Urani Rumbo
Encyclopedia
Urani Rumbo was an Albanian
feminist
, teacher and playwright. She founded various associations promoting women's rights, the most important of which was Lidhja e Gruas (English
: Woman's Union), one of first prominent feminist organizations of Albania.
in southern Albania
. Her father, Spiro Rumbo, was a teacher in the nearby villages. She had three brothers, Kornil, Thanas and Dhimitër Rumbo, and a sister Emily as well a teacher at the elementary school.
She received elementary education and completed six grades at the school of Filiates
, where her father worked as a teacher. At the same time she became familiar with the works of notable Albanian folklorists and writers. She knew how to write in Albanian
and Greek
fluently and from the age of fifteen she began teaching Albanian literature. From 1910 Rumbo attended a high school in Ioannina
, but her education was interrupted by the Balkan wars
. During the war she taught herself Italian
and French
.
From 1916 to 1917 she worked in Dhoksat, a town in southern Albania, as a teacher of Albanian literature, where she promoted the use of the Albanian language. From 1917 to 1918 she taught in Mingul and Nokovë, while in 1919 she taught in the De Rada school of Gjirokastër. In 1919 she began an initiative against female illiteracy and a tradition of restricting women to specific parts of the household. In 1920 she opened the Koto Hoxhi school, named after Koto Hoxhi
, one of the Rilindas of Albania. The Koto Hoxhi school, was a five year primary school for girls, from all parts of Gjirokastër and of all religions. A few years later she became the director of the school.
In the period of the democratic movement in Albania from 1921 to 1924, Rumbo published in local newspapers Demokratia and Drita
articles on problems faced by Albanian women, especially the issue of education. At the same period she developed training courses for women in tailoring, embroidering, agriculture, music and gardening. She also wrote and directed theater plays and organized school theater performances to encourage girls to participate in public life.
On November 23, 1920, with Hashibe Harshova, Naxhije Hoxha, and Xhemile Balili she founded in Gjirokastër Lidhja e Gruas, one of the most important feminist organizations of Albania promoting women's emanincipation. They published a declaration in the newspaper Drita, protesting social conditions and discrimination against women. In 1923 Urani Rumbo began a campaign along with other women for the right of girls to attend the lyceum of Gjirokastër as boys did.
On July 25, 1924, Rumbo founded the feminist organization Përmirësimi "Improvement". Përmirësimi organized educational courses for women of different social stati. On July 4, 1930, she was accused by the authorities of encouraging girl students of the Koto Hoxhi school to perform in theater plays. She responded with an article in the newspaper Demokratia denouncing the accusations as absurd. Although she was supported by public opinion across Albania, the ministry of education transferred her to Vlorë
, where she worked until her death on March 26, 1936.
: Urani Rumbo: Mësuese e Popullit), while the second was published in 2008 and is titled Urani Rumbo: The famous worker of the Albanian school (Albanian
: Urani Rumbo punëtore e shquar e shkollës shqiptare).
On March 1, 1961, Urani Rumbo was posthumously awarded the Mësuese e Popullit (English
: Teacher of the People) medal. In modern times a school in the city of Gjirokastër was named after Urani Rumbo.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, teacher and playwright. She founded various associations promoting women's rights, the most important of which was Lidhja e Gruas (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Woman's Union), one of first prominent feminist organizations of Albania.
Biography
Urani Rumbo was born in December 1895 in Stegopuli, a village near GjirokastërGjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
in southern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. Her father, Spiro Rumbo, was a teacher in the nearby villages. She had three brothers, Kornil, Thanas and Dhimitër Rumbo, and a sister Emily as well a teacher at the elementary school.
She received elementary education and completed six grades at the school of Filiates
Filiates
Filiates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:...
, where her father worked as a teacher. At the same time she became familiar with the works of notable Albanian folklorists and writers. She knew how to write in Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
fluently and from the age of fifteen she began teaching Albanian literature. From 1910 Rumbo attended a high school in Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
, but her education was interrupted by the Balkan wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
. During the war she taught herself Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
From 1916 to 1917 she worked in Dhoksat, a town in southern Albania, as a teacher of Albanian literature, where she promoted the use of the Albanian language. From 1917 to 1918 she taught in Mingul and Nokovë, while in 1919 she taught in the De Rada school of Gjirokastër. In 1919 she began an initiative against female illiteracy and a tradition of restricting women to specific parts of the household. In 1920 she opened the Koto Hoxhi school, named after Koto Hoxhi
Koto Hoxhi
Koto Hoxhi was an advocate of the Albanian language. He taught this language secretly to his students in Qestorat in Southern Albania. He was imprisoned and died in prison for his beliefs.-Biography:...
, one of the Rilindas of Albania. The Koto Hoxhi school, was a five year primary school for girls, from all parts of Gjirokastër and of all religions. A few years later she became the director of the school.
In the period of the democratic movement in Albania from 1921 to 1924, Rumbo published in local newspapers Demokratia and Drita
Drita (magazine)
Drita magazine is an Albanian literary magazine published by the Association of the Young Modern Artists of Albania . Drita was one of the first magazines in the Albanian language. It has been published for 127 years with some interruptions.-History: 1883-1922:Drita was one of the first magazines...
articles on problems faced by Albanian women, especially the issue of education. At the same period she developed training courses for women in tailoring, embroidering, agriculture, music and gardening. She also wrote and directed theater plays and organized school theater performances to encourage girls to participate in public life.
On November 23, 1920, with Hashibe Harshova, Naxhije Hoxha, and Xhemile Balili she founded in Gjirokastër Lidhja e Gruas, one of the most important feminist organizations of Albania promoting women's emanincipation. They published a declaration in the newspaper Drita, protesting social conditions and discrimination against women. In 1923 Urani Rumbo began a campaign along with other women for the right of girls to attend the lyceum of Gjirokastër as boys did.
On July 25, 1924, Rumbo founded the feminist organization Përmirësimi "Improvement". Përmirësimi organized educational courses for women of different social stati. On July 4, 1930, she was accused by the authorities of encouraging girl students of the Koto Hoxhi school to perform in theater plays. She responded with an article in the newspaper Demokratia denouncing the accusations as absurd. Although she was supported by public opinion across Albania, the ministry of education transferred her to Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, where she worked until her death on March 26, 1936.
Legacy
There have been written two biographies of Urani Rumbo. The first was published in 1977 and is titled Urani Rumbo: Teacher of the People (AlbanianAlbanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
: Urani Rumbo: Mësuese e Popullit), while the second was published in 2008 and is titled Urani Rumbo: The famous worker of the Albanian school (Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
: Urani Rumbo punëtore e shquar e shkollës shqiptare).
On March 1, 1961, Urani Rumbo was posthumously awarded the Mësuese e Popullit (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Teacher of the People) medal. In modern times a school in the city of Gjirokastër was named after Urani Rumbo.