Vajtim or Gjëmë (Gjâmë in the Gheg dialect of the Albanian language) is the dirge or lamentation of the dead in the Albanian custom by a group of men or a woman or a group of women. Cries have now become extinct both in the Islamic and Christian Albanian Population, except in some parts Northern Albania and Kosovo as well as in parts of North Macedonia such as Zajas and Upper Reka, where they exist in a very diminished form.[1]
Practicing of gjâmë by the men of Theth (Shala) in the funeral of Ujk Vuksani, 1937
In Southern Albania a woman usually sings poetic verses and a choir behind her takes up the refrain. In Southern Albania only women participate in the Vajtim, whereas in Northern Albania men also can take part. The song will ask the deceased to get up from the dead because all he owned and all that was dear to him is calling for him/her to be back in life. In the past professional mourners were hired to perform a good vajtim by the wealthy families. The Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi, visited Gjirokastër, Southern Albania, then part of the Ottoman Empire in 1670, and reported the following account from the city:[2]
The people of Gjirokastra mourn their dead relatives for forty or fifty, indeed up to eighty years. Every Sunday all the relatives of the dead person gather in a jerry-built house, paying professional mourners who weep and wail and keen and lament, raising a great hue and cry. No one can stand to be in town on Sunday because of all the noise and uproar. I dubbed Gjirokastra the city of wailing. It is a great wonder how the professional mourners manage to weep and wail with such feeling - more than for their own relatives - for someone who has been dead a hundred years and to whom they are not even related. And how they lament! It is only when they are exhausted with hunger that they desist.
A particular type of the Vajtim is E qara me ligje (English: Weeping with Lamentations), which is a subgenre of iso-polyphonic mourning. This is mainly encountered in Labëria.[3]
The exclamation used in the songs is a prolonged Oi-oi. The term Oirat is used by Albanian composer Aleksandër Peçi in his opera Oirat.[4]
Northern Albaniaedit
Gjâma e Burrave, (English: Men's Lament) is a death rite performed only by men and for men only, in Albania, exclusively in the highlands of Dukagjin, Gjakovë and Iballë, Pukë.[5] To perform this rite, a quorum of ten or more men is needed. During the ritual, the men strike their chests and scratch their faces, repeating: O i mjeri unë për ty o biri/nipi/miku jem, (Oh poor me, o my son/nephew/friend), depending on the deceased. Gjâma served the unique purpose of expressing one's grief, but at the same time, to spread the bad news in adjacent regions for others to come and visit the deceased's family. The practice was strictly forbidden during the Communist regime. It was revived after 1990.[6][7] The origin of the Gjâma is connected to the death of Skanderbeg in 1468. The assumption of the connection between the Gjâma and Skanderbeg's death is based on Marin Barleti's remarks that Lekë Dukagjini had pulled out his hair and his beard as a sign of deep sorrow for his leader's death. The tradition has survived in the Malësia region.[8]
Albanian Catholics practiced the Gjâma more often than Albanian Muslims in the Malësia region. According to the Muslim faith, crying for the dead is prohibited to men. Today Albanian Catholics of Montenegro no longer perform the Gjâma and hire instead professional mourners called Gjâmatarë, from Northern Albania.[9]
The vajtim is well known in the Albanian mythology. One of the most beautiful parts of the Kreshniks' cycle is Vajtimi i Ajkunës, (English: Ajkuna's Lament).[10]
^Dervishi, Nebi (2014). "Dëshmitë e Rekës Shqiptare pas regjistrimeve nëpër shekuj". In Pajaziti, Ali (ed.). Shqiptarët e Rekës së Epërme përballë sfidave të kohës [Albanians of Upper Reka in face of the challenges of time]. South East European University. p. 409. ISBN978-608-4503-95-8.
^Elsie, Robert (2000). A dictionary of Albanian religion, mythology, and folk culture. New York University Press. pp. 95–96. ISBN0-8147-2214-8. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
^Tole, Vasil (2010). "Inventory of Performers on Albanian Folk Iso-Polyphony" (PDF). Albanian Music Council. pp. 100–101. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
^Gjovalin Shkurtaj: Etnografi e të folurit të shqipes: (përmbledhje studimesh socio- dhe etnolinguistike). Shtëpia Botuese e Librit Universitar, 2004. Page 42 [1]
^Ahmedaja, Ardian; Haid, Gerlinde (2008). European voices: Multipart singing in the Balkans and the. Boehlau Verlag. pp. 247–248. ISBN978-3-205-78090-8. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
^Elsie, Robert (2004). Songs of the frontier warriors. Bolchazy-Carducci. p. 341. ISBN0-86516-412-6. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
May 11, 2024
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Vajtim or Gjeme Gjame in the Gheg dialect of the Albanian language is the dirge or lamentation of the dead in the Albanian custom by a group of men or a woman or a group of women Cries have now become extinct both in the Islamic and Christian Albanian Population except in some parts Northern Albania and Kosovo as well as in parts of North Macedonia such as Zajas and Upper Reka where they exist in a very diminished form 1 Practicing of gjame by the men of Theth Shala in the funeral of Ujk Vuksani 1937 Contents 1 Southern Albania 2 Northern Albania 3 See also 4 ReferencesSouthern Albania editIn Southern Albania a woman usually sings poetic verses and a choir behind her takes up the refrain In Southern Albania only women participate in the Vajtim whereas in Northern Albania men also can take part The song will ask the deceased to get up from the dead because all he owned and all that was dear to him is calling for him her to be back in life In the past professional mourners were hired to perform a good vajtim by the wealthy families The Turkish traveller Evliya Celebi visited Gjirokaster Southern Albania then part of the Ottoman Empire in 1670 and reported the following account from the city 2 The people of Gjirokastra mourn their dead relatives for forty or fifty indeed up to eighty years Every Sunday all the relatives of the dead person gather in a jerry built house paying professional mourners who weep and wail and keen and lament raising a great hue and cry No one can stand to be in town on Sunday because of all the noise and uproar I dubbed Gjirokastra the city of wailing It is a great wonder how the professional mourners manage to weep and wail with such feeling more than for their own relatives for someone who has been dead a hundred years and to whom they are not even related And how they lament It is only when they are exhausted with hunger that they desist A particular type of the Vajtim is E qara me ligje English Weeping with Lamentations which is a subgenre of iso polyphonic mourning This is mainly encountered in Laberia 3 The exclamation used in the songs is a prolonged Oi oi The term Oirat is used by Albanian composer Aleksander Peci in his opera Oirat 4 Northern Albania editGjama e Burrave English Men s Lament is a death rite performed only by men and for men only in Albania exclusively in the highlands of Dukagjin Gjakove and Iballe Puke 5 To perform this rite a quorum of ten or more men is needed During the ritual the men strike their chests and scratch their faces repeating O i mjeri une per ty o biri nipi miku jem Oh poor me o my son nephew friend depending on the deceased Gjama served the unique purpose of expressing one s grief but at the same time to spread the bad news in adjacent regions for others to come and visit the deceased s family The practice was strictly forbidden during the Communist regime It was revived after 1990 6 7 The origin of the Gjama is connected to the death of Skanderbeg in 1468 The assumption of the connection between the Gjama and Skanderbeg s death is based on Marin Barleti s remarks that Leke Dukagjini had pulled out his hair and his beard as a sign of deep sorrow for his leader s death The tradition has survived in the Malesia region 8 Albanian Catholics practiced the Gjama more often than Albanian Muslims in the Malesia region According to the Muslim faith crying for the dead is prohibited to men Today Albanian Catholics of Montenegro no longer perform the Gjama and hire instead professional mourners called Gjamatare from Northern Albania 9 The vajtim is well known in the Albanian mythology One of the most beautiful parts of the Kreshniks cycle is Vajtimi i Ajkunes English Ajkuna s Lament 10 See also editAlbanian folklore Music of AlbaniaReferences edit Dervishi Nebi 2014 Deshmite e Rekes Shqiptare pas regjistrimeve neper shekuj In Pajaziti Ali ed Shqiptaret e Rekes se Eperme perballe sfidave te kohes Albanians of Upper Reka in face of the challenges of time South East European University p 409 ISBN 978 608 4503 95 8 Elsie Robert 2000 A dictionary of Albanian religion mythology and folk culture New York University Press pp 95 96 ISBN 0 8147 2214 8 Retrieved 2010 06 09 Tole Vasil 2010 Inventory of Performers on Albanian Folk Iso Polyphony PDF Albanian Music Council pp 100 101 Retrieved 2 August 2010 Tole p 117 Gjovalin Shkurtaj Etnografi e te folurit te shqipes permbledhje studimesh socio dhe etnolinguistike Shtepia Botuese e Librit Universitar 2004 Page 42 1 Gjema e burrave Tradite malesore Gjama e burrave Nikaj Mertur Ahmedaja Ardian Haid Gerlinde 2008 European voices Multipart singing in the Balkans and the Boehlau Verlag pp 247 248 ISBN 978 3 205 78090 8 Retrieved 2010 06 09 Ahmedaja p 24G Elsie Robert 2004 Songs of the frontier warriors Bolchazy Carducci p 341 ISBN 0 86516 412 6 Retrieved 2010 07 02 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vajtim amp oldid 1174784418, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
