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Shala is a tribe and historical region of northern Albania in the valley of the river Shalë, in the Dukagjin highlands. It was first mentioned in 1634, and oral tradition and archaeology confirms that their ancestors immigrated to the valley. At the end of the 19th century the tribe was Catholic and had ca. 3,000 members. Today, descendants are widespread in Kosovo.
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Geography
The tribal region is situated in northern Albania, in the valley of the river Shalë, north of the Drin and south of Theth, in the Dukagjin highlands.
Tribal division
The Shala tribe is either divided into four bajraks: Theth, Pecaj, Lothaj and Lekaj, or three bajraks: Shala, Gemaj and Theth, the latter two considered tribes in their own right.
History
The Shala name was recorded for the first time in Italian in 1634 as "Sciala". Results of historical and archaeological research confirm the claim of oral histories that ancestors of Shala came to the valley several centuries ago. The religion of the tribe was Catholic while the tribe had around 3,000 members at the end of 19th century.
Shala tribe was in conflict with Gashi tribe until they made peace in August 1879, based on sultan's order.
In 1910 Shala tribe joined the Albanian revolt of 1910 and with some other tribes fought against Ottoman forces attempting to reach Shkodër. In 1913 Shala tribe joined Montenegrin forces during the Siege of Scutari. When Montenegrin forces began to disarm them after the city was captured, Shala tribe rebelled.
In 1918, Austro-Hungarian census recorded 431 households and 2,512 inhabitants, inhabiting the settlements and surroundings of Abat, Lekaj, Lotaj, Nenmavriq, Nicaj, Pecaj and Theth.
In 1926 Shala and Shoshi tribe again rebelled but this rebellion was suppressed by the gendarmes led by Muharrem Bajraktari and fighters from Dibra and Mat. After World War II, the communists forced nationalist forces of Albania to retreat to Shala which they controlled throughout 1945 and 1946.
Anthropology
According to Robert Elsie, their name derives from the Albanian word shalës(inë), meaning "infertile land". Russian scholar J. V. Ivanova (1922–2006) conducted research in northern Albania in 1956–58, and recorded from the locals that the Shala had settled the Shala valley, where they encountered the native "Mavriqi", from the Puka mountains in the 15th or 17th century, ultimately originating from the Pashtrik mountain near Prizren (in Kosovo) at the end of the 14th century.
According to a legend the Shala share a common ancestor with the Shoshi and Mirdita (from three brothers, one who had saddle (Albanian: shalë), second had sieve (Albanian: shoshë) and third who had nothing wished to his brothers to have a good-day (Albanian: mirëdita)). The legendary ancestor of the Shala was Zog Diti, while his brothers Mark Diti was that of the Shoshi and Mir Diti that of the Mirdita. There are also other founding traditions.
A number of the Shala migrated to Kosovo, where their descendants today are Muslim.
Kosovo
Today in Kosovo, the Shala are concentrated primarily around Vučitrn, Mitrovica, and Trepça in the hilly region known as Shala e Bajgorës, Bajgora being the largest of their 37 settlements. They are divided into four clans or vllazni (brothers): the Gima, Peci, Maleti (related to the Lotaj in Albania proper) and the Lopçi. There are also good numbers of Shala in Isniq, Lluka e Epërme and Strellç in Ulët near Deçan, in Klina and Drenica.
Genetics
Members of the Shala clan who have tested belong almost exclusively to the haplogroup R1b-M269, thus ruling out any speculation of a slavic origin.
Economy
Members of Shala tribe were very skillful in irrigation. Branislav Nušić recorded that Shala was the poorest tribe of Albania with only small exception of around 400 families who lived in village Istinić, near Deçan.
Religion
The patron saint of the Shala is Saint John the Evangelist, whose feast day was celebrated on 27 December.
The religion of the tribe was Catholic while the tribe had around 3,000 members at the end of 19th century.