Sworn-Virgins: Albanian Women Who Vowed To Live As Men

The burrnesha tradition is an ancient practice in northern Albania. Also known as "sworn virgins," women vow lifelong celibacy to assume the rights and responsibilities of men. Once a significant cultural phenomenon, fewer than a dozen burrneshat remain today, reflecting the gradual disappearance of this practice in modern times.

Origins of the Burrnesha Tradition

The practice dates back several centuries, rooted in the Kanun, a 15th-century code that governed Albanian society. In a patriarchal culture where men were the primary bearers of familial and societal responsibilities, families without male heirs faced significant challenges. To preserve family wealth, uphold honour, or avoid fatal conflicts such as blood feuds, women could swear an oath of celibacy to adopt the role of a male family member, as reported by the BBC.

This oath granted these women male status within their families and communities. It allowed them to inherit property, carry weapons, and participate in decision-making.

Reasons Behind the Oath

The motivations for becoming a burrnesha were varied:

• Family Survival: In families with no male heirs, a woman taking on this role ensured the continuity of family wealth and status.
• Avoiding Conflict: The oath sometimes served as a protective measure, exempting women from violent blood feuds that often targeted male family members.
• Personal Choice: Some women pursued this path for independence or as a response to dissolved marriages, renouncing remarriage in favour of autonomy.
• Societal Pressures: In the context of rigid gender norms, becoming a burrnesha provided women a rare escape from traditional constraints.

Life as a Burrnesha

The lives of burrneshat were often marked by isolation and hardship. Many lived in Albania's remote mountainous regions, where economic conditions were challenging. While they enjoyed male privileges within their communities, the decision came at the cost of personal relationships and familial roles traditionally associated with women.

Despite these sacrifices, the tradition attracted the attention from ethnographers, historians, and filmmakers, with numerous books and documentaries exploring their unique stories.

The Role of the Kanun

The Kanun played a central role in shaping the burrnesha tradition. This set of laws not only codified gender roles but also governed practices like blood feuds, which were tied to notions of family honor. A blood feud could begin with a mere insult and escalate into violent retaliation, forcing some women to take an oath of celibacy to avoid becoming victims or perpetrators of such cycles.

Under the Kanun, women were considered property of their husbands and had limited rights. By assuming the status of a man, burrneshat were able to bypass these restrictive norms, albeit within a framework that still upheld the patriarchal structure.

Modern-Day Challenges for Women in Albania

While the burrnesha tradition highlights an innovative adaptation to patriarchal norms, its existence underscores the broader struggles faced by women in Albania. According to UN Women, only 8% of Albanian women own land, and inheritance laws often marginalize them.

Despite some progress—such as women comprising 23% of parliamentary seats and 35% of local counselors by 2017—gender inequality persists. Alarming statistics reveal that nearly 60% of Albanian women aged 15-49 have experienced domestic violence.

The Decline of Burrneshat

Today, the practice of becoming a burrnesha is fading, as societal changes and legal reforms provide women with new opportunities for empowerment. Yet, the stories of the remaining sworn virgins is a reminder of the resilience of women navigating restrictive cultural norms.

By bridging the gap between tradition and necessity, the burrnesha tradition reveals the complex and vulnerable ways in which gender roles, cultural expectations, and survival intersected in Albanian society. While the tradition may soon vanish, its legacy about women's strength and agency in the face of adversity remains.