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Britannica estimates 200,000 only in Greece, with diaspora, number is over 350,000
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|group= Aegean Macedonians<br/>Егејски Македонци<br/>''Egejski Makedonci''
|group= Aegean Macedonians<br/>Егејски Македонци<br/>''Egejski Makedonci''
|image = [[Image:421 nof 2.jpg|200px]]
|image = [[Image:421 nof 2.jpg|200px]]
|poptime= '''100,000 - 200,000'''
|poptime= '''over 350,000'''
|region2 = {{flagcountry|Macedonia}}
|region2 = {{flagcountry|Macedonia}}
|pop2 = 52,000 - 72,000 (est.)
|pop2 = 52,000 - 72,000 (est.)
Line 26: Line 26:
|ref6 = {{lower|<ref>Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle</ref>}}
|ref6 = {{lower|<ref>Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle</ref>}}
|region1 ={{flagcountry|Greece}}
|region1 ={{flagcountry|Greece}}
|pop1 = 10,000 - 30,000(est.)
|pop1 = 10,000 - 200,000(est.)
|ref1 = {{lower|<ref>http://www.usefoundation.org/foundation/research/olp/viewResearch.asp?CID=56&TID=6</ref><ref>Other Sources: [http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=42&menu=004 UCLA], [http://www.britannica.com/new-multimedia/pdf/wordat077.pdf Britanicca], [Hill, P. (1999) "Macedonians in Greece and Albania: A Comparative study of recent developments". Nationalities Papers Volume 27, 1 March 1999, page 44(14) Dr Peter Hill], [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=GR Ethnologue], [http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/lang/languages/langmin/euromosaic/el3_fr.html Euromosaic], [http://www.eurominority.org/version/eng/minority-detail.asp?id_minorites=gr-mace Eurominority],[http://www.statistics.gr/eng_tables/S201_SPO_2_TB_AN_06_7_Y_EN.pdf], [http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=326 Minority Rights],[http://dev.eurac.edu:8085/mugs2/do/blob.html?type=html&serial=1044526702223 Greek Helsinki Monitor]</ref>}}
|ref1 = {{lower|<ref>http://www.usefoundation.org/foundation/research/olp/viewResearch.asp?CID=56&TID=6</ref><ref>Other Sources: [http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=42&menu=004 UCLA], [http://www.britannica.com/new-multimedia/pdf/wordat077.pdf Britanicca], [Hill, P. (1999) "Macedonians in Greece and Albania: A Comparative study of recent developments". Nationalities Papers Volume 27, 1 March 1999, page 44(14) Dr Peter Hill], [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=GR Ethnologue], [http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/lang/languages/langmin/euromosaic/el3_fr.html Euromosaic], [http://www.eurominority.org/version/eng/minority-detail.asp?id_minorites=gr-mace Eurominority],[http://www.statistics.gr/eng_tables/S201_SPO_2_TB_AN_06_7_Y_EN.pdf], [http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=326 Minority Rights],[http://dev.eurac.edu:8085/mugs2/do/blob.html?type=html&serial=1044526702223 Greek Helsinki Monitor]</ref>}}
|region7 = {{EUR}}
|region7 = {{EUR}}

Revision as of 21:57, 14 May 2008

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Aegean Macedonians
Егејски Македонци
Egejski Makedonci
File:421 nof 2.jpg
Regions with significant populations
 Greece10,000 - 200,000(est.)[1][2]
 Macedonia52,000 - 72,000 (est.) [3]
 Australia2,892(2006
census)a - 28,000 (est.) [4][5]
 Albania4,231 (1989 census)b[6]
 Canada26,000 (est.)[7]
 United States30,000 (est.)[8]
 Europe20,000 (est.)[9]}
Languages
Macedonian, Aegean Macedonian Dialects and Greek
Religion
Predominantly Macedonian and Greek Orthodox
a By Birthplace Only
b Sometimes considered to be Aegean Macedonians

Template:Distinguish2

Aegean Macedonians refers to a group of Ethnic Macedonians who live in the Greek region of Macedonia or originate from that region.

History

Slavic peoples started invading Macedonia in the 6th and 7th century. By the 10th century Slavs were the majority population in Macedonia.[citation needed] During Ottoman rule, most of the Christian population of Macedonia didn’t have a formed national identity. They identified themselves through religion.

IMRO Revolutionaries from Florina, 1903

The Ottoman Empire grouped people together based religious orientation,[10] the people in Macedonia (a roughly defined region, back then) that were under the jurisdiction of the Greek Patriarchate were considered Greeks. Many Slavs were Hellenised and began to follow the Greek Orthodox Church. The rest of them were considered Bulgarians by most neutral sources and followed the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. IMRO was founded in 1893 in Ottoman Salonika by a "small band of anti-Ottoman Macedono-Bulgarian revolutionaries.". Many Aegean Macedonian Slavs participated in the Illinden in hope of liberation from the Porte. After the Balkan Wars in 1913 Greece took control of South Macedonia and began a policy of Hellenisation by the re-settlement of Greeks from other provinces, as well as through a governmental policy of linguistic and cultural Hellenization of Slav speakers.[11]

After the First World War the Greek government cemented it's rule over Macedonia by a process of Hellenization.[12] On August 10, 1920, upon signing the Treaty of Sèvres that "measures were being taken towards the opening of schools with instruction in the Slavic language in the following school year of 1925/26". Thus, the primer intended for the "Slavic-speaking minority" children in Greek Macedonia to learn their native language in school, entitled "ABECEDAR" was offered as an argument in support of this statement. No ABECEDAR school books ever reached any classrooms. The Situation for Slav Macedonians became unbearable when the Metaxas took power in 1936.[13] Place and Personal names were forcibly hellenized and the native Macedonian dialects were banned even in personal use.[14] It was during this time that many people decided to emigrate to America, Canada and Australia.

During World War Two many ethnic Macedonians fought bravely for Greece until she was overrun in 1941.[citation needed] Many Ethnic Macedonians joined the KKE and participated in partisan activities. The KKE expressed its intent to "fight for the national self-determination of the repressed Macedonians"[15].In 1943 the Slavic-Macedonian National Liberation Front (SNOF) was set up by ethnic Macedonian members of the KKE. The main aim of the SNOF was to obtain the entire support of the local population and to mobilize it, through SNOF, for the aims of the National Liberation Front (EAM)[16]. Another major aim was to fight against the Ohrana party[17]. During this time, the ethnic Macedonians in Greece were permitted to publish newspapers in the Macedonian language and run schools[18]. After the Germans withdrew from Macedonia much of the region was dragged into the ensuing Greek Civil War.

National Liberation Front

Further information: National Liberation Front (Macedonia)
File:Makedonci NOF 2.JPG
Young ethnic Macedonians from the Kastorian village of Baptsori, in the ranks of the NOF.
File:433px-Makedonci NOF 3.jpg
A group of Macedonian NOF Partisans from Lerin/Florina, 1947

The National Liberation Front was set up the political and military organization by the ethnic Macedonian minority in Greece. It was active from 1945-1949. At first, the NOF organised meetings, street and factory protests, published illegal papers. Soon after it started began forming partisan detachments. In 1945, 12 were formed in Kastoria, 7 in Florina, and 11 in Edessa and Gianitsa region[19]. Many Vlachs joined the Ethnic Macedonian people in NOF, especially in the Kastoria region. The NOF merged with the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE) which was the main armed unit supporting the Communist Party. Owing to the KKE's equal treatment of ethnic Macedonians and Greeks, many ethnic Macedonians enlisted as volunteers in the DSE (60 per cent of the DSE was composed of ethnic Macedonians).[20] During this time books written in the ethnic Macedonian language were published, while ethnic Macedonians theatres and cultural organizations operated.[21] According to information announced by Paskal Mitrovski on the I plenum of NOF on August 1948 - about 85% of the Slavic-speaking population in Greek Macedonia had an ethnic Macedonian self-identity. It has been estimated that out of DSE's 20,000 fighters, 14,000 were Slavic Macedonians from Greek Macedonia.[22] Given their important role in the battle[23], KKE changed its policy towards them. At the fifth Plenum of KKE on January 31 1949, a resolution was passed declaring that after KKE's victory, the Slavic Macedonians would find their national restoration as they wish[24]

Refugee Children

Children Refugees fleeing across the border

The DSE was slowly driven back and eventually defeated. Thousands of ethnic Macedonians were expelled and fled to Yugoslavia. Thousands of children were evacuated to Yugoslavia and the Eastern Bloc.[25] In Macedonian they are known as Десата Бегалци/Decata Begalci and in Greek Paidomazoma. It is estimated that from 52,000 to 72,000 children were evacuated.[26]. Many of these made their way to America, Canada and Australia. Other estimates claim that 5,000 were sent to Romania, 3,000 to Czechoslovakia, 2,500 to Bulgaria, Poland and Hungary and 700 to East Germany[27].

Culture

Further information: Macedonian culture (Slavic)
File:Kostas Novakis-White field down to the White Sea.jpg
Front cover of White field to the White Sea CD by Kostas Novakis

Aegean Macedonian culture is very similar to that of other Ethnic Macedonians. Yet many regional folk songs and dances are performed and practised. They celebrate many Greek and Ethnic Macedonian holidays. Kostas Novakis is an ethnic macedonian singer from Greece, who performs songs in the Macedonian language. The lerinsko oro/lerin dance is also a popular dance amongst Aegean Macedonians, it originates from Florina. Other Aegean Macedonian dances popularized by the Boys from Buf include the Bufsko Pušteno and Armensko Oro. Recently world renowned Ethnic Macedonian dance group, Tanec toured through Greece.

Education

Aegean Macedonians in Greece attend Greek language schools as the Macedonian language is not taught in Greece. The ABECEDAR primer originally printed in 1925 was designed for Slav language students. Many Ethnic Macedonians learned Macedonian throughout the Greek Civil War. The ABECEDAR primer was reprinted in 2006 by the Rainbow, Political Party, it was printed in Macedonian, Greek and English[28]. Many of the Child Refugees learned Macedonian, Greek and the host countries language.

Religion

Part of a series on
Macedonians
Flag of North Macedonia
By region or country
 
Macedonia (region)
Diaspora
Subgroups and
related groups
Culture
Religion
Other topics

Most Aegean Macedonians are typically of the Orthodox Faith. Unlike other Ethnic Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia many belong to the Greek Orthodox Church. Recently many emigrants have joined the Macedonian Orthodox Church while most in Greece still follow the Greek Orthodox Church. Archimandrite Nikodim Tsarknias has recently caused controversy after trying to set up a Macedonian Orthodox Church in Greece. His house was stoned and vandalised by local youth reportedly because of his Ethnic Macedonian identity and Conversion to the Macedonian Orthodox Church.[29][30] There have been attempts to consecrate a Macedonian Orthodox Church in the village Slatino, Greece.[31]

Language

File:Абецедар.jpg
Front cover of the second edition of Abecedar, published in Thessaloniki, 2006

The Aegean Macedonian's speak various dialects of the Macedonian language. The Dialects of the Macedonian language spoken in Greece are the Upper and Lower Prespa dialect's, the Florina variant of the Prilep-Bitola dialect, the Kastoria, Nestorion, Salonica-Eddessa and Serres-Drama-Lagadin-Goce Delčev dialect's. The various Slavic dialects of Greece are often considered as Macedonian. Many Aegean Macedonians have speak Greek. Many of the Child Refugees were educated in the Standard form of Macedonian, along with the host country's language, Greek and often Russian. Archimandrite Nikodim Tsarknias has recently called for the language to be used in Church Services. The Rainbow Party has called for the introduction of the language in Schools and for official purposes.[32] In 2006 the Macedonian language primer ABECEDAR was reprinted in an informal attempt to reintroduce the language.[33]

Diaspora

During the 19th and 20th century many Aegean Macedonians went on pečalba or seasonal work to many other regions of the Balkans. Eventually many Ethnic Macedonians made their way to America, Canada, Australia and Brazil.[34] More still decided to emigrate after the Metaxas regime came to power[35]. After the Greek Civil war thousands were expelled and fled to the Eastern Bloc before making their ways to Canada, America and Australia.

Canada

Many thousands of Aegean Macedonians emigrated to Canada in the 20th century. The settled primarily in Ontario. By 1910 an estimated 1090 Aegean Macedonians had emigrated to Canada.[citation needed]. Many early Aegean Macedonian immigrants found industrial work in Toronto, either as factory hands or labourers in abattoirs, local sheet metal industries, or iron and steel foundries. From these jobs, they quickly progressed to the ownership of a great number of restaurants, grocery stores and butcher shops. Macedonian entrepreneurs and their descendants eventually employed their numerical strength within the food service industry as a catapult into a variety of larger and more sophisticated ventures. The majority of Macedonians today are employed in the professional, clerical and service sector of the economy. They set up many organizations such as The Lerin Region Macedonian Cultural Association of Ontario.

Australia

The Aegean Macedonian people have had a long history with Australia. In 19th Century pečalba, working away from home, was a widespread Macedonian custom.[citation needed] The first Aegean Macedonian was Stojan Kenkov who came to Australian in 1914.[citation needed] Pre-World War Two migration occured in two waves: the first, in 1924, when the USA imposed heavy immigration restrictions and the second, after 1936, when the fascist regime of Ioanis Metaxas in Greece took power.[36] The third wave occured after the Greek Civil War when many ethnic macedonians fled Greece. Charles Price estimates that by 1940 there were 670 Ethnic Macedonians from Florina and 370 from Kastoria resident in Australia.[37] Charles Price also claims that by 1989 an estimated 21,140 could claim ethnic Macedonian ancestry from greece.[38] Peter Hill also estimates a figure of 50,000 Aegean Macedonians (including second generation and excluding the aegean macedonians who identify as greeks).[39] 2.5% of adherents to the Macedonian Orthodox Church in Australia were born in Greece[40] while 3,152 speakers of the Macedonian language were born in greece and 2,919 people born in Greece claimed ethnic Macedonian ancestry or roughly 3.6% of the total population group.[41]

Aegean Macedonians were essential in the establishment of the Macedonian Australia People league which dominated ethnic macedonian life throughout the 1940's and 1950's. They then went on to establish organizations and events such as Macedonian Cultural Week, Preston Makedonija, Makedonska Iskra, Macedonian Community of S.A, Nova Makedonija and many others.[42]. There Aegean Macedonian concentrations in Richmond, Melbourne, Manjimup[43], Shepparton, Wanneroo and Queanbeyan.[44] The Church of St George and the Florina Community Centre and Day Care center was built in Shepparton the Aegean Macedonian hall - Kotori was built by 32 families from the village Kotori in Richmond. Another Church was established by Aegean Macedonians in Queanbeyan and a hall erected in Manjimup.

Well known Aegean Macedonians

References

  1. ^ http://www.usefoundation.org/foundation/research/olp/viewResearch.asp?CID=56&TID=6
  2. ^ Other Sources: UCLA, Britanicca, [Hill, P. (1999) "Macedonians in Greece and Albania: A Comparative study of recent developments". Nationalities Papers Volume 27, 1 March 1999, page 44(14) Dr Peter Hill], Ethnologue, Euromosaic, Eurominority,[1], Minority Rights,Greek Helsinki Monitor
  3. ^ Niel Simpson, Macedonia;Its Disputed History,Aristoc Press.1994
  4. ^ 2001 census and Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  5. ^ The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, 1988, James Jupp(Editor), Angus and Roberston, Sydney.
  6. ^ http://www.fes.hr/E-books/pdf/Local%20Self%20Government/09.pdf
  7. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  8. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  9. ^ www.bak-services.com/dossiers/marinov.pdf
  10. ^ The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism. D P Hupchik
  11. ^ The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism. Dennis Hupchik
  12. ^ http://www.hrw.org/reports/pdfs/g/greece/greece945.pdf
  13. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  14. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  15. ^ KKE, Πέντε Χρόνια Αγώνες 1931-1936, Athens, 2nd ed., 1946.
  16. ^ "Славјано Македонски Глас", 15 Јануари 1944 с.1
  17. ^ "АМ, Збирка: Егејска Македонија во НОБ 1941-1945 - (Повик на СНОФ до Македонците од Костурско 16 Мај 1944)"
  18. ^ "Народно Ослободителниот Фронт и други организации на Македонците од Егејскиот дел на Македонија. (Ристо Кирјазовски)", Скопје, 1985.
  19. ^ "Les Archives de la Macedonine, Fond: Aegean Macedonia in NLW" - (Field report of Mihail Keramidzhiev to the Main Command of NOF), 8 July 1945
  20. ^ "Η Τραγική αναμέτρηση, 1945-1949 – Ο μύθος και η αλήθεια. Ζαούσης Αλέξανδρος" (ISBN 9607213432).
  21. ^ Niel Simpson, Macedonia;Its Disputed History,Aristoc Press.1994
  22. ^ Ζαούσης Αλέξανδρος. Η Τραγική αναμέτρηση, 1945-1949 – Ο μύθος και η αλήθεια (ISBN 9607213432).
  23. ^ Speech presented by Nikos Zachariadis at the Second Congress of the NOF (National Liberation Front of the ethnic Macedonians from Greek Macedonia), published in Σαράντα Χρόνια του ΚΚΕ 1918-1958, Athens, 1958, p. 575.
  24. ^ An excerpt from the Resolution of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
  25. ^ Niel Simpson, Macedonia;Its Disputed History,Aristoc Press.1994
  26. ^ Niel Simpson, Macedonia;Its Disputed History,Aristoc Press.1994
  27. ^ [http://www.bak-services.com/dossiers/marinov.pdf Nationalism, Society and Culture in post-Ottoman South East Europe]
  28. ^ http://www.florina.org/archive/abecedar/main.html
  29. ^ http://umdiaspora.org/content/view/320/52/
  30. ^ http://www.maknews.com/html/articles/tsarknias/tsarknias_video.html
  31. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90RmoWcxzl4&feature=related
  32. ^ http://www.florina.org/public/html/about/manifesto.html
  33. ^ http://florina.org/html/2006/abecedar.html
  34. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  35. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  36. ^ http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/readingroom/reports/npws/npws-4_-2.html
  37. ^ Charles Price,Southern Europeans in Australia, page 11 and 23, 1963
  38. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  39. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  40. ^ http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/pdf/people_of_australia.pdf
  41. ^ http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/pdf/people_of_australia.pdf
  42. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
  43. ^ 2001 Census QuickStats : Manjimup
  44. ^ Peter,Hill. (1989) The Macedonians in Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle

See Also

Rainbow Party

External Links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Slavic_speakers_of_Greek_Macedonia&oldid=212457366"