The Palace of Tre Sorelle (three sisters), with three windows facing the sea, of which two are walled up and one is still intact, can still be seen in Pranj today. If you cross paths with a snake before sunrise or after sunset it foretells the death of some of your relations.[27], Within Albanian folklore, the role of the Ora tends to differ. . Albanian folk beliefs (Albanian: Besimet folklorike shqiptare) and mythological stories comprise the beliefs expressed in the customs, rituals, myths, legends and tales of the Albanian people. Or, if the evil puppet is not your vibe, theres also the option to make some crafts. In these circumstances, she somehow becomes vulnerable and can be killed when shes shot with iron bullets. In this article youll discover other types of boogeymen from the Albanian folklore and what theyre known for. Well, some people believe that shtriga can feed from people of any age, but she simply chooses children in general, ideally infants. List of legends, myths, ballads, and characters Some of the best known legends, concepts, ballads, songs and/or characters of Albanian mythology are: Besa Bolla Bajloz or Katallan ( giant) Constantin and Doruntine Dhampir Djall ( devil) Drangue Gjergj Elez Alia Kacamisri (similar to Tom Thumb) Karkanxhol ( werewolf) Keshete ( naiad) Kukudhi And did I mention that this strategy can only be implemented on Easter Sunday? The drekavac will avoid dogs and bright light, and if the shadow of drekavac falls upon a person then that person will become ill and die. Across all of Kotor and Boka the sisters were famous for their beauty. From 1848 he served as interpreter to French consul in Shkodra, Louis Hyacinthe Hcquard, who was very interested in, and decided to prepare a book on, northern Albanian folklore. In fact, the safest way to get rid of sampiro once and for all is by locating its grave and stake it in the heart in broad daylight, when its the most vulnerable. Dino himself published Valt e Detit (The Waves of the Sea), which, at the time of its publication in 1908, was the longest printed book in the Albanian language. Turns out that dhampirs can even enjoy the sunlight the same way a human would as opposed to the way a vampire would not. I suppose its fine if it can save a life. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. She published in 1909 her notable work High Albania, regarded as one of the best English-language books on Albania ever written. Unlike sampiro, however, lugat leaves its victims to deal with very serious consequences. She published sixteen Albanian folk-stories translated in English in her 1931 Kndime EnglishtShqip or AlbanianEnglish Reader. Do you know any great stories or terrifying creatures? His folklore material was republished in his Albanesische Studien (Albanian Studies). A well of clear water, named after Manole, is believed to mark the spot where Manole himself fell. During the day, Earthly Beauty spends time with her sister, Sea Beauty, and in the evening the wind returns her to Baba Tomorri. It would be wrapped with a silver medal of St. George, then blessed by a priest - providing protection against the evil Oras and devils when worn.[24]. The interesting part in the vampire habits and behavior is that according to Balkan creepy urban legends, male vampires are involved with mortal women much more often than female vampires are with male mortals. Albanian giants are as tall as pine trees, with black beards that reach to their knees. B Baloz Bardha D Dhampir Div (mythology) Drangue E E Bija e Hns dhe e Diellit F Fatia K Kukudh Kulshedra L Ljubi O Ora (mythology) P Perria S Nov 14, 2017 - Explore Margarett Bridge's board "Albanian Mythology" on Pinterest. They travelled through the northern Albanian mountains and recorded folkloric materials which were published in French translation in the 1858 Hcquard's pioneering Histoire et description de la Haute Albanie ou Gugarie (History and Description of High Albania or Gegaria). So, if you feel bitter towards the witch and want revenge for all that shes done, that may be the way. Fatit are Birth Fairies. But not until the rain completely washed their blood from the ground and when their bones were ploughed back into the earth. [6], In an Albanian tale published by Post Wheeler with the title The Girl who took a Snake for a Husband, the Shtriga appears as "the grandmother of all witches" that lives in the Underworld, a place of a red sun, a green sky and black trees.[7]. In addition to that, no one knows the exact number of Lubias heads, but Albanian creepy urban legends hint that it can be any number between 7 and a hundred. They usually live in hidden places in the forest and have supernatural powers. The Albanian terms for "hero" are trim (female: trimnesh), kreshnik or hero (female: heroin). [16], Albanian myths and legends are already attested in works written in Albanian as early as the 15th century,[17] however, the systematic collection of Albanian folklore material began only in the 19th century. I love these stories! In Albanian mythology, she is usually attacked and defeated by a drangue, a divine being who is regarded as the protector of mankind. Other descriptions have him as an undead child, who was unbaptised, that has returned to haunt its parents. The zana e malit is an Albanian mythological creature (Albanian: Zane or Zre in southern Albania) ("fairy of the mountain" in English), zana (as a definite noun), or zan (plural) of pre-Roman Paleo-Balkan origin. The next vampire creature did not originate in Albania, but in Greece. As Mujo and Behuri duel, the Ora intervenes guiding Mujo to distract Behuri and use the poison dagger which the Ora had hidden on Behuri, to slay him. This next creature can, in some way, count as a vampire, although its best-known as a witch. The birthing sow became to be a bad omen due to a prophecy, so the people of the isle chased her until she ran into the waters. and I think Im going to have nightmares of Lamia, but this whole post was such a fun read. Another famous vampire type is called lugat and it may also be called kukithi or liogat. Revealed are the tales and adventures of warrior Gjeto Basho Mujo and his brother Sokol as they travel through what is now Albania. Baba is woken by his four eagles and makes sure Earthly Beauty is taken to safety before setting off to battle Shpirag. And the creature is always heavily covered in flowing fabric or its own grave shroud. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This reminds me of Annabelle. Anyway, lets end this part in the most fitting way for the occasion: how does one kill a vrykolakas? (Father) Tomor is seen as an old man with a long white beard flowing down to. The Drekavac sounds especially creepy,and the Prepasti from Bosnia really interested me. [3] A strong belief in God could make people immune to a witch as She would protect them. Folklore of Northern Albania emphasizes that a shtriga is not born to be a witch. [2] Baron Franz Nopcsa related the term Ora to the ancient Greek Oreads, nymphs of the mountains. [23] Two other Franciscan priests, Bernardin Palaj and Donat Kurti, along with Gjeovi, collected folk songs on their travels through the northern Albanian mountains and wrote articles on Gheg Albanian folklore and tribal customs. The deities are generally not persons, but animistic personifications of nature. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In fact, the creature enjoys the thrill of taking peoples lives in the weirdest way Ive ever heard of. Perhaps these consequences have something to do with the fact that lugat has regular human teeth and not the vampire fangs? Often you could even call this family business (yes, like Sam & Dean), as the young dhampirs learn the craft from their own parents and grandparents. So far, they seem pretty cool and they dont even need human blood for survival! Evil Oras and devils would appear at night and then vanish at the first cock-crow two hours after midnight, as they were now powerless. [56] In a text compiled around the beginning of the 11th century in the Old Bulgarian language, the Albanians are mentioned for the first time with their old ethnonym Arbanasi as half-believers, a term which for Eastern Orthodox Christian Bulgarians meant Catholic Christian. The Zana is a mythological figure within Northern Albanian Gheg folk beliefs and oral epics. Such motifs are particularly related to the ancient cults of the Sun and Moon, survived until recently among northern Albanians. This version attacks the children at a summer camp and poses as a camp counselor. Doesnt it want to be unnoticed? One then strolled near him and spoke to him, saying: The oras we are of the great earthly hero. Also, why would shtriga go to a church? [9] Ora travel with their person and provide protection. The same motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the early medieval culture of the Albanians. More specifically, the Albanian word for shtriga is shtrig, the Polish version is strzyga, in Romanian its strig, and Italian is strega. Thanks Jenny. The Vitore is a household deity known as the woman who spins[4] spinning out the destiny of each person when they are born. As for the origins of vrykolakas and how you can turn into one, wellhold on tight, the list is long. The mountain ora then burst into laughter, The young man himself was perplexed and did wonder. As for lugats target, generally it could be anyone, although mostly its children. They appear also on later funerary monuments, including the medieval tombstones (steci) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the burial monuments used until recently in northern Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, southern Serbia and northern North Macedonia. You wont be able to avoid it when you visit. Afraid of Zukus strength, his mother offers to blind her son. Walking out as a regular bug that cant fly would be too troublesome! When Ana arrived, they told her that they wanted to play a game during their lunchtime. Zanas are depicted as mountain fairies, and similarly to the Ora, live near springs within the highlands of Northern Albania. They catch men to eat and women to fan the flies away. What else do we know about it from the creepy urban legends? [31], References of the Ora in Folklore and Epic Poetry, Similarities to other mythological figures, Southern Albanian Tosks - The Fatia, Mirai and Vitore, Last edited on 14 December 2022, at 21:14, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ora_(mythology)&oldid=1127461073, This page was last edited on 14 December 2022, at 21:14. Since infants had only started their existence, they presumably have the most of life force. [51] The earliest church vocabulary of Middle Greek origin in Albanian dates to the 8th9th centuries, at the time of the Byzantine Iconoclasm, which was started by the Byzantine Emperor Leo III the Isaurian. Melton is a bright and educated man and I genuinely found his book a very interesting read. The first boogeyman I want to tell you about is actually a boogeywoman and her name is Lubia. [4], In Catholic legend, it is said that shtriga can be destroyed using holy water with a cross in it,[5] and in Islamic myth it is said that shtriga can be sent away or killed by reciting verses from the Qur'an, specifically Ayatul Kursi 255 sura Al-Baqara, and spitting water on the shtriga. Varieties of the symbols of the Sun that Christian orders brought in the region found in the Albanian highlands sympathetic supporters, enriching the body of their symbols with new material. He prayed for rain and storms to stop or delay her. Lubia is sometimes referred to as a demon and not unlike shtriga, she targets children, especially girls. She is a female demon who comes to you at night, in many forms, to give you nightmares and terrify you. E Bukura e Dheut. Serbia - Bauk is an animal-like mythical creature in Serbian mythology. This is a method that, according to Albanian urban legends, can protect you from the evil eye of shtriga. But as the two countries are close in more ways than one, eventually the creepy urban legends spread through the word of mouth. Very long! The defense against Night Hags is to close all keyholes to stop them from entering the room. In Spiritualism, the goddesses are not actual people but representations of creation. Mitko's own collectionincluding 505 folk songs, and 39 tales and popular sayings, mainly from southern Albaniawas finished in 1874 and published in the 1878 Greek-Albanian journal Alvaniki melissa / Belietta Sskiypetare (The Albanian Bee). The eldest sister died first so the other two bricked up her sea facing window. While vampires are commonly known as blood-thirsty and horny beings, dhampirs, in some stories, arent depicted too differently from humans in terms of behavior. According to Northern Albanian folklore, a woman is not born a witch; she becomes one, often because she is childless or made evil by envy. Surprisingly, they agreed and decided that the first wife to bring lunch for her husband should be the one to be encased into the walls of the monastery. But her care and love for him was stronger than the storm, and she kept walking. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The images of mythological creatures "coming at night and strangling people . One day, Baba Tomorri is lounging in bed with Earthly Beauty when Shpirag attempts to take over Berat. He hired Master Manole and nine of his men for the job. Its time to meet some of North Macedonias mythical creatures! They are often depicted spinning, measuring, and cutting thread, revealing their control over human life. On his journey he encounters an Ora who assists him and guides him towards Tanusha. Kron-i/krua/kroi: living water, flowing water. Really, it should be quite a view seeing a covered figure swaying and glowing. Be it for their food, or to murder them. However, this particular vampire is also known for making its hunting process quite theatrical. Some of these stories actually scared me a little!! Tomor is the father of gods and humans in the Albanian mythology. By some accounts, her form is repulsive. [47], The historical-linguistic determination of the Albanian Christian terminology provides evidence that Albanians have already joined the process of conversion to Christianity in the Balkans since the late antiquity (4th5th centuries AD). So we have a little bit of background now, but every good storyteller knows that a story needs a face. Note that the parent vampire is not a dhampir, but a 100% vampire. The Dictionary of Albanian Religion, Mythology, and Folk Culture makes available for the first time a wealth of knowledge about Albanian popular belief and folk customs. Albanian folklore evolved over the centuries in a relative isolated tribal culture and society,[4] and although several changes occurred in the Albanian belief system, an ancient substratum of pre-Christian beliefs has survived until today. [28] As revealed in Albanian epic poetry, the Zana observe Albanian battles, offering their assistance and protection where needed. Another super-easy way that is done by Albanians in some regions of the country, is having garlic at home and using it to keep the evil eye away from you. Mount Tomorr is a mountain range in central Albania. more appealing. Ooooh spooky! De Rada and Camarda were the two main initiators of the Albanian nationalist cultural movement in Italy. Basically scaring them to listen to rules, or else the terrible boogeyman will show up. [2] British poet Lord Byron (17881824), describing the Albanian religious belief, reported that "The Greeks hardly regard them as Christians, or the Turks as Muslims; and in fact they are a mixture of both, and sometimes neither. Clotho spun the thread of life determining the destiny of each person, Lachesis measured the thread determining how long ones life would last, and Atropos cut the thread signifying the end of ones life. Thank you so much for sharing! WOW! Another important figure in Norse mythology is the god Thor, who is known for his strength and his weapon, the mighty hammer Mjolnir. :B. Amazing post! There was no one to wall it up after she died. For a cover? In an attempt to escape, they made wooden wings and tried to fly off the roof. [22], The first Albanian folklorist to collect the oral tradition in a more systematic manner for scholarly purposes was the Franciscan priest and scholar Shtjefn Gjeovi. But yeah This one really gave me the creeps, even without a detailed description. Their name derives from Fate. [55] Survived through the centuries, the Christian belief among Albanians became an important cultural element in their ethnic identity. [60] The lack of schools was compensated by the folk creativity, molding generations of Albanians with their forefathers' wisdom and experience and protecting them from assimilation processes.[44]. I havent heard of any of these, but they are so cool! The good news is that it can be killed. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Anyway, the list doesnt actually end there. If you watch South Park, you may feel a deja vu as you read the part with the nickname, as Cartman from South Park has assigned this exact nickname to people with red hair who can walk in the sunlight without being scared of its effects on them. While its true that theyre not motivated by blood the way vampires are and theyre not really categorized as either good or evil, they *can* develop or even inherit evil intentions as well as the power to do harm. Her spell was so powerful that Vita was turned into black stone that is now known as the Black Peak while Lyulin suffered a similar fate and became Lyulin Mountain. In fact, according to the local lore, Shtriga can cure her victims by spitting in their mouths. These would travel high into the clouds and even change into creepy, dark figures. A cross made of pig bone could be placed at the entrance of a church on Easter Sunday, rendering any shtriga inside unable to leave. Turns out that not only can lugats bite cause mental and spiritual distress, but it can also lead to the victim becoming the predator. In Lubias case, I *think* that she is meant to protect children from predatory people. He is visualised as a wise but strong old man with a full, white beard. The next boogeyman on the list is called Buba and we know even less about this one. Anyway, trapping shtriga in a church wasnt even the last alternative. Calygreyhound: Creature with torso of antelope, head of a wild cat and claws on an eagle (Medieval Heraldry) 48. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The two titans eventually killed one another and poor Earthly Beauty drowned in her tears, which became the Osum River. Her skills include shape-shifting, predicting the future, andwitchcraft. Shpiragm put up a good flight and hit Tomorr with his club leaving lasting damage. Im on my way to the Realm of the Christians. Both the Ora and Vitore are widely represented as a serpent with golden horns who brings gold.[9] Albanian stories describe beliefs associated with the protective serpent Oras. Yes, you read that right. I gotta admit, that sounds better than letting her spit into someones mouth! hopefully they are just myths haha! While Jin is a general reference to concealment, al-janin refers specifically to a fetus that is concealed in its mother's womb. [58], Islam was first introduced to Albania in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of the area. And you wouldnt be wrong for seeking that because of what in Albanian is called syliga. [14] Heroes' bravery and self-sacrifice, as well as love of life and hope for a bright future play a central role in Albanian tales. And if your religion is Islam, I expect that youll rely on an Islamic myth that suggests reciting Ayatul Kursi 225 sura Al-Baqara verses from the Quran while also spitting water on the witch. [7], And turning, set off for the high mountain meadows, But nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo. Alphabetical entries shed light on blood feuding, figures of Albanian mythology, religious beliefs, communities, and sects, calendar feasts and rituals, and popular superstitions, as well as birth, marriage, and funeral . But what about the personality and hunting methods? The ora turned now and began to inform him, . Thats right, the one that lugat feeds from can become tainted by its own desire to feed off other people. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Part 2 of creepy urban legends from Albania will be out soon. Mount Shpirag is marked with deep streams of water running down its face and lies across the valley. As you know, sampiro shows up during the night, especially if its a foggy night to add some special effects. According to legend, only the shtrig herself could cure those she had drained (often by spitting in their mouths), and those who were not cured inevitably sickened and died. [54] In 726 Leo III established de jure the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople over the Balkans, as the Church and the State established an institution. The earliest church lexicon is mainly of Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin origin and, to a large extent, of native origin, which leads to the conclusion that the Christianisation of the Albanians occurred under the Latin-based liturgy and ecclesiastical order of the Holy See. To tease? I mean, it would make more sense if it was the evil nose, but fair enough. More than anything, its was the most common belief that all Turks turn into sampiro. In Albanian mythology, this dragon is called a Bolla. In the 1800s, John Keats, a romantic poet, created this vision of Lamia, SHE WAS A GORDIAN SHAPE OF DAZZLING HUE, VERMILION-SPOTTED, GOLDEN, GREEN, AND BLUE; STRIPED LIKE A ZEBRA, FRECKLED LIKE A PARD, EYED LIKE A PEACOCK, AND ALL CRIMSON BARRD; AND FULL OF SILVER MOONS, THAT, AS SHE BREATHED, DISSOLVD, OR BRIGHTER SHONE, OR INTERWREATHED THEIR LUSTRES WITH THE GLOOMIER TAPESTRIESSO RAINBOW-SIDED, TOUCHD WITH MISERIES. As a matter of fact, these stories tell us that dhampirs are just regular members of our societies that also happen to be Albanian mythology creatures. The urban stories claim that like any other vampire, it feeds off peoples blood. But, one by one, they all plummeted to the ground and died. All Rights Reserved | However, I wouldnt rule out the possibility of sexual attraction. Although they had never met, Vita used to sing from the top of the Big ridge while Lyulin would accompany her on his fiddle from the Long ridge. [28] Robert Elsie described the Zana as muses of the mountains - as every mountain has its own Zana. The hard part is getting her to actually do it. In despair one night, Manole had a dream. [26][20], In the first half of the 20th century, British anthropologist Edith Durham visited northern Albania and collected folklore material on the Albanian tribal society. [26] Evil oras disguised as serpents would guard the cavern; for if any man were to touch the items within the ancient city, they would devour him in the darkness. Like most things about vrykolakas, the death part has multiple versions of what can actually end the vampire. Zuku, taunted and captured is blinded by his mother. I cant wait to visit the Balkans one day and just love learning about this area . Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujo and Behuri), translated by Robert Elsie . It keeps its eyes closed . Yes, in popular creativity, it mostly symbolizes good fortune and the coming of a time of prosperity. When feeding it simply bites like any human would and then sucks blood from the wound. Youll need to make a cross from pig bone and then make sure its placed at the entrance of a church. Between the early 7th century and the late 9th century the interior areas of the Balkans were deprived of church administration, and Christianity might have survived only as a popular tradition on a reduced degree. Some of the characters of the Albanian myth: 1. After that, all youll need to do is throw the salt into direct flames while also saying syt i dalin syt i plain. [1] [2] Often depicted as three female deities, the Ora "maintain the order of the universe and enforce its laws" [3] - "organising the appearance of humankind." [4] He compiled his collection with Spiro Risto Dine who emigrated to Egypt in 1866. Syliga basically refers to the evil eye that can unleash a storm of bad luck. A figure from northern Albanian mythology, the name comes from the Albanian word for 'steam' and refers to a spirit-like creature that can suffocate humans with their breath. Zmeyare beings with vaguely human features. I assume that the younger generations of Albania dont take these stories very seriously, but the old generations of Albanians had some theories on who were likely to turn into sampiro themselves and why. E Bukura e Dheut - Earthly Beauty; Beauty of the Earth E Bukura e Dheut, Queen of Albania's Fairies, rules . All in all, she is either middle-aged or an elderly woman who, judging from her dark stare alone, is definitely not a sweet and ordinary grandma. Her mother grew angry and cursed them both. mythological creatures, parallels of which are found in the Balkans (Nopa, 1913a, 1913b; Tirta 2003, 2004 . The Ora's appearance alters according to the personality and attributes of the human a white Ora for the brave and industrious, or a black Ora for the lazy or cowardly.[8], In Northern Albania, the Oras are represented similarly to the Southern Albanian Fatia as a group of three mythological goddesses who gather in the night to perform the task of determining the childs fate at birth and distribute their favours upon the child. Yup, thats it! SHE HAD A WOMANS MOUTH WITH ALL ITS PEARLS COMPLETE: AND FOR HER EYES: WHAT COULD SUCH EYES DO THERE BUT WEEP, AND WEEP, THAT THEY WERE BORN SO FAIR?. Great was the rage that the shkja felt for Mujo! Perhaps the first thing about lugats physical appearance that stands out the most is that unlike its fellow vampires, it has regular human teeth and not vampire fangs. A common feature appearing in these songs is the desire for fame and glory, which is related to the courage of a person.
What Color Is My Umbrella Riddle,
What Gender Am I Attracted To Quiz Buzzfeed,
Ncvt 8908r Manual,
Articles A