Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-01-24


In a process OF monOtonous reitera-
ton. Albania is the enfant terrible
among European nations. II simply
refuses 10 grow up.
Il does not Turk In the backwaters
| OF Europe because Of inferior people;
for II has n stock which Is sturdy,
intelligent and resourceful. The vital
ity OF the Albanians is exempllied in
the mere fact that they continue 70
exist as a homogeneous people amid
geographical and historical handi-
caps that have absorbed or displaced
many Of their old-tlme neighbors.
In recent years contacts with
Vlachs and Greeks have modified the
Tosks, or South Albanians. The wilder
part OF wild Albania, and the more
primitive among its people, the Ghegs,
are In the north, along the River Drin,
which figured In Serbian war news.
The Drln is formed by the confu-
ence OF the Black Drln, which rises in
the beautiful Lake Ochrida, and the
mountain-born White Drin. The Drin
proper flows due west before II emp
ties into the Adriatie near Lake
Scutari, south OF Dalmatia. hair
trigger littoral Of postwar politics.
Land. Of the Blood Feud.
North OF the Drin is a mountain
land, the Karst a Sahara Of rock,
akin to a freless cooker in its effect
after a hot day. Here live tribes, I'M
conscious of national influences, ex.
cept TO fight invaders.
Here Is the land OF the blood feud,
a code by which % per cent Of the
men In some tribes are killed or in
their prime. Yet this practice is not
10 be COMPOUNDED with mere lawless-
ness. Rather II is a poor substitute
for any recognized legal system or
any central power TO enforce justice.
IL is both more rigid and severe,
and more elaborate, than the common
law OF advanced nations. one student
Of it's workings found that a failure to
make good q promise of trihing pres
ent cost a dozen lives in a day. Be
cause one man killed a pig that was
eating his crops, the male relatives
OF the pigs owner killed many OF the
pig slayers clan over long period
of years.
Under such a system male relation
ships assume great Importance. Il
mans third cousin becomes his broth
err; woman's family ties, outside
her parents, husband. or brothers, are
matters OF small moment. In many
places there is no consciousness OF
klnship between niece and aunt.
But the qualifications of this same
code make woman's position higher
In Albania than in the Orient, or even
in many a more mOdernized region OF
Europe. For one thing the man who
has a 'blOod foe is immune from at
tack while In company Of a woman.
During times Of feuds which amount
10 tribal warfare, women attend large
~ 10 outdoor duties. Marriage is by
contract; generally arranged upon the
birth of a child. A woman exercises
no choice but has a veto power in re-
spect TO her husband. Should she not
wish the man Of her parents arrange
ment she may reject him, but in that
event. must take vows to remain a
virgin, assume the status Of a man,
and In some regions she dons mems
clothing. should she marry another
man her rejected suitOr's family must
seek blood vengeance upon her male
relatives.
Our Ways Strange to Them.
These customs seem strange, but no
less so than some OF our ways TO the
Albanian. When told that In England
a woman must hang for murder an Al
bantam company was deeply shocked.
II was beyond their comprehension
how a man could be found who would
hang a woman and they concluded
that England must be barbarous Is
land. indeed. No less surprise was
caused among another group when in
formed Of the fiirtatious tendencies
OF the Angl0-Saxon maid. They
couldn't see how the parents OF a
Young woman who Tilted a man could
escape dire vengeance by his brothers
-"hrothers" reaning all his male
relatives OF near and far degree
Even tho minor habits in the daily
life OF so isolate a people are novel
To be without a mustache is dis.
grace in many parts Of north. or
high. Albania. The Albanian mIther
tells her child stories In which, unlike
our stage mslodrama. IL always Is the
hairless man who figures as the VII
lain.