When ENVER becomes NEVER: Memory Palimpsest in Berat, Albania
When ENVER becomes NEVER: Memory Palimpsest in Berat, Albania

Summary/Abstract: The article is a critical analysis of data collected during anthropological fieldwork in the Albanian city of Berat, where one of the world’s largest political slogans is located. The inscription “ENVER” on Shpirag mountain was created in 1968 as a birthday present for the leader of the Albanian regime Enver Hoxha. For almost thirty years, this inscription dominated the city, being visible from a distance of many kilometers. After the political transformation in 1991, the new Albanian government planned to destroy the slogan as a remnant of the cult of personality. However, despite the help of the army and the use of explosives, the inscription could not be removed. The giant slogan from Berat is a phenomenon on a global scale: its history, as well as its meanings, created a unique narrative about Albanian politics and culture. For over three decades, the inscription has become an element of the local aesthetic and social landscape. In 2012 the Albanian artist made a subversive act of capturing the old propaganda slogan: as a consequence, the original inscription “ENVER” was replaced with a new one: “NEVER.” Anthropological fieldwork and art-based research focused on the slogan, encouraged participants to express ideas, insights, views, and experiences. The data collected during the research are very varied. Many of them consist of superficial judgments, gossips, presumptions, and stereotypical clichés. They are also accompanied by much deeper expressions, articulating the palimpsest memory of women and men living in the shadow of ENVER/NEVER.

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