Nikaj-Mërtur
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Nikaj-Mërtur is a small historical region in the Tropojë District, Albania as well as one of the North Albanian tribes.[1] It lays south-east of the Albanian Alps, bordering Dukagjin highlands. It is a southern extension of the Djakovica highland.[2] Nikaj is considered having derived from Krasniqi tribe, while Mërtur is closely related to the Berisha.[3] In 2014, the region was proclaimed as the Nikaj-Mertur Regional Nature Park.[4]
Contents
Geography
The Alps' mountain peaks surrounding the area are: Maja e Hekurave, "Grykat e Hapta" (English: Open gorges), Maja e Kakisë, Maja e Ndërmanjës. "Qafa e Kolcit" connects the area to the Krasniqi tribe of the Gjakova highlands, while "Qafa e Ndërmajës" connect it to the Shala tribe and "Qafa e Agrit" (1300m) connects it to the Dukagjin region. It has Alpine climate with a robust winter season, plenty of snowfall and relatively cool summer. Average year-long temperature is 11.5 C, and snow reaches 2570 mm/year. Oak, beech, and pine are predominant in the flora. The climate and terrain favor livestock. There is a great potential for mountain tourism.
Geology
The geological composition of the terrain consists of limestone, dolomite, and schist.
Hydrology
Nikaj-Mërtur is a valley traspased by two rives that bear the clans names: "Lumi i Nikajve" (English: Nikaj river) and "Lumi i Mërturit" (English: Mërtur river). Nikaj river starts in Ndërmanjë valley as "Lumi i Zi" (English: Black river), passes through Kapit, Gjonpepaj, and Lekbibaj villages and joins Mërtur river south-west of Curraj i Poshtëm village. Mërturi river itself starts in Curraj i Epërm village, passes along "Mali i Theposur " (English: Sharp mountain) between the villages Shëngjergj and Curraj i Poshtëm, and after joining Nikaj river continue through Raje and Tetaj villages, with Drin river as a final destination.[5] Both rivers are relatively short.
Administrative division
Administratively, the region falls under Lekbibaj municipality, beside the Rajë village which belongs to the Fierzë municipality. On the east it borders Bujan municipality, Theth in the north, Shalë and Shosh in the west, Fierzë, Pukë and Fierzë, Tropojë in the south. The area lays within circa 200 km2.
Anthropology
The region is inhabited by Nikaj and Mërtur clans. Marturi was first recorded as a toponym in 1629.[3] Kapit is another smaller clan which lays throughout the geographical space of Nikaj. The name Nikaj was recorded in 1703 as Nicagni or Nichagni and seems to derive from the personal name Nicholas. The Nikaj tribe had a population of some 2,200 in the early years of the 20th century. They were the enemies of the Shala and Shoshi, and were considered, together with the Dushmani, to be among the wildest inhabitants of the northern mountains.[6]
Nikaj-Mërtur region contains the following settlements: Lekbibaj, Gjonpepaj, Peraj, Curraj i Poshtëm, Curraj i Epërm, Qeresh, Kuq, Tetaj, Bëtoshë (Btoshë), Shëngjergj, Salcë, Palçë, Kotec, Brisë, Mulaj, Kapit, Varg (Vark), Shofrran, Paplekaj, Bushat, Mserr, Markaj, and Rajë. The first seven belong to Nikaj clan. Blood feuds and Kanun rules are present in the area.[7]
Traveller Edith Durham visited North Albania in the 1900s. She collected the following information about the tribes of Dukagjin, whom she grouped into the Pulati, and then into the two groups of Lower Pulati (or Pulati proper) and those of the Diocese of Pulati. She said that Pulati was hard to define, as the ecclesiastical borders (Diocese of Pulati) extended farther than the Pulati tribes. She described the Nikaj, in the Diocese of Pulati, as: "This is an offshoot of from the Moslem tribe of Krasnich (brother to Hoti). Its ancestor Nikol left Krasnich while Krasnich was yet Christian (Catholic or Orthodox ?). One hundred houses of Nikaj, the Tsuraj, trace descent from a daughter of Nikol who bore an illegitimate son by a gypsy which Nikol adopted. This is the only case of female descent I heard of. Nikaj is all Catholic. It is one of the wildest and most poverty-stricken of the tribes."[8]
The population belong mainly to the Catholic rite, with a Muslim minority.
The area presents an interesting toponymy, being pure[dubious ] and totally uninfluenced by Slavic elements,[citation needed] i.e. "Shtegu i Dashit", "Rrasa e Currajve", "Shpella e Lumit", "Qafa e Rrethit", "Qafa e Derzave", "Shpella e Kakverrit", "Rruku i Nikajve", "Kodra Plakë", "Gurrat e Lumit të Zi", "Qafa e Murrizit", "Qafa e T'thermes", "Fusha e Shukut", "Kodra e Palçit", "Guri Murg", "Korja e Mërtuit", "Qafa e Kolcit", "Qafa e Agrit" etc.
See also
Further reading
- Nikaj-Mërturi: vështrim historik, Dodë Progni, Zef Doda, "Shtjefni" 2003, ISBN 9789992782644
External links
External links
Nikaj Merturi: la meraviglia nascosta tra le Alpi albanesi
References
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- ↑ http://www.shqiptarja.com/fotogaleri/index.php?id=14353&IDCategoria=4
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- ↑ Durham 1908, Table of the tribes of North Albania, Pulati Group
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