Vallahades
Encyclopedia
The Vallahades or Valaades (Βαλαάδες) were a Greek
-speaking, Muslim
population who lived along the river Haliacmon
in southwest Macedonia
, in and around Anaselitsa
and Grevena
. They numbered about 12,000.
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The Vallahades were descendants of Orthodox Christians who converted to Islam in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Their culture, however, did not differ much from that of Christian Greeks
. According to Bulgarian geographer Vasil Kanchov
's statistics there was 14 373 Greeks Muslims in Macedonia in the end of 19th century. According to Greek statistics from 1904 16 070 Vallahades inhabited the kazas of Anaselitsa (Lyapchishta) and Grevena
.
They were wealthy and industrious, which is why their prospective inclusion in the population exchange between Greece and Turkey
was opposed by the governor of Kozani
. The Vallahades spoke Greek natively and continued to respect their Greek and Orthodox Christian heritage. This also partly explains why so many Vallahades joined the Bektashi dervish order, considered heretical by mainstream Sunni Muslims owing to its libertine and heterogeneous nature, combining extremist Shi'ite, pre-Islamic Turkish, and Greek/Balkan Christian elements and so favoured by Ottoman Muslim converts of Albanian and northern Greek origin. Nevertheless, pressure from the local military, the press, and the incoming Greek Orthodox refugees from Anatolia
left no chance for the exemption of the Vallahades (who were seen by these groups as 'Turkish in soul') from the population exchange. The Vallahades themselves seemed to be willing to move to Anatolia, which took place in 1923. They continued to speak Greek in Turkey, though they have taken a Turkish
identity.
Even after their deportation, they continued to celebrate New Year's Day
with a Vasilopita
, generally considered to be a Christian custom associated with Saint Basil
, but they have renamed it a cabbage/greens/leek cake and do not leave a piece for the saint.
The name Vallaades comes from the Turco-Muslim expression vallah 'by God!', which was supposedly the only Arabic or Turkish these relatively late Greek Muslim converts ever bothered to learn. Though some Western travellers speculated that 'Vallaades' is connected to the ethnonym Vlach
, this is improbable, as the Vallahades were always Greek-speaking with no detectable Vlach influences.
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;...
-speaking, Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
population who lived along the river Haliacmon
Haliacmon
The Haliacmon is the longest river in Greece, with a total length of . Haliacmon is the traditional English name for the river, but many sources cite the formerly official Katharevousa version of the name, Aliákmon...
in southwest Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
, in and around Anaselitsa
Neapoli, Kozani
Neapoli is a town and a former municipality in Kozani peripheral unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Voio, of which it is a municipal unit. It has a population of 5,121 . It was known as Nasliç during Ottoman rule and was a part of...
and Grevena
Grevena
Grevena is a town and municipality in Greece, capital of the Grevena peripheral unit. The town's current population is 10,447 citizens; it lies about 400 km from Athens and about 180 km from Thessaloniki. The municipality's population is 30,564...
. They numbered about 12,000.
History and culture
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
. According to Bulgarian geographer Vasil Kanchov
Vasil Kanchov
Vasil Kanchov was a Bulgarian geographer, ethnographer and politician.- Biography :Vasil Kanchov was born in Vratsa. Upon graduating from High school in Lom, Bulgaria, he entered the University of Harkov, then in Russia. During the Serbo-Bulgarian War 1885 he suspended his education and took part...
's statistics there was 14 373 Greeks Muslims in Macedonia in the end of 19th century. According to Greek statistics from 1904 16 070 Vallahades inhabited the kazas of Anaselitsa (Lyapchishta) and Grevena
Grevena
Grevena is a town and municipality in Greece, capital of the Grevena peripheral unit. The town's current population is 10,447 citizens; it lies about 400 km from Athens and about 180 km from Thessaloniki. The municipality's population is 30,564...
.
They were wealthy and industrious, which is why their prospective inclusion in the population exchange between Greece and Turkey
Population exchange between Greece and Turkey
The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey was based upon religious identity, and involved the Greek Orthodox citizens of Turkey and the Muslim citizens of Greece...
was opposed by the governor of Kozani
Kozani
Kozani is a city in northern Greece, capital of Kozani regional unit and of West Macedonia region. It is located in the western part of Macedonia, in the northern part of the Aliakmonas river valley...
. The Vallahades spoke Greek natively and continued to respect their Greek and Orthodox Christian heritage. This also partly explains why so many Vallahades joined the Bektashi dervish order, considered heretical by mainstream Sunni Muslims owing to its libertine and heterogeneous nature, combining extremist Shi'ite, pre-Islamic Turkish, and Greek/Balkan Christian elements and so favoured by Ottoman Muslim converts of Albanian and northern Greek origin. Nevertheless, pressure from the local military, the press, and the incoming Greek Orthodox refugees from Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
left no chance for the exemption of the Vallahades (who were seen by these groups as 'Turkish in soul') from the population exchange. The Vallahades themselves seemed to be willing to move to Anatolia, which took place in 1923. They continued to speak Greek in Turkey, though they have taken a Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
identity.
Even after their deportation, they continued to celebrate New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
with a Vasilopita
Vasilopita
Vasilopita is a New Year's Day bread or cake in Greece and many other areas in eastern Europe and the Balkans which contains a hidden coin or trinket which gives good luck to the receiver...
, generally considered to be a Christian custom associated with Saint Basil
Basil of Caesarea
Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great, was the bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia, Asia Minor . He was an influential 4th century Christian theologian...
, but they have renamed it a cabbage/greens/leek cake and do not leave a piece for the saint.
The name Vallaades comes from the Turco-Muslim expression vallah 'by God!', which was supposedly the only Arabic or Turkish these relatively late Greek Muslim converts ever bothered to learn. Though some Western travellers speculated that 'Vallaades' is connected to the ethnonym Vlach
Vlachs
Vlach is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. English variations on the name include: Walla, Wlachs, Wallachs, Vlahs, Olahs or Ulahs...
, this is improbable, as the Vallahades were always Greek-speaking with no detectable Vlach influences.
See also
- The 1923 Population ExchangePopulation exchange between Greece and TurkeyThe 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey was based upon religious identity, and involved the Greek Orthodox citizens of Turkey and the Muslim citizens of Greece...
- Greek MuslimsGreek MuslimsGreek Muslims, also known as Greek-speaking Muslims, are Muslims of Greek ethnic origin, nowadays found mainly in Turkey, although migrations to Lebanon and Syria have been reported. Historically, Greek Orthodoxy has been associated with being Romios, i.e...
- Cretan Muslims
- PomaksPomaksPomaks is a term used for a Slavic Muslim population native to some parts of Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo. The Pomaks speak Bulgarian as their native language, also referred to in Greece and Turkey as Pomak language, and some are fluent in Turkish,...