Beatriçe Gjergji, the singer of Shkodra Elektronike who represents Albania at Eurovision 2025, appeared on the turquoise carpet of the festival in a special dress composed of symbolic elements. The dress was filled with elements of Albanian cultural heritage, mainly from the northern areas, from the motifs of folk carpets, to the grandfather's clock to the cartridge in the dowry.
But, while elements like carpets or an inherited clock evoke pride and nostalgia, the inclusion of the cartridge is a choice that deserves discussion.
"A cartridge in the dowry (an ancient Albanian custom), a clock inherited from the family's grandparents, as well as the motifs of a folk carpet... are just some of the many elements that this dress contains," writes the RTSH page on Instagram.
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In ancient Albanian tradition, the dowry bullet had a deep (and dark) meaning, both symbolic and, unfortunately, practical . It was a real bullet that was placed in the bride's dowry along with the items she brought with her from her parents' home.
On the first night of the wedding, if the bride was not a virgin, the groom had the “right” to kill her. Likewise, he could kill her later if she showed disobedience or betrayed him. In these cases, according to the Kanun, no blood feud was required, because the woman was considered a bloodsucker , not a victim.
The cartridge represented not just a custom, but a system where a woman's body and life were controlled by a man. It is a symbol of a culture of violence and control, of a time when women had neither voice nor rights.
Albania has many other positive symbols to show: traditional clothing, musical instruments, crafts, mythology, or prominent historical figures. The cartridge, as a reminder of gender-based violence in the name of honor, is not one of them.
On a stage like Eurovision, where culture is represented to the world, not only folklore, but also the values ??of a society that moves forward, the inclusion of such a symbol without any explanatory or critical context risks being misunderstood.
Including the bullet without providing a narrative explanation or critical purpose risks being misunderstood.
