An unbelievably rich mosaic of folklore, in the form of costumes, songs and dances will parade on stage this Sunday at Lehman College
By Ruben Avxhiu
For a New Yorker, or any American, the fastest crash course into everything Albanian would be to watch the annual Albanian Festival in The Bronx, sponsored by the Albanian Catholic Church, Our Lady of Shkodra.
In a few hours, an unbelievably rich mosaic of folklore, in the form of costumes, songs and dances will parade on stage. It is an immense artistic endeavor, but also an exercise in preserving the collective memory of a nation, which has fought hard to defend its history, culture and tradition in front of relentless invaders, assimilating projects and unspeakable crimes.
The festival is not only for curious non-Albanians who want to know more about their neighbors or this interesting culture from a different world. If you are an Albanian and you have never witnessed it before, the festival will very likely surprise for you as well. It certainly was for me, from the late 90s when I first moved to New York.
Sometimes, we forget how rich and diverse our own culture is. Albania is relatively a small country in Europe, Albanians feature at least 400 different national costumes. I believe this level of variety is unmatched throughout the world.
Traveling from one region to another, in the “Albanian neighborhood” in the Balkans, the prolific creativity of local musicians, artisans, gourmet and slangs will remind you that learning about Albania is almost a never-ending process. One way to go through it all, would be to travel up and down the countries where Albanians live: from the actual Albania, to Montenegro, Kosova, Macedonia, Presheva Valley in Serbia and Chameria in northern Greece. However, if you live in New York or in the tri-state area, you can attend for a few hours the Albanian Festival in The Bronx and travel with the songs, dances and the colorful costumes through great distances and various epochs of our history.
A festival for everyone
The festival is organized by the Mother Teresa Center of the Albanian Catholic Church Our Lady of Shkodra, based in Hartsdale New York. However, this is far from a religious event. Nor is it confined to Catholic Albanians, which form one of the most dynamic elements of our community here in New York. On the contrary, all Albanians, including Muslims and Christian Orthodox, are in great numbers, often mixed in the same musical or dancing group. A Jewish-Albanian community leader has featured regularly in the festival jury for years.
It is a New York-based tradition but it is not a New York-only affair. Some of the artistic groups and participants travel from Michigan., Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and other states with sizeable Albanian communities.
There is a prevalence of Albanians from Montenegro in the church community but again, the festival is one of the most pan-Albanian events out there. Whether you are from Kosova, or from South Albania as far down as Chameria, in today’s northern Greece, you will likely listen to your songs and enjoy the rhythm of your dances featuring in this stage.
Many community events gather crowds of older people, with memories of their old country, with little knowledge of English and with little else to do. This festival is certainly not one of them. The 3,000-seat hall in Bronx College is regularly brimming with young and dynamic Albanian-American youth. They are mostly born in this country, but they will talk Albanian to you and are proud of the culture they have inherited from their forefathers.
Determined to uphold their Albanian traditions and customs, this is on the other side a very proud and patriotic American crowd. Yes, there is no contradiction there. Albanians have emigrated during their entire history. Faced with invaders and hardship, people often left their birthplace looking for a different fate elsewhere. Nowhere, like in America did they find a new home, where they were encouraged instead of banned from upholding and extolling their ancient traditions and customs. If anything this makes them more American!
How it all began
When the curtains will rise for the Albanian Festival on Sunday, it will be its 23rd annual in a row. Most of the young talents who will bring entertainment and passion to the stage were not even born when this all began.
Most take it for granted as if the festival has been here forever. Yet, it took time for the tradition to take root. Talents and organizations were always there, but bringing everything together and institutionalizing it into a tradition of regular annual events, was a process that needed more than good intention and sincere desire.
Tonin Mirakaj, a well-respected leader of the Albanian community and a veteran activist through the most challenging years is a great guide down on that memory lane.
“In 1976, Albanians participated in the Balkans Art Festival,” he remembers. “We shared the stage and competed with Greeks and Yugoslavs.”
Ten years, Rozafati Group participated in the Harbor Festival, in 1986, on the occasion of the first Centennial of the Statue of Liberty. More than 100 nations were represented there.
“These were all learning experiences, but there was a growing ambition to have our own Albanian Festival and in 1991 we decided to turn this dream into a reality,” Mr. Mirakaj said. “It was a complete success and it opened the way to a new tradition. This week, we’ll have the 23rd festival.”
He credits two people, in particular: two American friends of the Albanian community, for playing a crucial role to get the festival going in those early years. They were Martin Koenig and Ethel Raim and in 1991, they encouraged the Albanians to organize their own festival. They recognized the potential and helped with every aspect of the preparations.
“In the beginning, we lacked the experience and the means to put it in place”, Mr. Mirakaj, said over the phone. “We had the talents and the great desire, but that was not enough.”
“Martin does not live in New York anymore, while Ethel is the head of the Center for Traditional Music and Dance. She continued to work tirelessly with us, year after year and has also written a few times about our festival. We are grateful to them for their invaluable contribution,” he said.
Passing the torch to a younger generation
New York is such a melting pot that you will find almost every day, somewhere in the City, an ethnic group celebrating and parading its culture. What is less common is having third-generation emigrants singing and dancing the song in the language of their grandparents as you can see on the stage of the Albanian Festival in The Bronx, this coming Sunday. It is a gift that keeps giving.
In some ways, this whole event is about keeping the tradition alive, keeping the promise, passing the torch. The history of Albanians is a history of survival. It is a new world here in America, a very different place and a very different time, from where this folklore was molded. However, the spirit that was forged with it is still alive and unchanged. You will see it in the eyes and the smiles of the youngest generation.
This is not about politics; it is about upholding values and paying respect to memories past. It is about continuing with a tradition that produces beauty and dignified entertainment. On Sunday, the show will go on.
illyriapress.com
Per”Alba – Dansk” Shkodrani
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