THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE DONOR ATANAS BLIZNAKOV IN THE MONOGRAPHS BY SLAVE KATIN
Lazar Pop Trajkov was born in 1878 in the village D’mbeni. He studied in the pro-high school in Kostur in order to become a student in the boys’ high school in Solun, where he acquired his secondary education. Many students of the high school were actively engaged in revolutionary activity. Lazar Pop Trajkov was among the most prominent as an organizer of the revolutionary action in Kostur Region. At the Smilevo Congress, held in January 1903, Lazar Pop Trajkov was elected deputy-member of the rebellion Headquarters by secret vote. On May 31, 1903 he participated in the fight at Lokva and Vinjari; described in his poem. Several months after the Ilinden Uprising was put down, his young life, filled with hope and faith for a bright future, ended as well.
This association set up its own club supplied with various historical and other popular books for reading. It used to receive its funds from member’s fees and voluntary contributions. The purpose of this association was to provide charitable assistance, but it also had cultural and educational activities, which contributed to the development of its members in many ways. In addition, its purpose was to assist its members wherever there was a need for it, to provide financial aid to widows and orphans in villages in Macedonia who were victims of Ottoman and Greek terrorism, to collect funds to repair the village school, church, the fence around the cemetery, supply the village with water, repair rural roads and for many other public utilities and purposes.
The D’mbeni association of “Lazar Pop Trajkov” made many useful contributions in the U.S. for the residents of the village in Macedonia. Knowing that there was a great need for water, the Association raised and gave funds to build a beautiful village fountain. In addition, since the tap water passed through earthen pipes causing a lot of water loss, the Association sent, in 1908, enough money to buy metal pipes to build a reservoir later. Even more, it supported the construction of the cemetery at the far end of the village.
In the early years, especially up to the Balkan Wars, the Association “Lazar Pop Trajkov” assisted the national-liberation activity of Macedonia and encouraged other Macedonian emigrants in the United States to set up similar associations that would later make a valuable contribution to raise the national awareness of Macedonians and contribute to the process of seeking national and social freedom of Macedonians.
The D’mbeni association “Lazar Pop Trajkov” provided assistance for solving important living and community issues in their native village. Thus, in 1936 it sent $2,600 for the construction of the reservoir for the village fountain. In addition, it sent clothes, various medications and other necessary materials worth $480 for their fellow countrymen who moved to the Republic of Macedonia after the National-liberation fight and Civil War in Greece. It also sent $2,000 to Skopje after it was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1963, etc.
Also, during the Civil War in Greece, this Association urged all people from D’mbeni, living in America, to send as much financial assistance to their relatives and loved ones as possible.
From the historical development of the Association “Lazar Pop Trajkov” it can be concluded that during the Second World War a large number of D’mbeni emigrants in America showed their willingness to reorganize the association. Because many of them remained permanently in America and had no intention of returning to their homeland, they wanted to reorganize the association in compliance with the principles and rules that satisfied the needs and interests of its members living in the United States. Moreover, in early 1944 the general assembly held in Gary nominated and elected a committee, Atanas Bliznakov and Blagoj Popov, to draft a statute of the association.
After drafting the statute, the general assembly of July 7, 1944, attended by a great number of D’mbeni emigrants, passed the Statute which was an important document whose goal was to unite all D’mbeni emigrants living in the U.S., to develop cultural and other activities, as well as to maintain contacts with all D’mbeni emigrants no matter where they lived in America.
The D’mbeni association was composed of three branches: the first branch had its head offices in Gary and Hammond – Indiana, the other had its head office in Detroit –Michigan, while the third one had its main office in Madison, in the state of Illinois. Each July the Association convened an annual gathering attended by all D’mbeni emigrants who came from all parts of America. The participants at these gatherings discussed and made decisions on issues to make the activity of the Association more successful. Banquets were organized for all members at the weekend-gatherings, which had a very intimate atmosphere, pleasing everyone.
The association for mutual-aid under the name “D’mbeni” existed and still exists in Toronto and Windsor, Canada. In 1940, the members of the association who lived in Toronto separated and organized their own association, retaining the same name, i.e. the “D’mbeni mutual-aid association of Lazar Pop Trajkov”.
In World War II the number of immigrants from this village, living in Toronto, increased. New settlers brought with them the first disagreements among the members. Governed by the commitment that the association should remain small, they adopted a decision that it shouldn’t be named after Lazar PopTrajkov. This was also motivated by a desire to avoid problems with the Greek authorities who could cause problems for some D’mbeni fellows who still had properties in Greece, as well as from fear that they could be banned from visiting their relatives and loved ones in their village.
The “Lazar Popov Trajkov” Association was registered and is still active today on the basis of the regulations of the Statute, which reads that the Association will unite all immigrants from the village D’mbeni and their descendants, and develop love for their second homelands – U.S.A. and Canada. Moreover, it will develop brotherly love and strengthen friendship and morale among the members, and will also support its members and their families in the U.S., Canada, D’mbeni, and in other countries as well.
To honor and respect what Atanas Bliznakov felt for Lazar Pop Trajkov, the poem titled “Lokvata and Vinjari”, translated by Blaze Koneski, is presented here.
By SLAVE KATIN
