Exploring Arbëria is not so much about traveling to a place as it is about traveling to a time, a culture, and sometimes, to one's roots.
Arbëria
Arbëria was established in Italy starting from the 15th century with the progressive settlement of Albanian populations fleeing mainly from Epirus, following the death of the national hero Giorgio Castriota Scanderbeg and the arrival of the Turkish-Ottomans, which forced a true diaspora.
The places where the Albanians found refuge conventionally constitute Arbëria, which includes 41 municipalities scattered across seven Italian regions where the descendants of those exiles still live, and where language, traditions, and religion have remained substantially unchanged for six centuries.
Language and Traditions
The Arbëresh language is essentially an Albanian language that has not undergone linguistic changes, stopping around 1500, without considering the influences of dialects and Italianisms.
Languages are considered a heritage of humanity to be preserved from oblivion. For this reason, school programs and initiatives have been created over time to promote the conservation and re-approachment of young people to the language. An example is the village of Civita, nestled among the mountains of the Pollino National Park, in the province of Cosenza, where young people not only speak Arbëresh but also preserve their customs in local economic activities.
The Greek-Byzantine Rite
The Albanian exiles also preserved and safeguarded their religion: the Greek-Byzantine religious rite has its roots in the Liturgy of Constantinople. The Divine Liturgy follows the formularies of Saint John Chrysostom, celebrated on most days of the year; that of Saint Basil the Great celebrated on the Sundays of Lent and other solemn feasts; the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts celebrated on Wednesdays and Fridays and the first three days of Holy Week.
Icons, a real place of divine presence, are an essential part of the Greek-Byzantine liturgy. Through the design and symbolism of colors, they convey a sacred message. To deepen the knowledge, the ideal place is the Museum of Icons and Byzantine Tradition in Frascineto, in the province of Cosenza.
The churches that preserve this liturgy are characterized by the iconostasis, the dividing wall between the Divine and the Earthly; mostly devoid of statues but frescoed according to Greek-Byzantine iconography. One in particular, the Church of San Giovanni Battista in Acquaformosa, in the province of Cosenza, is almost entirely covered not by frescoes but by gold mosaics depicting Byzantine Icons and some important moments of the Bible and the Gospel.
Traditions
The Arbëresh communities are also very attached to their traditions, including musical ones. Music is considered the vehicle to best express one's identity and soul. The songs are real musical tales handed down orally about the homeland, heroes, and fantastic stories. During Holy Week, you can witness some particular dances, the vallje. Traditional Albanian dances that recall the encirclement technique implemented by the hero Giorgio Castriota Skanderbeg. In its circular movement, the vallja "imprisons" the audience that takes part in the colorful celebration. Traditional Arbëresh clothing, different not only from region to region but also from village to village, is also preserved and handed down from generation to generation.
Many of these traditions are collected within the halls of the Arbëresh Culture Museum in San Paolo Albanese, in the province of Potenza in Basilicata.
The charm linked to Arbëria is profound. It concerns a community that has managed to maintain centuries-old traditions without isolating itself but integrating with the native community of the regions where it settled. Communities that, in turn, have been able to welcome those fleeing war and foreign domination, accepting their traditions and religion.
