LIFE IN ALBANIA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 810, 2 November 1929, Page 13

LIFE IN ALBANIA

MEN FIGHT AND WOMEN WORK In Albania, says a United States exchange, the women do all the work. T he men's sole occupation is to talk politics and defend the home from in’asion. The man is the gentleman of leisure, ’be woman the slave of toil. He is Me warrior, she the worker. He in'lriably earries a small arsenal of Srearms in his huge leather belt, so uat at a moment’s notice he may defend his home or avenge a personal jrong. The vendetta in its worst l| >nns still persists iu Albania. The men live an outdoor life, gener- % free, and even wild, and there;J re as a class are unaccustomed to restraints of business affairs. They lr * mentally undisciplined, untutored, i® 4 act as instinctively as children, futy know no law except ' that of uolence. They do not take their most ’“tons quarrels to court, but settle “J® with rifles. The Albanians live for the most r a,, < in tribal organisations, and pay ‘We heed to the edicts of government '®eil at. Tirana, the capital. There ' no village authority iu Albania as J other countries —only family or ?~al law. Each tribe is held stead.s - together by tribal loyalty to a ®®on chief. is v Alba nians are frugal, hearty, fi hospitable. Through centuries of jugn oppression they have pre- ;; ed their mountain strongholds, it ! ace traditions, and their uncouJable spirit and pride. ‘®* lr houses are solidly built with l er y jrall» of rock and sun-dried plas»iih , * rooms generally are small, 'ew or no windows. In the oft 11 districts several families, iob7 bom Prising as many as 30 perlive under one roof. Sanitary count sing conditions throughout the to r , 7 are extremely bad. Indian tj'.v loms the main staple of food c »ttlo. IH i P > llation - Sheep-breeding and ’ions At l ng are the chief occu P a ' ca,. 01 me peasants, who form 95 per The tbe Population, out «t enUr ® family of Albania eats k»S!»°, ne common dish, each mem- " dipping m at his turn, sets I, ® average Albanian, cleanlifoneco an un kuown and therefore an old v' 88ary Hrtue. Children 15 years tevo.. l i Uei 'tly are seen who have doctor, “ batb "tl- Indeed, the native of batM Warn “others of ihe "danger” blrt h their children, who from ot .bCr* se ldom receive any sort