35. “MACEDONIA IN ANCIANT TIMES”
The book “Macedonia in Anciant Times” (2010), by Antonije Škokljev-Dončo from Belgrade and Slave Nikolovski-Katin from Skopje, translated by Risto Stefov from Toronto, is the 40th publication, which is the work of “Makedonska Iskra”, Skopje, on 346 pages in English. The reviewers are: Aleksandar Donski and Odisej Belčevski. The purpose of writing this book was to challenge the skewed conventional views of the Macedonians and, from a historical perspective, to reopen the “Macedonian question”.
Our goal is to offer the reader, through the pages of this research, historical evidence about Macedonia, which we hope will contribute to shaping the historical mosaic of the indigenous Macedonian people, their continuity, national identity and their contribution to world civilization. At the same time, we hope to expose and confront the historical injustices committed against the Macedonian people by abusing the “Macedonian question”.
The Ancient Macedonians (or Ancient Macedonians, Old Macedonians) are an ancient people of Indo-European origin who inhabited the territory of Macedonia, whose name was given to them. Macedonia was the center of the Macedonian Empire. They spoke their own ancient Macedonian language, about which not much is known. The conclusion about the Old Macedonian language is not clear.
It is known that the only time in history that the Greeks or Hellenes, as they call themselves, received parts of Macedonia was after the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913 and only by a military act supported by the signing of the 1913 Treaty of Bucharest. Although Macedonia, historically, was never Greek, part of it was given to the Greeks by the great powers of Europe.
Those who claim that the modern Macedonians “colonized” the Balkans in the 6th century AD forget that at that time there was already an indigenous and indigenous population in Macedonia in the region. They come from the ancient people of Macedonia, from the Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great, one of the greatest empires that ever existed.
The “ethnic name” at issue is in the midst of which there are complex problems of a dramatic nature that will be a challenge to unravel and will be exploited by many powers for a long time to come.
Part of this book is dedicated to the Macedonian contribution to world civilization. The authors have taken an additional, but necessary step to correct the widespread distortions in the European hierarchy of spiritual values. In doing so, they have joined other Balkan peoples and their common thread of cultural heritage, which for centuries has been the seed of European and world cultures and civilizations.
Promotions and Publications:
Regarding the promotion of this work, it should be noted that from the book “Macedonian in Ancient Times” by Academician Dr. Antonije Shkokljev – Doncho and Slave Nikolovski-Katin and Risto Stefov):- twelve (12) sequels have been published in the monthly newspaper “Macedonia” from Toronto, from August 2016 to August 2017, (in English).
Greek “Democrasy” brought to light has been published in the monthly newspaper “Macedonia” from Toronto, from May 2015, (in English). Also, ten (10) sequels to the book Macedonian in Ancient Times (in Macedonian and English) were published in the newspaper “Macedonia” during 2016 and 2017.
36. THE MONOGRAPH “PETAR STAMATOFF”
The monograph “Petar Stamatoff” (2010), whose authors are Slave Nikolovski-Katin and Stamatov’s grandson Professor Metodija Trajkovski, is a publication of the Rectorate of the University of “St. Cyril and Methodius” (UKIM), Skopje, printed on 192 pages, in Macedonian and English. This publication presents the life and work of the donor Petar Stamatov and his wife Jazha, who left deep traces for the students of the University of “St. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje and in general for future generations in the diaspora.
The life of a noble emigrant from Macedonia to the United States of America, such as Petar Stamatoff, placed in a biographical-journalistic timeline limited by data, is a kind of saga of his survival. The monograph on Petar Stamatov, with all modesty, is a portrait and an occasion for his life and the work that he left forever to be remembered by the young generations in Macedonia and in the Macedonian diaspora.
The monograph on Petar Stamatoff and his “Petar Stamatoff” Foundation relies on factography that springs from his life’s work and great work. The book is a modest picture of the man who spent most of his life in Chicago, USA, and who did a great job with the formation of his Foundation, in order to help the young Macedonian generations – students.
However, a complete picture of him can be obtained if the projection is broken by his birthplace – the legendary Smilevo, then Bitola, where he spent his childhood, and his two homelands – Macedonia and the USA.
With the monograph on the virtuous emigrant Petar Stamatov, the latest phase of the Macedonian diaspora history is projected within modest frames. He was a person of respect and an example that other Macedonians in both homelands, the USA and Macedonia, can and should look up to. The work done by Petar Stamatoff and his wife Jazha, an American of Polish origin, is a beautiful example and a roadmap of a virtuous, mixed and noble American married couple, between a Macedonian and a Polish woman.
Following the reputation of the largest donor in the diaspora, Atanas Bliznakov, with the establishment of his “Petar Stamatoff” Foundation, he was convinced that he would make a valuable contribution to the University of “St. Cyril and Methodius”, and at the same time to the Macedonian youth and people and to his native country – Macedonia.
Petar Stamatoff is the man who spent most of his life in Chicago, USA, and who did a great job with the establishment of his Foundation, in order to help and leave a lasting memory to the young Macedonian generations.
However, a complete picture of him can be obtained if the projection includes his birthplace in Smilevo, then Bitola, as well as Sofia, Bulgaria, from where he left for the United States of America, to forever dream of his native country of Macedonia.
Promotions and publications:
The monograph on the donor “Petar Stamatoff” (in Macedonian and English) by Slave Nikolovski-Katin and Metodija Trajkovski was promoted at the Rectorate of the University of “Saints Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje, in 2010/
Fourteen (14) sequels to the monograph “Petar Stamatoff” were published on the “Macedonian Nation” portal in 2020 and 2021, and a larger number were also published in “Macedonian Sun”.
Writen by
DUSHAN RISTEVSKI-MAKEDON
