Zhabel is a village in the

Dushkaja Dushkaja or Dushkajë is an ethnographic region in the Dukagjini Plains of western Kosovo. Much of the region corresponds to the District of Gjakova. Etymology Dushkaja's etymology derives from the Albanian word ''dushk'' (which in itself is der ...

subregion in the

Gjakova Gjakova or Đakovica, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the sixth largest city of Kosovo and seat of the Gjakova Municipality and the District of Gjakova, Gjakova District. According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Gjakov ...

municipality of

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

. It is inhabited exclusively by

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

Geography

Zhabel is 20 km north of Gjakova. It is positioned in two valleys and is composed of 2 main sections - ''Zhabeli Plak'' (Old Zhabel) and ''Zhabeli i Ri'' (New Zhabel).

Toponomy

Zhabel consists of

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

toponomy, such as ''Shpati'' (slope), ''Grykat'' (gorges), ''Ara e Madhe'' (big field), ''Kodra e Trimave'' (hill of the brave), ''Përroni i Vogël'' (little stream), ''Fangi'', ''Lugina e Maliqëve'' (valley of the Maliqi) ''Livadhet e Gata'' (long meadows), ''Lugu i Sokolëve'', ''Livadhet e Mëdha'' (big meadows), ''Kroni i Mllokës'', ''Kodra e Malësorëve'' (hill of the highlanders) etc.

History

Zhabel's inhabitants lived in the locality of Zhabeli Plak. In between Zhabeli Plak and Zhabeli i Ri, on the ''Kodra e Malësorëve'' (hill of the highlanders), traces of settlement can be observed. It is said that disease fell upon the initial settlement and the population was greatly affected. Many died and were buried in the place called the Hasallak graves. Many moved to Zhabel i Ri. In 1913 as part of war crimes committed against ethnic Albanians intended to transform the ethnic character of the region, Montenegrin forces pillaged and burned down the Albanian village of Zhabel and massacred the local population. In between the two

World Wars A world war is an international conflict that involves most or all of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World War I (19 ...

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

settled 8 Serb and Montenegrin colonist families in Zhabel with the intention of changing the traditionally Albanian ethnic structure of the region. Their settlement in the area was short-lived.

Anthroponomy

Zhabeli Plak consists of the Maliqi family. Zhabeli i Ri consists of families belonging to the Albanian

Morina ''Morina'' is a genus flowering plants in the family Caprifoliaceae. It includes 14 species native to Eurasia, ranging from southeastern Europe through Western and Central Asia to the Himalayas, China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. It is named in hon ...

and Berisha tribes - these families are the Haziraj, Ukaj, Smajlaj and Delijaj. The

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

families of this neighbourhood - the Kaçanukët (of the

Nikaj The Nikaj are an historical Albanian tribe (''fis'') and region in the Highlands of Gjakova of north Albania. The Nikaj tribe is a traditional ''fis'' in the sense of being a community that claims paternal descent from one common ancestor, consis ...

- Mërtur tribe) and the

Dedaj Dedaj is a settlement in the former Shkrel Municipality, Shkodër County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Malësi e Madhe Malësi e Madhe () is a municipality in Shkodër County, in nort ...

- have moved to the village of Lugbunar near Gjakova.

Notes

References

{{reflist Villages in Gjakova