A mother explains the meaning of burrnia
There were also enough difficulties, especially in Detroit. The case of Detroit was also more difficult because it was the blood of father and a son that was being forgiven. And I was not there, in Detroit. It was Tahir Nikçi, an activist of the association Shpresa, who led the group in Detroit, and that’s how he told us about that family that he successfully reconciled.
The brother of the victim did not agree, it was really the brother and the son [of the victim] who had to forgive. The brother of the victim did not agree in any way, even though he had prepared a magnificent welcome, and highly praised the delegation, he said, “You are the head of the nation, you are great men,” and even though there was a great pressure from Don Anton Kqira, the priest of the Catholic church of Detroit, who wanted that blood be forgiven at any cost. He finally said, “Here, nothing can be done.” And after a few hours, his mother stood up and said to her son, “Yes son, all these men, you highly raised all these men, you brought them so high, and at the end you say no.” She said, “This is not burrnia [manhood], I am a woman, but the besa [word of honor] of God for my son speaks for itself.” And she offered Anton Çetta her hand and said, “May the blood of my son be forgiven.” But she did not mention the grandchild, because the grandchild was the son of her son, and she said, “Now it is your turn, I forgave my son, you must be forgiving your son.” And that’s how he also reconciled.
The audio interview section of Besim Malota telling the story that you just read can be found here.