Koja e Kuçit

Koja e Kuçit (Koja of Kuči) is one of the seven Northern Albanian tribes of Malësia. Koja is the Albanian Catholic tribe of Koja e Kuçit, the name derived from a combination of the Albanian Koja tribe, within the Kuči mountain. The people of Koja are referred to as Kojan(e). Koja's people and other Christian Albanians and Slavs fought Turks for centuries, keeping their Catholic identities alive during half a millennium of occupation. Pretash Zeka Ulaj from Koja was one of the Malësor leaders that led the region to its freedom when fighting in 1911 in the Battle of Deçiq, alongside the famous Ded Gjo Luli from Hoti. Dokë Preci Krcaj, Cakë Uci Ivanaj, Gjeto Toma Kolcaj, Tomë Uci Ivanaj, Kolë Doka Marashaj, Marash Leca Gjokaj, and Gjeto Gjeka Ivanaj are remembered as the Seven Heroes of Koja for giving their lives in the battle. The first book that was written solely about Koja e Kucit is "Koja ndër shekuj" by Fran Mirash Gjeloshaj, published in Rochester Michigan on November 15, 2010.^[1]

Surnames of Koja

• Ulaj: (Serbian truncation: Uljaj / Ul(j)ević) - Flag-bearers (Bajraktarët) of the tribe. They are descendants of Ule Nikaj who was the son of Nika Nrrelaj and grandson of Nrrel Balaj. They are originally from Vukel in Kelmendi
• Kolçaj: (Serbian truncation: Koljčević) - Descendants of the Marashaj / Maraševići. Notable people include ; Gjeto Toma Kolcaj.
• Nuculaj: (Serbian truncation: Nuculović) - Descendants of Pal Nika from Selcë. Nikaj/Nikići and Pajaj/Pajovići descend from the Nuculaj/Nuculović tribe. They originate from the Kastrati clan but had migrated to Selce in Kelmend before going to Koje.
• Marashaj: (Serbian truncation: Marašević)
• Ivanaj: (Serbian truncation: Ivan(ov)ić) - Several descendants immigrated to Plav-Gusinje
• Lucaj: (Serbian truncation: L(j)ucević, Ljucović)
• Krcaj: (Serbian truncation: Krcić) -

Descendants of the Gorvokaj / Gorvoković tribe. Several descendants immigrated to Plav-Gusinje

• Gjokaj: (Serbian truncation: Đokić, Đoković)
• Gjeloshaj: (old Bake) (Serbian truncation: Đelošević(Bakić) - First and original tribe to inhabit Koja e Kuçit. Notable people include ; Toma Lulashi Gjeloshaj.
• Gorvokaj: (Serbian truncation: Gorvokaj) - Krcaj Krcić tribe descends from the Gorvokajt / Gorvokovići. Originally from Vukel in Kelmendi.
• Nikaj: (Serbian truncation: Nikić) - Descendants of Nikë (Nikollë) of the Nuculaj / Nuculović tribe.
• Pali: (Serbian truncation: Paljevic) - Originally from Berishe (Berisha E kuqe) near Puka migrated to Koja in the 1500s. Descendants can be found in Ana Malit, Kelmend, Plav — Gusinje and Shkodër

Notable people

• Pretash Zeka Ulaj —Leader of the tribe volunteers at the Battle of Deçiq.
• Gjeto Toma Kolçaj — Participant at the Battle of Deçiq.
• Viktor Marku Ula — International relations scholar and Political Advisory to former Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Çeku in 2006.

References