Terry's Big Adventures
River Rafter's Guide
(to Macedonia)
Chapter 7: Ethnic Competition

THERE ARE MORE TRIBES IN THE BALKANS THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT AND IF YOU DID SHAKE A STICK AT THEM YOU’D PROBABLY START A WAR. IN AN AREA A LITTLE LARGER THAN TEXAS THEY ARE ALL VYING FOR LAND AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE.

THE CURRENT BORDERS OF MACEDONIA WERE DEFINED BY THE COMMIE-RAT RULERS WHO DIVIDED YUGOSLAVIA INTO SIX FEDERAL UNITS. IT HAS A LAND MASS THE SIZE OF VERMONT AND A POPULATION OF TWO MILLION. IN 1991 YUGOSLAVIA BROKE UP DURING THE FALL OF COMMIE-RATISM AND MACEDONIA DECLARED ITSELF A COUNTRY. ANTICIPATED AGGRESSION FROM THE BADASS SERBS DID NOT OCCUR BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY PREOCCUPIED WITH KILLING CROATS AND BOSNIAKS. AS A RESULT MACEDONIA WAS SPARED TURMOIL AND DESTRUCTION.
 

HISTORICALLY MACEDONIA IS A REGION . SINCE ALEXANDER THE GREAT (4th CENTURY BC) IT HAS BEEN INHABITED BY GREEKS, TURKS, SERBS, ALBANIANS, ROMANIANS, AND BULGARIANS. MACEDONIA’S HISTORY IS SO CONVOLUTED IT WILL MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN AND EACH ETHNIC CONTINGENT INSISTS ON ITS OWN VERSION OF EACH COUNTLESS EVENT. THE VESTIGES OF ALL THESE CULTURES REMAIN IN WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS A “CULTURAL SALAD”.

ONE OF THREE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT TV CHANNELS IS RUN BY THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE WHICH CONSTANTLY TELEVISES PROGRAMS FEATURING OLD CHURCHES AND ICONS, TRADITIONAL ORTHODOX MASS, ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGS, PLAYS BASED ON MACEDONIAN MYTH, CONQUESTS OF ALEXANDER, ETC. THIS PROPAGANDA IS AN ATTEMPT TO UNIFY THE PEOPLE INTO A NATIONAL IDENTITY. IF IT WERE A COLLEGE COURSE IT WOULD BE CALLED “MACEDONIAN SELF-ESTEEM 101”. IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING IN THE SENSE THAT MACEDONIANS (DON’T CALL THEM “SLAVS”, OR WORSE--”BULGARIANS”) ARE NOW OVERLY ZEALOUS OF THEIR “HERITAGE”. THEY ARE PROUD OF THEIR LONG HISTORY, THEY ARE PROUD THAT ALEXANDER THE GREAT (ONE OF THE BIGGEST TOTAL ASSHOLES OF HISTORY) ONCE RULED THE WORLD IN FRICKIN’ 350 BC, THEY ARE PROUD OF TRADITIONAL MACEDONIAN MUSIC AND DANCING, THEY ARE PROUD OF THEIR OLD CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES. HOWEVER, THIS PRIDE AND 20 DINARS WILL BUY THEM A LOUSY CUP OF TURKISH COFFEE. IT ALSO GIVES THEM A STICK TO WAVE AT THEIR NEIGHBORS.

RECENT DISPUTES HAVE OCCURRED WITH GREECE WHOSE NORTHERN REGION IS ALSO KNOWN AS MACEDONIA, ONCE PART OF GREATER MACEDONIA DURING THE TIME OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. NOTHING PISSES OFF THE GREEKS MORE THAN MACEDONIANS BUILDING STATUES OF ALEXANDER AND CLAIMING TO BE HIS DESCENDANTS. TO THIS DAY MANY NASTY THINGS ARE SAID BETWEEN MACEDONIANS AND GREEKS.

THE GREEK SITUATION PALES IN COMPARISON TO MACEDONIA’S ALBANIAN DILEMMA. ALBANIANS ARE EMIGRATING ACROSS MACEDONIA’S WESTERN BORDER IN DROVES. THESE NATIONALISTIC IMMIGRANTS RETAIN THEIR LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND TIES TO ALBANIA AND KOSOVO. CURRENTLY ABOUT 25% OF MACEDONIA IS ALBANIAN. THEY ALREADY OUTNUMBER MACEDONIANS IN MOST MUNICIPALITIES IN THE WEST AND SECESSIONIST MOVEMENTS INSTIGATED BY KOSOVO REFUGEES HAVE BEEN PUT DOWN BY THE MACEDONIAN MILITARY. MOST MACEDONIANS BELIEVE THE LONG-RANGE PLAN OF THE ALBANIANS IS TO ANNEX WESTERN MACEDONIA LIKE THEY DID WITH KOSOVO. THEY ARE PROBABLY RIGHT.

ETHNIC TENSION BETWEEN MACEDONIANS AND ALBANIANS MANIFESTS ITSELF IN MANY WAYS, SOME BEING ECONOMIC. IN STRUGA THE ALBANIAN MAJORITY RUNS ECONOMIC RINGS AROUND THE MACEDONIANS. THEY OWN MOST OF THE BUSINESSES AND ARE INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE AND BUILDING MOST OF THE HOTELS. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THEY DISPLAY THEIR WEALTH OPENLY IN UN-MACEDONIAN FASHION, BUILDING OSTENTATIOUS HOUSES AND DRIVING SLICK CARS (AUDI, BMW, AND MERCEDES). THIS INFURIATES MOST MACEDONIANS WHO LIVE IN PLAIN HOUSES AND DRIVE CRAPPY CARS (YUGO, FIAT, AND KIA). OFTEN WHEN WE WERE DRIVING BY AN ALBANIAN CONSTRUCTION SITE NIKOLCE WOULD REMARK “AL QUEDA” OR “MAFIA”. EVERY TIME WE PASSED BY ONE PARTICULAR ALBANIAN HOUSE NEAR THE HOTEL HE WOULD SAY, “I HATE THAT MAN.”

THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY THE ALBANIANS ARE PROSPERING IN MACEDONIA WHILE THE MACEDONIANS ARE NOT.

1. FOR FORTY-FIVE YEARS ALBANIANS LIVED UNDER A BRAND OF COMMUNISM THAT WAS EXTREMELY POVERTY-PROVOKING. THEY ARE NOW TAKING ADVANTAGE OF NEWFOUND FREEDOM.
   
   IN COMPARISON TITO’S “SOFT COMMUNISM” PROVIDED A MEAGER ECONOMIC STABILITY FOR MACEDONIA AND THE REST OF YUGOSLAVIA. THIS CREATED A COMPLACENCY THAT STILL PERMEATES THE CULTURE.
    
2. MINORITIES TEND TO STICK TOGETHER. AS A RESULT THE ALBANIANS TEND TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND PATRONIZE EACH OTHER’S BUSINESSES.
   
   MACEDONIANS SUFFER FROM THE CRAB MENTALITY. IF A MACEDONIAN OPENS A CONVENIENCE STORE IN THEIR HOUSE THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS WILL NOT SHOP THERE. THEY ARE WILLING TO GO FURTHER TO BUY FROM ANOTHER STORE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO A NEIGHBOR'S SUCCESS. (I AM NOT KIDDING!)
   
   NIKOLCE’S UNCLE WHO ALSO HAS A FARM IN MISLESEVO WAS ABLE TO SAVE AND BUY A TRACTOR. HE WOULD NOT LEND IT TO NIKOLCE’S FAMILY OR ANY OTHER RELATIVES.
    
3. ALBANIANS HAVE A HIGHER BIRTH RATE--THE MORE KIDS, THE LARGER INCENTIVE TO PRODUCE.
    
4. MANY ALBANIANS TRAVEL ABROAD TO WORK (ESPECIALLY TO THE U.S.). THEY ARE LIKELY TO SEND MONEY HOME FOR INVESTMENT.
   
   THE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT MAKES IT PROHIBITIVE FOR THEIR CITIZENS TO LEAVE. WHEN THEY DO LEAVE THEY RARELY COME BACK.
   
5. ALBANIANS POSSESS AN INHERENT BUSINESS SENSE. (I ALSO OBSERVED THIS IN ALBANIA AND KOSOVO.) THEY HAVE STRICT CODES OF HONOR AND IF YOU SCREW WITH SOMEBODY THEY WILL TAKE THE LAW INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.
   
   FEW MACEDONIANS POSSESS A SPIRIT OF COOPERATION. A TYPICAL MACEDONIAN CONVERSATION GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
   
   MACEDONIAN #1 : “IT IS A GOOD DAY TODAY.”
   MACEDONIAN #2: “IT IS NOT SO GOOD. YESTERDAY WAS BETTER.”
   MACEDONIAN #1: “THIS FOOD TASTES GOOD.”
   MACEDONIAN #2: “THIS FOOD IS NOT SO GOOD. I HAVE HAD MUCH BETTER FOOD THAN THIS.”
   
   
   
6. CRIME PAYS. THE ALBANIA MAFIA IS ACTIVE IN MACEDONIA, THEIR MAIN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES BEING THE TRAFFICKING OF DRUGS, ARMS, AND STOLEN CARS. (THERE’S A REASON MOST ALBANIANS DRIVE A MERCEDES.) THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SOME OF THIS ILL-GOTTEN MONEY IS FUNDING SOME DEVELOPMENT IN AND AROUND STRUGA. THIS IS WHY MACEDONIANS TEND TO PAINT ALL ALBANIANS WITH THE SAME JUDGMENTAL BRUSH.
   
   ON THE OTHER HAND, I DON’T THINK ANY TWO MACEDONIANS COULD AGREE ON A PLAN OF ACTION TO ORGANIZE ANY CRIME.
    
7. THE SUNNI MUSLIM FAITH PROVIDES FOR THOSE IN NEED INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE JUST GETTING ON THEIR FEET. ALTHOUGH MOST ALBANIANS ARE NOT “RELIGIOUS” PER SE, THE MOSQUE PROMOTES UNITY AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOCIAL AND BUSINESS NETWORKING IN AN OTHERWISE MINORITY ENVIRONMENT.
   
   ON THE MACEDONIAN SIDE THE ORTHODOX RELIGION LACKS BENEVOLENCE AND IS DARK AND FOREBODING. PRIESTS HAVE LONG BEARDS AND DRESS IN BLACK. (IMAGINE MACEDONIAN CHILDREN BEING TRAUMATIZED BY RASPUTIN AND I THINK YOU GET THE PICTURE.) THERE IS NO UNITY AS EACH COUNTRY HAS THEIR OWN CORRUPT NATIONAL CHURCH. CHURCH LEADERS IN MACEDONIA WANT TO FORM AN ALLIANCE WITH THE STATE BECAUSE THEY FEAR THEY ARE LOSING POWER.
   

I HAVE MADE FOUR TRIPS TO THE BALKANS AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE VARIOUS CULTURES. THERE IS A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE OF TENOR BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES IN THE WEST THAT HAVE BEEN INFLUENCE BY CATHOLICISM (SLOVENIA, CROATIA) VERSES THE ORTHODOX COUNTRIES IN THE EAST (SERBIA, MACEDONIA, AND BULGARIA). THE PEOPLE IN THE WEST ARE FAR MORE FRIENDLY AND APPROACHABLE AS OPPOSED TO THE EAST WHERE YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET THE “BALKAN STARE”, THAT CONFRONTATIONAL GAZE THAT WARNS STRANGERS TO STAY AWAY. THE MUSLIM COUNTRIES (ALBANIA AND BOSNIA) ARE ALSO MORE FRIENDLY.

IN PART, STARING IS A TRIBAL DEFENSE MECHANISM THAT PEOPLE IN THE WEST LOST A LONG TIME AGO BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF THREATS. IN THE U.S. STARING AT PEOPLE IS CONSIDERED RUDE EVEN IF THEY’RE DIFFERENT--MAKE THAT ESPECIALLY IF THEY’RE DIFFERENT. REMEMBER BEING SCOLDED AS A CHILD? “JOHNNY, DON’T STARE AT THAT MAN WITH NO LEGS!” “SUSIE, DON’T STARE AT THAT WOMAN WITH A MUSTACHE!” WE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO ACCEPTING OR AT LEAST IGNORING MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE.

I FIRST ENCOUNTERED THE "BALKAN STARE" ON MY SECOND TRIP IN 2000 WHILE TRAVELING THE KRAJINA (SERBIAN) REGION OF CROATIA. WHEN I DROVE THROUGH A TOWN ALL THE MEN WOULD TURN HEADS AND FOCUS THEIR EYES UPON ME. (WOMEN DIDN’T DO IT.) IT WASN’T A CURIOUS STARE, INSTEAD IT WAS AN INTIMIDATING “GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE” STARE. AND IT WAS UNCANNY HOW THESE PEOPLE COULD DETECT THE SOUND OF AN UNFAMILIAR ENGINE, A SKILL PROBABLY HONED DURING THE WAR WHILE LISTENING FOR APPROACHING CROAT MILITARY VEHICLES.

WHEN I RETURNED TO EASTERN EUROPE SIX YEARS LATER I VISITED MORE COUNTRIES. I DID NOT ENCOUNTER “THE STARE” IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC, AUSTRIA, OR HUNGARY (PREDOMINANTLY CATHOLIC), AND I GOT THE OCCASIONAL EVIL EYE FROM GYPSIES IN ISOLATED AREAS OF SLOVAKIA (CATHOLIC) AND ROMANIA. THE MUSLIMS IN BOSNIA DON’T STARE (EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD HAVE THE MOST REASON TO) BUT IN THE SERBIAN REGIONS OF BOSNIA THE STARE WAS INTENSE. IT WAS EVEN WORSE IN EASTERN BULGARIA WHERE THEY HAVEN’T HAD A WAR SINCE WW2. THERE I WOULD FEEL UNEASY WALKING INTO ANY SITUATION WHERE THERE WERE TWO OR MORE MEN, WHETHER IT WOULD BE A STORE, RESTAURANT, OR EVEN A GAS STATION. IN MACEDONIA I OCCASIONALLY GOT THE BALKAN STARE IN RURAL AREAS AND IT WAS EVIDENT IN STRUGA (AND THIS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A TOURIST TOWN). THIS BEHAVIOR IS PROBABLY SO CULTURALLY INGRAINED THAT THE PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE THEY ARE DOING IT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye).

THE STARE OCCURS TO A LESSER DEGREE IN ALBANIA. HOWEVER, I DID HAVE TWO “CONFRONTATIONS” WHEN I WAS THERE. THE FIRST WAS WHEN I WAS THE ONLY CAR DRIVING THROUGH AN ISOLATED TOWN THAT WAS ALMOST DESERTED. AN OLD MAN WALKING ON THE STREET WAS GIVING ME THE INTENSE EVIL EYE AND I RESPONDED BY GIVING IT BACK TO HIM IN MOCKING FASHION WHILE DRIVING CIRCLES AROUND HIM. (I KNOW, I KNOW--JUST HAND ME MY NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.) THE NEXT DAY IN A SMALL CITY A YOUNG MAN WALKING ABOUT TWENTY FEET FROM ME WOULDN’T STOP STARING. AGAIN I RETURNED THE STARE IN MOCKING FASHION UNTIL HE RESPONDED WITH A SELF-CONSCIOUS LAUGH AND TURNED AWAY.