THE FEAST OF ST. MARINA - AN EVENT THAT UNIFIES THE MACEDONIAN MINORITY IN MALA PRESPA REGION
Abstract
This paper focuses on the Macedonian minority, inhabiting the nine villages on the Albanian side of the Big Prespa lake in the border region, known as Mala Prespa. The area is characterized by its isolation from the other parts of the country, which extends far beyond the geographical dimensions, but more up to the social ones. The research aims to examine the glorious celebration of Saint Marina’s day (30thof July) as an event, that unifies the Macedonian minority from all of the villages and even from further destinations. Another aim of the article is to present the place where the feast is being organized – Saint Marina monastery near Tuminec. Evidences for its significance as a sight in the believes of local people include legends, dreams and stories about it.
The article is based primarily on fieldwork materials, collected in and near the villages of Tuminec and Zrnosko in July and October 2017.Key findings about the inhabitants of the region are:
- they feel united as a minority and find the feasting tradition as one of the ways to express this adjustment;
- they keep their religious faith strong and in the same time apply a kind of modernization by mixing the celebrations related to religion with the element of a fair.
Keywords:
Macedonia, minority, Albania, Saint Marina, monastery, unifying role, feast
