THERE IS ONE DESTINY - Part 01

THERE IS ONE DESTINY

We were children, against who have we sinned? We were guilty but without guilt. Why have we been cursed so badly? To spend our life in exile around the world.

And cry, cry, the mountains are crying for us, The shadows under the olive trees, But within us, it hurts forever within us it hurts, A wound that burns, that will not heal...

And across the world, in us everywhere, Our hearts they have opened, Only there, there is no return. The gates for us have been forever closed.

And cry, cry, the mountains are crying for us, The shadows under the olive trees, But within us, it hurts forever within us it hurts, A wound that burns, that will not heal…

Oh, how heavy there the mountains are, Just as heavy is the bitterness, Of our cursed fate, The distance pains us just the same!

Wherever we are, we will never forget, Our childhood there, which we left…

* * *

Risto Mavrovski’s sister-in-law Ristana Vasil Bekiarova-Shkavreva

Ristana Vasil Bekiarova-Shkavreva was born in 1928 in the village Zhelevo. She belonged to a poor family with many girls, with Risto, the last child born being the only boy. Ristana completed Grade 6 in the Greek language in the village. During the occupation Ristana stayed at home and helped around the house. Ristana knew Spiro Shkavrev, Risto’s brother, from a very young age but as they grew up their relationship became more serious and eventually they married and thus at the end of 1946 she became a member of the Shkavrev family. Ristana stayed with the Shkavrev family, even after Spiro had left for the partisans in 1947, until the spring of 1948, when she too went to the mountains to join the ranks of DAG. This lasted until the end of August 1949, during which time she fled to Albania in the mass exodus. From there she was transferred to Poland where, in the summer of 1950, she remarried. She married a Greek man and had a family with him. “And as such,” says Risto, Spiro’s brother, “my brother Spiro left no offspring and Ristana ceased to be Mavrovska…” For the short time that Ristana was with the Shkavrev family she proved to be valuable and hard working. She made a few mistakes later in life, about which she knows, and will remember them when she reads this. Ristana (at the time this was written) lived in Skopje with her friend and children, where exactly, was unknown to Risto but he decided to write about Ristana so that she too would be remembered.

Spiro Mavrovski’s (Risto’s son) first encounter with Ristana

Spiro met his aunt Ristana for the first time sometime in 1970, in Bitola at the “Aegean” building where Spiro was living. Spiro remembers it was after a world basketball championship tournament held in Ljubljana, when Yugoslavia became the champion. All the children and young men at the time were playing basketball everywhere, even on the steps in the yard at the entrance of their building. It was a Saturday, a beautiful spring day when a woman, a stranger with a big bag in her hand, came to the entrance and disturbed the game. Before entering the building the woman suddenly turned to Spiro and asked him if Risto Mavrovski, Spiro’s father, lived in this building. But before Spiro had a chance to reply,

the strange woman suddenly grabbed him, gave him a great big hug and began to weep. She then asked him if he was Spiro, Risto Mavrovski’s son. When Spiro said “yes” the woman squeezed him even harder and her weeping became even louder. She then took Spiro by the hand and asked him to take her to the third floor, to Risto’s apartment. A little while later Risto arrived and they greeted each other with tears. They had not seen each other in 13 years, since they were in Poland. After that Risto and Ristana went to see Nikola, Risto’s brother. Spiro remembers the gift Ristana brought them from Poland. It was a beautifully decorated glass fish. After that they had a few more meetings in Skopje. “And, as such, I remember her in a good light, and may her soul rest in peace. Her misfortune with my uncle Spiro darkened her entire life...” says Spiro Mavrovski.

Risto Mavrovski’s cousin Vasil Risto Shkavrev Mavrovski (1914-1990)

Vasil Risto Shkavrev Mavrovski was born in 1914 in the village Zhelevo. He was the son of Risto and Vana Shkavrev; may they both rest in peace. Vasil finished public school in Zhelevo and then continued his studies at a school for catering in Lerin. Vasil’s father died when Vasil was just a small boy and his mother left him and married Krsto Iandrovski. Vasil was left with his grandmother Stoina and aunt Neda (Risto Mavrovski’s mother). Vasil remained with Neda and became part of her family. When Vasil finished his schooling in Lerin in 1934, he was drafted into the Greek military where he served for 2 years. When he returned to the village he and Pavle Popovski were appointed civil guards (poliak). Vasil worked at that job until 1940 when again he was drafted by the Greek military and, on October 28, 1940, was sent to the front line at the Albanian front. Vasil fought in the ranks of Regiment 303 where he was wounded and again sent back to the front. After Greece capitulated, Vasil returned to Zhelevo and married Elena Sandrina with whom he had two girls, Iana and Tena, and later a son who they named Giorgi. Vasil at one point separated from his aunt Neda and lived on his own. During the occupation Vasil was inducted into the ELAS reserves and in 1947 he was drafted by DAG where he was wounded and sent to Katlanovska Bania in the Republic of Macedonia for treatment. From there he was transferred to Skopje

until 1956, when he was sent to prison for having desires to return to Greece, to his family in Zhelevo. After he served his prison sentence he was allowed to return to Zhelevo to be with his family, but life in Zhelevo was not what he expected so he left for Belgium where he worked in the mines. From there he moved to Toronto, Canada where he divorced Elena, married Katina Kochopoulou from Banitsa and moved in with her. He did not have any children with Katina. Vasil’s children are married and live in Toronto.

The above story was written by Risto Mavrovski, Vasil’s cousin. At one point in time, while Vasil was serving as civil guard, he beat Risto because the cow Risto was supposed to be watching did some damage to the crops in the fields which Vasil was guarding. Risto spent a lot of time with Vasil, which included drinking milk from the same cow and sleeping under the same covers in the fields. Risto wrote Vasil’s story for future generations and so that Vasil will be remembered. Vasil died in 1990 in Toronto, Canada.

A brief story about the village Zhelevo, renamed by the Greeks to “Andartikon”

The village Zhelevo is one of the larger villages in the region, along with the village German. Zhelevo now belongs in Lerin Region. Before it was part of Kostur Region but Risto Mavrovski, who wrote this story, does not remember such a thing. When Risto was born he was registered as being born in Lerin Region. The names of the villages in the entire area by then had been changed by the Greek state and Zhelevo was renamed to “Andartikon”. But there are still old maps that show the name “Zhelevo”.

The following story was written by Risto Mavrovski who lived in Zhelevo from 1928 to 1949. It includes memories of Risto’s grandmother and mother.

“Our village is big and very nice. It is located in the heart of Mount Bigla and borders the village Psoderi, a Vlach village, to the northeast, German to the north, Rudari and Papli to the northwest, Orovnik and Bukovik to the west, Oshchima to the southeast and perhaps Besfina, I am not sure. These are the borders of our village which exists to this day. It is a large village in comparison to the

other villages and has a nice panoramic view when seen from the road that passes by the village and connects Lerin over Prespa with Korcha in Albania. From the other side it continues over Koreshtata to the city of Kostur.”

The distance from Zhelevo to the Greek-Albanian border is about 24 kilometres and so is the distance from Zhelevo to the villages Smrdesh and Vambel. The village Rabi is a bit closer. Hence the great strategic importance of Zhelevo, which has a rich history of major events that took place during the Greek - Italian war in October 1940, and later during the Second World War when many armies passed though it.

What follows is a description that Risto Mavrovski has given us of the various place names and rivers and tributaries that originate in and around Zhelevo, that make up the great historical Bistritsa River.

Even though the Greeks changed all the topographical names of the villages, the names of various places inside the headland of the village remained the same.

Towards the Vlach village Psoderi there are the places called: Pistoloi Steni, Rimna Plocha, Krstot, Kazeno, Dzhembra, Giogova glava and Sekot.

Towards the village German the places are called: Chrni kamenia, Kivantsa, Shiroki modzharki and Mrchkino dulo.

Towards the village Rudari we have: Kontski rid, Konski mocharki and Zhelevsko golniche.

Towards the village P’pli we have: Plati, Maznior, Kalugeritsa and Kofilo.

Towards the village Orovnik we have: Shumiakot, Seltse and Geraka.

Towards the village Oshchima we have: Asanova pladina, Skapetsot, Sreden rid, Tserot, Glavata, Topolata, Galik, Chukite,

Kamenova livada, Preol, Temnilak and Rendesh. All these landmarks border the village Oshchima.

The following is a detailed description of the places inside Zhelevo that border the right side of the river Bistritsa, that passes through the village. These are: Golema livada, Klapata, Vangoa livada, Slivata, Boronchki rid, Velovi mocharki, Temova stena, Ianovski mocharki, Borichki livadi, Borichki trap, Pelior, Furuglitsa, Lago, Rasadnitsi, Senkite, Rachneitsa, Popovo ormanche, Papravi ornitsi, Sreden dol (Srendol), Broda, Kasaritsa, Gorna Valevitsa, Perelova bafcha, bafcha na Kole shofero, Temovski livadi, Olnishcha and Dzholin trap.

On the left side of the river we have: Kopachkite, Povoli mocharki, Kuleto, Sperkoitsa, Keramitsata, Tashovi livadi, Manastrirska livada, Sredni reki, Ianovi padini, Sredno riche, Grobot na Vasil Temovski, Sredni mocharki, Nikoletsko riche, Nikoletsko padinche, Konchko trpo, Burleitsa, Konski padini, Nozete, Lozinata, Dudumov trap, Staro Zhelevo, Voinovski livadi, Beloets, Sredtsite, Dolni kup, Gorni kup, Glavchato, Dolna padishta, Gorna padishta, Chestakot, Tsvetkovi mocharki, Grobot, Beloi orevi, Putsungov trap, Dolovski dol. Bratindol, Kokoshka planina, Plochata, Bachovo ornicha, Chukite, Temnilak, Iankova livada, Tsrvenitsata, Pitachot, Losh trap, Stoikova Chesma and Murtovi padini.

Mountains

The mountains in Zhelevo are forested with the following types of trees: beech, oak, maple, hazel and small quantities of acacia and juniper.

The village also has pine trees which were planted in 1930. Other parts of the mountains have remained treeless. There are poplar and willow trees growing along the rivers which look beautiful in all seasons of the year.

Fruit trees and plants

There were a number of varieties of fruit trees that grew throughout the village including cherries, plums, apples, pears, peaches and walnuts. And let us not forget the vineyards.

In the mountains one could find wild pears, wild apples, wild chestnuts, acorns, a variety of mushrooms, wild strawberries, raspberries, bearberries, blueberries, blackberries and wild grapes.

There were also many varieties of plants that grew in the mountains, some of which have healing powers and were used for medicinal purposes. Included among these plants were the orchids, cowslips, geraniums, Turkish flowers, marigolds, basil, nettles, old man’s beards, ferns, knot-grass, thorns and poisonous dandelions. There are also many other grasses that are abundant in the village but are of little use medicinally.

Bodies of water

There were a number of tributaries originating in Zhelevo that contribute to the River Bistritsa.

Included in the tributaries that flow from the village Psoderi are Solakand and Sveti Ilia and passing through Zhelevo are Kosaa, Chamurov trap and Manastirski trap.

Sourced from Zhelevo are the brooks Chemvra, Boroiski trap, Dzholin trap and Srendol, near the Churches Sveta Nadela and Sveti Nikola. These were the middle brooks which started at the treeless mountain tops and flowd down into Iantsoi livage. They flowed from Maznior, Dudumov trap, Staro Zhelevo, over Beloiets, Sretsite to Vakovska valevitsa at Kupot, (Puchungov trap), and down from Preval towards the Oshchima border, and over Bachorni ornitsi.

All these tributaries were abundant with water and were used for irrigation; to water the fields and meadows. Some of these waters were also used to run a number of grain grinding mills to make flour.

1. The long ditch that ran from Keramitsata and Tashoi livadi was used to irrigate an area stretching from Beloets to Sredtsite and Kuleto.

2. Another ditch called Dudumov trap near Glavieto was used to irrigate an area from Gorni kup, Dolni kup, up to the bridge near the river.

3. The Puchungov ditch irrigated an area down to Beloi orevi.

4. Another ran from Voinovski vodentsi towards Iankovi livage.

5. Another ditch ran from Vakovska valeintsa over the Broda kafina, by Kasharnitsata to the mills owned by Dane Chakov and Pop Andon.

6. Yet another ditch ran from Olnishtata to the mills owned by the Nikolovtsi, Ianevtsi and Voinovtsi families.

7. A ditch called Iazot ran to the mill owned by Risto the teacher Dzhukela.

8. Another ditch called Iazot irrigated the pastures in Galik.

9. The largest and most necessary ditch for the village originated at Iantoi livage and Boroiski trap, ran through the Iandrovski mill, through Sitkite, Kileets, Adzhioi gradini, passed through the village square, passed by Dzholin trap, by Bundovtsi, Volcho Florov, Temovtsi, Kirovtsi, Voinovtsi, then entered the middle of the village where it split into two branches. One branch ran through the centre of the village and down by Markovtsi, Puchungovtsi, Ralevtsi, Paskovtsi, Barbalovtsi and entered the fields. The other branch continued by Naum Didov, Popovtsi, Dodevtsi and emptied into a small brook which then ran from Giamovtsi and Bundovtsi and by Sarevtsi and Mitanovtsi and emptied into Srendol trap.

This is how things were done by the villagers of Zhelevo; irrigating their fields and meadows and milling their grains to make flour.

Water for drinking and cooking was a different story. Drinking water in the Zhelevo neighbourhoods was brought from a mountain spring in Pelior. With financial help from the people of Zhelevo who worked in Canada and the United States, pipes were purchased and installed which delivered water to all the Zhelevo neighbourhoods. And as such, the village was supplied with an abundance of clean, mountain spring water.

Wild and domestic animals

Through the Zhelevo mountains one can find all kinds of wild game including wolves, bears, foxes, wild boar and other less harmful animals for hunters who are interested in recreational sport. Even in the later years during the Greek Civil War one could find rabbits, martens, mink, badgers, mice, rats, moles, hedgehogs, various poisonous snakes including vipers, water snakes, boas, green lizards, frogs, beetles, wild wasps, etc. In terms of birds, Zhelevo has mountain vultures, swallows, hawks, ravens, magpies, crows, partridges, wild pigeons, blue jays, quail, sparrows, etc.

In terms of domesticated animals and birds, the people of Zhelevo had dogs and cats and raised pigs, horses, donkeys, cows, oxen, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, etc.

Development of the village

The village Zhelevo has a long history which is associated mainly with the development of agriculture, livestock, crafts and other activities.

A very important moment in the history of Zhelevo was the purchase of the Seltsa locality, purchased from the Turks by 48 families at the cost of 4,000 gold coins (Napoleons). Members of those families were migrant workers who made their money working in the USA and Canada. The following the families that purchased lands in Seltsa:

1. Markovtsi 4 families 2. Ianovtsi 4 families 3. Papazovtsi 4 families

4. Gaduchovtsi 3 families 5. Todorovtsi 4 families 6. Florovtsi 4 families 7. Kirovtsi 4 families 8. Voinovtsi 3 families 9. Bundovtsi 4 families 10. Pachkovtsi 3 families 11. Luchkovtsi 2 families 12. Nikolovtsi 2 families 13. Temovtsi 2 families 14. Lumborovtsi 2 families 15. Mitanovtsi 2 families 16. Nolevtsi 1 family

After purchasing Seltsa, the villagers further developed their agriculture, hunting, livestock and sheep raising activities which allowed the village to prosper.

At that time the villagers had 5 grocery stores and other shops, three of which were owned by the Vlachs, Makio, Naki and Goga, from the village Psoderi. The Iandrovsi family owned a butcher shop which supplied the villagers with meat. There was also the store owned by Kuze and Petre Dogramov which had a truck and delivered goods. There was a local oven which baked goods and supplied the village with bread and pastries. The owners of the oven were Jews.

There were several cafés in which the villagers gathered. The one in Broda belonged to Temo Sotirov and Giorgi Trendov. The ones in the village square belonged to Petre Goliot Temelko and Kufelo Ilo Sandrin, where they made excellent pastries and sweets, another one was owned by Lazo Miloshev and a tiny booth was owned by Sotir Gulin.

Many craftsmen also worked in the village. Among the most famous were the blacksmiths Petko and File Kirov. Giorgi Trendov worked with sheet metal and made stoves and stove pipes, Sotir Makriata was the local painter. There were also barrel and saddle makers, mortar makers and barbers. The brothers Rade and Giorgi Marku worked in a barber shop. There was a large group of master masons

who worked in Zhelevo and in other villages. Included amongst them were Trpo Popov, Mihal Shkavrev Boikov, Kole Altano, Lambro Putsungo and Lambro and Sterio Trkalov.

There were a number of vehicles in the village. A horse drawn cart owned by Iane Mandzhukov supplied the villagers with firewood, stones, gravel and other supplies. Several families owned motorized trucks that drove to the cities and made deliveries. Included amongst the truck drivers were Kole Nikolov, Tanas Ianu, Boris and Petre Janu Mandzhukov and Kosta Balkovski.

The village also had a number of grain grinding mills for making flour. Included amongst them were:

1. The Gorna Valevitsa mill (no longer operational) 2. The Vakovskata Valevitsa mill operated by Fili Kirov (koachot) 3. The Iandrovski mill 4. The Tashovski mill 5. The Chakovski mill owned by Dane 6. The Popandon Petkov mill 7. The Filov mill 8. The Florov mill 9. The Nikolovski and Voinovski mill 10. The Markovski and Bundovski mill 11. The Bekiarov mill 12. The Risto Dzhukelov (Teacher in Galik) mill

There were a number of barns in the village where sheep and goats were kept. These were located and owned as follows:

There were a number of barns in the Beloets locality, four owned by Petre, Naum, Stilian and Giorgi Nikolovski, two owned by the Perelov (Ianov) family, one by Giorgi Trendov, one by the Lazarov family. The barns in the Giorgi Kupov locality were owned as follows; one was owned by File Kiru (koacho), one by the Stanishev family and one by Ioshe Balkov. The Selta locality had the largest number of barns where almost all the people of Zhelevo kept their livestock, with the exception of the following people who kept their sheep and goats at home: Todorka and Sofia Gaduchovi, Golanovci, Lambro Florov, Kosta Stanishev, the Bukurov family and others.

At that time there were thousands of sheep and goats as well as a good number of summer dairies which made feta cheese, butter, cottage cheese, sour milk and other dairy products. Most of the wool sheared from the sheep and goats was sold and some was used locally by the villagers.

Initially the village had only one school, but because of the large number of enrolled students the village built another one, a larger and more beautiful school. Unfortunately today there are very few young people left and the schools are sitting empty.

There are two beautiful churches in Zhelevo; Sveti Nikola and Sveti Atanas. The local cemetery is located near Sveti Atanas where Risto Mavrovski’s ancestors are buried. May they eternally rest in peace!

The geography of Zhelevo by neighbourhoods

Risto Mavrovski has made an attempt here, from what he remembers, to describe the village’s various neighbourhoods.

Let us begin from Broda following the road that leads to the village, which also divides the village into two parts: the upper and lower part. Near the main road in Broda there were two cafés owned by Foto Temov Sotirov and by Giorgi Trendov. Underneath that was Tanas, the driver, Ianu’s house. Deeper inside the Balkovtsi family had built a house in which Naum Perelov Ianu lived. Near here there was the Chekmeeto barn and the Bundovtsi fields. This was the old Broda. The new Broda had newly built houses that belonged to Iane Mandzhukov and to the Landzhakov family.

The Toshevtsi Neighborhood

From what Risto can remember, the following families lived in this neighbourhood:

1. The Stamovtsi – Stamu 2. The Balkovtsi – Balku 3. The Karafilovtsi – Karafilu 4. The Lazarovtsi – Lazaru

5. The Petkovtsi – Petku 6. The Patsovtsi – Paca 7. The Andonchini – Andoniu 8. The Ginovtsi – Ginu 9. The Nanovtsi – Nanu 10. The Sandrini – Sandras 11. The Dzholini – Andoniu 12. The Giakei – Andoniu 13. The Kirovtsi – Kiru 14. Spiro Lasko – Stergiu 15. The Florovtsi – Floru 16. The Milosovtsi – Mirtsu

There are a number of families with the same name in the above neighbourhood, which is why it appears to be small.

The Kileets Neighborhood

1. Nolevtsi – Nolis 2. Bodurovtsi – Boduris 3. Kochovtsi – Kotsu 4. Simovtsi – Simu 5. Dibranovtsi – Divranu 6. Bachkovtsi – Batsku 7. Kerchovtsi – Kertsu 8. Vangovtsi – Vangu 9. Papazovski – Papazis 10. Kachevtsi – Kaitsis 11. Karafilovtsi – Karanfilu

There are also a number of families with the same name in the above neighbourhood, which is why it too appears to be small.

The Golemata neighbourhood

1. Florovtsi – Floru 2. Chakovtsi – Tsaku 3. Shkavrevski, Mavrevtsi – Mavru 4. Bachkovi – Batsku 5. File Kovacho – Kiru

6. Temovtsi – Temu 7. Stanishovtsi – Stanisis 8. Gulini – Gulakis 9. Spiro Lazarov – Lazaru 10. Luchkovi – Lutsku 11. Goliot Petre - Papa Ilias 12. Kiumundzhiata – Goliu 13. Nikola Popovtski – Zega 14. File Mutufot – Theodoru 15. Todorovtsi – Theodoru 16. Mandzhukovtsi – Mandzukis 17. Risto Mandzhukov – Ianu 18. Tanas Markov – Marku 19. Kole Landzako – Landzakis 20. Sotirovtsi – Temu 21. Golanovtsi – Thedoru 22. Perelovtsi – Ianu 23. Todorka and Sofia - Theodoru (Luka Gadutsis) 24. Vasil Kroiachot – Temu 25. Lambro Bundov – Bundu 26. Volcho Florov – Floru 27. Lambro Stanishev – Stanisis 28. Ianaki Temov – Temu 29. Dudumovtsi – Dudumis 30. Liandzakoi – Landzakis 31. Trendovtsi – Trendu 32. Stilianovtsi – Nikolau 33. Vasil Nikolov – Nikolau 34. Nikola Nikolov - Nikolau (Kole the driver) 35. Voinovtsi – Voinu 36. Pando Nikolov – Nikolau 37. Petre, Naum, Risto, Giorgi, Iandro Nikolovi – Nikolau 38. Chachanovtsi – Tsatsanis 39. Lazo Miloshov – Mirtsu 40 Panaiot Mergelov – Mergelis

The Stred Selo neighbourhood

1. Naum Dido – Liandzaku 2. Chachani – Tsats inis

3. Kuzman Iovanovtsi – Ianu 4. Popovtsi – Papailias 5. Giro – Argiriu 6. Temelkov – Temelku 7. Iandrovtsi – Mirku 8. Markovtsi – Marku 9. Kufela – Kufelas 10. Todor vlao – 11. Iankulovtsi – Giankulas 12. Damovtsi – Damu 13. Trkalovtsi – Trkalas 14. Dodovtsi – Dodu 25. Spiro Dogramov – Ianu 26. Sarovtsi – Saru 27. Charevi – 28. Eftimovtsi Muha – Eftimiu 29. Giamovtsi – Giamu 30. Forcho – Hadzikiru 31. Stepanovtsi – Stepanis 32. Skandzhovtsi – Skandzu 33. Rumiakovtsi – Rumiaki 34. Laskovtsi – Stergiu

There are a number of families with the same name in the above neighbourhood, which is why it appears to be smaller than it is.

The Dolna neighbourhood

1. Adzhiovtsi 2. Ralevtsi – Ralis 3. Puchungovtsi – Putsungas 4. Brbalovtsi – Brbalas 5. Pachkovi – Patsku 6. Markovtsi – Marku 7. Bekiarovtsi – Bekaris 8. Bukurovtsi – Bukuris 9. Plchakovtsi Gaduchovi – Gadutsis

The Gorna neighbourhood

1. Mitanovtsi – Mitanis 2. Nanovtsi – Nanu 3. Lumburovtsi – Lumburu 4. Kurdzhovtsi - Kurdzu 5. Markovtsi – Marku 6. Kirovtsi – Kiru 7. Bundovtsi – Bundas 8. Mito Trpche – Bodani 9. Shmugrevi 10. Sico – Siku 11. Bodanovtsi – Kiru 12. Loni Pirpiko – Pirpikis 13. Bogdanovti – Bogdanis 14. Lizganovts – Lizganis 15. Risto Dzhukela – Sideris 16. Trpcheloi – Trptselas 17. Roshkovi Ianovtsi – Ianu 18. Lulovtsi – Lulus 19. Nichevi – Nitsu 20 Gligorovtsi – Gianu 21. Gaduchovi – Gadutsis 22. Luchkovi – Lutsku

There are many houses and families in the village that have the same surnames. For example, the Bekiarovtsi, Puchugovtsi, Markovtsi, Ianovtsi, Kirovtsi, Balkovtsi, Trkalovtsi, Temovtsi, Florovtsi and the Nikolovtsi.

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What did a family in Zhelevo have?

A typical house

Let us start with the storage room known as the “keral”. Located in the keral were; a great big wine barrel, a large granary cabinet divided into sections for various grains and flour, a number of upright barrels for storing pickled cabbages, pickled peppers, pickled tomatoes, feta cheese and salted meat. There was a loom and

all the necessary utensils for weaving cloth and making clothing, bed covers, rugs, carpets, etc.

Now let’s have a look at where people slept and what they covered themselves with. In the early days there were no beds. People slept on woven straw mats which they called “rogozna”. They were made of crushed wheat stalks and braided into long rolls that were then rolled and sewn into an oval shaped mat. The mat was rolled out on the floor at bedtime, slept on and rolled back and put away during the day. The “rogozna” was covered with a bedcover made of rags, towels and other clothing. Rags and other pieces of clothing were sewn together to make a bedcover to cover the rogozna. The covers used to cover the people were called “velentse”. These were made of wool woven into a thick blanket. Everyone usually slept in the same room. Women sometimes slept in separate rooms. People usually ate in the same room in which they slept. They gathered together around a low lying portable round table called a “sofra”. People sat on the floor when they ate. There were also a few chairs or wooden benches for sitting but they were only used during special occasions, holidays, name days, or other celebrations.

Each household had the following items: a “Cherepna”, a “saach” (semi-circular dome made of iron for baking in the fireplace), “noshfi” (cupboard), a “blud” (large circular board on which to knead bread and pastries), one or more “sito” (sieves for straining flour), one or more “vreteno” (spindles, rolling pins), a “sofra” (low lying portable round table), several “stolchinia” (chairs), a number of “kotel/kotli” (copper pot/pots and cauldrons for cooking and for boiling water for washing clothes), one or more “tigan” (pans for cooking and frying), etc. The copper objects were frequently sent to the local “kalaidzhia” (alchemist) and coated with “kalai” (silver solder) so they were always shiny and clean. There were also many pottery objects in each household including a “latvitsa” (large clay wide mouthed jug), “kiupovi” (clay pots), “grninia” (wide mouthed oval clay pots), “stomni” (large clay narrow mouthed jugs for storing water), “stomninia” (smaller clay narrow mouthed jugs for drinking water), etc. A chain was tied to the inside of the chimney to which a pot hung in which “kachamak” (maize porridge) was cooked. In terms of stoves and ovens, each household had a sheet metal “pechka” (oven), a metal “Katsia” (small shovel for scooping

coals and ash), a “masha” (metal tongs for picking up hot coals and burning wood), “pirustia” (metal tripod placed inside the fireplace for pots to sit on), etc. The families that had sheep had large tin “kolbi” (pot-like containers) for milking the sheep and tin “giumovi” or “tenekinia” (metal containers) for storing and transporting the milk.

Washing clothes was done at the river at several designated places. A large cauldron was placed on a tripod filled with water and a fire was lit under it until it boiled. The clothing and other items requiring washing were usually transported to the designated place by donkey, horse, or mule. They were then unloaded, boiled in the cauldron, rinsed in the river, placed on a flat and smooth rock plate and beaten with a wooden paddle called a “kopan” or with wooden sticks called “piralki”, which were especially made for doing laundry. After the clothes were washed they were spread out, dried and then taken home. The clothes were washed with ordinary soap but during the war years, 1941 to about 1944, there was no soap to purchase in the village so the women had to make their own soap. Here is the formula for making homemade soap: take some pork lard, lime and ash, mix them together and boil them. But before you do that, first melt the pork fat, add the ashes and then the lime, then mix the contents and boil them vigorously until they become a liquid. Then pour the liquid into soap bar size molds. When the liquid cools and dries you have your bars of soap. If no pork fat is available, use sheep or beef fat.

The homes in Zhelevo were usually lit with kerosene lamps, but when kerosene was not available people melted animal fat in a metal container, placed a wick in it, lit it and used it to see in the dark.

A typical “aur” (stable)

Stables where the animals (a horse, donkey, mule, cow, a pair of oxen, etc.) were usually kept was on the lowest floor of the home or in a barn. Besides housing the animals, the “aur” was also used for storing hay, straw and other types of animal feed. Inside the “aur” special stalls were built to house the cow, calf, oxen, etc. The “aur” floor was covered with dry ferns or straw and cleaned regularly. The contents collected were stored in a “bunishte” (manure pile) and

taken to the fields and spread in early spring. During the winter the animals were fed regularly indoors with hay, straw, dry grass, dried beech tree leaves, dried oak tree leaves and various ground up grains such as corn and bran. During the spring, summer and fall the large animals were sent to grazing grounds in the mountains. The sheep and goats were kept and fed in special barns outside of the village, indoors in the winter and taken outdoors to graze the rest of the time. They were fenced in pens during the night. There were special pens for the lambs and kids and a guard house for the shepherd to sleep in.

Necessary tools commonly found in a household included large and small axes (“baltia and baltiche”), large and small sledge hammers (“varia”), various sizes of wedges (“kninovi”) for splitting wood, one or more scythes (“kosa”) for cutting grass, large and small metal and wooden pitchforks (“vila”) for collecting hay, rakes (“griblo”), scythes (“srp”) for harvesting grain, a couple of varieties of plows (“Ralo” and “plug”) for turning soil, etc.

Typical foods

Bread was typically made from wheat, rye and corn. Everyday bread was made from corn or rye flour. Wheat bread was eaten during holidays and on special occasions. Baked goods for special occasions included “pogacha” (a large round loaf of bread), “Zelnik” (a flat pastry with vegetable filling), “maznik” (a flat pastry like a zelnik but made with butter and cheese but no vegetable filling), “pupalina” (tiny loafs of round bread the size of bread rolls), etc. Besides bread and bread products, cheese, etc., people also ate potatoes, beans, leeks, peppers, tomatoes, onions, peas, lentils, cordage, pumpkins, cabbage, sorrel, nettles, milkweed for salad, “boltur” (crushed wheat) in place of rice, kasha made of flour and a variety of macaroni.

From the cow and sheep milk, the people of the village made feta cheese, cottage cheese, buttermilk, butter, etc., enough to feed the entire family. One cow could feed four children and two adults. Each cow produced about 4 “oki” (about 6 liters) of milk a day. During late fall Vlach (Karakachan) merchants came to the village

and sold feta and cottage cheese which supplied the village through the whole winter and spring.

Most of the supply of meat for the winter came from the family pig which was slaughtered before Christmas and its meat and fat preserved in various ways to last to the end of the next spring. One pig yielded about 80 to 90 kilograms. A lamb or sheep was also slaughtered during holidays and special occasions. Those who had money were able to purchase their meat from the butchers. On rare occasions, usually at weddings, an ox was slaughtered and eaten. Chickens too were eaten on special occasions. Eggs were a regular in the diet as each family raised a dozen or so chickens.

The people of Zhelevo were very religious and followed all the rituals required of them by their religion. They fasted and abstained from eating meat and fatty products before Easter, Christmas and other important holidays as well as every Wednesday and Friday.

The population was generally poor because it had limited earning power. With the little money they earned families needed to purchase kerosene, oil, salt and sugar; they had no money to purchase anything more. Kerosene was an essential commodity necessary to illuminate the home during the dark. During the long nights children spent their time listening to the stories that their grandparents told them, mostly about beautiful things. Sometimes they told them stories about things that went bump in the night including stories about vampires, dragons, nymphs, ghosts, living saints, and about many other things. After such a story the children were afraid to go outside in the dark.

Clothes the villagers wore

In those days men and boys wore inner clothing made of linen such as shirts and shorts and on top of those they wore knitted woolen sweaters and black woven vests. On the bottom they wore knee high, knitted woolen socks that were covered by white woven pants held by a wide sash. They had no shoes so they wore pig-skin slippers. Those who had shoes, even the kind made of rubber, wore them during special occasions, name days, weddings and holidays. The women and girls wore similar clothing but their clothes were

embroidered and more colourful. The women also wore a very colourful apron. Only those who had relatives abroad and who had money wore modern clothes.

Risto Mihail Shkavrev, Mavrovski (1928-2004)

Risto Mihail Shkavrev, Mavrovski was born in 1928, in the village Zhelevo, Lerin Region, Greek occupied Macedonia. Risto’s mother was Neda and his father was Mihail Boikov. Officially Risto was registered as being born in 1929 but, in reality, he was born towards the end of 1928. Risto was Mihail and Neda’s third son but soon after his birth his oldest brother Krsto died. Risto comes from a poor rural working family; his father was a bricklayer by profession and provided for his family with hammer and trowel in hand, his mother had a small farm in the village to look after. But in addition to looking after the farm and her own family, Neda also had a blind mother and a nephew to look after. The political and economic situation at the time was poor but thanks to Risto’s working parents, the family managed to stay afloat. Risto started attending Greek school in the village school in 1934 and after finishing grade six went to work as a cow herder and helped out on the farm. Risto’s sister Sofia was born in 1932, the same year Risto took on responsibility for looking after the family cow, calf and donkey. That’s when Risto’s hard life began – looking after the cattle in the summer and going to school in the fall, winter and spring. Risto, only five years old at the time, looked after the cattle with much older boys. Included among them were: Giorgi Stanishev, Anastas Risto Nikolov, Tanas (Risto’s aunt Mara Trendova’s son) and Kole (File Kovachot’s son). Risto was later joined by boys his age like Stavro (Giorgi Nikolov’s son) Vangel and Pando (Risto’s aunt’s boys), Spiro (Pando Trendov’s son), Tanas (Iane Boinov’s son), Vangel (Kole Shoferot’s son), Giorgi (Ristana Lazarova’s son), Stoian (Vasil Stanishev’s son) and others. The children that were mentioned above were called “bashkari” (working alone) because they grazed their cattle on their own. The village had a common village herdsman who grazed the village cattle. The village also had a separate common herdsman in Seltse.

Risto’s grandmother Stoina (“baba Ioteitsa”) died in 1937, the same year his youngest brother Nikola was born. After his grandmother’s

death, Risto’s family continued to live in the same house. His father worked as a mason in the surrounding villages, mainly in the village Bouf where his older brother Spiro had joined him as a mason’s apprentice. In 1939 Vasil got married and soon afterwards a new wing was added to the house to accommodate Vasil and his wife. All this took place before October 28, 1940, the start of World War II.

Risto Mavrovski’s schooling was in the village and the following is a list of his classmates and peers with whom he attended school:

1. Elena Ianu 2. Alexandra Balku 3. Petrina Ginu 4. Nikola Nanu 5. Andoni Antoniou 6. Tomaki Lazarov 7. Zora Tsaku 8. Arhonda Batsku 9. Sofia Kiru 10. Giorgi Lazaru 11. Stoian Stanishev 12. Sevda Stanishev 13. Trendafila Gaduchis 14. Trendafila Bundoa 15. Sotir Theodoru 16. Atanas Voinu 17. Stavros Nikolaou 18. Vasili Puchunga 19. Nikola Puchunga 20. Sevda Marku 21. Arta Mirchea 22. Foti Kufela 23. Arhonda Trkalaa 24. Klanthi Popiliu 25. Fani Peiu 26. Eleni Stepani 27. Foti Stepani 28. Sevda Iankula 29. Ianula Giamu

30. Kire Marku 31. Aleko Mitani 32. Stavro Marku 33. Stavro Gaduchi 34. Traiko Pirpiko 35. Aleko Stergiu 36. Vangeli Mirchu 37. Risto Shkavrev Mavrovski

Children’s games played in Zhelevo

In those days there was no electricity in the village and very little light in late evening, especially during late fall, winter and early spring, so most games were played at school. During recess the boys played games such as: klendzha, pupa, trchanie (running), Skokanie (jumping), shooting with a wooden toy rifle, various athletic exercises and soccer with a ball made of rags. The girls stayed together in groups and sang songs, played girl’s games, taught each other how to knit, how to wash clothing and how to cook so that they could assist their mothers at home. The village had a playground where the older children gathered, formed teams and played soccer. The playground was also used for tournaments against children’s teams from other villages. During the occupation the children’s teams played against the German soldiers. In early fall, during harvest time, children got together at the more affluent homes of those who had harvested corn and assisted in removing the corn kernels from the cob, a job that was done by hand. The hostess in the meantime made dinner for everyone, which included cooked corn. The winters in Zhelevo were beautiful. There was plenty of snow and many slopes on which to toboggan and ski. The children used homemade sleds, skis and toboggans made of simple boards to slide down the local slopes, especially in the Raicheitsa and Kasiritsa localities. The children also made their own snowshoes from dried beech tree branches and ran after each other on top of the snow, having snowball fights and throwing snowballs at the girls. In the spring and summer most children were sent out to work in the mountains, looking after the cattle. During the spring, usually on Sundays, the boys and girls took their horses and donkeys to graze in the forest while they gathered dry firewood and bouquets of flowers. They sang songs while returning to the village. Once in a

while the school organized field trips to the Raicheitsa locality where the children participated in planting evergreen trees. The village also had one of its roads paved spanning from the main highway over Broda to the beautiful Sveti Nikola Church. The paving was paid for with help from the villagers who worked in Canada and by volunteer labour donated by the people of Zhelevo. This was the first paved road in the entire area, an envy of every village. The promenade was in Broda which had several taps of running water, a few café’s where the older men played cards and the younger men met their first love. But it was obligatory that everyone go to church on Sundays and all other holidays. The children who did not go to church were fined by the local police and later faced consequences in school. Such was the life of a child in Zhelevo.

Teachers who taught in the Zhelevo School

Dimitrios Kiru (Taki Daskalot) Director of the Zhelevo School Georgis Hadzhiavgustidu, Greek (Asia Minor colonist) Sofia Kopanidu, Greek Fanitsa (surname unknown), Greek Sofia Despinis Chula

The first three teachers named above taught grades three to six. Fanitsa and Chula taught from preschool to second grade. The new school was large and beautiful. A school day was typically six hours long, three hours before noon and three after, with one hour for lunch. Children attended six days a week, excluding Sunday. Saturday was a half day that lasted until lunch time. Everything that was taught in school was in the Greek language, a difficult language to learn and everything was about Greece, alien to the Macedonian children who were not recognized as Macedonians and were not allowed to express themselves in Macedonian, punishable by lashes, scolding and humiliation. Children were taught the following subjects: Greek Language, Grammar, Arithmetic, Geography, Ancient Greek History, Religion, Topography, Nature, Modern Greek History, Housekeeping and Gymnastics.

There were no textbooks available in those days so each student had to write down everything that the teacher taught in a notebook and