The Department of Literature of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Shkodra "Luigj Gurakuqi" in cooperation with the Center for the Preservation and Development of the Culture of Minorities of Montenegro (Podgorica) organized on Thursday (April 13, 2023) the promotion of the short prose anthology of Albanian writers in Montenegro "Të gjithë tanët".

The lefollowing lecturers as Prof. Assoc. Dr. Arben Prendi, Dr. Gëzim Puka, the editor Ismet Kallaba and the director of the Center for the Preservation and Development of the Culture of the Minorities of Montenegro, Salko Luboder. about the literary values ​​of the anthology. 

In his view, the literature researcher Arben Prendi has said that the prose of the writers represented in the anthology have reflections from Albanian folklore and customary traditions and of course from the Albanian environment.

“Në to ndihet jehona e letërsisë realiste e gërshetuar me rrëfimin folklorik dhe etnografik për të përmbushur funksionin e ruajtjes së identitetit shqiptar. Duket sikur kjo është një lloj vetëmbrojtjeje për të ruajtur identitetin kombëtar, por edhe për t’u distancuar nga tjetri, fenomen ky që do të kërkonte një studim më të thellë në rrafshin antropologjik dhe kulturor. Do të kishte qenë me interes përfshirja këtu e ndonjë proze ku rrëfehet për marrëdhëniet jetësore mes shqiptarëve dhe malazezëve, në të kaluarën apo në të tashmen” ("In them, you can feel the echo of realistic literature intertwined with folklore and ethnographic narration to fulfill the function of preserving the Albanian identity. It seems like this is a kind of self-defense to preserve the national identity, but also to distance oneself from the other, a phenomenon that would require a deeper study in the anthropological and cultural plane. It would have been interesting to include here some prose that talks about the life relations between Albanians and Montenegrins, in the past or in the present"), he said.

Dr. Gëzim Puka has emphasized that through this anthology the aesthetic values ​​of the Albanian prose of some major contemporary authors are presented and that the Albanian literature in Montenegro has created its own profile, which preserves the local colors, without being much influenced by the literature that is produced in Tirana or in Kosovo.

"The value of this book is also enhanced by the translation into 'Nashke', that is, the language of Montenegro, the language of our old neighbors. The writers included in this anthology sound quite well both in our Albanian language and in the Nashka of Montenegro, thus raising a lot of aesthetic bridges, which are precursors of peace and spiritual communication between peoples", he said.

The editor of the anthology, Ismet Kallaba, said that the selection of the authors included in the anthology was strictly based on the aesthetic criterion.

"They belong to different generations. In addition to the authors affirmed on the national level and beyond, such as the writers - academics Rexhep Qosja, Zuvdija Hoxhiq, Mehmet Kraja, or the children's writer Hajro Ulqinaku, there is also a group of authors who create in their homeland or in the diaspora (Asllan Bisha, Ibrahim Berjashi , Fran Camaj, Muzafer Çaushi, Jaho Kollari, Anton Gojcaj, Mark Pashku Lucgjonaj). Regardless of where they live and work, there is something intrinsic that connects all these authors. It seems that they have carried their hometown with them, where they get inspiration and dough for their creativity. It is present in almost everyone's creativity through the environment, characters, themes, events..."

The director of the Center for the Preservation and Development of Minority Culture, Salko Luboder, has said that the basic feature, as well as the most distinct value, is that the anthology is presented in a bilingual edition, respectively in Albanian and Montenegrin.

"The purpose of the anthology is to present the spiritual wealth of Montenegro, since the culture and art created by the members of the minority peoples of our country are part of the common good.

Photo gallery:
Anthology of short prose by Albanian writers in Montenegro “TË GJITHË TANËT”