Sociocultural Characterization of the Macedonian Ethnic Identity

Abstract

As can be determined from the previous two chapters, the evidence for a “Macedonian” ethnicity shows that it is ephemeral, given the dynamic changes over a century from nasheist to “Bulgarian,” through “Slav-Macedonian” to “Macedonian,” and then back to a dual dichotomized, “Greek-Macedonian” and “Slav-Macedonian” ethnic identities; or the current reality. Moreover, the in/out nature of the early twentieth-century national/political drives to autonomy and nationhood support such an impression. A new and important source of evidence with a strong bearing on the issue, however, is Florin Curta’s (2001) archaeological searches both into original Byzantine documents as well as of material cultural remains. The conclusion that there was no massive Slav population input into Macedonia as settlers or as invaders in the critical sixth and seventh centuries AD when such incursions were alleged to have occurred nullifies arguments as to a Bulgarian or a hyphenated Slav-Macedonian ethnicity for the Macedonians. Of equal importance are Borza’s (1990) and Badian’s (1967) arguments for a separate ancient Macedonian ethnic identity apart from that of the Greek identity. This latter source downgrades any claim for the modern Macedonians as being of a Greek ethnic identity.