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Arvanites (Αρbε̰ρόρ, Arbërór or Σκιπτάρ Shqiptar in Arvanitic, Αρβανίτες, Arvanítes in Greek and Arvanitë in Albanian) are the descendants of settlers from southern Albania that settled in various Greek lands during the Middle Ages, principally between the 13th century and 15th century. Arvanites played a prominent role during the Greek revolution of 1821.

Demographics

Arvanites are predominantly Greek Orthodox in religious adherence. Their language, Arvanitic, is closely related to modern Tosk Albanian but has evolved separately over the course of the past five centuries and has been heavily influenced by the Greek language with which it has come into contact. The language is in decline, partly due to emigration from Arvanite villages to the Greek-speaking cities and partly due to its non-recognition by the Greek state: it has no legal status and is not taught in public schools.

Like the rest of the Greek population, Arvanites have been emigrating from their villages to the cities and especially to the capital Athens, which, incidentally, was populated by many Arvanites in the early 19th century, before becoming the Greek state's capital.

Their current population is estimated at anywhere from 140,000 to 1,600,000. (It is not possible to give an exact figure as Greece has not held a census of mother-tongue speakers since World War II).

Language and culture

The Arvanites have gradually developed a Greek national consciousness and identify themselves as Greeks; some have argued that they are descended from early inhabitants of Greece (Pelasgians). They played a prominent role in the Greek War of Independence. Although they are related to Albanians, there have been reports in recent years of clashes between Arvanite communities and Albanian immigrants.

Arvanites in Epirus named the north wind Arvanitis (it's the singular form of Arvanites).

Although they are almost fully assimilated into Greek society, some distinct Arvanitic cultural characteristics are still identifiable.

Arvanitika songs

There are 4 music CDs featuring Arvanitic songs although the lyrics are often in Greek. There are no mass media in the Arvanitic language, although some local radio stations have occasionally broadcast Arvanitika songs. During the last decades there have been made some attempts to document Arvanitika songs, the most recent by Thanasis Moraitis.

See also

• Arvanitic language
  • Arvanitic alphabet
• Balkan peninsula
  • Greece
  • Albania
• Souliotes

Famous Arvanites

• Greek War of Independence
  • Andreas Miaoulis, admiral and later politician
  • Markos Botsaris, leader of Souliotes, defender of Messolonghi
  • Laskarina Bouboulina, the only female member of Filiki Etaireia
  • Nikolaos Krieziotis, leader of the Greek Revolution in Evoia

• Presidents of Greece
  • Pavlos Kountouriotis, admiral and later politician
  • Theodoros Pangalos, general and later politician

• Prime Ministers of Greece
  • Kitsos Tzavelas
  • Georgios Kountouriotis
  • Antonios Kriezis, served in Greek navy during the revolution, later politician
  • Dimitrios Voulgaris
  • Athanasios Miaoulis
  • Diomidis Kiriakos
  • Theodoros Pangalos, general and later politician
  • Alexandros Korizis
  • Petros Voulgaris
  • Alexandros Diomidis

• Artists
  • Nikos Engonopoulos, painter and poet
  • Konstantinos Biris, architect and author of books regarding city planning, Arvanites and folklore

External links

• Arvanitic League of Greece
• Report on the Arvanites

Bibliography

• "Arvanites", Konstantinos Biris, 1960 (3rd edition: ISBN 9602040319 )
• "Anthology of Arvanitika songs of Greece", Thanasis Moraitis, 2002, ISBN 9608597676

• Ethnic groups of Europe
• Peoples of Greece