By Prof. Murat Gecaj
Memorie.al / Anila Dahriu, originally from Çamëria, born in the city of Vlora, where she lived with her family until the terrible year 1997, when she left Albania and settled as an immigrant in Italy, in this interview with the well-known professor, Murat Gecaj, recounts some of her vicissitudes and the difficult family life, before the 90s in the city of Vlora, due to the family biography of the class struggle, the people who were close to her in those difficult days, not being given the right to study for high school, hard work at the Cannery Factory, her leaving Albania and settling in Italy, graduating from an Aesthetic Academy, her return to her old passion, poetry , her organic connection with books and literature, her literary creativity, the friends who helped her and the writers who organized the publications and promotions of her books, in poetry and in prose, etc.
Ms. Anila, I hope you remember that, first, we met acquaintances in a beautiful event, which was organized in Tirana, on the occasion of the inauguration of some new books…? What impressions do you keep from that day?
Greetings professor! Yes, it was indeed a special day, where apart from the warm rays of June 2011, which enveloped the city of Tirana, they also enveloped my soul, coming from the pangs of emotions that I felt. I used to come there from afar, for the presentation of my books; “Let me come with you” and “Don’t hurt my feelings”, taken care of by the well-known poet and writer Pilo Zyba, who was the protagonist of the organization of this event. Together with me were two talented young creators, Dëshira Haxhi and Sajmir Hide.
What filled me with special emotions and inspired me immensely was the fact that, on that very day, the commemoration of the well-known poet Vehbi Skenderi took place. So, I felt quite privileged, that my books and those of my colleagues were also inaugurated in honor of this great poet of our country, where I and my friends gave our modest help financially, for the realization of that activity of beautiful and unforgettable. I felt, with all my heart, among well-known people of Albanian letters. I was happy to receive their congratulations, as well as their kind criticism, an impetus for the future in my creativity.
Not only for me, but also for the readers of these lines, it is of interest to know something more about your life: background, education, family, work, etc.
I was born in the city of Vlora, on May 25, 1970, from a simple family of Cham origin. My parents immigrated to Albania, in 1945, forced by the persecution and extermination of this ethnic group, in their ancestral lands, in the neighboring Greek country, where they forcibly occupied all the lands and possessions they had left. I grew up under their strict care and education, as time itself forced you to create a protective wall to survive, in that dark period of the communist dictatorship. I was the youngest child in a large family of 8 children. My parents, with great sacrifices, worked hard for our education, which was one of their most legitimate and primary demands on us.
My father, a simple intellectual, an economist in one of the city’s agricultural enterprises, took care throughout his life, among thousands of difficulties, to create a shelter for us and all the possible materials for our life, quite complicated by the regime of time. Then, one after the other, each of us children took care of the little ones. My mother was quite demanding of us children. She worked in the city’s cannery and, thanks to her, I created my strong character and managed to bravely face, later, all the “battles” of my life.
Here, I cannot fail to mention my grandmother, the “protecting fate”, who played an important part in my life. I stayed with him for 22 years, as well as mine. But the merciless death took me one after the other, within a year. Perhaps, this period was the most difficult of my life and influenced my further formation. So I found myself between the colossal transformations of my country and the loss of the dearest people in my life. Further, I would long miss that former shelter, that guide of my steps in my life, happening in its unexpectedness. That I would no longer have that warmth of my grandmother, when day and night she wove the sweetest wishes and words for me, when I served her with such zeal and love.
In 1988, I graduated from Industrial High School, in the mechanical branch. I decided not to continue further, as my inclinations belonged to the branch of literature. During those years, until 1991, I worked in one of the city’s enterprises. Meanwhile, we would all find ourselves in front of a furious and necessary giant, who came as a surprise. So, the miracle happened: the transformation of the system, the wind of democracy blew furiously even in our shelters. Yes, would it be like that?!
In 1996, after the publication of my first book of poems, “Porta e vode”, edited by the well-known researcher and writer Bardhosh Gaçe, I decided to start my studies at the Language-Literature branch of “Eqerem Çabej” University, in Gjirokastra. I was very enthusiastic and because we had great economic difficulties. I had embarked on this path with my own strength and the support of my mother, so that I could study and realize my dream. But, unfortunately, I was forced not to continue my studies, due to the unfortunate situations that arose in my city. It was in that year that I met my husband, with whom we still travel on the “tracks” of life, which we have created together. These years have been and are the years that have influenced my literary education.
Having decided to leave my country on March 17, 1977, with the ghost ships, in search of the future, I was separated for a long period from my former dream, nesting, not forgetting, the tragedies of that time and the channel of Otranto, after a week of arrival on the other side of the Adriatic. So I left my city behind and decided to be the savior of my life, taking care of my granddaughter as well. After my father’s death, I took care of her education and upbringing…! I well remember that day in March, when I clutched her tightly in my bosom, amid raging waves that could swallow our ship with 400 people inside. But now, after so many years, I am very happy, that my niece has created her own family and lives in Rome, together with the husband of a daughter.
I think I can still hear the screams of that March morning, when with “Kalashnikov” in hand, the bandits were shooting in the air, towards the sky, to scare the crowd, which was approaching with the intention of getting on the Karakat ship…! It still seems to me that I hear the cries of children and the sobs of mothers, when they escorted their children to another, unknown world…! I was more fortunate, perhaps, in writing one day of this ghastly event than my neighbors. That, after a week, they were swallowed by the great sea and became food for fish?! So, when I arrived in the wings of the future, together with my granddaughter, so shocked and immersed in vomiting, I decided to fight the monstrous anxieties that had conquered my soul and body.
I began to devote myself with all my powers to my new life and my granddaughter. Breaking away from my writing and my dream to testify, I kept my memories there, in the “chest” of the years that passed and I didn’t want to wake them up…! Currently, I live in Pietrapaola in Calabria, which is my husband’s birthplace. We moved here four years ago. For a long period I lived, together with my family, in Florence, where we had started to build the future. In 2008, after the world crisis, which also affected our family, an even tougher battle for survival began. After 2 years, I lost my mother forever, which was another severe stroke of luck for me. But, like all the battles of life, and this time the simplicity and understanding of its values won…!
And, as they say in an expression, after a bad thing comes a good one. So, I returned to my dream of writing. Currently, in the summer season, I work in my studio (beauty salon) and in the winter months, I take care of reading and studying my favorite authors, both Albanian and foreign. Yes, in general, I read a lot of foreign literature, which influences and fills my literary education. The most important is the dedication to our family, the care and education of the children, Davide and Simone.
As you indicated above, like many Albanian young men and women, you have been in emigration for some time, in Italy. How do you experience this and how does it maintain your ties with your birthplace, Albania?
Yes, I have been away from the Motherland for 17 years. But, at the same time, during this time, I have already fully adapted to neighboring Italy. Here I wanted to emphasize, honestly answering your question, that I experienced emigration strongly and very harshly, in the years 1993-’94, when I was with my brothers, in the city of Bari. Our stay there was short, only one year. Then I was forced to return to my hometown, due to my illness, which took me forever after two months. This was the strongest punch that life gave me. My mother lived alone with my 13-year-old niece, because my sister remarried a person who, according to them, could never be her father…! Regarding my integration, in this foreign country, I can say that it was the greatest opportunity to lay the foundations of your life. That I was young and intellectually capable. While some compatriots, unfortunately, saw you as a “strange species”, that I had decided to cross the sea, without a “marriage crown”?!
In that March of arrival in Italy, as I mentioned above, I was looking to design and realize my life in a new field. And that was the beauty of it. With patience and study, I continued my studies at the Trick Academy school for three years, achieving what I wanted. Of course, the obstacles were microscopic, because I had the unsparing help of my husband Mikele Longo, who has supported me in all my initiatives. Thus, my integration was more than understandable and feasible.
How are your relations with Albania?
In the undivided ties with Albania, I have tried to have a report as concrete as possible. As to my family and compatriots, I have not told them the “flaws” of good luck in emigration, but honestly, the many difficulties and obstacles that can appear in a country that is more integrated with time, unlike us…! I came to my native country, when the opportunities were presented to me, and I keep in touch with relatives, creative colleagues, kind friends, with the many means of communication that exist today. Of course, my longing for Albania is great, and I try to instill the love for it in my children.
We mentioned at the beginning of this conversation that a “weak point” of your daily life is literary creativity. When did you start writing poetry, what books have you published so far and can you tell us something, briefly, about their subject matter and content? And in prose, do you write?
Yes, indeed, my weak point is literary creativity, it is like the flow of blood in my veins, where I feel the whole, experience the thrill of the soul. That, when inspiration comes, I must find myself in front of a white paper, pencil in hand, or in front of the computer screen. Thus, I am under the background of a light music, which accompanies me during these experienced feelings, under the fever of emotions.
I wrote early. I remember being only 10 years old and, from time to time, listening to my grandmother under the light coming in from the window of the room, where she often sat by the bed and patched the knees of our poverty. She sang in tears and tears flowed down her cheeks, already smooth from the years. As I approached her, saying: “Mom, why did they cry like this, because no one died?!” She smiled kindly at me, caressed my yellow hair and answered me: “How do you remember, my daughter, that your nana has not had any problems in this life, she has not met the death of her children?
We left the earth bloody with the skeletons of parents and heaps of innocent people thrown into the pits of hell, without fault!” Of course, I was horrified when I heard these shocking stories of hers and I thought that I was the happiest child because, until then, I had only known warmth. I looked at him thoughtfully, because I was a very curious child and whispered to myself: “Yes, yes…! One day, I want to write this story….”!
My poetry was born in that place, where I put my head first, among the first storms and cries of youth. So, I collected them in a bundle and decided to publish the first book, with the title “The Gate of Self”.Subsequently, in 2010, I published poetry books;”Let me come with you” and “Don’t hurt my heart”, under the care of my friend Pilo Zyba, poet and writer known since before the 90s, who has been living, working, creating in Greece for 30 years . While, without stopping, a year later I published two more poetry books, the last one under the care of the writer and publicist Albert Zholi, with the titles “Drithërim Zane” and “The Right of the Unknown”…!
It is a pleasure to tell you that, these days, my new book of poems, in Albanian-Italian, will be published. Together with the talented poet and writer Fatima Kulli, we selected my best poems. While Prof. Dr. Klara Kodra took care of their translation and thus we realized the new volume, “Fra le costole del peccato”, (“Through the ribs of sin”). At first, the inauguration will take place here, where I live, and in five other places, with the Arberian ethnic group of Calabria. Thus, they will have the opportunity to get to know more closely a part of the culture of the great-grandchildren of our legendary hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu.
But I also tried to write in prose from an early age. I remember that, the parts I wrote, I read to my unforgettable mother and my friend, Natasha Kasneci, who was my first push and who insisted on immersing myself in the field of literature. She has a part of her influence on my literary formation, so she was my first teacher. Apparently, she understood a lot about me and for a period of time, 1994-’97, pursued me diligently.Therefore, I am always grateful to him for this.
I am happy to see and read that you are constantly publishing new creations. If it is not “secret”, what are your plans for publishing other books in the future?
First, I’m showing you that my day starts like this…! I get up early in the morning. After browsing the Internet, I stop at a poem, story, or nonfiction piece. I am informed about everything, about the happenings of the day, the actuality, both of the country where I live and of my hometown. So, I can say with complete conviction, they become the trigger for me to write and publish a little bit there.
I am a pragmatist, I like the moment and invent something, with the help of fantasy…! Later, and this happens almost every day, especially in the winter season, I have created my own discipline of writing work. I read and study for a few hours and then write something short, an essay. While later I dive into the newly started novel as long as inspiration time allows, no further.
I have no other “secrets” except what I confessed, which is partly my life. Every change and book that I write, perhaps, has its point. But the detail of the novel, which I wrote, is an event, from what I think, that could happen. My fantasy plays a role here, nothing more…! And so it will be in the future, as far as I write. Every drop experienced has turned into a journey of my fantasy, where I get into the characters and experience their lives.
Future books? Yes, I can tell you, as a “secret reveal” that is being edited, my first book of stories and I think I will publish it this year. As for the novel, I believe I will publish it next year. While I am also writing the second novel, where I think I will put all my strength, with the desire to finish it next year. Yes, as you know, time takes its time. In my “dream drawer”, there are many, many books that I want to write, in the future, if God will allow me to have health and life…
Do you want to add something else to this short conversation of ours?
Yes, I am quite happy, Professor, that you honored me with your request to have this conversation, together! Let’s hope that it brings us luck and I wish you all the best in this life! I really want to meet again soon in Tirana, for the inauguration of my new books. With much respect to you, from me, Anila!
It was a pleasure, Anila, to get to know your creative life and work, with precious values. We thank you for answering the questions, with correctness and sincerity, and wish you all the best, both in work and creativity and in family and social life!
Once again, thank you professor. Memorie.al
July, 2013
Taken from gazetadielli.com
