On the 139th anniversary of his death, the Center for Arbëresh Studies and Publications today honored one of the most prominent figures in Arbëresh culture and literature, poet Gavril Dara (the Younger).

Born in Palac Adriano, Sicily, on January 8, 1826, into a distinguished Arbëresh family, Dara received his early education at the Arbëresh seminary in Palermo. Later, he earned a doctorate in law.

In 1858, Gavril Dara (the Younger) published the literary journal Përtëritja e jetës (Palingenesi), and in the following years (1871-1874), he edited La Riforma, a newspaper published in Rome.

In 1864, he composed a 1300-line poem titled Ana Maria. His passion for poetry and folklore led him to create one of Albanian literature’s masterpieces, Kënga e sprapsme e Balës, which was published posthumously in 1906. Dara was also deeply engaged in linguistics, philosophy, and archaeology. He passed away in Girgeti in 1885.

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