Koja e Kuçit (Koja of Kuçi) is a historical
Albanian tribe
The Albanian tribes () form a historical mode of social organization (''farefisní'') in Albania and the southwestern Balkans characterized by a common culture, often common patrilineal kinship ties and shared social ties. The ''fis'' ( sq-defini ...
and region in
Malësia. Koja is a Catholic region located between
Triepshi and
Kuči. The people of Koja are referred to as ''Kojanë'' or ''Koqas''.
History

Koja is the smallest region in Malësia. It is attested for the first time in the Ottoman ''defter'' of 1582 where the villages of ''Koqa i Madh'' and ''Koqa i Vogël'' appear in the nahiyah of Kuçi. These settlements were not recorded in the previous registers suggesting that their founding can be attributed to an increase in population, possibly due to migrations, that occurred following the consolidation of Ottoman power in the region. In regards to their anthroponymy, over half of the inhabitants of these villages bore typical Albanian personal names, the remainder bearing mixed Albanian-Slavic anthroponyms.
In the
Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1861–62), Kuči,
Piperi and other groups attacked Triepshi and Koja e Kuçit, but that attack was repulsed.
Pretash Zeka Ulaj from Koja was one of the Malësor leaders that led the region to its freedom when fighting in 1911 in the
Battle of Deçiq, alongside the famous
Ded Gjo Luli from
Hoti. Dokë Preci Krcaj, Cakë Uci Ivanaj, Gjeto Toma Kolçaj, Tomë Uci Ivanaj, Kolë Doka Marashaj, Marash Leca Gjokaj, and Gjeto Gjeka Ivanaj are remembered as the ''Seven Heroes of Koja'' for giving their lives in the battle.
Brotherhoods and families
Koja e Kuçit became part of Montenegro in 1880. The surnames are given both in their original Albanian form and the Montenegrin equivalent that was required by the authorities that the people of Koja adopt in that era.
* Ulaj
* Kolçaj
* Nucullaj
* Marashaj
* Perkaj
* Ivanaj
* Lucaj
* Krcaj
* Gjokaj
* Gjeloshaj
* Gorvokaj
* Pali
Notable people
*
Pretash Zeka Ulaj —Leader of the tribe volunteers at the
Battle of Deçiq.
* Gjeto Toma Kolçaj — Participant at the Battle of Deçiq.
* Viktor Marku Ula — International relations scholar and Political Advisory to former
Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Çeku
Agim Çeku (, born 29 October 1960) is an ethnic Albanian politician from Kosovo, the former Kosovo Security Force, minister of Security Forces in Kosovo and formerly the Prime Minister of Kosovo, prime minister. Of military background, he was a ...
in 2006.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koja e Kucit
Malësia
Albanian Roman Catholics
Historical regions in Albania
Tribes of Albania