In exile since 1400, the descendant of the Muzaka family returns to his homeland

One of the descendants of the Muzaka family has decided to return to Albania. Away from the homeland since 1400, Jozef Muzaka confesses that traditions, clothing and holidays have been preserved over the centuries with great fanaticism.  

In the 1400s they emigrated to Italy, and in 1900 a part of them to America, but today we are in the house of one of the heirs, who has decided to return and live in Albania

"It was the woman's wish that we return here and do everything we know and invest in America in Albania. We decided to come and give children in rural areas the opportunity to become active. We have created a soccer league, a volleyball championship for girls, we have also set up summer camps in several villages", says Jozef Muzaka.

It would be a waste not to go back in time when at home you are greeted by an arborist who passionately tells a long ordeal of stories of his family and others who stay in the "Piana degli Albanesi".

"It's a long story, but Piano de Albanezi became the center of Arbëresh. My family moved to Center Kristina, where they established their own government and my great-grandfather ran trade and wine. We traded with wealthy families in France until France-Italy relations broke down and trade was almost blocked. Great grandfather decided to send us to America. He himself returned to Sicily and some of them fell ill, a story that has many shadows.

For his wife Jola, who became part of the Muzaka family 10 years ago, seeing the traditions of Arbëresh was definitely a nice surprise.

"The people of Arbëresh in Italy have preserved their traditions better, I was surprised how well they sing some old songs", she says.

"Gege" is one of the old Albanian words that the people of Arbëresh have preserved, and Jozefi tells us a few more.

"Many people said is it Gege? But that's not it. It was "Gegem", an old word that today corresponds to the word "listen to me".

Grandpa used to say, "Well, we'll do it again and again"? For many years no one knew what she meant, but today we know what she meant; "Well, let's go to 'De Hor', which means in the center of the "Piano de Albanezi", says the descendant of the Muzaka family.

The greatest tradition preserved in Arbëresh, Jozef Muzaka calls "The Given Word".

"My ancestors in Sicily celebrated every activity and kept every tradition, but one part that differentiated us from everyone, and it was understood that we were different, was the great family reunion. We were all told all our lives, the word is everything, keep the word and when you asked me about traditions I said that this was the biggest and most important tradition of all, this was inherited but we don't see much of it today", he says he.

But is the Arber language disappearing and how should it be preserved? What more needs to be done by the mother country to overcome today's problems.

"It is important not to lose history because it is harmful not to have an identity. We should never forget where we are from and where we come from, that's why we fought", he says.

Jozef Muzaka returned to stay two weeks with his wife in Albania, but the love for the country made them decide to live here. /Euronews.al/