Happy Flag Day from RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) Students
Let us tell you a story. It is an Albanian folk story that explains how Albanians got this indigenous name. It’s called, the Tale of the Eagle.
A young man was hunting in the mountains. An eagle flying above him alighted on top of a crag. The eagle was especially large and had a snake in its beak. After a while, the eagle flew away from the crag where it had its nest. The young man then climbed to the top of the crag where he saw, in the nest, an eaglet playing with the dead snake. But the snake wasn't really dead! Suddenly it stirred, revealed its fangs and was ready to pierce the eaglet with its deadly venom. The youth quickly took out his bow and arrow and killed the snake. Then he took the eaglet and started going back to his home. Suddenly the young man heard above him the loud whir of the great eagle's wings.
"Why did you take my child?" cried the eagle.
"The child is mine because I saved it from the snake which you didn't kill," answered the young man.
"Give me back my child, and I will give you as a reward the sharpness of my eyes and the powerful strength of my wings. You will become invincible, and you will be called by my name!"
Thus the young man handed over the eaglet. After the eaglet grew, it would always fly above the head of the young man, now a grown man, who with his bow and arrows hunted many wild beasts of the forest, and put to the sword many enemies of the land. During all of these feats, the eagle faithfully watched over and guided him.
Amazed by the valiant hunter's deeds, the people of the land elected him king and called him Shqipëtar, which is to say Son of the Eagle (shqipe or shqiponjë is Albanian for eagle) and his kingdom became known as "Shqipëria" or Land of the Eagles. The two heads on the eagle represent the north and the south of the ballkan lands.
------
It is also said that the eagle gave the young man, half of the egg shell, which the young men used it as a skull cap. In this way the eagle could see him from above and help him in difficult situations.
This is believed to be the origin of the PLIS traditional skull cap, which is worn by Albanian men throughout Albania, in Kosova, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, in the Arbëresh villages in Italy, and other places of the world.
_____
The following scholarship recipients this fall were blessed to have someone look after them and wore the PLIS as sign of appreciation and gratitude.
------
It does not matter whether it is man or women, Albanian or other nationality. The PLIS symbolizes that someone is watching over, that someone trusts in you. And it is exactly what supporters such as you, have done. You have trusted these students, empowered them, elevated them, and changed their life forever.
As we embark in our Annual Fund Drive, I hope you continue your support and trust in these students and our institution. I hope you GIVE as generously as you can.