Finiq

Name

The ancient name of the Greek toponym () was not preserved through literary revival. As such, the modern settlement retained in the Ottoman register of 1431 its name Finiki.

History

In antiquity, Phoenice was the political center of the Epirot Greek tribe of the Chaonians. Early Byzantine architecture (4th-7th century) is evident in the settlement, in particular that of the three aisled basilica type.

The settlement retained its ancient name and is mentioned in an Ottoman record of 1431 as Finiki. According to the Chronicle of Gjirokastër the first years of Ottoman rule (15th century) were peaceful but after the Fall of Constantinople (1453) Finiki (that time known as Phinikoupolis) was destroyed by the Muslims. At the end of the 16th century Finiki witnessed a drastic population increase and became one of the largest settlements in the area with 359 households (compared to contemporary Gjirokastër with 302 and Delvinë with only 204 taxable households).

By 1870, a secondary Greek language school was already operating in Finiq.

Demographics

Ottoman registries

In the Defter of the Sanjak of Delvinë from 1431-1432, 4 villages in the area of Vurgu are recorded: Finiki (Finiqi), Vurgo, Jeromi and Krajna (Kranéja) each with very few inhabitants. Among these villages, the Ottoman register of 1520 attests typical Albanian names are attested inscribed such as: Gjin, Reçi,Leka,Gjon, Dorza, Meksh Nika and Deda.

The Ottoman defter of 1582 for the Sanjak of Delvina provides records for the village of Finiq. A significant portion of the anthroponyms recorded in the register belonged to the Albanian onomastic sphere, including personal names such as Bos, Dedë, Dodë, Gjergj, Gjin, Gjokë, Gjon, Lalë, Lekë, Muzhak, and others. However, more ambiguous or general Christian anthroponyms that were historically used by both Albanian and non-Albanian groups are also attested. In Finiq, a quarter of the population recorded bore purely Albanian anthroponyms. These figures do not take into account kinship ties shared between individuals bearing typical Albanian anthroponymy and those bearing more ambiguous names, and also do not include those bearing names that can be etymologically explained through Albanian (e.g., Buzmiri, Bala, Bardhi, Burriqi, Buzuku, Çobani, Dera, Iriqi, Kuka,Marsi, Mara, Macja, Poçi, Plaku, Uk, Ylli). As such the ethnic Albanian element must have represented a larger proportion.

19th century

Athanasios Psalidas (1767–1829), counselor of Ali Pasha of Ioannina noted that the town was inhabited by an ethnic Greek community.

Modern demographics

The 2015 Albanian civil registry, which counts all citizens including those who live abroad, recorded a much higher municipal population of 39,055. The municipal unit of Finiq comprises the villages Finiq, Buronjë (Mavropull), Çlirim, Vrion, Karahaxhë and Bregas (Vromero).

The town of Finiq and all the villages of the municipality are exclusively inhabited by Greeks, except the village of Çlirim, which is mixed.Badlands-Borderland: A History of Southern Albania/Northern Epirus by T.J. Winnifrith,,2003,Page 69,"... 16. Greek-speaking children in modern Finiq ..."

According to the ministry of foreign affairs of Albania, the Greek population of Finiq is 5,531, making Greeks a majority. Greek is used for some official purposes, and toponyms and street addresses are written in both Albanian and Greek in official documents.

Notable people

• Irini Qirjako, Albanian singer and actress

References

Sources

References

1. "Law nr. 115/2014".
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3. "Correspondence table LAU – NUTS 2016, EU-28 and EFTA / available Candidate Countries". [[Eurostat]].
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6. Giakoumis, 2002, p. 123
7. (2019). "Διατοπικότητα και διαχρονικότητα των νεοελληνικών γλωσσικών ιδιωμάτων της νότιας Αλβανίας". Proceedings of the International Conference Series of Modern Greek Dialects and Linguistic Theory.
8. Giakoumis, 2002, p. 71
9. Giakoumis, 2002, p. 54
10. Koltsida. Athina. link. [[Aristotle University of Thessaloniki]]. (2008)
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14. [http://www.interreg.gr/inst/interreg/gallery/File/Programmes/Greece%20-%20Albania/Simpliroma%20Programmatismou/EN/18-12-07_Programme_Complement_GREECE%20ALBANIA.doc Greece – Albania Neighbourhood Programme] {{webarchive. link. (March 27, 2012)
15. Kallivretakis, Leonidas (1995). "[http://helios-eie.ekt.gr/EIE/handle/10442/8696 Η ελληνική κοινότητα της Αλβανίας υπό το πρίσμα της ιστορικής γεωγραφίας και δημογραφίας [The Greek Community of Albania in terms of historical geography and demography]." In Nikolakopoulos, Ilias, Kouloubis Theodoros A. & Thanos M. Veremis (eds). ''Ο Ελληνισμός της Αλβανίας [The Greeks of Albania]''. University of Athens. p. 52.; p. 51. "ΑΧ Αλβανοί Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί, ΤΣ Τσάμηδες"; p.54. "FINIQΙ ΦΟΙΝΙΚΙ 1953 Ε".
16. https://rm.coe.int/16806befc5 (page 98)
17. https://rm.coe.int/16806befc5 p. 60