Today, April 5, 2022, commemorates the 72nd anniversary of the passing from this life of the well-known Bektashian cleric, former Bektashian World Grandfather, Dede Kamber Prishta, patriot awarded with the "Honour of the Nation".
Dede Kamberi was born in 1870, in a Bektashi family. Kamberi's father and mother were myhib in Frashër tekke since its foundation by the saint Nasibi Tahir Babai. His two uncles and his father were dervishes in the teqe of Frashër, but since the family had a lot of need to cope with agricultural work, the father, Mehmeti, was named an honorary dervish and was allowed to marry. The uncles continued to serve as dervishes until the end. One of them, dervish Kaso, was lucky enough to stay in the teke, when it was led by the great father Alushi, who, as is known, waited and escorted the renaissance patriot, Abdyl Frashëri. After the death of Dervish Kasos, whom Kamberi had considered his spiritual father, he undertook to carry on the Bektashi tradition. It was the year 1910 when he accompanied to Haxhi Bektash in Turkey, Ahmet Turhani and father Sulejmani of Gjirokastra, who were handed over to him by the World Grandfather Fejzi Dedei at that time. On this trip, Dervish Kamberi, in addition to Turkey, was able to visit Syria and Lebanon, where he gained experience as a Bektashi. He returned to the Motherland in 1911, just when the national movement had begun. In the tekke of Frashëri, father Kamberi worked with dedication to preserve the Bektashi tradition. The invasion of Southern Albania by the Greek Andarts found him, along with dozens and hundreds of other families, in the olive groves of Vlora as immigrants. There he became part of the helpers for the remaining population between the four roads. From the members of his family, the Meço family lost 13 members due to cholera. As soon as the Second World War began, Dervish Kamberi made his way to the USA, with the aim of collecting aid for the reconstruction of the churches destroyed and burned by the war. According to the documents, dervish Kamberi was well received by the leaders of the "Vatra" Federation, Konica and Fan Noli. It was the end of 1920 when he met Mithat Frashër and came to Albania. As soon as he arrived in Albania, he received the news that he had been appointed as a delegate, as a participant in the Bektashi Congress held in Prishtina. After the death of Hysen's father, he took over the leadership of the famous Prishtina teke in Skrapar.
Everything was created after the arrival of father Kamberi, especially in the addition of orchards and vineyards, apples, grapes, cherries, pears, plums, figs, mint, etc. More than 15 peasants and 25 dervishes worked in the teke every day. Teqeja e Prishte became one of the largest in Southern Albania with rich properties, cattle, bees, etc. Baba Kamberi was very active, even occupying an important place in the ranks of the highest clergy of that time. The fact that even after the First Bektashi Congress that was held in Prishtina, father Kamberi would remain at the forefront of activities for the organization and strengthening of the Bektashi tariqat. In September of 1929, the Third Bektashian Congress was held in the Teke of Turhan, in Korça, chaired by father Kamber Prishta, who provided great help in drafting the statute and regulation of the Bektashians. On April 12, 1944, the prominent clergyman Father Kamberi was elected as Grandfather, but they did not leave him alone, in 1945, he was arrested by the monist state and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The sufferings in prison for this high-ranking Bektashi cleric have been very great. He died in Tirana prison on April 5, 1950. He was decorated by the Presidium of the Parliament of Albania after the 1990s with the Order for patriotic activity of the First Class and the "Honour of the Nation". May his memory be eternal.
Prepare:
Xhorxhi Çullhaj
