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Profile-He came back from Greece to build his dreams in his homeland!/ Mihal Bedriu the stonemason of Voskopojë

2024-09-13 17:10:00, Kulturë CNA

Profile-He came back from Greece to build his dreams in his homeland!/ Mihal

Somewhere in the heart of Voskopoja, where ancient stories and old crafts intertwine, lives Mihali the master of stones.

An old master in a modern world like Mihali never forgot his homeland.

Greece, which faced Albanians with social and economic challenges, has taught Mihal the trade.

Discrimination and challenges with documentation disappear before the eyes of this 43-year-old as he remembers that he became who he is from that foreign land.

Often as he carves stones in his yard, he remembers the years of his youth when he struggled to bring to his country everything he had learned in emigration.

"I stole the craft while emigrating to Greece, I did that work there, and I thought of bringing it here. With what tradition loves and the country demands the stone. There are requests for everything here, even what you don't think is actually requested. We do what we can do, because we can't do everything."

In Greece, Mihali did not work only as a simple worker, as he proudly shows that in the neighboring country he was given the opportunity to learn from a professor of the Academy of Arts.

"I learned more when I was in emigration, as I worked with a professor of the Academy of Arts there and the interest in sculptures in his workshop was very high."

This stonemason who once started with full of hope and passion, now after many years says that he will not inherit this craft to his son.

"I have two little girls, but even if God had blessed me with a son, I would not have taught them this craft. In addition to being hard work, it is not valued as it should be by the market."

Stones are strong and often remain eternal, he knows that time is merciless and the future calls for new paths perhaps away from the craft he grew up with and supported his family. As he lines up his tools, Mihali thinks about a future that no longer belongs to his art.

He carved stones for years, hoping that his cracked hands would find the appreciation they deserved. Mihali says that the job market in Albania did not turn back his efforts. Now, with regret in his heart, he wonders if time in Greece, where he might have found a better life, would have been the wiser choice.

"Honestly, sometimes I think and regret that I came back. There is nothing better than your country, but we cannot live here with this job. We were in emigration and we came back, we came back to invest in our country, it is a sin for this work to go to waste.

Sad when you hear it, miserable when you understand the desperation of these masters who are so respected for our country. The pale light of the sunset in his eyes, look like those dreams that Mihalit did not come true. However, this 43-year-old never gets tired of explaining his work.

As he shows us the work processes, and the stages of passing the stone, his face smiles, he likes the idea that I am interested and want to know more about his craft.

"Stone processing goes through four processes, one deals with dividing the rock into small sizes, another with the right size, another with polishing and I with carving."

In this small Albania of ours where every stone has a story to tell, Mihali shows that even today the carving of stone houses is one of the most requested forms by his clients.

"The cladding of houses with stone or stone design is more required, we are talking especially about large houses that have investments, but also small houses that have turned into guesthouses are not left behind. We are in Voskopoja, and stone is the tradition of this area. Undoubtedly, the stonework I speak in an artisanal way takes its time, since the work and carving of the stone is a difficult process.

We simply process the stone according to the orders that we are asked to buy the raw material from companies that have the relevant documentation."

The achievement of this 43-year-old is every effort to transform a cold and rigid piece into a work of art.

Failures in a job are inevitable, 43-year-old Mihal Bedri says that there were times when he felt disappointed because he could not achieve what the clients asked him to do.

"The case where I had the most difficulties is the case of making a sculpture with glasses which I could not finish."

Every carving he makes is a confession, a testimony of mixed feelings of pride and sacrifice, I'm sure how many times he carves he remembers Greece. His love for Albania is evident. Mihali proves that even though he has spent time abroad, he has never felt separated from his homeland.

As for the labor market, he says that it is the locals who invest the most in this craft.

"Locals invest more, foreigners look for more symbolic things. There is more interest in stone wall coverings, taps, tables or stone arches. Requests for sculptures or other similar works have been very rare."

Voskopoja is the birthplace that fills him with pride and memories, even though his hammer is idle for several months of the year, Mihali does not give up his craft. Although his efforts remain unfulfilled, each stone is a reflection of his deep connection to his birthplace, a reminder that ties him closely to his growth into this craft.

"There is nothing better than your country" - With these words he chooses to accompany me from the Mihal Bedri workshop, which is a symbol of dedication and unceasing passion for the art of stone carving./ CNA