Apostol Meksi was an

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 ...

doctor, folklorist and patriot. He was among the first intellectuals involved in the

Albanian National Awakening The Albanian National Awakening ( or ), commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political, and social movement in the Albanian history where the Albanian ...

that sought independence from the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

, and among the first who studied

Albanian folklore Albanian folklore is the folk tradition of the Albanian people. Albanian traditions have been orally transmitted – through memory systems that have survived intact into modern times – down the generations and are still very much alive in the mo ...

Life

Apostol Meksi was born in 1825 in Labovë e Madhe. His father Jorgji came from a family known in the area for its intellectual activities. Apostol Meksi studied at

Zosimea The Zosimaia School () is a Greek middle-level educational institution of Ioannina (in Epirus). It was significant during the last period of Ottoman rule in the region (1828–1913). The ''Zosimaia'' was founded at 1828 through the personal expen ...

, where he met Konstandin Kristoforidhi. Together they shared a great interest in Albanian folklore, including traditional tales, songs and dances. During their time in

Ioannina Ioannina ( ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina (regional unit), Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus (region), Epirus, an Modern regions of Greece, administrative region in northwester ...

, they taught Albanian to

Johann Georg von Hahn Johann Georg von Hahn (11 July 1811 – 23 September 1869) was a German diplomat, philologist and specialist in Albanian history, language and culture, who spent the majority of his career working within the bounds of the Austrian Empire. Hahn ...

, and gave him valuable Albanian folk materials.

References

1825 births People from Gjirokastër Activists of the Albanian National Awakening 19th-century Albanian people Albanian folklorists Albanian people from the Ottoman Empire Zosimaia School alumni Year of death missing {{Albania-bio-stub