The Torbeshes of Macedonia: Religious and National Identity Questions of Macedonian-Speaking Muslims

Abstract

Torbesh is the name given to the Macedonian-speaking Muslim minority community living in the Republic of Macedonia. The name is a colloquial term and means “the bag carriers”. There are some prevailing discussions on whether Torbeshes are descendants of Christian Slavs who converted to Islam during the Ottoman period or if they are of Turkish origin. During the Ottoman rule, not language, but religion, motivated social groups and political allegiancies and was used in the designation of identity. After the disintegration of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, this situation reemerged and religion played an important role during the ethnic conflicts in the Balkans. Although religion and religion-based tradition appeared to be decisive ethnicity components for many other Muslim minorities in the Balkans, the Torbeshes of Macedonia have not developed their collective identity solely on religious grounds. The ethnic identity question of the Torbesh community is still under dispute although a majority declare themselves as Turks. A minor Torbesh group, for whom language is a much more important identity criterion, feels much closer to the orthodox Macedonians. Some of the Torbeshes declare themselves as Muslim Albanians for pragmatic or ideological reasons. Therefore, Torbeshes have neither a firm Macedonian national affiliation nor a separate Torbesh identity.