Overview of Albanian Costumes part 1: Arbëreshë or Italo-Albanians

Hello all, 

Today I would like to start a series covering Albanian Folk Costume. For a relatively small nationality, the Albanians have a remarkable number of Folk Costumes. For this reason, this series will have 4 or 5 parts. Besides residing within the current borders of Albania, the Albanian people also reside in neighboring regions of Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Greece, and have a notable community in Italy. 

The Arbëreshë, or Italo-Albanians descend from migrants who came to Italy in successive waves starting in the 14th cent. They are scattered in villages from Abruzzo to Sicily, with the greatest concentration being in Calabria. Here is a map of their distribution.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arb%C3%ABresh%C3%AB_people

The traditional attire of these villages is derived much more from that of Italy rather than Albania, with a couple exceptions. In most cases only the female costume has been retained. The men generally either wear suits, made up costumes, or imitations of costumes from Albania proper. 

The two images at the head of the article show first, The costume of Spezzano Albanese in Calabria, with two men in Gheg costume, and second, The costume of Piano degli Albanesi in Sicily, with a man in Tosk costume. 

I will proceed north to south. Each of these places has a name in the Arbëreshë language, and one in Italian. In addition, it may have an additional name in the local language or dialect [eg. Calabrian or Sicilian]. Not every community on the map has preserved a local folk costume. 

Abruzzo

Badhesa, in Italian, Villa Badessa

This is the northernmost  Arbëreshë settlement, and was founded relatively late, in 1743. The language has been revived.

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Badessa

This folk costume is distinct, being of a Balkan type, with little Italian influence. It consists of a chemise, front and back aprons, and a long vest with short sleeves in the Dinaric style. The men's costume is also preserved, or rather, revived, based on the military uniforms worn by the first settlers, including a modest fustanella.Notice that some of the people below are wearing a more Italianate costume. 

 

Molise

There are a handful of communities in Molise that remember their Arbëreshë heritage, but little is remembered of the traditional costume. 

Rùri, in Italian: Ururi

 

I have found nothing from this village. 

Portkanuni, in Italian: Portocannone

From this village I have found one image of a wall painting. 

Këmarini, in Italian: Campomarino

Just a couple images

Munxhufuni, in Italian: Montecilfone 

Just a handful of images

Campania

Katundi, in Italian: Greci

I have found only a couple of images from this community.

Sandë Jacuvë, in Italian: Monte San Giacomo

This community is not shown on the map, but this is its approximate location. 

This community has a performing group. The costumes they use are typical of Italian folk costumes of the area. However, they are rooted in the traditional clothing of this community.  

Puglia

I have found no information on the communities in the north of this Paese, I would assume that they are similar to those in Molise. 

The following two communities are both in the neighborhood of Taranto.

In Puglese: Muntiparanu, in Italian: Monteparano

Italian sources confirm that this was an Arbëreshë community, but that they have been assimilated, and I was unable to find the name of the community in the Arbëreshë language. The only information which I was able to find are the following two sketches. 

Shën Marcani, in Italian: San Marzano di San Giuseppe

This community has a performing group which uses a remembered or reconstructed costume which is very Italianate.

Basilicata

Barilli, in local dialect Barìlë, in Italian: Barile

This is another group of villages whose clothing tradition is largely forgotten. 

Mashqiti;  in Italian: Maschito 

This community lies some 20 km to the southeast of Barile

Shën Palji and Shën Kostandini, in Italian: San Paolo Albanese and San Costantino Albanese

This is the first of several costume traditions which have been well maintained. 

These two villages face each other across a valley. They seem to share a common, quite distinctive, costume tradition. 

First, a few images from San Paolo

And a few from San Constantino

These represent the daily outfit.

Here are images of the dress outfit, shared with San Paolo.

Calabria

Kastërnexhi, in Italian Castroregio, in Calabrian: Castrurìgiu

The neighboring town of Farneta has a similar costume.

Pllatëni, in Italian: Plataci, in Calabrian: Pràtaci

Frasnita, in Italian: Frascineto  

Çifti, in Italian Civita, 

this neighboring village has similar traditional dress.

Here we can see some images of the local performing group, including some men and boys in Gheg costume. 

Shën Vasili, in Italian: San Basile

Here we see a couple of men dressed in a stage costume roughly based on Tosk attire. 

 

Firmoza, in Italian: Acquaformosa  

This region also includes the two neighboring villages of 

Ungra, in Italian: Lungro

and 

Ferme, in Italian: Firmo, in Calabrian: Fìrmu

In this region, the overskirt is sewn shorter, with a tail. 

Ungra, in Italian: Lungro

Here we see some men in copies of Gheg costume. 

Ferme, in Italian: Firmo, in Calabrian: Fìrmu

Here we have some boys in stage costume, resembling most closely Epirote Attire. 

Picilia; in Italian: Santa Caterina Albanese

Shën Benedhiti, in Italian: San Benedetto Ullano area

San Benedetto is the southernmost village of this group, shown somewhat separated on the map, the clump of villages in the north are:

Çervikati, in Italian: Cervicati, in Calabrian: Cirvicàtu,
Mungrasana; in Italian: Mongrassano 

Qanë; in Italian: Cerzeto

Shën Mërtiri; in Italian: San Martino di Finita 

Shën Benedhiti or San Benedetto Ullano

Here we have a group dancing with men in Tosk costume. 

Çervikati, in Italian: Cervicati, in Calabrian: Cirvicàtu,

Mungrasana; in Italian: Mongrassano 

Qanë; in Italian: Cerzeto

Shën Mërtiri; in Italian: San Martino di Finita 

Spixan, In Italian: Spezzano Albanese area

Spixan, or Spezzano Albanese lies in the north of this area, shown separated on the map. 

To the south lie a string of villages all along the same valley, including:

Shën Sofia e Epirit; in Italian: Santa Sofia d'Epiro

Shën Mitri; in Italian: San Demetrio Corone

Strigàri; in Italian: San Cosmo Albanese in Calabrian: San Cuòsimu

Vakarici; in Italian: Vaccarizzo Albanese

Mbuzati; in Italian: San Giorgio Albanese

I have already written a more in depth article on this region:

https://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2022/11/overview-of-costumes-of-arbereshe-or.html 

Spixan, or Spezzano

Shën Sofia e Epirit; in Italian: Santa Sofia d'Epiro

Shën Mitri; in Italian: San Demetrio Corone

Strigàri; in Italian: San Cosmo Albanese in Calabrian: San Cuòsimu

Vakarici; in Italian: Vaccarizzo Albanese

Mbuzati; in Italian: San Giorgio Albanese

Fallkunara, in Italian: Falconara

There seem to have been a couple different costume traditions in this community. 

Here is the local performing group with boys in Gheg costume.

Here is an old drawing showing a chemise with wide sleeves, more similar to the Caraffa costume. 

Karfici, in Italian: Carfizzi 

Shën Koli; in Italian: San Nicola dell'Alto

This is another village in this region with a similar costume. 

 

Zagarise : Zagari

Andali: Andalli

Marcedusa: Marçëdhuza

From this group of villages, I have found only one image, from Marcedusa

Garrafë,  In Italian, Caraffa di Catanzaro 

This region has a very different costume, including a wide sleeved chemise with embroidery on the sleeves and shoulders. Costumes more similar to those above are also known, most likely dating from a later period. 

Sicilia [Sicily]

Callìcari; in Italian: Biancavilla

This town lies outside Catania, and is not shown on the map. Here is its approximate location.  The Albanian language is no longer spoken here, but they remember their heritage. Versions of old Albanian upper class costumes are worn here for the equivalent of a Renaissance Fair. 

 Hora e Arbëreshëvet, in Italian, Piana degli Albanesi

This costume region also includes the communities of 

Kuntisa; in Italian: Contessa Entellina, and

Sëndahstina; in Italian: Santa Cristina Gela

This is possibly the best kept of all the Costume traditions of the Arbëreshë. 

You will see men in both Gheg and Tosk costumes, although Tosk predominate.

And that concludes this overview of the Folk costumes of the Italo-Albanians, or Arbëreshë.

Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this to be interesting and informative. 

I am glad to bring more attention to this little known tradition. 

Roman K> 

email: rkozakand@aol.com

Source Material:

Besides many online sources, I took much of the material from 

Gerardo Sacco et al, 'Ori e Costumi degli Albanesi', Castrovillari, 1996