Tras las huellas del antiguo código de Lekë Dukagjini

Many foreign and Albanian authors are attracted to Albania's authentic values, inherited from Pelasgian-Illyrians to modern time, where most of the parts have either been assimilated or converted by centries/millenniums.

This trip will lead you to Mirdita, one of Albania's most authentic region famous after the Lezha's full invasion after Skanderbeg death in 1468, as many either died in the war, fled to Italy or other places in the Balkans, or escaped in the mountains to survive like Mirdita region was populated those centries. With their writings and studies, because they have noticed there “a unique world” that deserves the attention of scholars and observers from all of Europe.

The drama of human grief, bitter luck, whimsy, the thrilling dilemmas for the conveyance of Self, the Canon, and Catholic religion are played continuously in the epic theatre of her crests. “Bad to live and worse to die”, says a very old Mirdita proverb, that makes you think about the well-known philosophic verse of Shakespeare “To be or not to be”. According to the data, the first mention of the name “Mirdita” was made in Orosh. Here resided the leaders of the region and the Abbacy.

Mirdita region is mentioned as the country of Illyrians and Pirusts. Archaeological discoveries show that inhabitants were here since the Stone Age (4500-2500 B.C). In the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century, Mirdita is represented as the geographic union of 12 units called “12 bajraks” (flags) of Mirdita. Mirdita was the most distinctive region for the protection and functioning of traditional rights under the Kanun.

The Kanun or formally the Kanuni i Lekë Dukagjinit (English: The Code of Lekë Dukagjini) is a set of laws and was passed down through the generations, and not codified and written down until the 19th century by Shtjefën Gjeçovi. In this book the code was divided into several sections: Church, Family, Marriage, House, Livestock and Property, Work, Transfer of Property, “Besa” – Spoken word, Honor, Damages, Law Regarding Crimes, Judicial Law, and Exemptions and Exceptions.

Although Kanuni is attributed to the Albanian prince Lekë Dukagjini, the rules evolved over time as a way to bring laws and rules to these lands. From some studies like Kazuhiko Yamamoto “The ethical structure of the Kanun and Cultural Implications” Kanun is believed to be thousands of years old. Enver Hoxha’s regime tried to stop the practice of Kanun.

Visit Orosh (Shën Llezhdër church (since 1319), famous “Kulla”, then return to Rreshen and Rubik.