Phenomenon of the Mijaks` flags - Jonovski.pptx

Phenomenon of the Mijaks’ flags
JOVAN JONOVSKI
PHENOMENON OF THE MIJAKS` FLAGS 1

Introduction
The dawn of the feast of
Petrovden (St. Peter’s Day - 29
June, Julian/ 12 July Gregorian
calendar) 1995 saw a new flag in
the Mijak’s village of Tresonche.
The celebration of the 150th
anniversary of the construction of
the church of St. Peter and Paul
in the village just began. A white
flag with red decorations was
displayed in the church’s yard.
This previously unknown flag was
presented as an “all-Mijaks`”
symbol, as a tribal identity flag.

Wedding flags
The flag as a relic – these flags indicate some kind of action or communication which
is primarily aimed not only at other people, but at the deity. Of this type are
procession and ritual flags, which also include wedding flags. The primary role of the
ritual wedding flag is to play a part in the wedding ceremony, drawing special
attention through the rite of decorating it, and the its role in the entire wedding
ceremony. Wedding flags are ritual flags, with the primary role of communicating with
the divine, but also with other participants in the ritual. It is being given a magical
power to protect form the evil, and to give blessing to the young couple and their new
family and to be fruitful and multiply.

Wedding flags
State flag used as a wedding flag
The flag often has more than one
function, although one is usually
primary. Thus, the state (or
former state) flag can be used
primarily in a relictic role—when
used as a wedding flag.
Each generation gives the
relationship to the symbol new
meanings and importance. Those
are created under the influence
of socio-economic-political
relations.

Search for National Flag
Flag of Peoples Republic of Macedonia
((1943) 1945- 1992)
among flags of same type: Communist Party, USSR and PRC
Flag of Republic of Macedonia
(1992 – 1995)
Flag of Republic of Macedonia Proposal
1992

Search for National Flag
Flag of Republic of Macedonia (1995 - )
With the Interim Agreement signed between Greece and
Macedonia, a new flag was to be designed and the display old
flag to be strongly discourage. During the fall of 1995, a
secret process for designing the new flag took place.
The Grchev-Dinkata proposal with the sun with divergent
rays, was voted on on 5 October 1995.
From a vexillographic point of view, the flag’s design
attributes changed but the symbols represented did not. The
flag remained red with a yellow sun. The sun with convergent
rays replaced one with divergent rays; it did not lose its
attributes or gain others.

Mijaks
The Mijaks are a sub-group of ethnic Macedonians inhabiting the valley of the river
Radika in western Macedonia, an area called Reka (meaning River).
Due to the high mountains and the lack of conditions to engage in agriculture, the Mijaks
were mainly engaged in animal husbandry. The Mijaks were an endogamous tribe,
marring only within, so they remained intact and preserved tribal features until very late

Mijaks Flags in History
“after the fall of Macedonia under Roman rule, Rome allowed some of the western
Macedonian Slavs to use their hitherto military flags only at weddings.”
Мажовски: Вѫзпоминания 18.
Mijak after the battle of Kosovo (1389) settled in the Reka region, and that the “cross
flag” they use is actually a Kosovo flag, which became a public symbol for the Mijaks.
Смиљанић: „Пастирски обичаи
Mijaks were allowed to use their flag freely within the Ottoman Empire after 1689,
“because they remained faithful…” to the sultan in the battles against Piccolomini..
Smiljanić: „Plemenske odlike 73.

Mijaks Flags in History
1. It is 7 or 23 century old flag;
2. It was military flag;
3. There was a single design flag. All of these claims are most probably not possible.
First, there is no proof found so far that the a “Mijak flag”, being used 7 centuries as a military flag
let alone 23 centuries. It is highly unlikely and it is probably due to romantic view on history.
Mazhovski writes about flags (plural) and does not mention cross. The cross as a central symbol does
not appear on most of the previously known Mijak wedding flags.
Second, those are flags only used for weddings. If almost every family had their own unique flag, than
using them on battlefield would make total confusion. There is only one indirect mention in a military
context. Out of several epic poetry regarding the decorating and displaying the flag, there is only one
verse:
What is the noise in the hero’s yards,
high flags rose, over wide and high verandas,
whether a hero to war will go,
or getting ready to take a girl ...
Third, there is not one, identity, or military flag, but multitude of family wedding flags with equal
value and strength. Many of the authors Mazhovski, Trajchev, Verkovic mentions flags in plural. Also
we have several flags preserved today, and many witnessed on photos

Trajcev`s flag
Трайчев, Георги: Книга за Мияцитѣ.
София: Печатница „П. Глушков“, 1941
Fresco, Church St. Andrej, Matka near Skopje

Trajcev`s flag
Trajchev`s flag
1st redaction
Trajchev`s flag 3rd redaction
Trajchev`s flag 2nd redaction

Thesonechki letopis
“Further research is likely to uncover other family
related Mijak flags. From the observations so far, we
have decided to adopt the Mijak flag described in the
Book of the Mijaks by Gjorgji Traychev as a common
tribal symbol of the entire Mijak tribe, as well as the
flag described by Tomo Smiljanich - Bradina from
Tresonche”.
Тресонечки летопис,
1995.14-15.
Bradina flag – attempt for
reconstruction Damijan
Buzharovski, 2021

Other Mijak`s wedding flags
Josifovci family flag
from Selce, kept by
Pandilovci from
Australia
Flags from Ethnological Museum of Macedonia in Skopje

Ethnological Museum in Skopje, publication of 1950:
Muratovci family and unknown family from Galichnik,
Now lost (probably in Skopje 1963 catastrophic eartqick)

Krushevo Museum flag of Tomalevci
family originating from Galichnik and
migrated to Krushevo somewere in 1750.

Flags reconstruction from wedding photos
Unknown flag from painting by Ludvig Kuba
Reconstructions by Damjan Buzharovski
Azhievci family flag
Reconstructions by Damjan Buzharovski

Flags reconstruction from wedding photos
Unknown flags from photo
Partial reconstructions by Damjan Buzharovski

Other Wedding Flags
Two flags photographed in 1932–1933 taken by Juzef Obrembski in Bitovo, Porechе
(today the municipality of Makedonski Brod, some 70km west of Reka),

Modern Mijaks Wedding Flag
2019 wedding of Nikola and
Renata in the yard of the House
of the Mijaks restaurant—below
the monastery of St. Jovan
Bigorski.

Making of the flag
According the several survived epic poems the making of the flag is done by three
masters:
1. Tailors were capable and qualified with a master’s knowledge and working tools to
work with textile.
2. Carpenter made the staff for the flag, which was painted by turning the colors
around the wood itself.
3. The goldsmith knew the secrets of making jewelry and ornaments from metal and
because of that he was obliged to make the cross on the tip of the staff, which was
usually silver or just another metal coated with silver.

Decorationg of the flag
The weddings were held week before a holiday. Two days before the beginning of the
wedding, the flag is decorated. A young girl, who has a living mother and father, visits
three gardens to pick three flowers from three yards: rose, calendula, and basil. A
wreath is made from the flowers, which together with the cross is tied to the staff of
the flag. During the decoration of the flag, appropriate songs are sung, accompanied
by a musical performance of the same songs, always played on zurli and drums.
The wedding flag is decorated with a cross on top of the staff, flowers, and an apple
with four old coins pressed halfway into the apple, so as to be seen.
The decorated flag is then placed in a place visible from the groom’s house to be seen
by everyone, after which a rifle is fired three times. The flag bearer is in charge of the
flag throughout the wedding, and leads each wedding procession on horseback with
the flag.

The bayraktar (flag bearer)
As soon as the flag was decorated and placed in a conspicuous place, the wedding
could begin on the balcony of the groom’s house.
The bayraktar (flag bearer) was in charge of the flag during the wedding. The
bayraktar rode on horseback at the head of the wedding procession with the flag,
when going for the bride and when going to the church for the wedding.
The custom of decorating the flag can still be seen today during the cultural event
called the Galichnik Wedding.

Conclusion
In the process when expression of national identity through symbols, in this case flag,
is suppressed, it is naturally that this void would be filled with other means. So when
Republic of Macedonia was forced to change its flag, which was also perceived as
peoples (ethnic) flag, a search for alternative ancient symbols and especially flags was
underway. The search was among historical flags.
The wedding flags are ritual flags that never had a tribal or national identity
dimension. Searching for that dimension in deep history is due to romantic
understanding of role of flags.
The choice of a single most popular wedding flag to elevate to a all Mijaks flag and
giving it an identity role not just from the moment of its introduction in 1995 but
backward in history is contradictory to original role of the weddings flags.

Questions & Answers

Dr. Jovan Jonovski,
Betovenova 10-6, 1010 Skopje, Macedonia,
+389 70 252 989, jonovski@gmail.com.mk
Macedonian Heraldic Society

Phenomenon of the Mijaks` flags - Jonovski.pptx

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Phenomenon of the Mijaks` flags - Jonovski.pptx