TIRANA, Oct. 7- ‘’Passion for Theth, the upper heaven of Albania’’ is a book authored from three foreigners united from the wonders of nature, traditions and people that this village in the heart of the Albanian alps has to offer.
The authors of this book are Canadian albanologue, Robert Elsie, Dutch researcher Gerda Mulder and Dutch photographer Herman Zonderland, who visited Theth for the first time together in 2007, and whose passion for this village has only appended.
An Albanian translation of the book was recently promoted in Shkoder, on the one year anniversary of Elsie’s passing away. Mulder said that through this translation the memory of Elsie is honored better.
‘’In fact I miss him everyday. We had such a wonderful cooperation. He was a great man with extraordinary human values, who has also been an amazing expert on Albanian language comparing to my limited knowledge. He has been a dedicated man to Albanian people in general, not just Theth, but also Tirana, Pristina, and this love for the Albanian world, was something that we both shared,’’ said Mulder.
Mulder said that through this book they wanted to be more familiar with the locals, with an interest from previous albanologues since a century ago. They were deeply moved from the nature and views of the village that they included reports on personal impressions along with those from visitors in the village. The book is illustrated with pictures captured by photographer Herman Zonderland, whose son has produced a documentary about the village. Zonderland’s impression for Theth is linked with the nature, the characteristic alpine houses and the people’s hospitality.
‘’Three years ago when I visited Theth it has fewer houses. Now there are more houses, bigger houses. The challenge is to preserve the originality of these houses, but also of entire Theth. I hope that the originality of Theth will remain due time, but I am not so convinced about that,’’ said Zonderland.
As a writer, translator, interpreter and albanologue, Robert Elsie was strongly tied with the Albanian world, to which he dedicated more than 35 years of his studies and composition. He passed away on October 2, 2017, but just like he had wished, he lies with his traditional alpine costume in Theth, confessing thus his passion for this village and the Albanian mountains.
