Journey of Goranis’ from Bogomils’ to Islam

Abstract

The Gora region today is located in the border triangle between Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. For several decades, the identity of this population isunder dispute. There have been numerous attempts by Serbs, Bulgarians and Macedonians, and they continue today, to represent the population of this region as having Serbian, Bulgarian or Macedonian origin. Based on the history of this region and a number of elements of culture, characteristic houses, national dresses, songs, dances, habits and customs that are preserved among the residents, it is unclear because the language is a mixture of Slavic languages while the habits and customs are very close to those of Albanians. One of the versions of ethnic identity of Goranis’is the connection with Torbeshis’as the last remnants of Bogomils’, a heretical religious movement. Same as Opojans’ also the Goranis’ today belong entirely to the Muslim religious group. There are numerous evidences for cult objects such as mosques and shrines built earlier than the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in our region. With the expansion of Ottoman Empire in the Albanian lands, also the population of Opoja and Gora embraced Islam, today this population is entirely Muslim, and in each village, there are mosques of modern architecture and very beautiful minarets.