often the scene of vicious pro-Bulgarian propaganda. However, as the village was relatively weak and impoverished, Jane took to alternative means to raise funding and awareness for the situation of Macedonians. In 1901, 18 komiti rebels under Jane’s command kidnapped Protestant missionary Miss Ellen Stone, and her friend Katerina Cilka. Dubbed America’s first international hostage situation, the event was widely circulated in Western media outlets. Most surprisingly, however, was that the hostages would eventually begin to sympathize with the movement and even celebrated the birth of Katrina’s daughter with the rebels–an early form of Stockholm syndrome. Evading both the Ottoman and Bulgarian Supremacist forces, the two were held by Jane’s komiti for about 6 months, after which they were released for a ransom of 14,000 Turkish lira.

 

The Miss Stone Affair (From Wikipedia)

By 1903, many leaders became dangerously confident that an armed uprising was finally achievable. Jane, following the Goce school of thought, adamantly disagreed and said the Macedonian population was not nearly prepared. Not wanting to cause dissent, Jane did not object to being overruled and he launched an attack on the Turkish forces in Serres during the ill-fated Ilinden Uprising. While the Aegean Macedonian regions saw more success in liberating territory, the nucleus of the revolution, Krusevo, fell within 10 days.

Jane, however, was quick to point out that such a defeat would create a vacuum that Macedonia’s neighbors could seek to exploit. By 1904, Jane had re-directed his fighting towards Bulgarian militias, often armed by the rival Supreme Macedonian Committee in Sofia. It was during this time that VMRO started factionalize around its relationship with Bulgaria. The conservatives, though in principle opposed to Bulgarian assistance began to accept as a necessity after the Ilinden uprising. The liberals headed by Jane, however, outright rejected all forms of aid from Bulgaria, and actively fought against their influence. Their views centered around the idea of an independent Macedonia, possibly part of a larger Balkan federation, but staunchly outside the realm of the Principality of Bulgaria. Another faction, the third so-called circle, was headed by Boris Sarafov, a former Supremacist member who advocated the use of terrorism and publicity to pursue the goals of the movement.

Seeing the turmoil both within VMRO and the Ottoman Empire, Sandanski directed his attention towards political activism and reform within the Ottoman Empire itself. He became integrated with the 1908 Young Turks Movement, which pushed for a series of reforms and a return to the 1878 Constitution which made all subjects Ottomans under the law. By doing so, everyone, regardless of their religion had the right to liberties such as freedom of press and free education. When Sultan Abdul Hamid II attempted to reverse his position on the constitution once more, Jane joined thousands of others in the wider Young Turk revolution on a march to Constantinople to overthrow the Sultan and replace him with his half-brother, who would be the last Sultan.

During the outbreak of the Balkan Wars, Jane again used his military prowess to organize the komiti. His forces captured many cities in the Pirin region, before finally joining “allied” Greek forces on a march to Salonica. Initially believing that Macedonia had been freed with the assistance of the Balkan states, reality soon took a turn for the force as Macedonians realized that the Greeks, Bulgarians, and Serbs did not intend to leave Macedonia after the removal of the Ottomans. Fighting soon broke out once more between the previous allies over the division of Macedonia, and launched the Second Balkan War.

Jane attempted to repel the new invaders, and even resorted to strategically using the Bulgarian army in many cases. With the final partition of Macedonia on August 10th, 1913, Jane retreated to his domain, the Pirin Mountain, fully encircled by new enemies. On April 22nd, 1915, Jane was ambushed on likely orders from the Bulgarian king Ferninand in mountains around the town of Nevrokop.  The death of the Tsar was mourned by Macedonians all over, and his legacy and fight for an independent Macedonia remains enshrined in our folklore, songs, and memory.

Macedonian reference to Jane Sandanski, the “Tsar of Pirin” as having been killed by the “evil-doing hand of the Bulgarians” (Archiva Ministerul externe RS Romania, fond No. 21, Konstantinopol, politice, vol. 61, Microfilm, Archive of Macedonia, Skopje)

His life-view on the long and continuous fight for Macedonia, both militarily and diplomatically, is summed up by his famous quote: “To live means to fight! The slave fights for freedom, and the free man for perfection!”  102 years later, we continue Jane’s fight for perfection in Macedonia.

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.

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Macedonia 2001: Uncovering the Truth

Over the past couple of decades, a lot has happened in the Balkan region ranging from ethnic tension and small conflict to full-scale war.  One nation that has traditionally dealt with fewer ethnic issues would be the Republic of Macedonia.  Macedonia has long been considered the “Switzerland of the Balkans”, having been able to avoid bloodshed on its way to independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.  In this role as the supposed land of peace, Macedonia has been the homeland of ethnic Macedonians and also served as a secure multicultural land for many other diverse ethnic groups, such as Albanians, but also Turks, Roma, Vlachs, and Serbs, among others. For a long time there have been minor conflicts between Macedonian-Albanians and ethnic Macedonians, but generally the two groups of people have had little trouble coexisting.  Broadly speaking, these groups have both lived side-by-side for hundreds of years and have been able to look passed the ethnic and religious differences.  Nonetheless, there have been cases where this peace has been challenged, especially between 1999-2001, when an overflow of Kosovo refugees entered Macedonia.

The 3-year span during 1999-2001 has undoubtedly played a large role in influencing the growth and stability of Macedonia today.  However, to adequately assess what has happened in the country we must first uncover the root cause of ethnic tension.  Let’s start with the late 1960’s, when ethnic clashes in Macedonia became more vivid.  In November 1968, there were intense nationalistic uprisings taking place in Pristina, Kosovo (then part of Yugoslavia) leading up to Albanian Independence Day.  These protests were a by-product of ethnic Albanian demands for increased autonomy in the years following WWII.  Just a month later, the same types of riots took place in Tetovo (a city in northwest Macedonia), and it appeared that Macedonian-Albanians had followed the trend of their neighbors in Kosovo. However, this chain of events is a bit more complicated than it appears.  One prominent professor of Turkish studies, Isa Blumi, makes the intriguing argument that these protesters in Tetovo were actually Kosovar Albanians who fled Pristina after fierce suppression from Yugoslavian armed forces—this would explain where unrest within Macedonian territory stems.  Other established scholars from the region have shared similar sentiment, implying that the ethnic issues in Macedonia have long been associated with instability in Kosovo.  Biljana Vankovska-Cvetkovska, a well-known professor at the University of Skopje sums it up best in her 1999 article, stating, “One can notice that almost every tension in Macedonia has been a reflection of the influx of Kosovo activists rather than a result of an authentic activism of Macedonia’s ethnic Albanians.” It is crucial to understand this because it exposes the often-forgotten reality of the situation: Macedonian-Albanians were not inherently anti-Macedonian and never really were, but they have frequently been influenced directly and indirectly by the Kosovars over the past several decades.

Source: CNN

Now, let us fast-forward to 1981, where this situation grew more complicated. One common misnomer is the perception that the Albanian minority in Macedonia has not had proper rights—and this is simply untrue.  A fairer evaluation would acknowledge that Albanians were somewhat underrepresented in political and economic institutions in the early 1980’s, which is certainly something that needed to be addressed.  However, to surmise that this alone would create a basis for ethnic conflict in Macedonia would be a major overstatement, especially given the fact that Macedonian-Albanians have traditionally been seen as one of the better-treated minorities in all of the Balkans.  Moreover, there are many other minorities that have had more constrained representation in the Macedonian government but violent measures were never taken because of it. In other words, there are dozens of nations all over the world that have had issues incorporating an appropriate proportion of minorities into political and economic sectors, and this often leads to a degree of political discourse—but never a full-scale insurgency such as the one in Macedonia during 2001.  Now that the foundation of this discussion has been laid, we are able take a closer look at the infamous conflict itself and where it began.   

Prior to 1999, there were major clashes taking place in neighboring Kosovo between the Kosovar Albanians and Serbian government, under the watch of Slobodan Milosevic.  The Serbian government, in an effort to express its control over the territory of Kosovo, killed thousands of Kosovars, prompting international intervention. NATO, in 1999, decided the best course of action was to evacuate huge groups of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and let them seek refuge elsewhere— primarily in Macedonia and Albania.  This was problematic for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, because NATO sent over 360,000 ethnic Albanian refugees from Kosovo into Macedonia, a country of just 2 million people.  It is interesting to note that there was immense international pressure on the young country to undertake these refugees, with the understanding that many of them were supposed to be heading towards Albania proper.  The whole operation put a major strain on the Macedonian people and government, having undertaken a large group of refugees that amounted to approximately 15% of its total population.  To put this into perspective, imagine the United States taking in 50 million refugees from Mexico; the problems that it would cause the citizens and government are inconceivable. It is highly unlikely that the United States would take in so many refugees, but that’s precisely the ratio of migrants Macedonia was taking relative to its population in 1999 during the Kosovo conflict.  

A Macedonian policeman walks ahead of a group of refugees crossing the border checkpoint of Blace, some 25 kms north of the Macedonian capitol Skopje 24 April 1999, after their arrival from Kosovo by train. Source: European Pressphoto Agency / Georgi Licovski

Aside from this major misstep by NATO and many western powers, greater concerns exist when it comes to Macedonia’s well-being. An even bigger issue is the constant reference from mainstream global media describing the 2001 conflict as being a near “civil war”. What took place on Macedonian land in 2001 was terrorism at its worst. The extremists of the Kosovo Liberation Army (or KLA), led by Ali Ahmeti, had a chief goal of taking over the western territory of Macedonia and dividing the state. The dream of these radical guerrilla fighters was to create a “Greater Albania”.  One of Ahmeti’s commanders explicitly said this after the conflict ended, stating,  “like all wars, ours was for territory–not because of some “human rights” problem!”.   This is what the west does not seem to understand (or chooses not to understand)–the fight in 2001 was not  for “greater rights” on behalf of Macedonian-Albanians, but was a legitimate attempt to destabilize the country and take over the predominantly Albanian western territory.   Just because there was violence done upon the people of Kosovo by the Serbian government, this does not and should not permit ethnic Albanian extremists to attack and terrorize a nation that did nothing to provoke such violence.  It is at this juncture where the international community failed by taking a deplorably soft approach post-2001 when dealing with these terrorists, an approach that has not helped the situation in the slightest. For this reason, it is imperative that the rest of the world takes a closer look at the situation in Macedonia from a different vantage point.

One thing that will inevitably not be forgotten by the people of Macedonia is what became of the KLA terrorists—thanks to the Ohrid Framework Agreement and international pressure for peace the vast majority of them were granted amnesty. Several of these same KLA extremists (i.e Ali Ahmeti, Talat Xhaferi) who attempted to destroy the unity of the Macedonian homeland and instill fear amongst its citizens now possess power in some of the most influential political offices. In the vast majority of democracies around the world, it is doubtful that such criminals would even be granted forgiveness let alone serve the people of the country they tried to demolish.  Having allowed these kinds of guerrilla fighters the right to serve in the domestic government has only incited violence and created unnecessary ethnic hatred amongst Macedonians and Albanians.

Our aim is solely to remove [Macedonian] Slav forces from territory which is historically Albanian” – Ali Ahmeti to a western journalist in March 2001. Source: The Coming Balkan Caliphate
The biggest problem that remains is a continued tension ever since this conflict between Macedonians and Albanian extremists in 2001.  Macedonians feel threatened by the possibility of another Albanian uprising, and Albanians who have lived in Macedonia their whole lives feel unfairly blamed for a conflict they had no hand in.  This conflict is all too often made into an issue of Macedonians and Albanians hating each other, and to many outside of the Balkans this is “just another fight in a region that just can’t seem to get along”.  And yes, there was a faction of Albanians (mostly based from Kosovo) that did pose a major threat and had a strong hate for the Macedonian government, but this does not accurately represent the Macedonian Albanians.  There were (and still are!) a large group of Albanians who never even considered supporting this violent action and had no reason to dislike the Macedonians or their government.  However, the external actions of political leaders in both Kosovo and Albania have made ethnic harmony difficult, especially in recent months.

When it comes to relations with Kosovo since their independence, Macedonia has been a great ally. The country has practiced good neighborly relations on countless instances: Macedonia welcomed a large amount of Kosovo refugees during 1999, recognized Kosovo knowing that it would severely hinder relations with Serbia, supported Kosovo’s UNESCO membership, and consistently helped Kosovo have a seat at the table. Macedonia has served as Kosovo’s top supporter in the Balkans after Albania.  One recent development that has caused instability and brought further resentment from the Macedonian people and government is interference in Macedonia’s internal affairs by Edi Rama, Albania’s Prime Minister. Prior to Macedonian parliamentary elections, Rama invited the main Albanian parties in Macedonia to attend a meeting in Tirana to discuss a joint political platform for all Albanians. This is a clear overstep by Rama and it can only breed further instability in Macedonia—Edi Rama does not have the right to exert influence on a foreign nation. Other provocations have come from Hashim Thaci, the President of Kosovo. He has harshly criticized the actions of President Gjorge Ivanov, who refused to grant the government mandate to SDSM and its coalition with three Albanian parties. It is these types of provocations that make it challenging to maintain ethnic cohesion within Macedonia.

With all factors considered, the main takeaway here is this: NATO and other western powers were the largest culprits of this conflict and its aftereffects, because they put groups of people into a place and situation that was ripe for violence to break out.  Knowing the history and vulnerability in allowing Kosovars to flood into Macedonia should have immediately deterred them from implementing this plan. In the end, the ones who have suffered most are Macedonian citizens of all backgrounds, and the effects of this are still felt today—people and government have both become more polarized than ever, creating a highly unstable and increasingly nationalistic atmosphere.

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.

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The Only Bulgarians in Albania Are Diplomats

Life is tough. When one clings to fragile psuedo-history, it becomes even tougher. In its latest attempt to contort reality to suits its needs, Bulgaria has pushed the limits on the imagination. Appropriating songs such as “Macedonian Girl”, “Bitola My Birthplace” into the Bulgarian ethos has not been enough. Fabricating medieval stone inscriptions to prove the Bulgarian nature of historical autocrats does not quench the Bulgarian obsession with Macedonia. Now the new frontier has to be met–to boldly go where no Bulgarian has gone. Literally.

Just last week, Bulgarian MEPs pushed for the  protection the rights of the Bulgarian ethnicity in Albania to the European Parliament. From surges in populism, to waning trust in European institutions, Bulgaria presents Europe with possibly the greatest non-issue of the decade. The only problem? The Slavic-speaking minority in Mala Prespa and Golo Brdo says they are Macedonian. Somehow, outside the influence of Tito’s Yugoslavia, which the Bulgarians claim de-nationalized the “Bulgarian Macedonians”, Albania’s minority, such as the minority in Greece, still affirms its Macedonian identity. Furthermore, no international human rights organization has eve recorded a Bulgarian minority presence in the Albanian areas, while numerous have documented a Macedonian one.

So what is the real issue? Why push such an absurd notion while the rest of Europe struggles? The answers goes back to the 10th century, when the Bulgarian Tsar Boris I realized something ingenious; the only way to conquer Macedonia from the Byzantine empire would be to quite literally “become” Macedonian themselves and create kinship with the Macedonian people. This pragmatic move included dropping the Bulgarian Turkic religion, language, and culture. Names such as Asparuh, Knez, and Krum gradually became replaced with Orthodox Christian names. Ever since this crucial moment in history, Bulgaria has made it a policy objective to convince the world that Macedonians and Bulgarians are one of the same. This is the reason Macedonians do not sing any songs about people outside of ethnic Macedonia, while Bulgarians regularly appropriate songs from the whole of Macedonia. Unfortunately, most of the outside world could not differentiate between the mess of ethnicities that made up the Ottoman Empire, and the term “Bulgar” came to denote most Slavic-speaking Orthodox peasantry. Unfortunately, facts do not line up with the alternate reality carved out by the Bulgarian state.

The Truth About Bulgaria

The Bulgars never permanently settled areas outside of modern-day Bulgaria. While regularly conquering, pillaging, and attacking the areas of modern-day Macedonia, the Bulgars never had a permanent settlement in the areas outside of roughly modern-day Bulgaria. Even when Macedonians, under the heavy influence of the Bulgarian Exarchate, called themselves “Bulgars”, they still claimed descent only from Macedonians–not individuals part of the wider Bulgarian cultural identity. The Brothers Miladinov, while ostensibly calling their 19th century anthology “Bulgarian Folk Songs” to fight back the tide of Hellenism (though Bulgaria still refused to publish it), traveled and collected songs and stories from Macedonia still celebrating figures such as Alexander the Great, St. Clement, and even the Emperor Justinian.  To this day, there is not one song in the Macedonian folklore about the Bulgarian King Asparuh–the same king whom the Bulgarians replaced Alexander with in their version of “Edna Misla Imame”.

Living in the past is one thing. Pushing a diplomatic objective in the 21st century that dealt with the Byzantine Empire is another. So much of Bulgaria’s national identity and place in the Balkans is dependent upon a Bulgarian-character of the Macedonian people that any unraveling would be detrimental to their ethnos. This is why Bulgaria is forced to push such an absurd notion as the existence of Bulgarians in Albania; Bulgaria has to continue Boris’s strategy and claim everything associated with Macedonians as Bulgarian, no matter how outlandish. But then again, since Macedonia is the Pandora’s Box for other states in the Balkans, many states will do their best to peddle such laughable ideas into their mainstream to keep the lid closed. Instead of making a Faustian deal with Bulgaria–becoming Bulgarian as so many of our ancestors did for economic gain–it is our duty to not fall victims as pawns to a centuries old political swindle.

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.

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Goce Delcev: Freedom Starts Internally

Goce Delcev’s image adorns the living rooms, school rooms, and church halls of many places around the world that Macedonians call home. We sing about him in our folk songs, and hold his virtues and wisdom to the highest standard.

Or so we think.

Like many heroes, Goce is often celebrated and revered, but not understood. As the famous Macedonian folk song says, “We don’t have our Goce Delcev anymore/to wave the Macedonian flag/but he gave an oath to his people/to fight on and not forget the Macedonian name”. We have placed upon ourselves the burden of Goce Delcev’s sacred struggle, but we are more content affirming Goce Delcev was Macedonian, than living by his ideals. There are two lessons from the life of Goce Delcev that we desperately need to hear and apply today.

In 1891, Goce Delcev left Solun to pursue higher education at the Sofia Military Academy in Bulgaria. The 19-year-old Goce was already showing himself to be rebellious by nature, and not afraid to live by his convictions. A few years before, at the Cyril and Methodius Men’s High School in Solun, during an outing in the school yard in which songs were sung to the local Turkish vali on the occasion of the Sultan’s birthday, the boys were forced to shout “çok yaşa!” (long may he live). Young Goce however, electrified the schoolyard by shouting “aşaği!”(down with him). This was the strength of his convictions—surrounded by Ottoman officials (who thankfully did not hear him) he openly defied the Ottoman Empire. However, a few years later, Goce went on to enroll in the military academy, since jobs for teachers were incredibly scarce in Macedonia. During his first few months there, he noticed many students were openly hostile to a student by the name of Hussein Tefeikov. Hussein’s family, although not being ethnically Turkish, was considered as such since they had converted to Islam generations back. The idea of a Muslim Turk in the ranks was repugnant to many of the students—all of whom had no doubt experienced the brutality of centuries of Turkish rule. Goce was also disgusted—at the students. Seeing the boys ridicule and torture Hussein was appalling to him. To Goce, it was as intolerable for Macedonia to be under Ottoman rule, as it was for Turks to be outcast and vilified for being Turkish. Goce would later go on to befriend him, a sign of humility and common ground we desperately need today.

Goce would be appalled by our divisiveness today. We are not only split amongst ethnic lines, but also political, and even geographic. When Goce spoke of Macedonia for the Macedonians, he quite literally meant everyone in Macedonia, who by virtue of living in Macedonia could be considered Macedonian. Today we have Macedonians that are ethnically Macedonian, but also Albanian, Turkish, Vlach, Serb and so forth. We have shared this mountainous patch of earth called Macedonia for centuries. Yet, we lost our ways. Not only do we exclude our neighbors, but also we now exclude ourselves. I remember by baba’s stories of her youth about how during the days of food shortages under socialism, Macedonians and Turks would share what little food they had to ensure they all survived the winters. Now, in the days of higher thinking, whole churches, communities, and even organizations in the diaspora have hostilities toward each other. We see the fight for Macedonia as a zero sum game—some will have to lose for us to win. The Ottoman Turks back in the day were bewildered as Muslims how Orthodox Christians were so easily betraying each other for lira. This is the curse that we have to break. If we want any hope of our country and nationhood surviving another quarter century, we need to make changes. We can no longer marginalize and denounce members of our own communities. Goce knew that Ottoman Empire ruled for centuries because the people could never unify, and they fed off that disunity. Today, those who wish us ill are no different. When Greek and Bulgarian organizations see the chaos that erupts between our communities, they are only incentivized to pursue their agendas even further. Not only do we have to unify, we have to unify across political and ethnic lines. When Goce dreamt of a free and prosperous Macedonia, he realized such goals would never be achieved when small acts such as disdain for the “others” still persisted. We have to realize that a future that excludes anyone in Macedonia is a future that excludes all of us.

Later on in life, Goce was a head inspector of schools in most of Macedonia, which served as a perfect guise for his revolutionary activity and travel. As a natural leader of the revolutionary committee he received many correspondences from various key individuals that were in charge of bringing weapons—both physical and of the mind—into Macedonia. However, in 1895 а hotheaded revolutionary by the name of Aleksandar Chakurov tried to independently launch a pre-mature rebellion in the Vinista region, his assumption being that Russia would notice and step in to help. Goce, writing to a local chairman responsible for arms transport in Kyustendil, Bulgaria fired off and blasted the foolishness of such thinking. “Did His Grace (Chakurov ) believe his own words, what he said verbally and in letters to G. Ivanov: ‘I’ll raise an internal rebellion, and as soon as the banner is unfurled, then Russia, O glorious Russia, will fly into Macedonia on the spot, and there you are—we are free’??!! Is that what he thinks? Is this how we educated our rebels? If you feed the people with such empty hopes then you must realize that even the most outstanding hero will fall into utter despair.”

But let’s forget Macedonia’s inane love affair with Russia—the sole reason behind Bulgaria’s existence. I will not discuss how all of Macedonia would today be Bulgarian if the Russian-backed Treaty of San Stefano was not overturned. The problem is not who we place our trust in. It’s the fact that we do so much. Goce knew, perhaps better than anyone, how solving one’s problems begins with a deep look in the mirror. When we blame others for our problems, and then expect others to save us, we live inside a contradiction. We omit reality and pursue a dangerous path of unrealistic expectations. The truth is, no one, not President Trump nor Premier Putin, can save us. The path to prosperity is arduous. It requires an honest evaluation of our own problems, and not a projection of them upon others. Let’s remember Goce’s famous line, “The revolution of the heart, mind and soul of an enslaved people is our greatest task”. We are no different, even centuries later. We are enslaved by our way of thinking where we do not embrace reality and work to shape it in our image. Macedonians waited for 500 years for a glorious liberator. Goce was the first to tell us no one would come and we would not taste freedom if we did not do it ourselves. We mourned his death, but then we moved on and placed our trust in Bulgaria, then Serbia, then the United States, and now Russia. When will the time come when we place our trust in the Macedonian people? Goce Delcev, a man whom we gave an oath and try to fulfill every single day, awaits our answer.

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.

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UMD Voice

Lessons from Ilinden

Today, the tiny picturesque town of Krushevo turns the wheel of time and relives 1903. Macedonian freedom fighters, known as komiti, parade into town on their horses to the uproaring acclaim of the crowd. The celebrations are all centered around an area known as Bear’s Rock, noted by a large statue of a man throwing a rock. Here, 113 years ago, stood the last line of defense to the Krushevo Republic. Ilinden, or Day of St. Elijah, commemorates the day that Macedonia attempted to overthrow the Ottoman Empire.


Macedonian freedom fighters, or komiti, entering Bear's Rock.
Macedonian freedom fighters, or komiti, entering Bear’s Rock.


While the rebellions occurred throughout Macedonia, the little town of Krushevo did something remarkable. For 10 days, and 10 days only, they had created the first republic in Europe. Amidst the vast sea of monarchies, Krushevo greeted governance with a breath of fresh air. It embraced its diversity, and created a ruling body comprised of equal representation from every ethnic group. After 500 years of oppression, Macedonians, Albanians, Aromanians, and Jews alike, finally took control over their own destinies. That is what the final battle at Bear’s Rock was all about. Traditionally, it is thought to be the spot where famous Aromanian-Macedonian revolutionary Pitu Guli, along with his company of fighters, died protecting the young republic. The statue is of a fighter using a rock to repel the Ottomans, a last resort after the bullets had run out. Esoterically, it represents Macedonia at that junction in time–Macedonia, the last remaining jewel of the Ottoman Empire, with its rich ports and fertile land, had sustained the Ottoman Empire for centuries. Now, 500 years later, with its knees buckling and arms trembling, it  finally shrugged from and overthrew the burden.

The last defense of Krushevo
The last defense of Krushevo

 

All in all, Ilinden was a premature failure. The Ottomans quickly put down the rebellion and bombarded Krushevo into submission once more. However, what the Ottomans and all autocrats failed to recognize is that ideas cannot be destroyed. The idea behind Ilinden was so particularly strong that it sustained the Macedonian people from the future horror that would be inflicted upon them with the partition of Macedonia. While it is a controversial idea, Macedonian intellectuals and statesmen knew of their ancient origin. Nikola Karev, President of the Krushevo Republic, was even quoted in a Greek newspaper stating that he is a Macedonian and a direct descendent of Alexander the Great. What this signifies is that many Macedonians knew their history, and knew how long they had been under oppression. It was not just the Ottomans they were overthrowing that hot August day–it was every occupation that had occurred. Since the conclusion of the Macedonian-Roman wars in the 3nd century, Macedonia had been under occupation for close to two millennia. However, on the eve of the Ilinden rebellion, a people who should have been lost to the history books, still clung to the idea that Macedonia would finally be liberated, and they would be free to speak their language, attend their place of worship, and dance their music in freedom.

The future would prove a harsh reality for Macedonia. Not only was its freedom denied, but in ten years it would completely disappear from the map; the Treaty of Bucharest saw its forcible partition, while the Greek, Bulgarian, and Serbian governments moved to completely erase the Macedonian people from history. In 1948, in the midst of the Greek Civil War that saw the largest and most brutal exodus of Macedonians in history, the spirit of Ilinden remained. A rare photograph from an abandoned village in Aegean Macedonia shows the words, “Long Live Ilinden, Long Live the Revolution” written on a building wall. This was written at a time when even speaking the Macedonian language was punishable by death. Yet, then as before, Macedonians stared into the face of death and openly defied it. It comes as no surprise that August 2nd was also the date that the Macedonian state finally emerged from the grip of fascism in 1944.

Faded graffiti saying "Да Живеј Илинден" (Long Live Ilinden) in the Aegean Macedonian village of Drenoveni.
Faded graffiti saying “ДА
ЖИВЕЕ ИЛИНДЕН” (Long Live Ilinden) in the Aegean Macedonian village of Drenoveni.



While Macedonia may now be divided, and its people oppressed, Ilinden continues to animate and sustain the Macedonian spirit. In Greece, Macedonian villagers proudly celebrated Ilinden in their own unique way—all the while surrounded by Greek police and pressure not to. Goce Delcev famously said that the interests and future of Macedonia are inseparable from the Macedonian people. Today, 113 years after the Ilinden uprising, the attempt to erase the Macedonian identity continues to dominate politics in Greece and Bulgaria. The ideas of invasion and occupation may seem far removed from any sense of reality in the 21st century, but we cannot let ignorance become our ally. As President Ronald Reagan said, we must live knowing that freedom is never more than one generation from being extinct. In the world we live in, freedom is neither a guarantee nor a right. This is what Ilinden teaches us. In truth, it is not one revolution rebelling against one occupation. It is the culmination of all efforts to free Macedonia, as well as the on-going battle to preserve who we are, and ensure our identity and culture survives for the next generation.  Our future continues to hang on the hinges, and everyday is our Ilinden. Everyday we will face challenges to rebuke our oppressors, and preserve who we are. However, when push comes to shove, will we be able to unite once more, and do what is needed in the face of overwhelming pressure? The day we forget what Ilinden stood for, is the day we will have finally lost the battle. Today as Macedonians from all over visit the hallowed ground of Bear’s Rock, one can almost hear the voice of all those lost–the wisdom of the ages, reminding us of their sacrifice and dreams. By visiting the site, we not only commemorate their sacrifice, but proudly embrace their struggle.

Macedonians revolutionaries gazing into a promising future.
Macedonians revolutionaries embracing the uncertainty of the future.

The views of the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Macedonian Diaspora and Generation M.