Extract from Osman R. Shala’s book “MË THIRR SIÇ E KAM EMRIN (Etimologji)” from 2026. Translated by Petrit Latifi
Osman Shala. Contact info: osmanshala1@hotmail.com
Abstract
This study examines the cultural, linguistic, and demographic transformations of Rugova, a mountainous region historically composed of 13 villages. Once characterized by dense settlement, pastoral life, and strong kinship structures, Rugova has undergone significant depopulation and socio-economic change, increasingly oriented toward rural and family tourism after the 1999 war. While these developments have improved infrastructure and aesthetics, they have also introduced tensions between modernization and the preservation of local identity.
Central to the discussion is the alteration and misinterpretation of traditional toponyms. The paper critiques the postwar proliferation of administratively redefined villages and the renaming of places based on incorrect assumptions of Slavic origin. Through the example of Llutovë (renamed Ujëmir), the author argues for the Albanian etymological roots of local place names, grounded in dialectal vocabulary and geographical context.
The study further explores the etymology of Rugova, linking it to indigenous Albanian linguistic structures rather than external influences, and emphasizes the importance of preserving macrotoponyms such as Neqinati and Bistrica. Drawing on historical, archaeological, and oral evidence—including material findings from Drelaj—the work underscores Rugova’s deep antiquity and cultural continuity. Ultimately, it advocates for safeguarding linguistic heritage as a vital component of national identity and scientific truth.
The Etymology of “Rugova” by author Osman Shala
The name, Rugova, is a well-known, very ancient name in this mountainous region, with which other linguistic scholars also agree that the name ‘Rugovë’ is based on the word ‘road’, since this entire mountainous region is crossed by streams, valleys and numerous ‘o-’Va’s. So we are dealing with the word road, road + va’, vau (low part), the valleys where the easiest passage of pedestrians and horsemen could be found that connected all the villages and the only main road that connected Peja with Shkodra.
That is why Rugova was also called ‘Rrugova’, (I made a road). So, ‘o’ va, is a suffix of the Albanian language. Here we are not dealing with the “Slavic” suffix ‘ova’ and we did not even need to add it to the Albanian word in any other toponym in Rugova. Slavicism has never been able to influence the names in the Rugova region, except in the village of Stankaj and that in official documents, Jashanica, but never in the popular language.
Three lines of evidence are a strong basis for scientific truth: historical evidence, archaeological evidence, and oral narratives. Stones placed by human hands are evidence that three tell a story for specific purposes.
In Rugova there is a lot of unexplored archaeological evidence, such as those in the village of Drelaj, which I have published and written about in my work: “Aromë bje shke”. – See page 76, titled: Evidence for the village, Drelaj – Rugova e Moçme.
Photo: Tombstone in the village of Drelaj
This is the tombstone that was found in the village of Drelaj, which proves the antiquity of these lands, inhabited since the Stone Age. According to some ethymologists, this stone is thousands of years old, which needs to be deciphered precisely.
Neqinati
The Albanian language is among the oldest Indo-European languages. An ancient language of tribes, Pellasgiote – Mediterranean, which has preserved words in its vocabulary with a strong divine connection in the construction of words that are still used today in dialects and are in the dictionaries of the current Albanian language.
No one has the right to change the name of an old macrotoponym, a pure name of the Albanian language, such as the name of our mountain, Neqinati, and the name of the river, Bistrica. These two names Neqinati (macrotoponym) and Bistrica (toponym) are written and preserved even in official documents of past colonial systems. Anyone can ask where it got its name from, but in no case should they change the old name with another name.
The Drelaj Valley begins: from the Mill Bridge to Guri i Kuq (2,522). On the right is the Kuqishtë Valley to the Peak of the Mountain, while on the left is the Malajve Valley to the third kilometer of the “Vija Ferata”
The Neqinati of Drelaj
Photos of the Drelaj Neighborhood with the topographic map (location no. of the toponym).
Register of microtoponyms on the Neqinat side of Drelaj
- Rieka e Tahiralajve
- Dardhat e Syle
- Orrnica e Zenelit
Bregu i Verrave - Bregu i Haxhitahirve
- Bregu i Elezit
- Qetina e Muçës
- Gurra e Ftoftë
- Lugu i Huse
- Kërrshi i Gjopapës
- Bria e Selimit
- Bregu i Zenel Agës
- Bregu i Syle
- Bregu i Hutës
- Molika e Bajrame
- Gurra e Bicit
- Vorri i Sokol Alisë
- Gropa e Bacit
- Bregu i Zeke
- Kodra e Zeke
- Sheu i Pllane
- Gurra e Tahir Husit
- Gropa e Isuf Veselit
- Barqja e Cufës
- Llazet
- Kodra e Vorrëve
- Gurra e Derrashit
- Gropa e Demë Metës
- Gropat e Sadike
- Briat e Kërrshi Mazëz
- Lugu i Zharit
- Llazi i Madh
- Bregu i Zharit
- Gropat e Sh. Akullit
- Kërrshat i Graboce
- Dëbantë e Graboce
- Qafa e Vërrithit
- Kodra e Fishekve
- Bira e Sharampovit
- Shkalla e Kuqe
- Guri i Kuq
- Lugu i Madh
- Lugu i Shtrunge
- Gurtë e Qobane
- Gurtë e D. Husit
- Krojt
- Rudinat
- Lugu i Shkodrës
- Konaku i Malësorit
- Rrugat e Malësorit
- Bregu i Smajl Brahimit
- Puzi i Verdhë
- Bregu i Sulit
- Qafa e Jelenkut
Maja e Malësorit - Liqeni i Drelajve
- Vrella e Liqenit
- Shkalla e Liqenit
- Sheu i Tisit
- Bregu i Juricës
- Kërrshi i Karamuji
- Gurra e Tahirit
- Kërrshinat
- Lugu i Vogël
- Lugu i Madh
- Gurra e Dëbanit
- Dëbani i Verës
- Orrnica e Elezit
- Lugu i Juricës
- Sheu i Qelë Dedës
- Lama e Huse
- Lugu i Fierit
- Bregu i H. Hajdarit
- Kërrshat e Zesë
- Verrat e Dërvishe
- Briat e Sheut
- Mullini i Imërselime
- Mullini i Shaban Rrustemit
- Bregu i Verrave, Maja e Malësorit.
Neqinat
So, Neqinati is a macrotoponym that includes an area of thousands of hectares of land. A mountain that starts from the Peak of the Mountain and ends at the third kilometer, where it is now, “Vija Ferata”. It is the mountain of three villages of Rugova: Neqinati i Kuqishtës, Neqinati i Drelajve and Neqinati i Malajve. Recently, those who are ignorant of the name of the mountain have poked their noses here, mountaineers who come from the city as well as those who were born yesterday and do not know the history or geography of this place, struggling to extract the origin of this name today and in vain they insert it, as if it got its name from the lakes and they call it: ‘Lake’.
But they cannot avoid the word ‘nat’ at the end, because if it were so, they would get: ‘nit’- Lake-nit, not Lake-nat!? So, they cannot escape the true name, NEQINAT = Ne – qin – nat = Neqinat. For those who have no connection or knowledge about the etymology of the name, Neqinat, and who assume that the name came to us from the lake, they still have no right to replace it with another name even if it were true.
How well and correctly they write, Neqinati, the villagers of the village of Kuqishte.
Living conditions over the years have been difficult, with great efforts to survive and severe winters, up to two meters of snow in those days. We, the locals, have a saying: “Six months of winter and six months of summer. Shmiter and shnjergj, shnjergj and summer”.
They did the same thing backwards with the name of our river, BISTRICA. Only those who are ignorant in the field of etymology do this and only those who are part of this action insist, a foreign offspring or even a grafted plant, crossed with the Slavic and Slavicism of Qubri llović, who has not managed to change the meaning of this name either.
The name-changing commission, in a strange place, with linguists who do not know the etymology, managed to change the name from Bistrica to Lumbardh, considering it a Slavic name. Shame! For me and my Rugova people, it will never be changed!
Only Bistrica of Rugova! Only those who know it and deal with etymology can speak about names and names. First, you have to know the history, geography and methods of scientific research and analyze it according to the methodology of embryomorphemes! The locals know these thousand-year-old names well, NEQINATI, and BISTRICA. We have been telling them this all along.
It is painful when even in the dictionaries of the Albanian language there is a considerable number of words with a pure Albanian source that are treated as borrowed from Slavic, Greek, Italian, etc. without being studied etymologically. A correct explanation for Albanian words is given by my friend from Pogradec, the etymologist, Agron Dalipaj, like no one before, well and correctly, based on the method of embryomorphemes.
Drelaj
My village, Drelaj, with the other 12 villages of Rugova, are so OLD, inhabited by Albanians, that in the Pelasgian period, and NO how some forecasters try and have tried to find the time when the first inhabitants came to Rugova, or which village was the first…?! So I tell you: Rugova is not a place found, nor is it deserted, but throughout history it has been a place inhabited by autochthonous inhabitants.
The village, Drelaj, with the name, Old Rugova, for the first time I used it, in writing, in my work, based on the sayings of the elders in Rugova, and until my generation, almost a forgotten name. I did not leave it at that, but I researched several written works of authors who have dealt with the genealogical history and culture of villages in Kosovo.
In the work of Dr. Jusuf Osmani: “Place-settlements of Kosovo – Peja and Deçan”, see p.209 (2004)! Here I came across the name of my village, Drelaj, formerly Rugova e Moçme, where the author quotes the data of an Ottoman archival document from 1903, which states: – “According to an archival document from 1903, with the name Rugova e Moçme, it lies in a deep valley with three – four (3-4) old stone towers, with twelve (12) to fifteen (15) houses, one (1) mosque and three (3) mills with one (1) ciclik.
The population is all Albanians Muslim, on barren land and they live from livestock” – These data are accurate and which I remember myself and I prove one by one with the names of the towers, the mills and the čiklik in my work: “Genealogy of the Drelaj and Dreljan people – Rugova e Moçme”, see p. 21 (2015) and in the reprint, p. 31 (2017)!
The inhabitants of the village of Drelaj are of two tribes: Lajç and Shalë. The Lajç tribe is of Drelë Nikë, while Shalë is of Brahim Prelë. Our villagers of the Lajç tribe, wherever they are and who came from the village of Drelaj 200 years ago, are Dreljanë. From Drelë (Ndreu) come four clans from his four sons: 1. of Muçë, 2. of Shab, 3. of Desh and 4. of Alo. From these four clans of Lajç alone, today there are twenty-three (23) fraternities, while in Shalë there are two clans with five (5) fraternities. So, in the village of Drelaj there are two tribes and six (6) clans with 28 fraternities.
See my work:“Genealogy of the Drelaj and Dreljan people – Old Rugova”, p.39, (re-published 2017).
My village, Drelaj, took its name from Ndreu (Ndre Nika), a pure name of the Albanian language, this name is related to the Albanian word ‘DRE’ (Dreni) with the meaning of a very fast and agile mountaineer, so we say: He was like a deer of these blessed places among the high mountains of Rugova. Therefore, and whoever has the name Ndre-u, a not rare Albanian name, has its genesis (derives) from the meaning,Dren.
Most of my linguistic and etymological studies, I post on my fb page and I receive compliments from readers, positive reactions, but also from those who know something, but do not understand when they read them and give me remarks. One of these commentators tells me: “the name of the village Drelaj did not come from Ndreu, but from Dren”.
So you do not understand that the village took the name of a man, Ndreu (Ndre, in Drela, in Drelaj), and these names generally exist in large numbers among the common names of people in Albanian lands and the truth is that these names have that meaning, they come from Dre-ni, but not the village from Dre-ni! Dren is related to the wild animal of the forest which is a type of deer.
Drelaj
Photos of the village of Drelaj and topographic map of the microtoponym (location number).
Register of macrotoponyms of the village of Drelaj, starting from Qafa e Bukur, on the border with Koshuta, to Llazi i Qelës, on the border with Pepiç:
- Llazi i Ujkut
- Maja e N. Dedës
- Gurra e Stanke
- Maja e Hysene
- Shkalla e Pepiqit
- Kërrshi i Kalit
- Sheu i Shpelle
- Shpella e Pëllumave
- Bria e Xhekut
- Rrasat e Isufit
- Gurra e Lucës
- Shpella e Hysen Alisë
- Shpella e H. Sylës
- Gurra e Cufës
- Zabeli
- Gurra e Krenëve
- Llazi i Qelës
- Podi i Çardakut
- Çardaku i Bajrit
- Kodra e Ahmet Lekës
- Lugu i Shabe
- Gomila e Lakut
- Bërraka e Gjonit
- Kërrshi i Gjatë
- Lugu i Qarre
- Kodrat e Bubit
- Laknat e Kole
- Kodra e B. Hålës
- Orrnica e Marashit
- Vorri i Mencalisë
- (mungon në listë)
- Gurrat e Bardha
- Lugu i Syle
- Llazi i Gabele
- Bërrakat e Regje
- Bërraka e B. Jakupit
- Bregu i Xhamisë
- Tyrbja e M. Dajkut
- Fusha e Bajrame
- ShZeu i Dardhave
- Thana e Imërselime
- Barçja e B. Halilit
- Kodra e Vorrëve
- Kodra e Imërselime
- Bregu i Smajle
- Kërrshi i Smajle
- Gurra e Xhekut
- Barçja e C. Selimit
- Kodra e Sh. Hulit
- Vorri i Elezit
- Gërla
- Lama e Beqirit
- Qafa e Katundit
- Pas Qafja
- Qurrshia e Hajdine
- Dardha e Sykës
- Dardha e Telit
- Vorri i Jasharit
- Shentë e Pepiqit
- Ura e Mullinit
- Sheu i Madh
- (mungon në listë)
- Llazi i Mullinit
- Shpella e Martinit
- Qetat e Hasansmajle
- Shpella e Qingjave
- Shpellat e Osës
- Picetaj
- Kodra e Hambarit
- Gjenishta
- Qafa e Bukur
- Lugu i Xhekut
- Qafa e K. Çetave
- Maja e Dugajvës
- Shpella e Djathit
- Llaqigjet
- Kërshi i Bletës
- Rrasa e Xhumasë
- Zallina
- Fabrika e Djathit
- Fabrika e Ujit
- Gropa e Dukës
- Kërrshi i Dokut
- Bregu i Gjolit
- Shkolla
- Kërrshi i Çubuxhive
- Posta
- Zyra e vendit
- Kooperativa
- Ambulanta
Hysen Ali’s Cave (no. 12) is approximately 100 meters long, unexplored so far.
The toponyms of the village of Drelaj prove that there were inhabitants here even before Ndreu (Drela), Ndre Nikë Deda. According to some data, it is said that the villages of Rugova: Drelajt, Pepiç, Stankajt and Nilajt in Shtupeç të Vogël, were named since 1702, and at the same time the village of Nokshiç in Pasbjeshkë from their fifth brother, Noka (Drela, Pepa, Staka, Nila and Noka).
In the village of Drelaj, counting the generations up to Drelë Nika, the time is approximate, but when I compare these data with the twelve (12) toponyms of this village, they show me that they are much earlier, even before Nde Nikë Deda, because they did not mention at all in the genealogical stem from Nikë Deda and beyond.
To prove this, I will first use the 12 oldest toponyms which took their names from those which show that they lived here before. Here are these toponyms: Kodrat e Bubit (Bubi), Laknat e Kole (Kolës), Orrnicat e Marashi (Mara shi), Brërka e Xhonit (Xhoni), Gurra e Lucës (Luca), Gurra e Xhekut (Xheka), Gropa e Dukës (Duka), Kërrshi i Dokut (Doku), Shpella e Martinit (Ndre Martini), Kërr shi i Gjopapës (Gjon Papa), Gurra e Bici (Bici) etc.
In my village, Drelaj, I have registered over 170 macro- and micro-toponyms: 90 within the village and 80 in the Neqinat mountains. Of all these toponyms, their etymology is purely Albanian.
Pepiç
The village, Pepiç is a pure Albanian name, used by generations since the time when Pepa settled in this area. This name is a precious treasure for the identity, culture and local history of this village. The village is distinguished by national, Rugova traditions. With the change of name, the past is forgotten by the generation that tries to use it with another name. So a painful separation from the old that can leave its past and traditions in oblivion. It is very possible when the village is emptying every day and the inhabitants are scattered throughout Peja and the surrounding area.
The name of the village, Pepiç, is an anthroponym. It is related to the name of the person, Pepa, the place where he settled with his family after the separation of the five brothers in the village of Drelaj. Just as the other brothers settled in some other places in Rugova and Pasbjeshke: Pepa in Pepiç, Staka in Stankaj, Nila in Shtupeç të Vogël, Noka in Nokshiç, and Drela (Ndreu) in the place of their ancestors with their father, Nikë Deda, in Drelaj. According to these names, for the five brothers, the places where they settled took the names ofthese villages belong to them.
Therefore, the name of the village, Pepiç, is a pure Albanian name, used for generations in Rugova and beyond.
The famous Zenelsylaj family house in the village: Pepiç – Formerly Lakaj Neighborhood.
Pepaj, in the sense that, according to them, it supposedly sounds Slavic and that the suffix “-ič” is therefore a Slavic suffix, which is not true at all. Changing the suffix “-ič” is unnecessary. Pepaj sounds more like a surname that identifies the lineage of some families within a closer brotherhood, whereas the name Pepiç/i defines the place where Pepa settled, and from that day the brothers and other inhabitants of Rugovë have called it Pepiç. Brotherhoods take their surname from a closer kinship circle, just as we have some lineages and brotherhoods in Drelaj: ahmetaj, dervishaj, haçkaj… from the lineage of Drel Nika (Pepa’s brother), as well as on my Shala side (Drelaj): imërselimaj, bajrqelaj, and demëmetaj.
Therefore, changing this name is not appropriate, even though the suffix “-ič” may have sounded Slavic to these new namers. No! In Slavic speech, some Serbian foresters pronounced it as Pepiq-e, not Pepiç, and that is all—nothing more. Here we are dealing with the naming of a village after a person, Pepa—thus, the toponym Pepiç.
Toponyms with the suffix “-iq” in place names, both in Kosovo and Albania, have different origins and are not necessarily Slavic suffixes; rather, they are suffixes of the Albanian language from ancient times in dialectal speech. It is a matter of the internal name of this locality, “Pepiç,” and it is better preserved as such. In this way, the identity of its inhabitants is maintained.
There are many toponyms with the suffix “-ič” (“-iq”), as there are many other villages across Albanian lands, but I will mention only a few in the Rrafshi i Dukagjinit: Raushiq, Lubeniq, Kotradiq, Isniq… These are preserved names and should remain so! They all carry the suffixes “-ič” and “-iq,” as pronounced by the locals, showing a shared historical and cultural connection. Rugova and Rrafshi i Dukagjinit possess a rich macrotoponymic heritage.
If the toponym Pepiç had a Slavic suffix, it would have taken the Slavic ending “-vić” and would be called Pepoviq or Pepiqeviq.
Under no form or circumstance has the Slavic language been able to influence the original Rugova speech, not even in naming (toponyms), except for the village of Stankaj, which the Slavs called Jashanica, and it still appears as such in state administrative documents. Why and how, I have not investigated, but the border connection with Montenegro may have played a role, with influence from Montenegrins. I did not find it necessary to treat this name, Jashanica, in the Slavic language, since for us in Rugova and across Albanian lands it is known and pronounced in Albanian as Stankaj (from Stakë Nika). This toponym, since the time Staka settled in that place, has been called Stankaj (with the suffix “-aj”), preserved as such, and it should not lose its historical identity, as that would be a grave mistake.
Both the village name Pepiç and Stankaj are toponyms (names) with ancient local Albanian roots. As such, they have been used by the local population and are recorded in old documents, including during the time of Albania and even earlier.
Leka e Allagës
Being interested in the etymology of the name, Reka e Allagës, etymologically the truth is that we are dealing with a name of pure Albanian origin, Reka, which comes to us as a composite of three Albanian words, Reka + all + agës. From the name of the person + the color of the qelesha + the title (aga, Turkish). According to my research on the naming of the village, Reka e All-agës, is a pure name of the Albanian language and has nothing to do with Slavic as it has been claimed to change its name on the occasion of the change of names in recent times, after the war, trying to say ‘reka’ for the river in Slavic, and there is no river there, but for rocka yes.
This name has to do with the names of the people from whom it took its name: Reka and All-aga. The name Reka dominates even today in Rugova, and since ancient times among us Albanians, such as: Rekë Alia, also from this village, my peer, Rekë Smajli, in the village of Pepiç, Galo Reku, a well-known man from Nokshiç, Arif Reka of Rekë Smajli in the village of Dugaivë, etc. We have many names of villages and regions with the name Reka, such as Reka e Keqe, etc.
Village of Reka e Allaga
Now the question arises: where does the surname “All-aga” come from? – For this I have oral information from the elders of this village about how it got this name: “During the time of the Turks, when an Aga was persecuted for execution, this regime had sheltered, secretly kept him in his house, a person named Rek/ë-a, in this place of residence. After his government pardoned him, he again took on the duties of aga and said to Rekë: “What do you want as a reward for saving my life? Do you want Katundi e Ri (at that time an uninhabited place, my vr.), or Hajlat in Rugova”?
– Reka: aww, Aga, what are you telling me?! But calm down (this) what I see with my own eyes, because I don’t need it anymore! That’s why Aga forgave all that land that now belongs to this village, that is, Reka e Allaga.
Aga kept the qeleş of allit (red agallarësh plis with a tuft) and every time he came to Reka, they would say: here comes, All Aga (Aga with red qeleş). That’s how the village got its name, Reka e Allagës. – A story from the elders of this village, as well as the family of Bekë Sahiti with their descendants, Nikçi.
This data is more convincing for the etymology of the village, Reka e Allaga.
Rugova has always been a safe place for those persecuted by the powers of various regimes, through generations of faith, manhood and bravery. He has come to the aid of people endangered by the power of the time, as well as in the last war (1998/1999).
A similar case of sheltering those fleeing the government, as in Reka of Allaga, also occurred in the village of Pepiç. I remember as a ten-year-old child the sound of gunfire when Sani Beg was shot in Qafëskallë of Pepiç, by the communist government.
The family of Ujkan Hysen (Cenujkanaj) sheltered him for five years and when they dictated it, in the early fifties, the government took over and shot Sani Beg, while four men from this family served a heavy prison sentence of one and a half to seven years (Cenë Ujkani 7 years; Hamza 5; Shabani 2 and Rama one and a half years). To be more precise, the names and years of imprisonment were told to me in detail by the descendant of this family, Isuf R. Ujkani, Lajçi, Pepiç, on September 10, 2022.
To read the rest, please buy the book from Osman Shala. He can be contacted here on Facebook.
Contact info: osmanshala1@hotmail.com
