Marigo Posio

Marigo Posio (1882–1932) was one of the most distinguished Albanian women,[3][4] an activist of the Albanian National Awakening and Independence Movement,[5] and consolidating the social status of Albanian women.[6] She is mostly remembered for sewing (or embroidering) the flag raised by Ismail Qemali during the Albanian Declaration of Independence in Vlorë on 28 November 1912.

Marigo Posio
Born
Marigo Poçi

(1882-02-02)February 2, 1882
Korçë, Ottoman Empire
DiedFebruary 23, 1932(1932-02-23) (aged 50)
Vlorë, Albania
Resting placeZvërnec Monastery,[1][2] near Vlorë
NationalityAlbanian
Spouse(s)Jovan Posio
Parent(s)Papa Kosta Poçi (father)
Lenka Ballauri (mother)
RelativesUrani Poçi (sister)
Angjeliqi Poçi (sister)
Spiridon Ilo (cousin)

Marigo was the daughter of Papa Kosta Poçi and Lenka Ballauri (from Voskopojë). Some official Albanian sources define Hoçisht village near Korçë (back then Vilayet of Monastir in Ottoman Empire) to be her birthplace.[7] Some other and later sources mention Korçë itself.[3][8] Her sister Urani was married to Albanian politician and playwright Kristo Floqi, while the other sister Angjeliqi was married to Albanian politician and Prime Minister Kostaq Kota. Her two brothers Niko and Kristo were both emigrants to US, the first one settled in Natick, MA, and the other in Salt Lake City.[9] She was a relative of Albanian patriot Spiro Ilo, activist of the Albanian colony of Romania and signatory of the Declaration of Independence Act. Marigo was educated in the First Albanian School of Korçë, being the 27th student enrolled in it.[6]

She married Jovan Posio from Hoçisht at a young age. The couple used the last name Posio, although it shows up also as Pozio, Pozjo, or Bozjo. The couple moved to Vlora around 1904, in Muradie neighborhood. Their house served as a center for meetings and activities of Albanian patriotic figures of that time. Marigo was a member of the Labëria Patriotic Club founded in Vlore in 1908.[10] She was one of the initiators of the Albanian School of Vlore of 1909. The Albanian Declaration of Independence took place on 28 November 1912 in Vlora. Marigo is considered the "mother" of the Albanian flag which was raised during the Independence Act. The official sources mention her to have embroidered the flag.[7][8][6] Lef Nosi, respected Albanian politician present at the event, states that the black eagle was cut from satin and was sewed upon the red base.[11] Ekrem Vlora mentions that the flag was a gift from Aladro Castriota and Marigo was given it to make copies.[12] In all cases, she is involved. She also produced many copies of the flag on her own expenses for various offices of the Vlora Government.

Marigo is considered a leader of the first Albanian Women Organization, which aimed at helping wounded soldier which came from the border war with Greece. The organization was founded on 13 May 1914. Other members were wives of prominent Albanian figures of the time, i.e. wives of Syrja Vlora or Mehmet Pasha of Delvina.[13]

On 6 February 1921, she started publishing her own paper Shpresa shqiptare ("The Albanian hope") which continued with 6 issues.[14]

The family suffered from a series of misfortunes, first with their children, and later with Marigo's health due to tuberculosis. Kristo Floqi raised his voice on 9 December 1928 accusing the Albanian authorities of having forgotten Marigo's contribution. Marigo did not receive the "veteran's status" like many others did post 1912.[15] She died neglected and forgotten in 1932,[16] and was buried in the Zvërnec Monastery cemetery.[1]

References
  1. Dominique Auzias, Jean-Paul Labourdette (2012), Albanie 2012-2013 (avec cartes, photos + avis des lecteurs), Bemetours, p. 230, ISBN 978-2-7469-5908-8
  2. Genuario Belmonte, Salvatore Moscatello (2008), Thalassia Salentina, 31, Stazione di Biologia Marina del Salento, p. 24
  3. Ekrem Vlora (1973), Edgar Hösch, Karl Nehring (ed.), Lebenserinnerungen: 1912 bis 1925, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, p. 8, ISBN 978-3486475715
  4. Edi Shukriu (2000), Gra te shquare shqiptare [Distinguished Albanian women], 1, Forumi i Gruas i LDS-së, pp. 58–59, OCLC 654545043
  5. Instituti i Historisë (Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë) (1987), Disa sqarime e plotesime per jeten e Marigo Posios, 41, Akademia e Shkencave, Instituti i Historisë, p. 223, ISSN 0563-5799, OCLC 3648264
  6. Korce, commemoration of Marigo Posio, Top-Channel, 2014-08-23, archived from the original on 2016-04-22, The National Museum of Education in Korce is commemorating the 82-nd anniversary of the death of Marigo Posiso, the girl that sew the independence flag. She was one of the first students of the first Albanian school.
    Marigo Posio is a figure that has many merits in the history of Albania, of Korce and in the consolidation of the Albanian woman.
  7. Aleks Buda, ed. (1985), Fjalor enciklopedik shqiptar, Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë, p. 375, OCLC 15296028
  8. Ferit Vokopola (2009), Botohet per here te pare ditari i nje prej firmetareve te aktit te Pavaresise (in Albanian), shqiperia.com, ...emrin e Marigo Posios, me origjinë nga Korça...
  9. Spaho, Jonela (2010). "1". Kristo Floqi, koha dhe vepra e tij letrare (PDF) (DLit). Universiteti i Tiranes. p. 24.
  10. Dominique Auzias, Jean-Paul Labourdette (2012), Albanie 2012-2013 (avec cartes, photos + avis des lecteurs), Bemetours, p. 228, ISBN 978-2-7469-5908-8
  11. Ledia Dushku (2012-12-02), "Lef Nosi: Çfarë dinte dhe ç'dëshmi la për flamurin e Pavarësisë" (PDF), Rilindasi (45): 15, Shqiponja është si e sotmja vazhdonte ai, me dy krena e me dy krahë të ndemë, premë nga një copë sateni të zi dhe ngjitë mbi flamur. Këtë punë e kishte bërë zonja Marigo Pozio në shtëpinë e saj. Kur flamuri ishte duke u qepur delegatët që kujdeseshin për këtë punë, shkonin e vinin në shtëpinë e zonjës për me e shty qi ta mbaronte pa vonesë, për të shpejtuar shpalljen që pritej me padurim.
  12. Sheradin Berisha (2009-12-03), "Kush a nenshkroi aktin a pavaresise se Shqiperise ne Vlore?" [Who signed the Declaration of Independence Act in Vlora?] (PDF), Illyria (in Albanian), New York, 19 (1904): 48, Eqrem bej Vlora, në kujtimet e tij - thotë se flamuri që u ngrit më 28 Nëntor 1912 në Vlorë, ishte një flamur që e mbaja në shtëpi si kujtim, të dhuruar solemnisht (më 1909) nga një pinjoll i familjes Kastrioti (don Aladro Kastrioti) me banim në Paris.
  13. Robert Elsie (2010), Historical Dictionary of Albania, Historical Dictionaries of Europe, 75 (2 ed.), Scarecrow Press, p. 483, ISBN 978-0810861886
  14. Blendi Fevziu (1996), Histori e shtypit shqiptar 1848-1996, Tirana: Shtëpia Botuese "Marin Barleti", p. 131, OCLC 40158801
  15. Ledia Dushku (2012-12-02), "Lef Nosi: Çfarë dinte dhe ç'dëshmi la për flamurin e Pavarësisë" (PDF), Rilindasi (45): 14, Në një shkrim rreth ligjit të veteranëve në Gazeta e Re, më 9 dhjetor 1928 Kristo Floqi, ngre zërin për faktin se Marigo Pozio, veprimtare e Lëvizjes Kombëtare Shqiptare, njëkohësisht qëndistare e flamurit të ngritur nga Ismail Qemali, nuk merrte shpërblimin e veteranit.
  16. American Bibliographical Center (1989), Historical Abstracts: Modern history abstracts, 1775-1914, 40, American Bibliographical Center, CLIO, p. 243, ISSN 0363-2717, OCLC 1000370
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