Drekale

Drekale (Serbian Cyrillic: Дрекале) was according to tradition the chieftain (vojvoda, "duke") of the Kuči tribe and founder of the Drekalovići brotherhood which produced the chieftains of Kuči for three centuries.

Drekale
voivode of Kuči
ReignSecond half of the 16th century
SuccessorLale Drekalović
Full name
Andrej
Noble familyDrekalović

Name

There are differing views on the etymology of Drekale. One view maintains that it is derived from the archaic Slavic Verb dreka (as in derati se) "to scream, shout, outcry".[1] However, according to Pavel Rovinsky, Drekale is the Albanian-language corruption of Andrej;[2] that being his actual name.[3] Similarly, Mehmet Ahmetaj argues that the name is a compound of the Albanian anthroponyms Ndre(ri) + Kalë and is reflected in micro-toponyms such as Gropa e Drekalit (Albanian for "Drekali's Pit") in the village of Stjepoh in Trieshi.[4]

History

Drekale was elected the position of vojvoda ("duke") of the Kuči tribe probably in the second half of the 16th century, based on the proposal of Dreca Dedin.[5] According to a story, vojvoda Žijo Peralov of Kosor married his daughter Mara to Drekale.[6] Their descendants were to be known as Drekali/Drekalović.[7][8]

There are several oral traditions and legends surrounding his origin:

  • One tradition maintains that Drekale's father was from the Old Kuči while his mother was the daughter of the leader of the Kelmendi, a certain Martin.[9]
  • According to Edith Durham, Drekale was a descendant of the Berisha tribe of northern Albania.[10]

Legends about the progenitor of the Kastrati say that it was Drekale's brother who had come from Kuči, while Đ. Slijepčević stressed that it was more likely that the progenitor came from Kuči but descended from some other family as Drekale in fact had no brothers.[11]

Dreca Dedin in fact passed his own title of Vojvoda to him, impressed by his successful peace negotiations with the Vizier of Skhoder. Marko Miljanov points out that he was the first elected Vojvoda, as well as the first Vojvoda of the overall tribe, since at the time the Ottoman authorities appointed one in every village. Drekale had two sons, Nikola and Lale. According to tradition, Drekale, along with his older son Nikola, was killed in a skirmish by the members of Kelmendi tribe while they were shepherding in the Žijevo mountains. His son Lale survived thanks to the fact that, being still young, he switched his clothes in child's play with a certain Muslim boy from Podgorica by the name of Lisičić. Unfortunate boy, who was occasionally shepherding with them, was killed instead. Some historians place this event around 1550.[12] Lale later avenged the death of his father and brother, with the help of Muslims from Podgorica. The vengeance is described in epic folk song Priest Milutin and the Drekalovići.[13]

Legacy

Drekale is commemorated in literature and oral traditional poetry, such as Vojvoda Drekale and Vuk of the Klimente.[14]

Marko Miljanov wrote about Drekale and his descendants in his works.[15] Simo Matavulj extensively discussed about Drekale in one of his novels.[16]

References
  1. Mate Šimundić (1988). Rječnik osobnih imena. Nakladni zavod Matice hrvatske. ISBN 9788640100373.
  2. Ровинский, П.А. (January 2013). Черногория в ее прошлом и настоящем. Рипол Классик. p. 79. ISBN 978-5-458-17333-9. По другимъ, она прибыла въ Брзкутъ, и тутъ у нея родился сынъ, котораго крестили по православному обряду, а имя дали Дрекале (по арнаутски: Андрей, Андрюша).
  3. Mitološki zbornik. Vol. 12. Centar za mitološki studije Srbije. 2004. p. 42. Родила је сина Дрекала (заправо Андреја), а потом ...
  4. Ahmetaj, Mehmet (2017). Fjalor onomastik i territoreve shqiptare në mal të zi. Prishtinë: Instituti Albanologjik. p. 69.
  5. Petrović, Rastislav V. (1981). Pleme Kuči: 1684-1796. Narodna knjiga. p. 33. У вероватно другој половини 16 века, на предлог Дреце Дедина, за војводу је изабран Дрекале, предак Дрекаловића.
  6. Đura Daničić; Pero Budmani; Tomislav Maretić (1976). Rječnik hrvatskoga ili srpskoga jezika. U knížarnici L. Hartmana na prodaju. p. 386. Žijo Peralov
  7. Slovanský sborník. 1881. p. 381. Dzija Peralova [...] Drekale
  8. Milijanov, Marko (1907). Живот и обичаји Арбанаса.
  9. Radovanović, Milovan (2004). Etnički i demografski procesi na Kosovu i Metohiji. Liber Press. p. 130. ISBN 9788675560180. Дрекаловића повезују са братством Мрњавчића; при томе, како објашњава Никола Вукчевић, и ове две верзије садрже арбанашку компоненту јер је Дрекале „син једног Мрњавчића и кћери кли- ментског војводе Мартина .
  10. High Albania. Edith Durham.
  11. Slijepčević, Đoko M. (1983). Srpsko-arbanaški odnosi kroz vekove sa posebnim osvrtom na novije vreme. D. Slijepčević. p. 69. За предка Кастрата предања кажу, да је био брат Дрекалов и да је дошао из Куча, али је вероватније да је дошао из Куча а- ли да потиче из другого рода, јер Дрекале није имао браће.
  12. "Istorija - Milačići - Pleme Kuči". Archived from the original on 2017-09-24. Retrieved 2014-12-02.
  13. "MONTENEGRINA - digitalna biblioteka crnogorske kulture i nasljedja".
  14. "Drekale vojvoda i Klimenta Vuk". ted.lib.harvard.edu/. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  15. Miljanov, Marko; Čađenović, Jovan (1996). Primjeri čojsvta i junaštva. Obod.
  16. Bibliografski vjesnik. Obod. 2001. p. 71. Уводни дио ове приповијетке одводи читаоце у прошлост, у годину 1687, у Куче, пце се укорщенио војвода Дрекале. Брзо се смјен>у1у оскудне слике: Дрекале силази ...
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