Misplaced Pages

Part of a series on
Albanian tribes
Tribes and regions Malësia e Madhe Hoti Gruda Kelmendi Shkreli Rrjolli Kastrati Trieshi Koja Marsheni Tuzi Gruemiri Reçi Lohja Lepuroshi Boga Dukagjin highlands Bobi Shala Shoshi Shllaku Dushmani Toplana Mavriqi Mazreku Prekali Pult Kiri Plani Xhani Suma Highlands of Gjakova Krasniqi Nikaj Mërturi Gashi Bytyçi Morina Puka-Mirdita Berisha Mirdita Puka Malziu Thaçi Qerreti Kabashi Selita Dukagjini Upper Drin Luma Lura Arrëni Dibra Sopa Kastrioti Zadrimë - Lezha highlands Zadrima Bushati Renesi Vela Bulgëri Kryezezi Manatia Mati - Kruja highlands Progani Gjonima Myzeqe Lalë Muzaka Albania Veneta Pamalioti Mahine Kryethi Kakarriqi Brda-Zeta Bukumiri Bratonishi Bytadosi Kuçi Macure Malonšići Mataguzi Mugoša Pipri Palabardhi Rogami Vasaj Old Montenegro Goljemadi Herzegovina - Ragusan hinterland Burmazi Mataruga Španji Kriči Epirus/Chameria Bua Kurveleshi Losha Malakasioi Mazaraki Spata Zenevisi Souliotes
Law code Kanun (Albanian customary law)
Concepts Zjarri Vatër Muranë Ora/Fatia Besa Gjakmarrja Hospitality Bukë, Kripë e Zemër Honour
History Bajrak Albanian National Awakening Albanian revolt of 1911 Kachak movement Reconciliation Movement in 1990
Culture Paganism Dheu Qielli Dielli Hëna Prende Zjarri Vatër Vitore Drangue vs Kulshedra Ora/Fatia Zana Gjamë/Vajtim Muranë Epic poetry (Lahutë · Çifteli · Fyelli · Kângë Kreshnikësh) Kângë majekrahi Dances war dances Sworn virgins Kulla Oda Clothing (Brez · Fustanella · Opinga · Qeleshe · Xhamadan · Xhubleta.·Çorape) Traditional tattooing
v t e

The Spaçi or Spaqi tribe is an Albanian tribe and one of the bajraks of the ethnographic Mirdita region in northern central Albania. The Spaçi tribe were one of the three traditional bajraks of Mirdita, which has now increased to five.

Geography

Spaçi tribal territory is situated in the Mirdita municipality as well as the Gjegjan subdivision of Pukë municipality. Spaçi borders the Kabashi, Puka, Dibrri and Kushneni tribes to the west, the Thaçi tribe to the north, the Mali i Zi and Fani tribes to the east, and the Oroshi tribe to the south. The main settlements of the Spaçi tribe are Fushë-Arrëz, Gojan, Kalivare, Gjegjan, Dom, Kimëz and Spaç.

Origins

The ancestral father of the Spaçi tribe was Dodë Biba, son of Bib Kola. Dodë was the brother of Mark Biba, the ancestral father of the Oroshi tribe, and Gjin Biba, the ancestral father of the Kushneni tribe. As such, Spaçi was one of the three traditional bajraks of Mirdita before the number increased to five. All three sons hailed from the Pashtrik region near Gjakova in Kosovo, from where they migrated to what is now Oroshi tribal territory in Mirdita.

History

The term 'Spaçi' occurs as 'Spacci' in the 1866 memoir of French diplomat Emile Wiet. The tribe's traditional meeting place was in Kalivari. In 1892, the tribe's bajraktar was Ndoc Ndreca, the lieutenant of the kaymakam of Mirdita.

In 1903, Austrian engineer Karl Steinmetz recorded that the Spaçi consisted of 650 families. In a census taken in Albania in 1918 during the period of Austro-Hungarian administration, the population statistics of the Spaçi tribe consisted of 4,230 inhabitants in 598 households. These statistics covered the following settlements and their surroundings: Breg, Doç, Gjegjan, Gojan, Gomsiqja, Kalivarja, Kimza, Kisha e Arstit, Lumbardha, Mesul, Qafa e Malit, Shkoza, Spaç and Tuç.

Religion

The Spaçi tribe is traditionally an entirely Catholic tribe, whose patron saint is Saint Nicholas.

Relation with other tribes

Due to the fact that the Spaçi tribe is one of the original three bajraks of Mirdita alongside Kushneni and Oroshi, members of the three tribes are consanguineous and therefore do not intermarry with each other. Members of the Spaçi can, however, intermarry with members of the Dibrri or Fani, the other two bajraks of Mirdita.

References

1. ^ Elsie, Robert (Apr 24, 2015). The Tribes of Albania: History, Society and Culture. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 246. ISBN 9780857725868.
2. ^ Valentini, Giuseppe (1956). Il Diritto delle Comunità - Nella Tradizione Giuridica Albanese. Florence: Vallecchi Editore. p. 350.

• Tribes of Albania