Has (region)

The name originates from hass, an Ottoman land revenue. The area was first mentioned as a hass in a 1570 document. In the early 17th century, many chroniclers mention the name of Has, struggling with the pronunciation of the letters h and s and so its name was seen in form of "Az" or "Ass". In the early 17th century, Has was also known as Has Shulla which in Latin means "dry places" according to its nature which remains the same even nowadays which becomes called Dry Has.[1]

The name could also be derived from the word "Has", meaning "to meet".

"Has" region that is part of Republic of Albania doesn't contain the whole ethnographic region of Has.

Has region

Has is an ethnographic province with well defined boundaries, surrounded all around with lakes. Its region in the parts of Albania is based on Kukës, and through the Kosovo side, it is divided in the Municipality of Gjakova, and one part in the Municipality of Prizren. Some of the main rivers in Has are Kruma, Vlahna, Rosman, Leshnica, Vogova, Racica, Trava and Deshtica while the main lakes are Kruma, Zym, Shigjeq and Fierza.

In Albania, Has consists of the following villages: Bardhaj (Maç), Brenogë, Cahan, Dobrunë, Domaj, Fajzë, Gajrep, Golaj, Gjinaj, Helshan, Kishaj, Kosturr, Krumë, Letaj, Liken i Kuq, Metaliaj, Mulaj, Nikoliq, Peraj, Perollaj, Pogaj, Pus i Thatë, Qarr, Tregtan, Vlahën, Vranisht, Zahrisht dhe Zgjeç and smaller hamlets of Brrut, Shalqin, Sefoll and Tobël.[2]

In Kosovo, Has consists of the following villages:: Gorozhup, Milaj, Pllanejë, Kojushë, Mazrek, Gjonaj, Tupec, Karashëngjergj, Zym, Lukinaj, Krajk, Romajë, Dedaj, Lubizhdë e Hasit, Kabash i Hasit, Kushnin, Rogovë, Damjan, Gërçinë, Lipovec, Ujz, Fshaj, Bishtazhin, Smaq, Goden, Dol, Raçë, Moglicë, Zhub, Pjetërshan, Guskë, Vogovë, Brekoc, Zylfaj, Kushavec, Kusar, Firzë dhe Devë.[2]

According to tax registers from 1452, the region was inhabited by an Albanian population[5]

Ottoman records indicate that during the 16th century, the Hasi region, which was part of the Nahiya of Hasi, was inhabited almost entirely by Albanians. The anthroponomy of the region's inhabitants were mainly Albanian.[6]

Has full province has been divided after the Balkans War in the early twentieth century. This partition was sanctioned in the Ambassadors Conference in London in 1913. In the eastern part of Albania was set the borderline in 1913(which divided the nation in half) which is in border with the Republic of Kosovo. Hasi's mutilation of the territory in the twentieth century created not only unprecedented isolation, but, deeper still, a spiritual division, cultural and ethnographic itself, which was experienced with no less pain. Today, the area of Hasi contains about 371 km ² and has a population of about 40,000 inhabitants, is part of the Republic of Kosovo.

Hasi is a province, where the most of population are Albanians, but in registrations before Second World War tell that in this province before II World War lived also different communities like : Serbians, Croatians, and Slovenians.

Those families after II World War never returned to Has, because of that was fresh in remind of population of Has. The registrations of 2011 result in this percentage of the Has population by age: -age 0–14, 7837 people or 39.87% -age 15–24, 3289 people or 16.07% -age 25–59, 6996 people or 35.06% -age 60–79, 1395 people or 7.1% -age 80+, 143 people or 0.73%[7]

Old man of Has.

Many Albanian and foreign authors have been interested in the typology of Albanian national costumes and about their age. Albanian Ethnographer Rrok Zojzi concludes that Albanian folk costumes belong to two main types of traditional clothing, the type of clothing with cloak and other variants.

We can conclude that men's wearing in Has is Tirq, although the work of men's wardrobe until the first half of the 20th century, in the region of Has have been using the technique of coating the kilt.

Wearing the kilt for men, up to the first years after World War II was also prevalent among residents of Has villages in Albania, but after entering into cooperation this clothing gradually disappeared and found no more use, while in the Has villages of Kosovo it found use up until the eighties, but it was not tailored by the residents anymore like it used to be.[8]

In the beginning of the 13th century (1208), the region in between Gjakova and Prizren, White Drini (Drini i Bardhe), Ereniku and Valbona, is named Patkovo according to Slavic documents, a title also reserved a century later in Decan's Krisovula in 1330 and also in Shenearhangjel monastery in Prizren in 1570. A lot of historians in the beginning of the 17th century while arguing the origin of the Kastrioti tribe, mention the name with Az or As as well as the people of Askol who by absence of the use of 'h' and 's' in Latin means 'Has'. During the first years of the 17th century Hasi was known by the name Shulla which in Latin means 'Dry Lands' which is also a reason that modern Has is known as 'Dry Has' due to its geographical nature.

The scholar S.Pulaha links the name of the territory with Provinces of Hass according to cadastral registers made by the Ottomans during the 15th and 16th centuries. These territories were known as Provinces of Hass and included Rudina, Domeshtici and Pashtriku, which over time were unified by giving them the modern name of Has. There is little information about the population of Has, but those that are of interest include the relationship of Pjeter Mazrek, archbishop of Tivar during 1586–1637. He wrote in 1633 When this mountain and this river is passed you enter the province that elsewhere is called Shulla, but Hass on Serbian borders, this territory is inhabited by an infinite number of Albanians that are citizens of the Ottomans.

This archbishop later writes that Has includes a lot of villages populated by Albanians. The territory of Has has been populated since ancient times and there is preserved evidence of archaeological data from the Eneolithic (Copper Age), (2600–2200).

From the study of early culture, in particular from inquiries and the exploration of settlements and cemeteries, a lot of material has been found that sheds light on the formation of culture and Illzrian ethnicity. Except the findings in the case of Golaj, Helshan, Fajya e Brrut, there have been archeological expeditions by renowned scholars who have come to the conclusion that this nation belongs to ancient Dardania.

In Has there are ancient fortified residences, both open and cave-like. The most specified archeological sites in Has are: The residence of Kruma (Ulez) (explored in 1967) where there were found 24 tombs, 8 of which were thoroughly researched and there was found a rich inventory of ceramics, guns and other assorted metal tools that date in the first period of the 12th - 8th century B.C. During the years 1970–1972 the tomb of Romaja was explored, necrolipses of which gave rich archaeological material similar to that of the tomb of Kruma. In 1987, the three tombs of Mujaj were explored and the findings even though small, were chronologically well established to define the Iron Age, specifically the 6th and 5th century B.C. Such uncharted territory lies in abundance in the Has, like Golaj, Perollaj, Helshan, Fajza, Tregtan, Brrut etc.

Cave settlements have spread in the area of such high of Has. Dajci Cave has been studied in 1985–1987 which has been inhabited since the Bronze era, antique iron to the earlier representation; such are the township of Lipavec and Dobruna. Fortified settlements have started life before civilization and are located in dominant points built with stone and lime mortar.

For the slaves they were known by the name "Gradina" and the place where the hills were was called Gradishta. To the ancient authors they were known by the name CASTELLUM. During the late antiquity and medieval time there was the castle in Kosturr e Pus te Thate, whereas later the Leka's Castle was built. Other known settlements in the surroundings are: the Golaj municipality with the villages: Golaj, Nikoliq, Vlahen, Dobrune, Helshan, Kosturr, Perollaj, Zjec, Letaj, Qarr, Bardhaj and the municipality of Fajza and Gjinaj. Many historians associate the origin of the national hero Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeu with the surroundings of Hasi, where the Mazrrek tribe is thought to be related to Skenderbeu's tribe.

Animals that grow in the area are tailored with the Has climate and vegetation on which the most common are beech, Qarri, Bunga, Poplar, Buy, Škoza rennet, Frasheri, wild hazelnuts with a little thirsty and conifers are prevalent. Wild animals (rabbits, fox, wolf, wild boar, bear, deer, wild goats, wild cat, etc. ) and wildfowl as thellenxa, eagle, dove, hawk, sparrow, rennet, are spread all around the territory. The use of oak forests (Has Dushkajën) and natural resources, for simple economic necessity, as the easiest way without spending led to significant damage. The natural environment underwent significant changes, that created a distinct separation barrier between nature and the neighboring states. This destruction of nature deepened in the early 1990s, where cruelty and exploitation of natural resources for economic purposes (outside state control) was associated with reductions of extinction of biological potentials, as well as a considerable number of ecosystems.

The gradual destruction of a good part of the habitat is the basic cause of the decrease in population of wild fauna. This is observed in wild boar, deer etc. Hasi district today has 296 shotgun permit data, of which only 70 are equipped with these hunter weapon in the hunters ' association and pay all obligations, subject to applicable laws and regulations, the rest having hunting weapons, does not hold for jewelry.

• Has District, Albania