The Macedo-Romanians in America, by Father Hategan

Note: *The Society reprints this article solely for its historical interest to the Aromanian community in the U.S. We do not endorse the views expressed in the article that we are Romanians or “Macedo-Romanians” – we are simply Aromanians whose national allegiance is to the United States.

This article appeared in the Romanian Heritage Society Bulletin vol. Jan-March 2009

The majority of ethnic Romanians in America emigrated before World  War I from the provinces of former Austro-Hungary, especially from Transylvania. Though these Romanians had lived for centuries under foreign domination, they were able to preserve their ethnic identity, language, customs, culture, and religion.  A smaller group of Romanian immigrants came from Romania proper and other Eastern European countries.

There are some distinguishing feature among the various Romanian immigrants settled in America. Such a distinctive group is the Romanian immigrants from the Serbian Banat province.  Once here, they settled among and readily comingled with other Romanians in the established communities, particularly in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York City, Detroit, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and other cities.

There is also a sizeable number of ethnic Romanians who emigrated from various villages and towns of Southern Albania, Northern Greece, former Yugoslavia, and Bulgaria.  They are generally known as Macedo-Romanians, Aromanians, or Vlachs.

The origin of the Macedo-Romanians is still a matter of conjecture and debate among various historians, depending on their ethnic leanings.  Romanian historians consider the Macedo-Romanians as heirs to the remnants of Roman settles in the south of the Danube after the Roman armies retreated in the early Christian centuries. This is attested to by certain historical facts, vestiges and especially by the similarities of the Macedo-Romanian language, customs and traditions with the Latin Peoples in general and with the Romanians north of the Danube in particular.

Throughout the centuries, the Macedo-Romanians formed their own villages, developed home industries, learning a number of skills and established themselves as a distinct ethnic entity.  Many of them tended large flocks of sheep, migrating during the summer months to mountainous regions and returning to their permanent homes during the winter months.  As such, some writers refer to them as the “nomads of the Balkans.”

Whereas the womenfolk spoke mostly the Macedo-Romanian dialect and passed it on by word of mouth to their offspring, the menfolk were also conversant in at least another language.  Some of them became skilled tradespeople and were active in commerce far and wide, establishing communities in the larger cities of Eastern Europe and elsewhere.  For instance, the famous and well known Romanian Metropolitan, Andrei Şaguna was of Macedo-Romanian origin and grew up in Budapest.

While the countries in which the Macedo-Romanians lived were under Ottoman rule, which respected the ethnics, they fared relatively well.  They were able to build churches, open schools, and develop their individualism.  With the help of Romania, which became aware of their existence and close kinship, they even opened a number of Romanian schools, where many of the young men were able to learn the literary Romanian language and forge closer relationships with that country.  The Romanian government encouraged many of them to resettle permanently in Romania, gibing them land in Dobrega.  There they founded new villages, and many of them opened businesses and practiced their skills in București, Constanța and other Romanian cities.  As they were acclimatized there, many integrated into Romanian life.  A number of prominent Romanians, in various fields of endeavors, are or Aromanian origin.

When the Ottoman rule was overthrown and the respective countries were many of the Macedo-Romanians lived gained their independence, they lost some of their former privileges and special status.  They were no longer considered an ethnic minority, and an all-out effort was made to denationalize them.  The Aromanian schools were closed and their language was no longer permitted in church services and other dealings.  As a result, many Macedo-Romanians emigrated to other countries, especially America.

Those Macedo-Romanians who remained in their ancestral homes were thereafter educated in the language of the country in which they resided.  As the older generations of Macedo-Romanians passed away, the younger generations spoke less Aromanian and were gradually assimilated.  Today, many prominent Greeks, Albanians and other nationals are of Macedo-Romanian origin.  Recent travelers to the remaining ancestral villages found many of them decimated and exhibiting a decreasing evidence of Aromanian life and culture.

Aside from those who emigrated to Romania, a goodly number of Macedo-Romanians emigrated to America beginning at the turn of the century.  It is difficult to ascertain their exact number, since some of them do not openly manifest their Macedo-Romanian language and align themselves with Greeks, Albanians, and other non-Romanian ethnics, in spite of the fact that many of them attended Romanian schools and speak the language.

Unlike so many who disassociate themselves from their ethnic background, there is a group of Macedo-Romanians in America, generally known as “Farșeroti” who came here with Romanian sentiments, remained faithful to them and generally associated with the Romanian immigrants in this country whenever and wherever they found themselves together.

The early Macedo-Romanians mostly settled in the New England States and on the East Coast, especially in New York City, Bridgeport, Conn., Southbridge, Mass., Worcester, Mass., North Groverdale, Conn.,  Woonsocket, RI., Pawtucket, RI., St. Louis, Mo., and in other American cities.  Those in the New England States were mostly employed in the textile industry, while those in New York city and elsewhere worked in restaurants and professed their skills in other areas.

As in the case of the other Romanian immigrants, mostly make Macedo-Romanians arrived first and later brought over their wives or returned to their homeland to marry.  Since many were at least bilingual, they easily mingled with other Greek, Albanian, Slavic co-nationals already established here.  Some of them ended up attending their churches and other events, thus diminishing their Macedo-Romanian contacts.

On the other hand, the “Farserot” Macedo-Romanians preferred to have their own churches and organizations. They founded parishes in Woonsocket, R.I. (1912), Bridgeport, Conn (1924) and later in Southbridge,  Mass. They cooperated with their Romanian kin in founding parishes in St. Louis, Mo., New York City and elsewhere. They attended services in the existing Romanian churches where available.

The Maceo-Romanian parishes belong to either the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate or the Romanian Missionary Archdiocese, and are serviced by Romanian priests. Nevertheless, there were also a few Macedo-Romanian priests, among whom are Fathers John Popescu (+), Hrista Vasilescu (+), Costache Belba (+). Sterie Mihadas, John Shunda, and Nicholas Apostola.

The need for banding together for religious, patriotic, and humanitarian purposes was evident from the beginning of their existence in this country.  Thus, the “Farsarotul” Society was founded on September 13. 1903 in New York City, especially through the initiative and efforts of Nicolae Cican. The society was named “Speranta” at first, but changed its name to “Farsarotul” on December 22, 1909 and was incorporated in the state of New York.  In due time, branches were opened in other cities where Macedo-Romanians resided.

Throughout the years the Society paid out many death benefits, offered scholarships to children of members and granted subsidies for research in Macedo-Romanian history.  It also contributed to the building funds for Romanian churches in America, many of whom served in the Armed Forces.

In this course of time, some of the branches were dissolved and the headquarters was transferred to Bridgeport, Conn., where most of the members reside and where they migrated from other cities.

At present, the society is run by a slate of younger, dedicated officers.  They publish a well written and well documented newsletter twice a year under the capable editorship of Nicholas Balamaci.  Recently, the society opened the membership to all Macedo-Romanians, not only to those originally from Southeast Albania in the vicinity or Coritza, a stronghold of the “Farsaroti.”

Their annual meetings are gala events, gather together a goodly number of members and friends.  The society has a number of books for sale on the Macedo-Romanians (Their address is 799 Silver Lane, PO Box 753, Trumbul, Conn. 06611).

Aside from the “Farsharotul” Society, in the course of time, other Macedo-Romanian societies were founded according to their respective geographical origin.  Such was the “Unirea” Society which was founded in New York City on January 1, 1909 by Maceo-Romanians mostly from the villages of Gramaticova, Candruva, Patacine and Horupani of Albania. In 1912, a similar organization known as the “Picurar” Society was started in Indianapolis, Ind. These two societies were united in 1917 and became one of the largest Macedo-Romanian organizations in America.  In the meantime, many of them resettled elsewhere in America, returned to their homeland or lost interest and were dissolve.  The remaining members transferred to the “Farsarotul” Society.

Macedo-Romanians from Perivolea in Northern Greece, many of whom attended Romanian schools in Ianina, Grebina, and Salonica, founded the “Perivolea” Society of April 22, 1909, primarily through the efforts of Cristea Constantinescu. But it is inactive.

Macedo-Romanians from Monastir (Bitolj) in Yogoslavia and surroundings, where there was a Romanian school at one time, formed the “Bitola” Society in April, 1944.  Some members returned to their homeland or associated mostly with other nationalities and are not as active in Romanian circles as are the “Farsaroti,”  Besides New York City, they are scattered in Albuquerque, St. Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Milwaukee and Detroit.

The Macedo-Romanian ladies founded the “St. Papadina” Ladies Aid on February 2, 1932 in New York City, principally through the efforts of Mrs. Sofia Cordista.  After her death in 1936, the funds were transferred to the newly-organized Romanian Ladies’ Aid of Saints Constantine and Helen, to be used to paint an icon of their patron saint.

By and large, the Macedo-Romanians were not organized too extensively as an ethnic group and often associated with co-nationals of other ethnic origins.  They are scattered throughout the country, many of them inter-marrying and losing their national identity and eventually being assimilated.

Attempts are being made to keep them together. Nacu Zdru, or instance, published Frandza Vlaha in California in English and the Macedo-Romanian language, and sends it to interested readers (PO Box 711433 Santee, Calif. 92072).  A few “Farsaroti” published the “Curierul American” from 1923-1928.  It was written in literary Romanian with at lest one page in the Macedo-Romanian dialect.

A number of books were written in English about the Macedo-Romanians. The classic 1913 book, The Nomads of the Balkan, by Wace and Thompson, treats their history and culture, including a basic grammar of the Aromanian language complete with glossary.  Tom J Winnifrith, and impartial scholar analyzing the various documents, sketches the entire history up to the 1980s in his book, The Vlachs: The History of a Balkan People. (These two books can be purchased from the Farsarotu Society). Nicholas Balamaci makes a valuable contribution to the knowledge of the Macedo-Romanians by printing excerpts from various publications and periodicals about them.

Many Macedo-Romanians have excelled in various fields of endeavor and professions, some accentuating their Macedo-Romanian origin, but others, unfortunately, down-playing it. For instance, the late Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, spoke the Aromanian language, as does the mother of former Governor Dukakis, the presidential candidate. They could not have learned the language except in the family as children.

The late Theodore Tonna became a prominent businessman in the New England states with his Greek friend Cotsides.  Together, they donated the funds to build the library at Hellenic College in Brookline, Mass. When invitations to the dedication were printed, they were scrapped since Theodore Tonna’s name was spelled with the Greek “s” at the end.  He politely reminded the organizers that he was Macedo-Romanian and his last name was spelled without the “s” at the end.  So, the building is known as the Cotsides-Tonna library. He has contributed to various Macedo-Romanian causes.  The social hall of the St. Dimitrie church of Bridgeport of which he was a benefactor, is named from him.  He has also donated substantial sums to the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate.

The Tamposi brothers of Nashua, whose parents emigrated from Avdhella, are pioneers in American civil aviation. The list could go on and on.

The future of the Macedo-Romanians here and at home is precarious and uncertain.  There is no denying that their numbers are diminishing, as Thomas J Winniftrith points out in his study; Shattered Eagles – Balkan Fragments.  At the first international conference of Albanian Vlachs in April 1992, the number of Macedo-Romanians were estimated between 50,000 to 250,000.  The Greeks and Romanians still vie for their souls.  There are no exact figures of Macedo-Romanians in Greece and Yugoslavia which are carrying on a campaign of denationalization and assimilation.  Be that as it may, the Macedo-Romanians will continue to fight for their existence as they have done for so many centuries under such difficult circumstances.

Here in America, the Macedo-Romanians face the same problems as do all other ethnic groups.  As the pioneer Macedo-Romanian immigrants pass away and are not replaced with others from abroad, as the first, second and third generations are educated in this country and lose some of their ethnic sensitivity, as they inter-marry with other nationalities and are slowly becoming assimilated, their future becomes more uncertain.  In the meantime, a brave attempt is made by some dedicated Macedo-Romanian souls to preserve, promote and perpetuate their ancestral heritage.  Time will tell.