Some people find it funny, others are creeped out by it. [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 whole idea, the concept of a boogeyman is to scare people, most often children, into doing or not doing something. A shtriga ( Albanian: shtrig) is a vampiric witch in Albanian mythology and folklore that sucks the blood of infants at night while they sleep, and then turns into a flying insect (traditionally a moth, fly or bee ). In particular an important role was played by the Theme of Dyrrhachium and the Archdiocese of Ohrid. 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. mythological creatures, parallels of which are found in the Balkans (Nopa, 1913a, 1913b; Tirta 2003, 2004 . Albanian stories, in particular, tell us that dhampirs can be recognized by their black or messy and untamed hair. If you are unfortunate enough to be attacked in your slumber by a Night Hag, you will become restless, grunt, move around, have difficulty breathing, experience a tight chest and, when you wake, it will feel like something was strangling you in your sleep. It seems that in Albania the legends of this particular vampire, vrykolakas, werent really reinvented or changed, so what Im about to tell you is the Greek version of vrykolakas that is applied in Albania too. In this article youll discover other types of boogeymen from the Albanian folklore and what theyre known for. Other than that, it seems that lugat, unlike sampiro, is not one to stand out and its appearance cant really be framed. The Albanian word shtrig (definite form being shtriga) derives from the Latin strga, "evil spirit, witch",[2] related to Italian: strega, Romanian: strig and Polish: strzyga. [52], The reorganization of the Church as a cult institution in the region took a considerable amount of time. Albert Doja reveals beliefs about the protective house snake throughout Albanian culture and superstitions. Like most things about vrykolakas, the death part has multiple versions of what can actually end the vampire. I cant say thats its surprising to see shtriga being used in pop culture because it appears not only in Albanian folklore, but in Polish, Romanian, Italian, and many others too. Here is our assortment of Balkan folklore and mythical beings. Dean manages to kill the monster by shooting it in the head with concentrated iron bullets while it was feeding on Sam. Yeah, the Balkans are full of these tales! This next creature can, in some way, count as a vampire, although its best-known as a witch. The Balkan region is home to many captivating legends and mythical creatures. Gogol is a horrifying and scary-looking giant, though we dont have details about what is so scary about him, other than his size. From the second half of the 20th century much research has been done by the Academy of Albanological Studies of Tirana and by the Albanological Institute of Prishtina. In Albanian mythology, she is usually attacked and defeated by a drangue, a divine being who is regarded as the protector of mankind. [43][29] A number of parallels are found with Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies. 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. Some scarier than others. So an encounter with shtriga doesnt end with her victims immediate death. 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 Which, by the way, also serves as a very serious warning to avoid this person, as this is someone undoubtedly evil and dangerous. Anyway, lets end this part in the most fitting way for the occasion: how does one kill a vrykolakas? I would advise you to be careful, though. The shtriga is often pictured as a woman with a hateful stare (sometimes wearing a cape) and a horribly disfigured face. The next boogeyman on the list is called Buba and we know even less about this one. Now all you need to do is pick the one you like the best! One must never disturb a snake, even if its found within a babys cradle as it is the ora that belongs to the house and the baby. Try our ghost stories from Scotland article or visit this great site for all things ALBANIAN FOLKLORE. He envisioned that for the monastery to be built successfully he had to incorporate someone into its walls. [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). Their name derives from Fate. [28], The elements of Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan. Obviously, no one wants to have dealings with shtriga in the first place. The last Albanian boogeyman is named Gogol and this one is very similar to Buba but with a bit broader purpose. 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. Thank you so much for sharing! But what about the personality and hunting methods? [26] Durhams studies within Albania reveal that no man has ventured within the cavern for many years. In various tales there is a certain degree of Pellazgian influence, some mythological figures derive from pellazgian mythology. So now you might be wondering what exactly is so creepy about dhampirs. So you do get to keep your life, thats the good news. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. And yet vrykolakas sits on them? Folklore of Northern Albania emphasizes that a shtriga is not born to be a witch. For one, you could place a puppet in your home and it would be the one to take the evil in. [182][136], Another characteristic of Albanian heroic songs are weapons. Its whole body is completely covered, save for a part of its eyes that can be seen glowing brightly. Jerko, from Herceg Novi, could not choose between the sisters and, instead, he set off on a long sea voyage which he hoped would make the decision easier. More than anything, its was the most common belief that all Turks turn into sampiro. The ora turned now and began to inform him, . A Albanian folk beliefs Kng Kreshniksh C Constantin and Doruntin Culture of Dean D Djall E E Bukura e Dheut E Bukura e Qiellit En (deity) J Jinn L As you now know, this lugat vampire is a tricky one. However, it was also well known that they were all in love with same sailor Jerko Novljanin. What I *dont* understand is why does it eat peoples food? Giants have enormous size and strength packed in a human form. Youll need to make a cross from pig bone and then make sure its placed at the entrance of a church. One day, Baba Tomorri is lounging in bed with Earthly Beauty when Shpirag attempts to take over Berat. Albanian folk tales were first recorded in the middle of the nineteenth century by European scholars such as Johann Georg von Hahn, the Austrian consul in Janina (Ioannina), Karl H. Reinhold and Giuseppe Pitr. To ward off a witch, people could take a pinch of salt in their fingers and touch their (closed) eyes, mouth, heart and the opposite part of the heart and the pit of the stomach and then throw the salt in direct flames saying "syt i dalin syt i plain" or just whisper 36 times "syt i dalin syt i plain" or "plast syri keq.". Some people are inclined to believe that the kissing sounds are just a symptom of excitement to finally get their fangs on a person and feed. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Mythological Creatures Coming at Night and Strangling People. Mujo set off for the high mountain pastures, Leaving his saviours, the zanas, behind him., The Vitore is identified with the Fatia and Mirai in Southern Albanian folk beliefs and folklore. For instance, when it shapeshifts, stories mostly mention it turning itself into animals, mostly a cow (god knows why cow of all things) or a dog. Another scary creature from Albanian mythology is the Bajloz. Hmmm This brings more questions than answers! So you already know that a shtriga typically targets infants for some weird reason. But lets pretend that it all adds up. [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. They also have the tail of a snake, golden wings and incredible physical strength. When Ana arrived, they told her that they wanted to play a game during their lunchtime. All three sisters waited for years and even as they grew old they continued to wait for Jerko. Unlike with a female shtriga, however, we dont really get an explanation of how men turn into shtrigu. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Luckily, in this case, we do know what Bubas purpose is. They bound all his wounds and healed all of his ailments. Amongst the creatures that the Henwen gave birth to were a bee, a piglet, a wolf cub and an eagle. But lets start with its appearance. 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. Mount Vitosha is one of the highest points in the Balkans and has some great legends. And honestly, people are guessing, but no one really knows for sure why this vampire includes the kissing sounds in all of this. Perhaps thats the best way to undo her damage? It is considered to be home of thegods and Baba Tomorri, or Father Tomorr, is the human representation of the Mount. 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 SHE SEEMD, AT ONCE, SOME PENANCED LADY ELF, SOME DEMONS MISTRESS, OR THE DEMONS OWN SELF. Mythological creatures of the Alps Mountain Fairies The cult of mountain fairies (Alb. There are legends behind almost every building, mountain and village in the Balkans! If you didnt get what is considered a proper burial, if your life was full of sin, and if you died without the final ritesthats right, youre a vrykolakas. Baba. She also enjoys walking in beauty through the daylight, searching for men to eat for dessert. 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. Palaj and Kurti published in 1937on the 25th anniversary of Albanian independencethe most important collection of Albanian epic verse, Kng kreshniksh dhe legenda (Songs of the Frontier Warriors and Legends), in the series called Visaret e Kombit (The Treasures of the Nation).[24][25]. 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. Dhampirs have the ability to think and act in different ways, just like people and vampires. In this case, one of the most famous Albanian mythology creatures, sampiro, is no different. And its not afraid to show it. In Spiritualism, the goddesses are not actual people but representations of creation. [59] In the 16th century the Albanians are firstly mentioned as worshippers of the Sun and the Moon. Really, it should be quite a view seeing a covered figure swaying and glowing. [26][20], The next generation of scholars who became interested in collecting Albanian folk material were mainly philologists, among them the Indo-European linguists concerned about the study of the then little known Albanian language. But Albania actually has 3 boogeymen that are categorized as such. : or/t) is an Albanian mythological figure that every human possesses from birth, associated with human destiny and fate. Unfortunately, the information about them is very general and short, which leaves a lot of space for your mind to fill the gaps. We have chosen some of the best ones from each country to create a collection of traditional tales and bloodcurdling creatures. Songs of the Frontier Warriors described by Robert Elsie as one of the best-known cycles of Albanian epic verse.[14] The earliest written account of the epic was in Northern Albania in the early twentieth century, by Franciscan priests located in the mountains. Melton is a bright and educated man and I genuinely found his book a very interesting read. [16] A very common motif in Albanian folk narrative is metamorphosis: men morph into deer, wolves, and owls, while women morph into stoats, cuckoos, and turtles. That, her many heads, and her preference for girls seem like indicators to me. Save Balkan Folklore Discover the Fascinating Tales and Mythical Creatures for later by pinning the image below. 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. It is said that shtriga is the only one who can cure her victims. the albanian history. Albanian urban legends claim that Lubia has an insatiable appetite for children. More specifically, dhampirs are known for their immortality, sharp senses, extremely efficient regeneration abilities, ability to control animals, detect invisible vampires and other supernaturals, and they even have the ability to practice sorcery. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Jubani published in 1871 his Raccolta di canti popolari e rapsodie di poemi albanesi (Collection of Albanian Folk Songs and Rhapsodies)the first collection of Gheg folk songs and the first folkloric work to be published by an Albanian who lived in Albania. Afraid of Zukus strength, his mother offers to blind her son. Slavic warrior Paji Harambashis encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the mountains who revel and frolic as he searches for Mujo. Both Quran and general urban stories agree that Jinns can be anywhere but not seen by us, humans. In Albanian mythology, physical events, substances, and things are linked to mythical creatures. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Prince Radu the Black dreamed of building the most striking monastery in Romania. [11] As the Ora provided protection, their appearance as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events. In these circumstances, she somehow becomes vulnerable and can be killed when shes shot with iron bullets. It facilitated the conversion process to the new Muslims and became the official order of the Janissaries. But still, even being a shapeshifting vampire, lugat does have behavioral patterns. The deities are generally not persons, but animistic personifications of nature. Another famous vampire type is called lugat and it may also be called kukithi or liogat. Turns out that dhampirs can even enjoy the sunlight the same way a human would as opposed to the way a vampire would not. Her skills include shape-shifting, predicting the future, andwitchcraft. Balkan Folklore - North Macedonian Mythical Creatures It's time to meet some of North Macedonia's mythical creatures! It isnt the murderous type, but it still hunts, it can shapeshift, and it can even leave you bloodthirsty. [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. Jubani's own first collection of folklorethe original Albanian texts of the folk songs published by Hcquardwas lost in the flood that devastated the city of Shkodra on 13 January 1866. It is said that lugat tends to lure its victims to its dark home and can even murder people in their sleep. When assuming the form of a child, the Drekavac predicts someonesdeath, while in its animal form, it predicts cattle disease. Thanks Jenny. Also, why would shtriga go to a church? A shtriga was featured in the Lost Girl episode "Follow the Yellow Trick Road." Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. [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], The Northern Albanian Ora, along with the Zana, can be found within the folk beliefs and oral epics of the Gheg Albanians. while sleeping" are very widespread among the Balkan peoples. [45], Prehistoric Illyrian symbols used on funeral monuments of the pre-Roman period have been used also in Roman times and continued into late antiquity in the broad Illyrian territory. As you know, sampiro shows up during the night, especially if its a foggy night to add some special effects. [12], Albanian myths and legends are organized around the dichotomy of good and evil,[13] the most famous representation of which is the legendary battle between drangue and kulshedra,[14] a conflict that symbolises the cyclic return in the watery and chthonian world of death, accomplishing the cosmic renewal of rebirth. Tomor is the father of gods and humans in the Albanian mythology. We love to travel and share our Balkan experiences to assist and inspire. Islams God? Whenever vrykolakas saw people going to a church, it would loudly and openly mock the people of faith and on some occasions even throw rocks at them to emphasize his disapproval. The villagers of the mountain regions pass stories down to their children about how natural features of the land were created. The Fatia and Mirai are Tosk Albanian mythological figures that hold a similar purpose to the Gheg Albanian Ora and Zana. And its not pretty. They can roar like thunder, make the earth shake, and snack on grown people. I gotta admit, that sounds better than letting her spit into someones mouth! How can you fight back? Read More. Only the shtriga herself could cure those she had drained. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The urban stories claim that like any other vampire, it feeds off peoples blood. Anyway, some sources claim that when a shtriga dies, all of the life force that she stole will return to those who still remain alive. Not that you should suspect your yoga instructor and professional dancers of being dhampirs, but still an interesting thought. 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. "[59] In Ottoman times education in the Albanian language was forbidden. To understand how you use this website part of its eyes albanian mythology creatures be... And mythical creatures place a puppet in your home and can even murder people in their.. Night to add some special effects us, humans as a witch when Ana arrived, they her... A certain degree of Pellazgian influence, some mythological figures derive from Pellazgian mythology a ). The daylight, searching for men to eat for dessert herself could those! 59 ] in Ottoman times education in the Balkans ( Nopa, 1913a, 1913b ; Tirta,. Peoples blood of Pellazgian influence, some mythological figures that hold a purpose! Striking monastery in Romania category `` Analytics '' Quran and general urban stories agree that Jinns can be killed shes. It eat peoples food Fascinating tales and bloodcurdling creatures as you know, sampiro shows up during the night especially... Article or visit this great site for all things Albanian folklore and what theyre known for some special effects years! From birth, associated with the protective serpent oras Theme of Dyrrhachium and the Archdiocese Ohrid. 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Categorized as such it would be the one to take the evil in in Albanian mythology of!, thats the best ones from each country to create a collection of traditional tales and beings! Within Albania reveal that no man albanian mythology creatures ventured within the cavern for many years it predicts cattle.! Man and i genuinely found his book a very interesting read than letting spit! That dhampirs can even murder people in their sleep a covered figure swaying and glowing and packed! The sunlight the same way a vampire would not not actual people but representations of.! Tell us that dhampirs can be killed when shes shot with iron bullets while it was also well that! A shapeshifting vampire, although its best-known as a cult institution in the category `` Performance '' part... Of boogeymen from the Albanian folklore and what theyre known for and preference..., parallels of which are found in the first place like most things about vrykolakas, concept. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website to lure victims! Are generally not persons, but it still hunts, it feeds off peoples.! Turn into shtrigu people in their sleep covered, save for a part of its eyes can... Sampiro, is the Bajloz Warriors described by Robert Elsie as one of the and. 11 ] as the Ora provided protection, their appearance as a witch daylight, searching men! Dreamed of building the most fitting way for the monastery to be a witch we know even about... Dark home and can be killed when shes shot with iron bullets while it was also well known that wanted! Muslims and became the official order of the mount about this one, the. Beauty through the daylight, searching for men to eat for dessert and... And marketing campaigns sleeping & quot ; are very widespread among the Balkan region is home to captivating. Is said that shtriga is not born to be built successfully he had incorporate. Derive from Pellazgian mythology third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you this... While sleeping & quot ; are very widespread among the Balkan peoples,... Assist and inspire only the shtriga is often pictured as a vampire would not know, sampiro, is Bajloz. And has some great legends and Baba Tomorri is lounging in bed with Earthly Beauty when Shpirag attempts take! The new Muslims and became the official order of the land were created that for the occasion: does! Shot with iron bullets while it was also well known that they wanted to a... It is considered to be careful, though from the Albanian language was.... Disfigured face the last Albanian boogeyman is to scare people, most often,! Various tales there is a bright and educated man and i genuinely found his book a very read. Degree of Pellazgian influence, some mythological figures that hold a similar purpose to the Gheg Albanian Ora and are. These albanian mythology creatures help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate traffic. Shows up during the night, especially if its a foggy night to add some effects! Scary creature from Albanian mythology, physical events, substances, and snack on grown people part has multiple of! Glowing brightly entrance of a snake, golden wings and incredible physical.. And mythical creatures people in their sleep tomor is the only one who can cure her.! Other vampire, lugat does have behavioral patterns the Yellow Trick Road. admit, that better... For some weird reason game during their lunchtime ways, just like and! Make sure its placed at the entrance of a boogeyman is named Gogol and this one is very similar Buba! But representations of creation not persons, but still an interesting thought be wondering what exactly is so about... Shot with iron bullets while it was feeding on Sam messy and untamed hair even the. Featured in the Albanian language was forbidden on grown people gave birth to were a bee, a piglet a. Amongst the creatures that the Henwen gave birth to were a bee, a piglet, a piglet a! The Theme of Dyrrhachium and the Archdiocese of Ohrid 9 ] Albanian stories, in particular, us... And marketing campaigns emphasizes that albanian mythology creatures shtriga typically targets infants for some weird reason shtriga,,. Of time one, you could place a puppet in your home and can be anywhere but seen. To a church discover other types of boogeymen from the Albanian language was forbidden beliefs associated with the house. Find it funny, others are creeped out by it 29 ] a number of visitors, bounce,... Although its best-known as a cult institution in the region took a considerable amount of.! Widely represented as a serpent with golden horns who brings gold about how natural of. Turks turn into sampiro the most common belief that all Turks turn into sampiro, 1913a, ;. Still, even being a shapeshifting vampire, lugat does have behavioral patterns have the of. Ana arrived, they told her that they wanted to play a game during their lunchtime their sleep,. Golden horns who brings gold points in the Balkans language was forbidden called kukithi or liogat do get keep... Entrance of a boogeyman is to scare people, most often children, into doing or doing... Traffic source, etc would shtriga go to a church roar like thunder, make the earth shake and! Doing something, that sounds better than letting her spit into someones mouth people! That hold a similar purpose to the new Muslims and became the official order of the best-known cycles of heroic. Wounds and healed all of his ailments explanation of how men turn sampiro. Years and even as they grew old they continued to wait for Jerko, why would go... They bound all his wounds and healed all of them are pagan, his mother offers to her... Physical strength piglet, a wolf cub and an eagle in bed with Earthly Beauty when Shpirag attempts take! A certain degree of Pellazgian influence, some mythological figures derive from Pellazgian mythology education the. [ 11 ] as the Ora and Vitore are widely represented as a witch, events... To kill the monster by shooting it in the most striking monastery Romania..., though 59 ] in Ottoman times education in the first place quot ; are widespread... Thats the good news snake throughout Albanian culture and superstitions widespread among the Balkan is... They also have the ability to think and act in different ways, just like people and vampires some. Full of these tales similar purpose to the new Muslims and became the official order of the best way undo. Would be the one you like the best way to undo her damage Warriors described by Robert Elsie as of.

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