“HISTORICAL MANUAL AGAINST GREAT GREEK PROPAGANDA” PUBLISHED, INTENDED FOR MACEDONIANS IN THE AEGEAN PART OF MACEDONIA

  

Recently, a brochure titled “HISTORICAL MANUAL AGAINST GREAT GREEK PROPAGANDA” with the subtitle “A MANUAL FOR SUCCESSFUL OPPOSITION TO THE GREEK DENATIONALIZING PROPAGANDA THAT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY AMONG MACEDONIANS IN THE AEGEAN PART OF MACEDONIA WITH THE AIM OF THEIR HELLENIZATION” has been published in electronic (PDF) format by the Macedonian Literary Society “Grigor Prlichev” from Sydney, in cooperation with the Association of Macedonians from the Aegean part of Macedonia “Mirka Ginova” from Shtip.

The author of this manual is the Macedonian historian and advocate for the rights of Macedonians, M.A. Aleksandar Donski. In addition to Macedonian, the brochure has also been published in English, and it is expected to be released in Greek in the near future. The brochure has already been made freely available for use and distribution among Macedonians in the Aegean part of Macedonia, as well as among domestic and international audiences.

In the brochure, a clear, well-argued, and convincing response is given to the fundamental tenets of Great Greek historical narratives. For example, the brochure states that:

- There are testimonies from nearly fifty ancient Greek and other classical authors who clearly asserted that the Macedonians were a distinct people from the Hellenes (who were later, somewhat disparagingly, referred to by the Romans as “Greeks,” a name that has remained to this day), and that they spoke a separate Macedonian language that was not understandable to the Hellenes. The Latin historian Quintus Curtius Rufus even recorded that Macedonians and Hellenes (Greeks) communicated with each other through interpreters. 

- The so-called “Greek gods” were not Greek at all. As early as the 5th century BC, Herodotus wrote that the Hellenes adopted the names of these gods from the ancient Balkan people known as the Pelasgians, whom he described as speaking a language incomprehensible to the Hellenes. It has also been established that over 80% of the authors of works belonging to so-called “Greek mythology” were not “Greeks,” and the same applies to most of the characters in this mythology. The Macedonians, for their part, worshipped their own distinct deities not found among neighboring peoples. All of this is elaborated in detail in the brochure. 

- Ancient Greek authors artificially Hellenized (Greekified) the personal names of people from all nations they encountered by adding the suffix “-os” in their records to make them appear “Greek.” The brochure includes a list of hundreds of personal names (as well as toponyms and other words) belonging to Thracians, Illyrians, Ethiopians, Assyrians, Persians, Egyptians, Libyans, Indians, Italians, and other peoples, which in ancient Greek sources were recorded with the ending “-s” (“-os” or “-is”). Does this mean that all these peoples were “Greeks”? The same should be understood regarding the personal names of Macedonians recorded with the suffix “-os,” which was artificially added. The strongest proof of this is the name of our greatest emperor, Alexander the Great of Macedon. In ancient Greek records (written centuries after his death), his name appears as “Alexandros,” but in Babylonian astronomical records written in cuneiform in the 4th century BC—during the time Alexander lived—his name is clearly recorded as “Alexander.” Furthermore, not all names used by ancient Macedonians were recorded by ancient Greek authors. Some have been discovered in tomb and other inscriptions, meaning they were written by the Macedonians themselves. A considerable number of these authentic Macedonian personal names do not end with the Greek suffix “-s,” and some even resemble names derived from a language close to modern Macedonian. Examples include: Dada, Dule, Zaika, Zaimina, Lasten, Lika, Mama, Mamina, Milo, Moma, Momo, Nana, Sita, Skrita, Tato, Tate, Tataja, Filina, and others. This is also explained in detail in the brochure. 

- Macedonian folklore contains numerous songs, stories, legends, and traditions with ancient Macedonian content, recorded as early as the 16th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. There are also certain folkloric elements (especially in storytelling) that trace their roots back to the time of ancient Macedonia, as well as many customs, rituals, and folk beliefs preserved among Macedonians in the 19th and 20th centuries. All of this is thoroughly elaborated in the brochure, together with evidence supported by DNA analyses demonstrating connections between modern and ancient Macedonians. 

The author Aleksandar Donski is confident that this brochure will significantly help Macedonians in the Aegean part of Macedonia to successfully oppose Greek denationalizing policies:“If we ourselves do not present our own history to the world and do not fight for the rights of our compatriots, no one will do it for us.”

The brochure was published with the support of Trajche T. TRAJKOSKI from Perth, a well-known Macedonian national activist and host of the most listened-to Macedonian radio program in Western Australia, “Mac FM Radio” from Perth; Gordana DIMOVSKA from Melbourne, a noted Macedonian poet, journalist, and teacher of the Macedonian language in Australia; and MACEDON PUBLISHERS AND TRANSLATORS – SYDNEY.

The brochures are available for free download on the website of Pollitecon Publications — the largest platform featuring books with historical content dedicated to Macedonia, owned by Victor Bivell from Sydney.

The Macedonian version can be downloaded from:

https://www.pollitecon.com/Assets/Ebooks/Istoriski-Pripachnik-Protiv-GolemoGrchkata-Anti-Makedonska-Propaganda.pdf

The English version can be downloaded from: 

https://www.pollitecon.com/Assets/Ebooks/Historical-Manual-Against-The-Greek-Anti-Macedonian-Propaganda.pdf

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