It is said that lugat tends to lure its victims to its dark home and can even murder people in their sleep. They usually live in hidden places in the forest and have supernatural powers. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. This is a method that, according to Albanian urban legends, can protect you from the evil eye of shtriga. Albanian scholars have published numerous collections of Albanian oral tradition, but only a small part of this material has been translated into other languages. The Drekavac sounds especially creepy,and the Prepasti from Bosnia really interested me. Not that you should suspect your yoga instructor and professional dancers of being dhampirs, but still an interesting thought. On his journey, Mujo meets an Ora who tells him he must slay Slavic warrior Behuri. Some scarier than others. In Albania, Romania and Hungary, some people believe that if a snake lives long enough and is not seen by a human, it will eventually turn into a dragon. The deities are generally not persons, but animistic personifications of nature. Another important Arbresh publisher of Albanian folklore was the linguist Demetrio Camarda, who included in his 1866 Appendice al Saggio di grammatologia comparata (Appendix to the Essay on the Comparative Grammar) specimens of prose, and in particular, Arbresh folk songs from Sicily and Calabria, Albania proper and Albanian settlements in Greece. Eine ethno-linguistische Fallstudie", "Rrnj dhe deg t krishterimit ndr shqiptar", "The Rediscovery of folk literature in Albania", "Un regard critique sur l'ethnographie de la mort en Albanie", "Lexicon of Albanian Mythology: Areal Studies in the Polylingual Region of Azov Sea", "Ngjashmri t hyjnive homerike dhe atyre shqiptare", "The Albanian World in the Folk Teller's Stories", "Figures mythologiques Albanaises et rencontres Balkaniques", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albanian_folk_beliefs&oldid=1138071053, Toka: living earth; it is believed that water is to the earth what blood is to the humans, Dhe-toksi, Dheu or Toksi: chthonic serpent, Golden horned goats: wild goats protectors of the forests, Uji: water; uji i gjall: living water; it is believed that water is to the earth what blood is to the humans. Apparently, these two factors make them evil and the word shtriga itself is used to describe someone as evil. [17][18], Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (The Marriage of Halili), translated by Robert Elsie . So unlike sampiro and lugat, vrykolakas doesnt bother to spare its victims. [43][29] A number of parallels are found with Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies. Among the main bodies of Albanian folk poetry are the Kng Kreshniksh ("Songs of Heroes"), the traditional non-historical cycle of Albanian epic songs, based on the cult of the legendary hero. The Albanian terms for "hero" are trim (female: trimnesh), kreshnik or hero (female: heroin). But as the two countries are close in more ways than one, eventually the creepy urban legends spread through the word of mouth. As a matter of fact, even today many Albanians point their fingers at shtriga whenever theres untimely infant death. Yeah, the Balkans are full of these tales! The ora turned now and began to inform him, . According to Maximilian Lambertz (1882-1963), he is the relic of an ancient Illyrian god. He compiled his collection with Spiro Risto Dine who emigrated to Egypt in 1866. Their characteristics depend on their nationalities. I actually remember similar sayings from my childhood too, but even back then it was confusing to me because I couldnt understand what the creature would get out of this. I love when history is THIS interesting! Zuku Bajraktar captures his mothers secret lover, Slavic warrior Baloz Sedlija, as his prisoner. Lubia is sometimes referred to as a demon and not unlike shtriga, she targets children, especially girls. They handed the hero some herbs to inhale from. [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. Wandering aimlessly in the mountains, the blind Zuku is met by an ora who restores his sights with some herbs and tells him to take vengeance. Often appearing on roads and meadows or next to rivers and creeks, they began as ambiguous, black mists, silhouettes and whirlwinds. According to popular belief, they returned to the area to search for their lost limbs. the albanian history. Baba. Anger and rage of the shkja took possession.There in the moonlight at the edge of a fountain Did he encounter the three snow-white oras. more appealing. Anyway, trapping shtriga in a church wasnt even the last alternative. Now that you know about dhampirs and a few general characteristics of vampires, I do want to shed some light on a few specific types of vampires. 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. Usually, shtriga were described as old or middle-aged women with grey, pale green, or pale blue eyes (called white eyes or pale eyes) (Albanian: sybardha) and a crooked nose. [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. She also enjoys walking in beauty through the daylight, searching for men to eat for dessert. All we have is that Buba is some kind of a serpentine monster. As you can see, the Northern Albanian folklore only mentions women as potential shtrigas, but other sources of Albanian mythology creatures dont exclude men from thisopportunity. While Jin is a general reference to concealment, al-janin refers specifically to a fetus that is concealed in its mother's womb. [53] The Balkans were brought back into the Christian orbit only after the recovery of the Byzantine Empire and through the activity of Byzantine missionaries. The first boogeyman I want to tell you about is actually a boogeywoman and her name is Lubia. Basically scaring them to listen to rules, or else the terrible boogeyman will show up. But thats not all. So you already know that a shtriga typically targets infants for some weird reason. But going back specifically to the Albanian version of shtriga, there is one particular characteristic of shtriga that caught my attention. Serbia - Bauk is an animal-like mythical creature in Serbian mythology. So an encounter with shtriga doesnt end with her victims immediate death. Lets just hope you never meet it and dont become its sustainable source of blood. An Ora is made a victim by Paji as he clenches and crushes its arm. As for the origins of vrykolakas and how you can turn into one, wellhold on tight, the list is long. Obviously, there is a good reason why sampiros eyes are the only thing that is not all covered up. . Apparently the storytellers even saw interactions with the Turks as a risk that could turn anyone else into a vampire. 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. [2] Baron Franz Nopcsa related the term Ora to the ancient Greek Oreads, nymphs of the mountains. But what bothers me is the part of scaring children into not crying. Mythological Creatures Coming at Night and Strangling People. 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 German physician Karl H. Reinhold collected Albanian folklore material from Albanian sailors while he was serving as a doctor in the Greek navy and in 1855 he published Noctes Pelasgicae (Pelasgian Nights). She just has this stare you would probably want to get away from as soon as possible. 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]. Category:Albanian legendary creatures Help Pages in category "Albanian legendary creatures" The following 16 pages are in this category, out of 16 total. There was no one to wall it up after she died. Albania is full of myths and legends about its beautiful landscape. When I was doing my research specifically about dhampirs, I expected to discover some kind of defects that would come from the human parent. Most believe he is visible only at night, especially during thetwelve days of Christmasand in the earlyspring. [69] Folk tales, myths and legends have been orally transmitted down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of Albania, Kosovo and western North Macedonia, among the Arbresh in Italy and the Arvanites in Greece.[20][70]. Zmey are specifically attracted to female beauty and have been rumoured to capture young maidens and take them to their remote lairs. Between the 7th and 12th centuries a powerful network of cult institutions were revived completely covering the ecclesiastical administration of the entire present-day Albanian-speaking compact area. The town of Berat sits in the foothills of Mount Tomorr and is closely guarded by Baba, as its his favourite city and great source of pride. Zuku, taunted and captured is blinded by his mother. Mount Shpirag is marked with deep streams of water running down its face and lies across the valley. The reason why I wouldnt exclude her from the vampire category is that a shtriga is depicted as a blood-sucking witch in Albanian folklore. Well, apparently vrykolakas can be pretty judgemental too. And how does it crush them by sitting on them? Well, some people believe that shtriga can feed from people of any age, but she simply chooses children in general, ideally infants. They can live either in caves or mountain tops, and are particularly intelligent. Amongst the creatures that the Henwen gave birth to were a bee, a piglet, a wolf cub and an eagle. But even if you do come across an evil dhampir, there is a bright side legends tell us that its possible to identify dhampirs as such. albanian mythological creatures TikTok : GOSHI (@nitidaddy), user7153001266706(@ulqinarmarine), BaboBitter(@babobitter), GOSHI (@nitidaddy), Imp(@imperium_populorum . The Balkan region is home to many captivating legends and mythical creatures. De Rada and Camarda were the two main initiators of the Albanian nationalist cultural movement in Italy. On a final note about a lugat, I just wanted to add that basically there is no positive way to see the creature. and I think Im going to have nightmares of Lamia, but this whole post was such a fun read. A well of clear water, named after Manole, is believed to mark the spot where Manole himself fell. He swore that he would marry the sister who waited for him to return. Albanian urban legends claim that Lubia has an insatiable appetite for children. If a silver coin were to be soaked in that blood and wrapped in cloth, it would become an amulet offering permanent protection from any shtriga. And you wouldnt be wrong for seeking that because of what in Albanian is called syliga. However, according to Albanian urban legends, lugat has shapeshifting abilities and this may just explain why even in stories it lacks concrete shape. [3] Ancient Illyrian religion is considered to be one of the sources from which Albanian legend and folklore evolved,[29][30][31] reflecting a number of parallels with Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies. Durham reports that supernatural happenings within Albania would act as a caution, with many refusing to travel anywhere near areas believed to be cursed and/or protected by the Ora.[26]. Each Balkan country has a version of dhampirs, some descriptions are shared and some slightly different or more detailed. But Im getting ahead of myself. Vita turned down every other suitor in the hope of marrying Lyulin. And did I mention that this strategy can only be implemented on Easter Sunday? After all, every region has its own version. Baba Tomorri has inflicted many wounds on the face of Shirag which can still be seen today. And yet vrykolakas sits on them? E Bukura e Dheut - Earthly Beauty; Beauty of the Earth E Bukura e Dheut, Queen of Albania's Fairies, rules . The only downside here is that its not that easy. 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. Its time to meet some of North Macedonias mythical creatures! [28] Robert Elsie described the Zana as muses of the mountains - as every mountain has its own Zana. She accepted, for some reason, but she soon realised that this was not a game. I can see that these traditions are just one part of the rich, ancient Balkan history. A shtriga was featured in the Supernatural episode, "Something Wicked", wherein it attacked children, causing them to become comatose; it then disguised itself as a doctor so it could continue to feed upon them. [] HER HEAD WAS SERPENT, BUT AH, BITTER-SWEET! So we have a little bit of background now, but every good storyteller knows that a story needs a face. Although labeled as a vampiric witch, shtriga has a lot of resemblance to a boogeyman. It does not store any personal data. Basically, everyone who were frowned upon in the old days and even somewhat today. They also have the tail of a snake, golden wings and incredible physical strength. The creature is known for not taking the lives of its victims, it only takes enough for it to satisfy the growling stomach. Prince Radu the Black dreamed of building the most striking monastery in Romania. What else do we know about it from the creepy urban legends? But that would need an article of its own. He recorded thirty-five Albanian folk tales from Albania and Corfu and published them in the 1895 Albanesische Texte mit Glossar (Albanian Texts with Glossary). They can live either in caves or mountain tops, and are particularly intelligent. He is often depicted as a fierce warrior who fights against giants and other monsters to protect the people of Midgard, the mortal world. In fact, it is said that women who submit to envy and for some reason dont bear children are the ones who turn into shtrigas. [42], Albanian folklore traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a substrate of Illyrian religion. The bad news is that sampiro might be back for more eventually and if its a very hungry one, it could lead to death after many frequent visits. 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. Accordingly, the male word for shtriga can be shtrigan or shtrigu. When feeding it simply bites like any human would and then sucks blood from the wound. [25] Edith Durham reports that the dried head of a snake, cut off with a large silver medjidieh (coin) is a very good charm against the Evil Eye. [59] Since its founding in 1912, Albania has been a secular state, becoming atheist during the Communist regime, and returning secular after the fall of the regime. Basically, you have 3 options there: impale its head on a spike, chop its head off, or seek help from a professional vampire hunter. 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. Albanian legendary creatures (16 P) Pages in category "Albanian mythology" The following 25 pages are in this category, out of 25 total. If you do end up looking into shtrigas eyes, what youd see is either white, grey, pale blue, or pale green eyes. They can roar like thunder, make the earth shake, and snack on grown people. Melton is a bright and educated man and I genuinely found his book a very interesting read. [2] [9] Ora travel with their person and provide protection. [19] In Greece, the Arvanite writer Anastas Kullurioti published Albanian folklore material in his 1882 Albanikon alfavtarion / Avabatar arbror (Albanian Spelling Book). The kucedra or kulshedra is a mythological creature in Albanian mythology that is usually depicted as a large, multi-headed dragon with 7 heads. Shpiragm put up a good flight and hit Tomorr with his club leaving lasting damage. This particular one is called the Night Hag. Giants have enormous size and strength packed in a human form. Try our ghost stories from Scotland article or visit this great site for all things ALBANIAN FOLKLORE. Save Balkan Folklore Discover the Fascinating Tales and Mythical Creatures for later by pinning the image below. [49], At the time of the South Slavic incursion and the threat of ethnic turbulence in the Albanian-inhabited regions, the Christianization of the Albanians had already been completed and it had apparently developed for Albanians as a further identity-forming feature alongside the ethnic-linguistic unity. [34] Albanian folk beliefs and mythology also retained the typical Indo-European tradition of the deities located on the highest and most inaccessible mountains (Mount Tomor),[35] the sky, lightning, weather and fire deities (Zojz, Perndi, Shurdh, Verbt, En, Vatr, Nna e Vatrs),[36][37] the "Daughter of the Sun and Moon" legend (E Bija e Hns dhe e Diellit),[38] the "serpent-slaying" and "fire in water" myths (Drangue and Kulshedra), the Fates and Destiny goddesses (Zana, Ora, Fat, Mira)[39] the Divine twins (Muji and Halili),[40][41] and the guard of the gates of the Underworld (the three-headed dog who never sleeps). Thank you for sharing. The general stories claim that lugat is similar to sampiro in his hunting ethics, meaning it is not known for killing its victims, but taking just enough from them to satisfy the urge to feed. They are often depicted spinning, measuring, and cutting thread, revealing their control over human life. As a symbol, it is depicted by eight spiked tridents radiating outwards from a central point. Shefit Koboci Afrdita Armati Bardha Bindusi Bolla Baloz (monster) Constantin and Doruntin 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. Indeed, Mitko compiled and classified the material according to genres, including sections on fairy tales, fables, anecdotes, children's songs, songs of seasonal festivities, love songs, wedding songs, funerary songs, epic and historical songs. Balkan Folklore is really interesting to read but its even better to hear the tale told by an enthusiastic local who has been brought up with these legends. Very straightforward. Eventually, as you got a bigger picture, you would also notice her face disfigurement and possibly a cape that she tends to wear. The two titans eventually killed one another and poor Earthly Beauty drowned in her tears, which became the Osum River. Even if vrykolakas has no intention of killing people, it still has a pattern of visiting their home when theyre asleep to eat all of their food and drink all of their wine. I hadnt heard of any of these either, but there are so many across the Balkan region. Thanks Jenny. Also according to Church documents, the territories that coincide with the present-day Albanian-speaking compact area had remained under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome and used Latin as official language at least until the first half of the 8th century. Very long! [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. So some people believe that if they believe in God, shtriga will be helpless and youll have immunity against her. [5], In Albanian mythology, the physical phenomena, elements and objects are attributed to supernatural beings. 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. They could then be captured and killed at the threshold as they vainly attempted to pass. 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