Koja e Kuçit

Koja e Kuçit is one of the seven Northern Albanian tribes of Malësia. Koja is the Albanian Catholic tribe of Koja e Kuçit, the name derived from a combination of the Albanian Koja tribe, within the Kuči mountain. The people of Koja are referred to as Kojan(e). Koja's sons and daughters, together with other Christian Albanians and Slavs, gave their lives fighting Turks for centuries to keep their Catholic identities alive during 500 years of occupation. Pretash Zeka Ulaj from Koja was one of the Malësor leaders that led the region to its freedom when fighting in 1911 in the Battle of Deçiq, alongside the famous Ded Gjo Luli from Hoti. Dokë Preci Krcaj, Cakë Uci Ivanaj, Gjeto Toma Kolcaj, Tomë Uci Ivanaj, Kolë Doka Marashaj, Marash Leca Gjokaj, and Gjeto Gjeka Ivanaj are remembered as Seven Heroes of Koja for giving their lives in the Battle of Deçiq. The first book that was written solely about Koja e Kucit is "Koja ndër shekuj" by Fran Mirash Gjeloshaj, published in Rochester Michigan on November 15, 2010. The highest peak in Koja is Sjeviku and has height altitude 1,150 m. The lowest point is at 600m.

Surnames of Koja

• Ulaj: (Serbian truncation: Uljaj / Ul(j)ević) - Flag-bearers (Bajraktarët) of the tribe. They are descendants of a certain Ulë Gjelosh, son of Gjelosh Nucul and grandson of Nucul Marku.
• Kolçaj: (Serbian truncation: Koljčević) - Descendants of the Marashaj / Maraševići. Notable people include ; Gjeto Toma Kolcaj.
• Nucullaj: (Serbian truncation: Nuculović) - Descendants of Pak Nika from Selcë. Nikaj/Nikići and Pajaj/Pajovići descend from the Nucullaj/Nuculović tribe.
• Marashaj: (Serbian truncation: Marašević)
• Ivanaj: (Serbian truncation: Ivan(ov)ić) - Several descendants immigrated to Plav-Gusinje
• Lucaj: (Serbian truncation: L(j)ucević, Ljucović)
• Krcaj: (Serbian truncation: Krcić) - Descendants of the Gorvokaj / Gorvoković tribe. Several descendants immigrated to Plav-Gusinje
• Gjokaj: (Serbian truncation: Đokić, Đoković)
• Gjeloshaj: (old Bake) (Serbian truncation: Đelošević(Bakić) - First and original tribe to inhabit Koja e Kuçit.
• Gorvokaj: (Serbian truncation: Gorvokaj) - Krcaj Krcić tribe descends from the Gorvokajt / Gorvokovići.
• Nikaj: (Serbian truncation: Nikić) - Descendants of Nikë (Nikollë) of the Nucullaj / Nuculović tribe.
• Pali: (Serbian truncation: Paljevic) - Originally from Berishe (Berisha E kuqe) near Puka migrated to Koja in 1500's. Descendants can be found in Ana Malit, Kelmend, Plav — Gusinje and Shkodër

Notable people

• Pretash Zeka Ulaj — Lead the tribe at the Battle of Deçiq.
• Viktor Marku Ula — International relations scholar and Political Advisor to former Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Çeku 2006 – 2008 during the negotiation phases of the Ahtisaari Plan through the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence.
• Pretash Uli Nucullaj -
• Gjeto Toma Kolçaj — Died during the Battle of Deçiq.
• Cakë Uci Ivanaj
• Tomë Uci Ivanaj
• Tom Lulashi Gjeloshaj — First Albanian from Koja to become a commercial airline pilot
• Nikë Preci Gjeloshaj
• Gjeto Gjeka Ivanaj
• Kolë Doka Marashaj

Bibliography

• Bushkoff, Leonard. "Albania, history of", Collier's Encyclopedia. vol. 1. NY: P.F. Collier, L.P, 1996.
• Oxford Encyclopedic World Atlas 5th Edition, Ed. Keith Lyle, Copyright 2000, Printed in Spain
• Rodgers, Mary M. (ed.). Albania...in Pictures. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 1995.
• 2003 U.S. Department of State Background Note of Albania
• Afrim Krasniqi: The End of Albania's Siberia. Tirana 1998.
• Afrim Krasniqi: Civil Society in Albania. Tirana 2004.
• Afrim Krasniqi: Political Parties in Albania 1920–2006.Tirana 2006.
• Antonello Biagini, Storia dell'Albania contemporanea, Bompiani, 2005
• Patrice Najbor, Histoire de l'Albanie et de sa maison royale (5 volumes), JePublie, Paris, 2008, (ISBN 978-2-9532382-0-4).
• Patrice Najbor, La dynastye des Zogu, Textes & Prétextes, Paris, 2002.
• Monarkia Shqiptare 1928-1939, Qendra e Studimeve Albanologjike & Insitituti Historisë, Boetimet Toena, Tirana, 2011 (ISBN 978-99943-1-721-9)