Selckë


Selckë is a small village in the former Pogon municipality in the Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Dropull.

Geography

The village lies on the slopes of Mount Nemërçkë. Selckë is considered as the southernmost village of the Lunxhëri region. From a Greek point of view Selckë is considered as part of the Upper Pogoni sub-region, which is the northern part of the wider Pogoni region, straddling both Albania and Greece.

History

At 1868 a Greek school was already operating in the village. In 1911–1913, Dimitrios Zervas, local benefactor and successful businessman, financially supported the local Greek schools and the Orthodox churches, he also offered scholarships to local students to attend the Phanar Greek Orthodox College, in Constantinople. In the early 20th century, many inhabitants participated in late Ottoman immigration, but sent remittances home, helping the development of the village. During the interwar period Selckë had 35 houses with the inhabitants being Albanian speaking. In the 1950s and 1960s, during the communist period many inhabitants moved to Tirana or other Albanian cities, and their houses were then occupied by Vlachs.
In 1990 the village had 33 Vlach families and 32 native Lunxhot Orthodox Albanian families, the former having been settled there as a result of the forcible relocations by the communist regime of People's Republic of Albania. In 1992 it was reported that Aromanians were the overall majority. Today, a part of the population has migrated, mostly to Greece, with Vlachs migrating at higher rates than natives, and often with no plans to return.
According to official estimates part of the village is inhabited by the Greek minority.

Notable people