- Title: KOSOVO: Man's best friend becomes embroiled in debate over national identity
- Date: 20th April 2008
- Summary: (L!1) SHAR MOUNTAINS, KOSOVO (APRIL 10, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SHAR MOUNTAINS VIEW
- Embargoed: 5th May 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Environment / Natural World
- Reuters ID: LVA59MJDA6LWQQ9OQZ7D8FFOHEK5
- Story Text: Identity crisis for Shar Mountain dogs.
The Shar mountain dog is one of the oldest native dog breeds in the world. This dog was most frequently found near and in the Shar mountain range from which it adopted it's name.
Shar mountain shepherd dog is a Macedonian-Yugoslav dog which was originally bred in the north-west part of Macedonia (Shar Planina, Bistra, Korab etc.) and in the southern Kosovo, areas with dominated Albanian population.
The breed is the result of natural selection in isolated environment untouched by other dogs for centuries. The harshness of nature made this dog to be tough, rough, but never unreasonably vicious or overly aggressive and they have earned a reputation as good guardians. Bred for centuries in the Kosovo region, the breed was maintained as a separate breed from all other local types - mainly by the ethnic Albanians living around Shar mountains.
Now the canine has found itself in the middle of a cultural debate over it's origins.
Most Albanians consider the Yugoslavian Sarplaninac to be an Albanian breed, disregarding any claims to contrary by Serbian or Macedonian Sarplaninac breeders.
But since it is neither recognized nor officially standardized, the Shar mountain dog doesn't strictly have a set type.
Some of the suggested names for Shar Mountain Dog are Deltari Ilir (The Illyrian Shepherd), or Qeni Sharri. But separate recognition is not enough for many Albanians, who insist on using the "Illyrian Sheepdog" name for the entire Shar mountain breed, regardless of its variants, while claiming to actually be Illiyrians themselves. They say the Shar is "naturally"
their dog. The claim has angered a number of Sarplaninac enthusiasts, as well as some historians.
"I don't breed these dogs to earn money, I want to make these dogs recognized in the world as an Albanian dog," said Shar mountain dogs breeder Miftar Shabani in Western Kosovo village of Dobrigje.
The dog's cultural identity has a long history of contention - which has seen some name changes along the way.
The term 'Illirian Shepherd dog' was first mentioned to the west by Valvasor in 1689. The dogs were registered in the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1939 as the Illyrian shepherd dog.
In 1954 the F.C.I. accepted the change of the name Illyrian shepherd dog into Yugoslav shepherd dog-Sharplaninac for political reasons.
Then, after the disintegration of Yugoslavia, Macedonia requested the name of the dog be changed in the benefit of both countries, because the dog can be more frequently found around the borders of Macedonia. So both sides made an agreement to change the name into Macedonian-Yugoslav shepherd dog-Sharplaninac.
Now, since Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia, breeders and owners in Kosovo believe that the dog should reclaim it's original title as the Illyrian shepherd dog.
"We were never accepted as an equal partners, there for we have never dared to raise our voice and say that these dogs belongs to Albanian people, the fact is these dogs are from Kosovo, I believe and I hope that one day we will become a member of FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) and the dogs can be presented as they are indeed the Illyrian dogs, which are being bred in Kosovo mountains," said Shar mountain dogs breeder Miftar Shabani.
Kosovo, Serbia's former province, run by the United Nations since a 1999 NATO air war to halt Serb ethnic cleansing forced the pullout of Serb forces. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 passed at the end of the 1998-1999 conflict between Serb forces and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority.
Under Resolution 1244, Kosovo remains a Serbian province and Belgrade argues that since the resolution still stands, Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence is illegal.
So far 36 countries have recognised an independent Kosovo, including the United States and a majority of the EU member states. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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