Naim Frashëri

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This article is about the Albanian writer. For the Albanian actor, see Naim Frashëri (actor).
Naim Frashëri
Picture of Naim Frasheri
Born (1846-05-25)May 25, 1846
Frashër, Ottoman Empire, now Albania
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Kadıköy, Istanbul in Ottoman Empire, now Turkey
Occupation Poet, and translator
Genre Romanticism
Literary movement Albanian National Awakening
Children Mehdi Frashëri
Relatives Abdyl Frashëri (Brother)
Sami Frashëri (Brother)
Mit'hat Frashëri (Nephew)
Ali Sami Yen (Nephew)

Naim Frashëri (25 May 1846 – 20 October 1900) was an Albanian poet and writer. He was one of the most prominent figures of the Albanian National Awakening (Albanian: Rilindja Kombëtare) of the 19th century, together with his two brothers Sami and Abdyl. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Albania.[1] He authored 22 works.

Early life and career

He was one of eight children of Halid Bey (1797–1859) and Emine Imrahor (1814-1861), born in the mountainous village of Frashër in the Sanjak of Delvina, Ottoman Empire (now southern Albania).[2] The family was of Aromanian descent.[3][4][5][6] He spent his childhood in the village of Frashër, where he most likely began learning Turkish, Persian and Arabic, and went to the Bektashi tekke.[7] After the deaths of their parents, the oldest, Abdyl (b. 1839), became the family head at the age of 22.[2] Abdyl was a merchant.[2] In 1865, the family moved to Ioannina (Sanjak of Ioannina).[2] The younger brothers, Naim and Sami, attended the Zosimaia School.[7]

As he hailed from a family with long connections to the Bektashi Sufi order, Naim became an Ottoman official in Sarandë, Berat, and Ioannina. In 1882, Frashëri went to Istanbul and started his service in Ottoman culture ministry.

Naim took part in the National Renaissance of Albania, and often had to sign his writings using his initials, as otherwise he would have placed himself in danger working in an official Ottoman position. His works had to be smuggled into Albania[citation needed].

His earliest writings were poetry. The very first pieces Frashëri wrote were in Persian. In all, he authored twenty-two major works: four in Turkish, one in Persian, two in Greek and fifteen in Albanian. His early patriotic poems and highly popular lyric poetry were strongly influenced by Persian literature, and later also French poetry. He also translated several fables of Jean de la Fontaine, Homer's Iliad, and wrote articles on didactics and Islamic practice. Naim's poem Herds and Tillage depicts the activities of the shepherd and the tiller, alongside his personal reflections on the beauty of Albanian landscapes and expressions of longing for his homeland. The epic poem Skanderbeg's Story retells the life of the Albanian national hero George Kastrioti Skanderbeg intertwined with imaginary episodes.

Frashëri died in Kızıltoprak, Kadıköy, a neighborhood of Istanbul, in present-day Turkey.

Family

The renowned Albanian poet was also the uncle of Ali Sami Yen, founder of the Turkish football club Galatasaray.

Influence and Recognition

File:Naim Frashëri Tirana.jpg
Memorial to Naim Frashëri in Tirana
Portrait of Naim Frashëri on the 200 lekë banknote

Through his writings, Frashëri exerted a strong influence on later Albanian literature and society.[8] The independent Albanian state created an order of merit that bears his name, awarded to, amongst others, Mother Teresa. A publishing house in Tirana was named Naim Frashëri. Also in his honor some Albanian elementary schools are named Naim Frashëri too.[9]

Naim Frashëri is depicted on the obverses of the Albanian 500 lekë banknote of 1992-1996, and the 200 lekë banknote issued since 1996.[10]

Bagëti e Bujqësi

His most famous work was Bagëti e Bujqësi (Cattle-breeding and Agriculture). The following in an excerpt:

Albanian lyrics Translation
Bagëti e Bujqësi (Small impression)

Ti Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin shqipëtar,
Zëmrën ti ma gatove plot me dëshirë dhe me zjarr.
Shqipëri, o mëma ime, ndonëse jam i mërguar,
Dashurinë tënde kurrë zemëra s'e ka harruar.

You, Albania, give me honor, give me the name Albanian,
You filled my heart, with desire and fire.
Albania, oh my mother, even though I have emigrated,
my heart has never forgotten your love.

Candle's Words

One of his best known spiritual poems is sq. Fjalët e Qiririt (en. Candle's Words)

Amongst you I stand
And I am burning
So I can spread a little light
Turn your night into day-light
I’ll be exhausted, drained out
Burned, scalded
So I can enlighten your sight
Know each other
For you I will exhaust myself
Let nothing of me remain
Burn and shed tears
Because desire I cannot bear
I fear no fire
My flames never shall die
I will burn with desire
So I can enlighten you better
When you see me exhausted
Do not think that I am dead
I am alive and living
I am in the true light
I am inside your soul
Do not take me for an alien
I was blessed with patience
So I burn like a brave man
Because I like to do well
To pull you away from darkness
Come and sit around me
Talk, laugh, eat and drink
Love I have in my soul
So I burn for humanity
Let me be scalded
I do not want to cool down
I want to burn my poor body
For that true God
With fire to burn my lungs
Exhausted for man
Together with his happiness
To go to the God.
I love the mankind
The good and the wise
If you become my friends
If you love me as I love you
Each-other if you love
Astray don’t you go
Oh fluttering heart
Come near this flame!
May be it will burn your arms
But it will bless your soul
I, by scalding
Mankind I have enlightened
I was man’s friend
So I know them and they know me
All your relatives I have seen
Father and mother, kin and tribe
Alive all are in my mind
Those who lived at this land
And today I see them in you
Because I know their soul
And, like you, I have been altered
Mixed and changed
Many times I have become
Fire and water and mud and wind
I am a spark from the sky
And a ray of sunshine
And in heavens I fly
And inside the sea I lay
Many times I sleep in mud
In honey sometimes I lay down
I become a lamb and a fed kid
Flowers and grass and new leaves
I want to say many words to you
But I fear, my words get bemused
Who can write on paper
The words of the fiery tongue.

Works

Museum house of the Frasheri Brothers in Frasher, Permet, Albania
  1. Kavâid-i farisiyye dar tarz-i nevîn (English: Grammar of the Persian language according to the new method), Istanbul, 1871.
  2. Ihtiraat ve kessfiyyat (English: Inventions and Discoveries), Istanbul, 1881.
  3. Fusuli erbea (English: Four Seasons), Istanbul, 1884.
  4. Tahayyülat (English: Dreams), Istanbul, 1884.
  5. Bagëti e Bujqësi (English: Herds and Crops), Bucharest, 1886.
  6. E këndimit çunavet (English: Reader for Boys), Bucharest, 1886.
  7. Istori e përgjithshme për mësonjëtoret të para (English: General history for the first grades), Bucharest, 1886.
  8. Vjersha për mësonjëtoret të para (English: Poetry for the first grades), Bucharest, 1886.
  9. Dituritë për mësonjëtoret të para (General knowledge for the first grades), Bucharest, 1886.
  10. O alithis pothos ton Skypetaron (English: The True Desire of Albanians, Greek: Ο αληθής πόθος των Σκιπετάρων), Bucharest, 1886.
  11. Luletë e Verësë (English: Flowers of the Summer), Bucharest, 1890.
  12. Mësime (English: Lessons), Bucharest, 1894.
  13. Parajsa dhe fjala fluturake,(English: Paradise and the Flying Word) Bucharest, 1894.
  14. Gjithësia (English: Omneity), Bucharest, 1895.
  15. Fletore e bektashinjët, (English: The Bektashi Notebook)Bucharest, 1895.
  16. O eros (English: Love, Greek: Ο Έρως), Istanbul, 1895.
  17. Iliadh' e Omirit, Bucharest, English: Homer's Illyad, 1896.
  18. Histori e Skënderbeut (English: History of Skanderbeg), Bucharest, 1898.
  19. Qerbelaja, Bucharest, (English: Qerbela), 1898.
  20. Istori e Shqipërisë (English: History of Albania), Sofia, 1899.
  21. Shqipëria (English: Albania), Sofia, 1902.

References

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    Aromanians [...] In Albania, the famous Frasheri Brothers are considered as important figures of the Albanian national movement.

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  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ http://naimfrasheri.org/
  10. ↑ Bank of Albania. Currency: Banknotes in circulation. – Retrieved on 23 March 2009.

External links

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