Date of Birth:
March 8, 1985
Place of Birth:
Ohrid, Republic of North Macedonia
Education:
2020 – PhD in Ethnological and Anthropological Sciences, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Dissertation Title: “Ethnological and Anthropological Study of the Bektashi Dervish Order in Macedonia: Doctrine and Practice.”
2015 – MA in Ethnological Sciences, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Master’s Thesis Title: “Ethnological and Anthropological Study of the Bektashi Dervish Order in the Village of Kanatlarci, Prilep Region.”
2010 – BA in Ethnology, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Bachelor’s Thesis Title: “The Role of Water in Beliefs and Customs among the Population of the Ohrid Region.”
Professional and Academic Experience
2025–present | Associate Professor, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
2020–2025 | Assistant Professor, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
2017–2020 | Assistant, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
2015–2017 | Technical Assistant, Teaching and Practical Training Support, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
2008–2015 | Demonstrator, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
Books
2025 „Childhood in Ottoman Bitola from the beginning of the 19th century to 1912, co-authored with Vasko Gichevski, Skopje“
2022. “Kanatlar’da bektaşi tarikatı“. Üsküp. (In Turkish Latin)
2022. “Üsküp’lü derviş“. Co-author with Vladimir Trajanovski. Üsküp. (In Turkish Latin)
2021. “Tarikati Halveti-hajati në Ohër'. Shkup. (In Albanian Latin)
2020. „Skopskiot derviš“, Co-author with Vladimir Trajanovski. Skopje: Centar za etnološki istražuvanja i primeneta antropologija. (In Macedonian Cyrillic).
2020. „Turbinjata vo Skopje“. Co-author with Elizabeta Pavković. Skopje: Centar za etnološki istražuvanja i primeneta antropologija. (In Macedonian Cyrillic)
2019. „Etnološko i antropološko proučuvanje na derviškiot red bektaši od selo Kanatlarci, Prilepsko. skopje: Institut za etnologija i antropologija, PMF, UKIM. (In Macedonian Cyrillic)
2018. „Derviškiot red halveti-hajati vo Ohrid“, Centar za etnološki istražuvanja i primeneta antropologija Skopje: Institut za etnologija i antropologija, PMF, UKIM. (In Macedonian Cyrillic)
Editor of books
2023. „Goranskata narodna nosija“. Skopje: Makedonsko studentsko etnološko društvo. (In Macedonian Cyrillic)
2021. „Azbukata na Skopje“. Co-editor with Aleksandra Ristovski. Skopje: Centar za etnološki istražuvanja i primeneta antropologija. (In Macedonian Cyrillic)
2021. „Šutka – mojata prikazna“. Skopje: Makedonsko studentsko etnološko društvo. (In Macedonian Cyrillic)
Papers
2026 From Entanglement to Disentanglement and to Re-Entanglement? Competitive Interconnections among the Albanian and the Turkish Bektashis in Macedonia, co-author with Evelyn Reuter in: Sufism in Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Europe Entanglements in Past and Present, Edited by: Cem Kara, Evelyn Reuter, Zsofia Turoczy, Routledge (UK) (245-261)
2024 Oriental influences on folk dress in Macedonia. A la turka 2: Oriental influences on Croatian folk costumes and costumes of other peoples - Jospi Forjan (editor), KUC Travno - Center for traditional cultural heritage, Zagrebö co-author with Sherif Mustafa
2023 Skopje "Forum" - a reflection on urban space (Viktor Trajanovski, Dušica Bračić), in: Sofia-Skopje: cultural dynamics of urban spaces, editors: Stamen Kanev, Marina Yanislavova, Božidar Parvanov, Nadezhda Ivanova Academic Ethnological Association, Erove, Sofia (Bulgaria), (85-106);
2022 Harabati-baba tekke, Islamic cultural heritage in Macedonia, victim of neglect and target of interest among various groups in Islam, in: Tereni no. 3, Cultural and Historical Heritage and Modernity, editor: Ina Pachamanova, Academic Ethnological Society – SU (AES-SU), Sofia (Bulgaria), (50-63);
2021 Sufism - Esoteric Interpretation in Islam, EthnoAnthropoZoom 21, IEA, Skopje, (234-256);
2021 Childhood in Ottoman Bitola from the beginning of the 19th century to 1912 (Viktor Trajanovski, Vasko Gichevski), History, no. 56, 1-2, ZIRM, Skopje, (161-184);
2021 The impact of the pandemic on the (un)sustainability of tradition - The death rite among Muslims in Ohrid before and after the pandemic, in: Sofia-Skopje: everyday life and festivity during a pandemic, editors: Stamen Kanev, Marina Yanislavova, Academic Ethnological Association, Erove, Sofia (Bulgaria), (115-132);Send feedback
Conferences
2025 "Mapping Cultural Heritage in Macedonia: a new opportunity for protection, presentation and promotion", presented at the international symposium: Ethnology and the Protection of Cultural Heritage, organized by the Macedonian Ethnological Society, Kratovo, Macedonia.
2024 | “Mapping the Bektashi Order in Macedonia: A New Opportunity for Presentation and Promotion” (Makedonya’da Bektaşi Tarikatının Haritalanması: Sunum ve Tanıtım İçin Yeni Bir Fırsat), presented at the International Symposium on Alevism and Bektashism in the Balkans, organized by Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey.
2023 | “The Skopje ‘Forum’: Memories of Urban Space,” presented at the conference “Sofia – Skopje: Cultural Dynamics of Urban Spaces,” organized by the Academic Ethnological Association – Sofia University in partnership with the Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.
2022 | “Dhikr – The Dervish Ritual in Skopje” (co-authored with Ksenia Trofimova), presented at the scientific seminar “Folklore and Post-folklore: Structure, Typology, Semiotics,” organized by the Center for Typology and Semiotics of Folklore at the Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russia.
2021 | “Tradition in Isolation: The Impact of the Pandemic on the (Un)Sustainability of Tradition – A Macedonian Case Study,” presented at the conference “Sofia – Skopje: Everyday Life and Festivity during the Pandemic,” organized by the Academic Ethnological Association – Sofia University in partnership with the Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (held online via Zoom).
Filmography
2026 | Veins (Damari) (Co-author of the screenplay and director), Laboratory for Visual Anthropology, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
2025 | The Fly Tier (Vrzuvačot na mušički) (Co-author), Laboratory for Visual Anthropology, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
2025 | Earth and Wings (Tlo i krilja) (Co-screenwriter), OBOL FILM in co-production with MINIMAL COLLECTIVE.
2019 | Dhikr – The Dervish Ritual in Skopje (Zikr - derviškiot obred vo Skopje) (Author), Center for Ethnological Research and Applied Anthropology.
2016 | The Road to Rifa’i (Patot do Rifai) (Co-author), Macedonian Student Ethnological Society (MSES), Skopje.
International Projects
2024 | “Oriental Influences on Croatian Folk Costumes and the Costumes of Other Nations” (Orijentalni utjecaji na hrvatske narodne nošnje i nošnje drugih naroda), organized by KUC TRAVNO – Centre for Traditional Cultural Heritage, Zagreb, Croatia.
2023 | “Sofia – Skopje: Cultural Dynamics of Urban Spaces,” organized by the Academic Ethnological Association – Sofia University, funded by the “Culture of Sofia” program for 2023.
2021 | “Sofia – Skopje: Everyday Life and Festivity during the Pandemic,” organized by the Academic Ethnological Association – Sofia University, funded by the “Culture of Sofia” program for 2021.
National Projects (Principal Investigator/Project Lead)
2024 | International Ethnographic Film Festival ETNOFF 10, Macedonian Student Ethnological Society (MSES), supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency.
2024 | 25 Years of the Macedonian Student Ethnological Society – “Days of Ethnology and Folklore,” Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, funded by the Program for Projects of National Interest of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of North Macedonia.
2023 | “Folklore and Ethnological Research of the Material Culture of the Gorani People,” Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, funded by the Program for Projects of National Interest of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of North Macedonia.
2023 | International Ethnographic Film Festival ETNOFF 9, Macedonian Student Ethnological Society (MSES), supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency.
2022 | International Ethnographic Film Festival ETNOFF 8, Macedonian Student Ethnological Society (MSES), supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency.
2022 | “The Folklore Heritage of the Gorani People,” Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, funded by the Program for Projects of National Interest of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of North Macedonia.
2022 | “Digitization of Folklore Heritage,” Center for Culture and Civic Activism AZURE, funded by the Program for Projects of National Interest of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of North Macedonia.
2022 | “The Folklore Heritage of the Gorani People in Skopje,” Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, funded by the Program for Support of Cultural Projects and Activities of Interest to the City of Skopje.
2022 | “Ethnic Diversity in Skopje,” Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, funded by the Program for Support of Cultural Projects and Activities of Interest to the City of Skopje.
2021 | “A Multimedia Map of Immovable Cultural Heritage in the City of Bitola: Ottoman Period – Sacral and Profane Objects,” Center for Ethnological Research and Applied Anthropology, funded by the Program for Projects of National Interest of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of North Macedonia.
2021 | “Button – Wear Some Happiness (Ethnographic Film),” Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, funded by the Program for Support of Cultural Projects and Activities of Interest to the City of Skopje.
2021 | “Youth and Skills: Creative Handicraft Workshops,” Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, funded by the Program for Support of Cultural Projects and Activities of Interest to the City of Skopje.
2021 | “The Alphabet of Skopje,” Center for Ethnological Research and Applied Anthropology, funded by the Program for Support of Cultural Projects and Activities of Interest to the City of Skopje.
2021 | “Shuto Orizari – My Exotic Story,” Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, funded by the Program for Support of Cultural Projects and Activities of Interest to the City of Skopje.
2021 | International Ethnographic Film Festival ETNOFF 7, Macedonian Student Ethnological Society, supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency.
