tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post8622752128345356334..comments2024-03-20T09:40:08.593+01:00Comments on Stepping Stones: Albania's Sworn VirginsMiss Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05755376182972818159noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-23998090940742744762007-02-28T04:07:00.000+01:002007-02-28T04:07:00.000+01:00It's so ironic. Lule means "flower". Such a femini...It's so ironic. Lule means "flower". Such a feminine name!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-2547720541512288312007-02-28T04:01:00.000+01:002007-02-28T04:01:00.000+01:00The middle ages, and till the 20th century societi...The middle ages, and till the 20th century societies became very dogmatic. <BR/><BR/>"In Albania, because only men may be heads of household, and because only men may inherit family wealth, if there are no sons, the wealth of the family (its home and land) risks being usurped by the family of a daughter's husband, or some other non-blood relative."<BR/>In this paragraph present tense is used, which is a bit misleading, because people who don't know Albania might think that it is still done this way in Albania.<BR/>Of course not.<BR/>I was reading "The Illyrians: to the Albanians" by Neritan Ceka MP. Unlike the ancient Greeks of the time, Illyrians left their property and wealth to their daughters too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-1221733027538608192007-02-28T03:50:00.000+01:002007-02-28T03:50:00.000+01:00The Kanun was written by Leke Dukagjini of Kosovo,...The Kanun was written by Leke Dukagjini of Kosovo, Scanderbeg's right arm. He was a monk or a priest, I don't remember well from history class. At the time it was a very modern piece of laws. Even the Us constitution adopted some points. One of them is the famous one about being free to shoot at intruders in your property in self-defense.<BR/>One other point that I like is the one about "cheating". Both trasgressors are suposed to be shot in their back! I don't like divorce(exept for extreme cases, for eg when the husband is violent). It destroys the society. In belgium, 2 in 3 marriages result in divorce.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-8197632224230388932007-02-25T22:37:00.000+01:002007-02-25T22:37:00.000+01:00I found the whole thing very interesting. An inter...I found the whole thing very interesting. An interesting topic for my first visit here!!<BR/>StaceyR. Duckiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15543245043756898956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-73743551515536429922007-02-23T01:06:00.000+01:002007-02-23T01:06:00.000+01:00Blogger gobbled a comment I made on this post too!...Blogger gobbled a comment I made on this post too! I hate that! <BR/>On the Kanun, the Kanun brought orderand was actually not bad as laws go, like many good things gets misused nowadays when it's used at all. <BR/>The Kanun Lek is available in full in English online, just google it.<BR/>There was a novel by Alice Munroe called 'The Albanian Virgin' that has the sworn virgin as a theme, it's also available online and not bad reading.Katja R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17813405984067905779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-37834792454377080392007-02-22T12:12:00.000+01:002007-02-22T12:12:00.000+01:00Huh???... Where did my comment go? Oh well. Blogge...Huh???... Where did my comment go? Oh well. Blogger probably gobbled it up again. Anyhow, fascinating subject. <BR/><BR/>Also loved you two earlier posts.CanadianSwisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07643821249467079199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-48735612966957081162007-02-21T23:25:00.000+01:002007-02-21T23:25:00.000+01:00I've been meaning to write a review of Broken Apri...I've been meaning to write a review of Broken April for a bit. It's a strange book and made a big impression on me, not least because of the broken marriage. I managed to find a copy of the Kanun in Pristina and wanted to compare it with the book. Unfortunately I don't have either with me at the moment, so can't do the review.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-71295669665894397942007-02-21T23:15:00.000+01:002007-02-21T23:15:00.000+01:00I stood and read most of what must have been Anton...I stood and read most of what must have been Antonia Young's book in the Dukagjini bookshop in Pristina. It had some wonderful photos of the ladies (or at least one) looking rather butch and weatherbeaten, (as well you might doing a man's job in the countryside in Albania). But they definitely looked happy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-61945682307646020672007-02-20T19:35:00.000+01:002007-02-20T19:35:00.000+01:00Kim, thank you for the kind comments on my blog. ...Kim, thank you for the kind comments on my blog. I read your post with great interest, and have forwarded it to an English friend who is undertaking a research paper on pantomime - she is interested in issues of sexual identity, transvestism, and gender roles. It's not directly up her alley, but I've sent her your address, so she can see for herself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-4302819571676809452007-02-20T09:29:00.000+01:002007-02-20T09:29:00.000+01:00Fascinating topic, Kim! The things we learn about ...Fascinating topic, Kim! The things we learn about through your blog.christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15991148606497381478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-77853222920804693142007-02-20T09:21:00.000+01:002007-02-20T09:21:00.000+01:00Hi Traveller one This book does not exactly concen...Hi Traveller one This book does not exactly concentrates on the virgins but it takes the life of two families in a blood fued and explains about kanun and different roles of men and women. It is observations of a couple from Tirana that visits North Alabania that the author expresses himself. My email is mirdita77@hotmail.com email me your adress and I will mail you the book. Kanun is part of our culture, it is mostly outdated but nothing to be embarrassed about.(A.B)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-43218496435833348022007-02-20T08:46:00.000+01:002007-02-20T08:46:00.000+01:00Dear Anonymous... thank you for your intelligent c...Dear Anonymous... thank you for your intelligent comment. I would really love to borrow your book! How can we arrange that? I've only read Spring Flowers, Spring Frost and I'm very interested in reading more of Kadare. <BR/>I understand that these sworn virgins are uncommon, but they are a truly fascinating part of the cultural anthropology. There is one book about them at the bookshop but it is quite expensive for a very small book. I am tempted every time I see it but so far I have resisted!Miss Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05755376182972818159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-91505049480268658892007-02-20T08:36:00.000+01:002007-02-20T08:36:00.000+01:00First, some of the other comments make me feel tha...First, some of the other comments make me feel that I must apologize for some of the them. As an open minded Albanian, I must say that I lived Albania for 19 years and I witness only one women to chose that path. Although not as common as some would like to believe it was a presented as a choice to get out of marriage not any different from the preaching of the Catholic Church about divorce. Did you know that the family of the bride gave the bride a bullet to carry with her in case her husband mistreats her(So she can shoot him)?Kanun means Law Giving in Turkish and its pretty much detiorating from Albanian life. A good book to read about this is Broken April(Prilli Thyer) by Ismail Kadare.I have an English copy if you want to borrow. Always great to read your blog.(A.B)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-80746542049628307892007-02-19T17:56:00.000+01:002007-02-19T17:56:00.000+01:00Kim, thank you for that article, do you have any f...Kim, thank you for that article, do you have any feel for how many families still live in this way in Albania? There is research and information about women who have lived as men in any number of western situations, although this was not institutionally approved. There are several other cultures that have had these sorts of options, some with men becoming women as well.orenetahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616103982088424715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-35685647255137552652007-02-19T17:55:00.000+01:002007-02-19T17:55:00.000+01:00That is fascinating - thank you for sharing.That is fascinating - thank you for sharing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-40687038834820933682007-02-19T14:48:00.000+01:002007-02-19T14:48:00.000+01:00Wow, very interesting article!Wow, very interesting article!Julhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08075537123043560936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-66674112857087246762007-02-19T13:57:00.000+01:002007-02-19T13:57:00.000+01:00hi kim,thanks for stopping by my blog. Were you re...hi kim,<BR/>thanks for stopping by my blog. Were you referring to the meet-up in Darmstadt? I hadn't heard anything back from Jen, but I know she's been having major computer troubles and has asked that we resend our emails.<BR/>-annann_ona_moosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13708987472891714991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-61963793813705361412007-02-19T10:12:00.000+01:002007-02-19T10:12:00.000+01:00Kim, what an interesting post. And what I feel abo...Kim, what an interesting post. And what I feel about it is that the described system is not bad in itself. At least there is a choice for women. Thank you for sharing !<BR/><BR/>PS: I often ask myself why people who comment in an unfriendly way don't dare de-lurking themselves, can we ever communicate with "anonymous" ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-9498485158510941152007-02-19T09:14:00.000+01:002007-02-19T09:14:00.000+01:00Well, i found this to be a very interesting articl...Well, i found this to be a very interesting article. Certainly there are still cultures or individuals who follow ancient ways - think about female genital mutilation in africa. these things persist, even if on a small scale. thanks for putting this up :)<BR/>ps i changed my website and i have a new address, so update your sidebar!<BR/>www.insearchofdessert.comJessica Broganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16226754021061414334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-30160876301081173682007-02-18T16:09:00.000+01:002007-02-18T16:09:00.000+01:00I wonder if Lule ever masturbates...I wonder if Lule ever masturbates...ITShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15958814876642124728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14858228.post-155018278147734962007-02-18T13:45:00.000+01:002007-02-18T13:45:00.000+01:00This is the most ridiculous thing i have heard in ...This is the most ridiculous thing i have heard in some time. Everyone knows of the kanun but it's mostly old "laws" of the land and if there are people who still follow that rubish they will be probably in the north and even there i can't image there being more then a dozen or so cases of this "women becoming men" tripe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com