Albanians of Ukraine

The Albanian community has lived in the territory of Ukraine since the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Albanians settled in the land of modern Bessarabia and the Black Sea, partly in Odesa and in rural areas. Half a century later, some of the Balkan colonists migrated to the Sea of ​​Azov, where they also founded several villages where their descendants live today. The Ukrainian, reports abcnews.al.

In most of the villages of Bessarabia, different nations live: Bulgarians, Albanians, Gagauzians, Moldovans, Romanians, Ukrainians and other nationalities, but their special feature is that they celebrate together.

For five years, the international wine festival, "Bolgrad Wine Fest", takes place in Bolhrad during autumn, gathering not only residents of the surrounding towns and villages, but also wine producers from all over Ukraine, Bulgaria and Moldova.

Every year, on May 6, the Albanians of Bessarabia commemorate the birthday of the national hero of Albania, Gjergj Kastriot Skënderbeu (the interesting fact is that on the same day the Gagauzians celebrate Saint George, therefore both the Albanians and the Gagauzians make sacrifices).

The village of Karakurt is located near Bolhrad in Bessarabia. The word "Karakurt" comes from Turkey, which means "Black Earth". This is the name of one of the most poisonous spiders. Perhaps the mystery will never be solved: why the Albanian, Bulgarian and Gagauzian colonists named the village they founded in 1811 with this name.

Nowadays, five languages ​​are spoken in Karakurt: Albanian, Bulgarian, Gagauz language, Ukrainian and Russian. Local people say that when three people of different nationalities meet and discuss with each other and one of them speaks Albanian, then all three speak Albanian because it is the main language there.

In 2001, up to 3,000 people lived in Karakurt, of which 1,725 ​​are Albanians. In the 1860s, some Albanians from Bessarabia moved to the northern part of Priazovia. The number of inhabitants of these villages is much smaller than the population of Karakurt.

In the 16th century, a part of the Orthodox Albanians (Toska) migrated to the part of eastern Bulgaria, which at that time belonged to the Ottoman Empire. The Albanians lived for three centuries between the Bulgarians and the Gagauz. Albanians migrated to the territory of Ukraine in the middle of the 18th century, when these lands were under the occupation of the Russian Empire. At that time, most of them consisted of Albanian volunteers who had served in the Russian Navy during the Russo-Turkish war. After the war ended, they settled around Odesa. There are two well-known streets associated with Albanians in the historic center of Odesa – Mala Arnautska and Velyka Arnautska. In the 19th century, Orthodox Albanians were called "Arnauts".

One of the reasons for the displacement of Albanians during the years 1806-1812 in Bessarabia was due to the national and religious oppression in the Balkans, which was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Several thousand Albanian Orthodox families refused to convert to Islam and started looking for a new place to live. At that time there were many uninhabited places in Bessarabia and Priazov.

According to various sources, the Ukrainian Albanian community has between 5,000 and 10,000 members, while less than half of them speak the Albanian language. In addition to villages in Bessarabia and Priazovia, Albanians also live in such large cities as: Odesa, Izmail, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, etc.

The first Albanian organization in Ukraine, which was established in 1993, no longer exists today. Several organizations have been established in Bessarabia over time, such as the Albanian Cultural and Educational Association: Rilindja and the Karakurt Center for Albanian Culture, which opened in 2016. Currently, the Albanian Cultural and Educational Association "Dardania" operates in the region of Priazovia.

The head of the Association "Rilindja", an Albanian, Rodion Pandar, was born in Karakurt, graduated from a local school, then at the University of Odesa. He lived and worked in Istanbul and Odesa for several years, but then returned to his native Bessarabia.

"According to the Albanian tradition, the little boy must stay in the house where he was born. This is because he is the heir. So after I worked in Istanbul (from 1994 to 1996), my parents said to me: 'Son, are you thinking of going back to your country?' I said: 'Dad, but I have a very good business in Turkey!' And he answered: 'If you are Albanian, come home'. And I came back," he says.

Rodion states that the many nations in Karakurt and other villages of Bessarabia are a common phenomenon. After 1991, the teaching process in local schools was conducted in Russian for a long time.

""Our village is more than 200 years old. Today there is no difference who you are, despite the many nations. Most of the village people speak three languages. I was forced to learn the Ukrainian language on my own", says Pander. /abcnews.al/