In the us, Zaimi became a journalist and you may remained active in the Albanian diaspora, and you can proceeded so you can subscribe the fresh new Close Eastern Base. She, such Cushing, are said to be using her antique skirt and you can suffice Turkish java in fundraising events where she portrayed Albanian community. („Expo to aid Close Eastern People. „) The newest coverage from Child of one’s Eagle provides this lady inside the an effective old-fashioned Albanian top. In comparison into simple top of your nameless Albanian Woman in the Hine’s image, Zaimi’s try lavish, heavier having ornaments, and showing their owned by a highly-to-do family unit members.
Zaimi try a great staunch critic of traditional and you will patriarchal norms away from the girl cultural milieu. She brings just what anthropologists determine as the an enthusiastic “emic direction” from just what it try including getting an earlier woman to grow right up because social secteur throughout the interwar period. She makes reference to that have like, pain, and you will humor the fresh new traditions, idioms, intimacies, and you can, above all, your meal that comprise the latest stuff out-of daily life for the a people completely different out of that of the girl listeners. The opening profiles of one’s book place the reader for the matrimony process to own Nexhmije’s cousin. Mcdougal try attentive to every detail. She’s got an organic ethnographic sensibility. It description of popular desert, kabuni, captures the newest culinary way of life regarding Albanian weddings at that time:
Truth be told there cannot be a married relationship rather than a bride-to-be, in my country not really a bride-to-be (that is left standing in her lay as the banquet goes on) is more crucial versus roasted mutton and kabuni. To prepare it, rice was prepared in the lamb broth, also to it’s added a lot of clipped-right up fried beef, glucose, raisins, deep-fried almonds, spices, and much steaming butter which had been browned regarding frying pan. Upcoming several other coating regarding powdered glucose regarding it finished the true luxury pan, kabuni. [p. 29]
In one single part, Naimi seamlessly highlights exactly what she sees given that humiliating intercourse strategies-leaving the fresh new bride standing throughout the ceremony-whilst outlining the newest mouthwatering eating away from Albanian Muslim celebrations, the heat away from their family relations, the latest joys of your own day-long relationships banquet. Naimi will bring much more nuance and you can cultural difficulty to help you the girl findings, usually detailing the explanation out-of cultural norms that will see objectional to help you a western viewer:
Which can appear uncommon, specifically for a wedding, however the custom possess good reasons. In one place the students brides normally forget on their own to own a beneficial alter and you may make fun of all they want. They are without the fresh severity and you may foregone conclusion, therefore required when they’re throughout the presence of men; wedding receptions is to own contentment and you may frolic. [p. 3]
Such findings are similar to anthropologist Lila Abu Lughod’s Creating Women’s Community (1993). Speaking about Bedouin women’s daily life, Lughod demands established western information regarding prize and you will shame, patriarchy, and sex norms throughout the Mediterranean/Northern Africa. Although she defies the lady father’s desire to marry the girl and you will renders the nation to pursue this lady training in america, Zaimi produces concerning strong bonds together with her mom and you can brothers, her brother, no matter if their opinions and you will morals don’t line up. Not only is it a-deep, honest, and you can advanced account regarding an effective Muslim loved ones within the inter-combat Albania, Child of your Eagle is also monitoring of social means one to underwent strong changes to your regarding the latest communist techniques oriented immediately after WWII. Inside the Daughters of your Eagle, faith is a significant part of daily life, helpful tips of any imagine and you may emotion. But really, this would no further function as circumstances after the 1950s and you will sixties, whenever faith try prohibited. Growing up inside a great secularized Muslim friends which have links to similar teams discussed by Naimi, I found this new rituals and means explained within book familiar and you will unusual. Zaimi’s struggle to follow this lady degree while the a young girl appeared distant in my opinion, since the training off female turned into mandatory according to the communist routine. Meanwhile, We drooled whenever studying in the kabuni or other matrimony foods one to just weren’t offered in the wedding parties which i attended from inside the late 1980s Albania. Which impoverishment of your own relationship diet plan was a direct result of the new centralization, rationing, and food lack when you look at the communist Albania. Hence, the publication comprises a very important ethnographic listing regarding interwar Albania (without claiming to accomplish this).