Shqiponjat (folk group)

The folk group was born on initiative of 12 girls in a small town of Albanian origin (Arbëreshë) called Santa Sofia D’Epiro in the spring of 1994 and becomes a cultural association 10 years later.

From ancient manuscripts and the oral tradition, it appears that, at the time of the Ottoman invasion in Albania, women – in addition to the family hearth - were dancing and singing to honor their husbands return from battle.

The show offered by Shqiponjat represents metaphorically the long journey that their ancestors have undertaken from the faraway Albanian coast to reach the Calabria territory in Italy at the end of the 15th century.

The arbëresh repertory includes the ancient traditional rhymed and often improvised songs, called “vjershë” (poem), performed without musical accompaniment, sung only by double or triple voices.

[2] The originality, serious work of research and the skill of the artists allowed to obtain prizes and awards not only in Italy, but also abroad, where often the group was called to represent the Italian-Albanian minority.