"The Pojani Squirrels"/ The Tradition That Drives Away Evil and Preserves Cultural Identity

2026-01-07 14:00:00, Qyteti im CNA

"The Pojani Squirrels"/ The Tradition That Drives Away Evil and

For the sixth consecutive year, the traditional Rrogeç ritual has been held in the village of Pojan in the Maliq Municipality, a day after the “Holy Water” ceremony. This ancient tradition, revived in recent years, symbolizes the removal of evil and the bringing of prosperity to the family.

The residents of Pojan, dressed in folk costumes made mainly from goat skin, with masks and improvised weapons, have marched through all the streets of the village, stopping at businesses and homes.

Carnivals are accompanied by noise, dance, and symbolic rituals, recreating the atmosphere of tradition passed down from generation to generation.

One of the participants says that this is a long-standing tradition of the village of Pojan, which was stopped in 1967 and resumed again after 1991.

According to him, the ritual will continue to be held every year with the characteristic roles such as the old man, the bride, the groom, the bear and other symbolic characters. The costumes, some of which are very old, are a legacy from grandparents and represent the cultural identity of the area.

"It is a long-standing tradition in the village of Pojan. It was banned in 1967 and in 1991 it was restarted again. We will continue to keep it as a tradition year after year with our roles. We do it to drive away evil and bring good. Today I am in the role of the old man, the leader of the group, but we also have many other roles, the bride, the groom, the bear, etc. This costume may be very old, our grandparents wore it and it was inherited from them. Pojan has a special tradition different from other villages, which do it on different dates. Each village has its own traditions."

On the other hand, the villagers welcome the Rrogeçës with pleasure into their homes. One of the ladies of Pojan says that the Rrogeçës come inside, greet each other and receive gifts, as it is believed that this brings prosperity and good luck to the family.

"We welcome them with great pleasure. We let them in, we greet them, we give them a gift. It has always been this way and it will remain this way, it is prosperity in the house."

The Rrogeç ritual remains one of the most special traditions of Pojan, which distinguishes this village from other areas and which continues to be preserved as an important cultural asset./ CNA