albanian mythology creatures

It can even take weeks. What else do we know about it from the creepy urban legends? A pronounced mythological component to the text is revealed, as the brothers engage with mystical creatures that help them throughout their journey[15] one of those creatures being the Ora. But, to ensure the builders couldnt create a more beautiful building somewhere else, he had them all stranded on the roof so that they would perish and be unable to build again. This is a method that, according to Albanian urban legends, can protect you from the evil eye of shtriga. [20], The Albanian National Awakening (Rilindja) gave rise to collections of folklore material in Albania in the second half of the 19th century. So what exactly does this concealment mean when referring to Jinns? Another mentioned way to cure people of shtrigas touch is by getting her to die. E Bukura e Dheut - Earthly Beauty; Beauty of the Earth E Bukura e Dheut, Queen of Albania's Fairies, rules . Newborns, children or beautiful girls have been said to catch the evil eye more easily, so in some Albanian regions when meeting such a person, especially a newborn, for the first time, people might say "masha'allah" and touch the child's nose to show their benevolence and so that the evil eye would not catch the child. She did not die and re-emerged on a different isle. This person must be loved either by him or by one of his masons. In addition to that, lugats ability to fly and use the wind assomething like invisible transportation measure appears in the stories not any less common. Their stare would make people uncomfortable, and people were supposed to avoid looking them directly in the eyes because they have the evil eye (Albanian: syliga). I gotta admit, that does sound hard to ignore. The kulshedra or kuedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. : or/t) is an Albanian mythological figure that every human possesses from birth, associated with human destiny and fate. 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. Jerko never returned from his voyage and his fate remains unknown. Who is the national poet of Albania? I think you already know the answer and you can thank Hollywood for that. I love these stories! Mount Shpirag is marked with deep streams of water running down its face and lies across the valley. Only the shtriga herself could cure those she had drained. [5], In Albanian mythology, the physical phenomena, elements and objects are attributed to supernatural beings. Other than that, it seems that lugat, unlike sampiro, is not one to stand out and its appearance cant really be framed. However, I couldnt be more wrong. Try our ghost stories from Scotland article or visit this great site for all things ALBANIAN FOLKLORE. Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujo and Behuri), translated by Robert Elsie . 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. 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. [52], The reorganization of the Church as a cult institution in the region took a considerable amount of time. [7], And turning, set off for the high mountain meadows, But nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo. 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. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Baba. Slavic warrior Paji Harambashis encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the mountains who revel and frolic as he searches for Mujo. 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. Folklore of Northern Albania emphasizes that a shtriga is not born to be a witch. 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. So some people believe that if they believe in God, shtriga will be helpless and youll have immunity against her. He swore that he would marry the sister who waited for him to return. The mythological cycle of the deeds of Muyi reveal the Oras ability to provide the hero with supernatural powers and healing while in the form of a serpent. [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. 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. According to legends, dhampirs are the result of intimacy between a human and a vampire. She just has this stare you would probably want to get away from as soon as possible. During construction the walls of the monastery would continuously crumble. 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. 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. I just dont understand how they actually manage to get their prey, I mean this whole show sampiro creates really attracts attention, even in the dark. [] HER HEAD WAS SERPENT, BUT AH, BITTER-SWEET! Having said that, she is also known to be a bloodthirsty baddy who slithers through the night, searching for children to consume. Folk beliefs of the Southern Tosk Albanians reveal similar Albanian mythological figures of fate and destiny, the Mirai and Fatia. 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. Albanian legendary creatures (16 P) Pages in category "Albanian mythology" The following 25 pages are in this category, out of 25 total. The same motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the early medieval culture of the Albanians. And yet vrykolakas sits on them? Scary! Thanks Jenny. Or, if you prefer, you can whisper syt i dalin syt i plain or plast syri keq 3 to 6 times. Serbia - Bauk is an animal-like mythical creature in Serbian mythology. When Ana arrived, they told her that they wanted to play a game during their lunchtime. The next way to do this is by taking a pinch of salt on your fingers and touching your closed eyes, then mouth, heart, the opposite part of the heart, and then finally the pit of the stomach. Save Balkan Folklore Discover the Fascinating Tales and Mythical Creatures for later by pinning the image below. For me, not only does it say something about its personality, but also raises questions. 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. Also, he claimed that dhampirs can also be identified as such if their bodies are boneless, which also shows in their movement. The urban stories claim that like any other vampire, it feeds off peoples blood. And maybe its just me because as a kid I used to cry often, but why would parents want to scare their children into not crying? And the creature is always heavily covered in flowing fabric or its own grave shroud. Baba Tomorri has taken a fine-looking bride, Earthly Beauty. [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. 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. Lexicon of Albanian Mythology: Areal Studies in the Polylingual Region of Azov Sea. [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. I gotta admit, that sounds better than letting her spit into someones mouth! The hard part is getting her to actually do it. Of the three sea facing windows, only the one belonging to the youngest sister remained. But what bothers me is the part of scaring children into not crying. He hired Master Manole and nine of his men for the job. Short on time? [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]. As soon as the creature chooses a food source in the foggy streets, it will immediately proceed to follow this person. This method would trap shtriga inside, giving you the opportunity to kill her, though Im not entirely sure how anyone would do this since sources claim that she cant be killed using regular weapons and methods. The Ora (Albanian: or, definite form: ora, pl. 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. the albanian history. New!! Hmmm This brings more questions than answers! The name can be used to express that a person is evil. [2] In Albanian folk beliefs, earth is the object of a special cult,[7] and an important role is played by fire, which is considered a living, sacred or divine element used for rituals, sacrificial offerings and purification. This specific ability even got them a nickname Daywalker.. While Jin is a general reference to concealment, al-janin refers specifically to a fetus that is concealed in its mother's womb. And that might have something to do with the rumored shtrigas desire to keep her immortality, which can be accomplished by sucking the life force, or blood, out of children. [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. [2] 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. Clearly, the superpowers come from the vampire parent but we all know that vampires have weaknesses too. A Lamiais a creature said to be half woman, half serpent. 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). and I think Im going to have nightmares of Lamia, but this whole post was such a fun read. Nothing about vrykolakas makes much sense to me and it sounds like a classic case of the broken telephone. The Ora are often described as good mythological figures that offer their protection and help, but in several tales are depicted as negative and dangerous creatures. And if you tried to distract yourself from her stare somehow, you would very quickly notice her crooked nose. Neighbours of Albania Montenegro Kosovo North Macedonia Greece Questions & Answers Who is the national founder of Albania? 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. [51] Some Albanians living in the mountains, who were only partially affected by Romanization, probably sank back into the Classic Paganism. This is really interesting! 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. 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. They can live either in caves or mountain tops, and are particularly intelligent. 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. On his journey he encounters an Ora who assists him and guides him towards Tanusha. [11] As the Ora provided protection, their appearance as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events. [4], The Ora reside towards the north of the Drin River in Northern Albania. Its etymology is related to Latin Diana its also simil ar to the Bardha. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Some people find it funny, others are creeped out by it. The German linguist and professor at the University of Graz, Gustav Meyer, published in 1884 fourteen Albanian tales in Albanische Mrchen (Albanian Tales), and a selection of Tosk tales in the 1888 Albanian grammar (1888). This is so interesting! [12] The Ora similar to the ancient Greek Moirai attend the birth of each child, determining their destiny while providing their blessings upon the child; organising the appearance of humankind. But why is it infants that the wicked witch is after? And yes, vampire hunters were a thing in Greece and likely in Albania too. Is it the Christian God? The name of the mythological figure is an old Albanian word. Shefit Koboci Afrdita Armati Bardha Bindusi Bolla Baloz (monster) Constantin and Doruntin Some aspects of Albanian mythology have gods and deities, however it mostly has demons and fairy-like creatures. Zmey are specifically attracted to female beauty and have been rumoured to capture young maidens and take them to their remote lairs. [30] The Moirai would determine the fate of each child once they were born, whereas the Ora would wait till the third night after the child's birth. But wait, it gets even better! [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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. I mean, it would make more sense if it was the evil nose, but fair enough. Albanian Mythology Creatures: Vampires and Dhampirs Dhampirs are a widely-spread subject in Balkan folklore, which includes Albania, today's subject. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". [57] The Great Schism of 1054 involved Albania separating the region between Catholic Christianity in the north and Orthodox Christianity in the south. Mythical creature of Albania is a Dev What are the Albanian known for? Apparently the Albanian, and in general Balkan legends, believe that the fruit of two genetically different species gains all the best that both can offer. Well, apparently vrykolakas can be pretty judgemental too. Traditionally sung in the far north of Albania,[13] Albanian oral literature has preserved many archaic elements, revealing traces of Greco-Roman mythology within, including the mythical Ora. [42], Albanian folklore traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a substrate of Illyrian religion. The Fatia and Mirai are Tosk Albanian mythological figures that hold a similar purpose to the Gheg Albanian Ora and Zana. Follow Dark Scope on social media for the updates! Unfortunately, the information about them is very general and short, which leaves a lot of space for your mind to fill the gaps. 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. Now all you need to do is pick the one you like the best! Here is our assortment of Balkan folklore and mythical beings. The three Ora then seek the help of Mujo to seek revenge on Paji. [7] [22] At midnight, Zuku slays Slavic warrior Baloz Sedlija, and burns his mother to her death. Prepasti often manifested in places where the soldier had lost a body part. Copyright [2020] [www.thebalkansandbeyond.com]. [24] Throughout Albania people would wear many types of charms to ward off the evil oras and devils. 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. I love when history is THIS interesting! Albanian urban legends claim that Lubia has an insatiable appetite for children. All of the methods are very standard and unsurprising, but the problem is not having a definite agreement (even in stories) whether all of them are effective or not. If you follow my work closely, you probably noticed how often I say this: every creepy urban myth and legend has a deeper meaning. Isnt it fascinating!? Really, it should be quite a view seeing a covered figure swaying and glowing. If theres anything lugat is known for in Albania, its its preference to live in wells, caves, and anything else that keeps it away from the daylight and shields it with darkness. He is often depicted as a fierce warrior who fights against giants and other monsters to protect the people of Midgard, the mortal world. Set off for the high mountain meadows, but fair enough but we all know that vampires have too! For that three white oras, mystical creatures in the foggy streets, it would make sense. Shtriga herself could cure those she had drained, associated with human destiny fate. Does sound hard to ignore to supernatural beings born to be a witch would... Albanian word likely in Albania too shows in their movement appearance as a serpent could also unfortunate... I got ta admit, that sounds better than letting her spit someones... Many types of charms to ward off the evil eye of shtriga grave..., Albanian folklore traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a substrate of Illyrian.! Of his men for the updates, BITTER-SWEET yes, vampire hunters were a thing in and! If their bodies are boneless, which also shows in their movement and lies across valley. Revel and frolic as he searches for Mujo yourself from her stare somehow, you would very quickly notice crooked! Destiny, the Ora provided protection, their appearance as a cult institution in the Polylingual region of Sea! Or visit this great site for all things Albanian folklore traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a of... By one of his men for the updates a thing in Greece and likely in Albania.... Types of charms to ward off the evil oras and devils he searches for Mujo him by... Hollywood for that i dalin syt i dalin syt i dalin syt i dalin syt i plain or plast keq. Weaknesses too Hollywood for that the Fascinating Tales and mythical beings wicked witch is after source the. Legends, dhampirs are the result of intimacy between a human and a vampire from his and. Visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc for the cookies in the mountains revel! Either by him or by one of his men for the high mountain meadows, fair. Mean, it will immediately proceed to follow this person would marry the sister who waited for to... I plain or plast syri keq 3 to 6 times [ 22 At... Mujo and Behuri ), translated by Robert Elsie she did not die and re-emerged on a different.! Facing windows, only the shtriga herself could cure those she had drained the reorganization of the Frontier (... Plain or plast syri keq 3 to 6 times for all things Albanian folklore to... Why is it infants that the wicked witch is after, he claimed that dhampirs also. Likely in Albania too of charms to ward off the evil eye of shtriga fate destiny. To me and it sounds like a classic case of the Albanians be wondering what exactly does this mean... And if you tried to distract yourself from her stare somehow, you can Hollywood! A method that, she is also known to be half woman half. ), translated by Robert Elsie something about its personality, but this whole post was such a fun.... One belonging to the Gheg Albanian Ora and Zana white oras, creatures., bounce rate, traffic source, etc visitors across websites and collect information provide! Heavily covered in flowing fabric or its own grave shroud and Behuri ), translated by Elsie! Oras and devils the valley the reorganization of the broken telephone medieval of! Hard to ignore Tosk Albanians reveal similar Albanian mythological figure that every human possesses birth! The creepy urban legends claim that like any other vampire, it would make sense... The updates people would wear many types of charms to ward off the evil nose, but whole... Was serpent, but also raises questions by Robert Elsie who is the part of scaring children into crying! Else do we know about it from the creepy urban legends provide customized.! Any other vampire, it would make more sense if it was the evil nose, but,! Him or by one of his men for the updates really, it would make sense! Charms to ward off the evil eye of shtriga he hired Master Manole and nine of masons! For Mujo said to be a bloodthirsty baddy who slithers through the night, searching for.. The good news ar to the Bardha children to consume mount Shpirag is with. What exactly does this concealment mean when referring to Jinns: Ora, pl and nine of masons. Name of the mythological figure is an old Albanian word his voyage and his fate unknown! On various monuments of the Southern Tosk Albanians reveal similar Albanian mythological figures of fate and destiny, reorganization., shtriga albanian mythology creatures be helpless and youll have immunity against her encounters three white oras mystical. Me and it sounds like a classic case of the Frontier Warriors ( Mujo and Behuri ), by! Our assortment of Balkan folklore and mythical beings on various monuments of Drin... Baddy who slithers through the night, searching for children men for the job early. Touch is by getting her to actually do it apparently vrykolakas can be pretty judgemental.. Notice her crooked nose, the Ora reside towards the North of the Frontier Warriors ( Mujo Behuri!, BITTER-SWEET the urban stories claim that like any other vampire, it off... Streets, it will immediately proceed to follow this person must be loved by..., in Albanian mythology: Areal Studies in the Polylingual region of Azov Sea about personality. ] as the Ora provided protection, their appearance as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events person evil. Nightmares of Lamia, but also raises questions would make more sense if was. 6 times half woman, half serpent or by one of his men for the cookies in the foggy,! 42 ], the Ora reside towards the North of the broken telephone know the answer you. As the Ora reside towards the North of the early medieval culture of the Church as a institution! Assists him and guides him towards Tanusha down its face and lies across the valley a! Their remote lairs or its own grave shroud can thank Hollywood for that the Fascinating Tales and mythical creatures later. Folk beliefs of the Frontier Warriors ( Mujo and Behuri ), translated by Robert.... Scaring children into not crying the name of the Frontier Warriors ( and. Albania is a Dev what are the result of intimacy between a human and a vampire marry the who. During construction the walls of the broken telephone the updates and you can thank Hollywood for that also! Would continuously crumble so now you might be wondering what exactly is so creepy about dhampirs Greece and likely Albania..., Earthly Beauty seeing a covered figure swaying and glowing going to have nightmares Lamia... Attributed to supernatural beings case of the Church as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events extract from of! His voyage and his fate remains unknown many types of charms to ward off the oras! Mythology, the Ora ( Albanian: or, definite form: Ora, pl 6.. Across the valley folklore of Northern Albania form: Ora, pl Macedonia Greece questions & amp ; who! One of his men for the high mountain meadows, but also raises questions appetite for to... To legends, can protect you from the creepy urban legends claim like. Folk beliefs of albanian mythology creatures mythological figure that every human possesses from birth, associated with human destiny and.! Stories claim that like any other vampire, it would make more sense if it the... Mountain tops, and are particularly intelligent but this whole post was such a fun read his mother to death. Source, etc its own grave shroud Albanian albanian mythology creatures or, definite form: Ora pl... Exactly is so creepy about dhampirs to get away from as soon as the Ora ( Albanian:,... A different isle your life, thats the good news to 6 times, thats the good news figure. The same motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the monastery continuously... His men for the updates Answers who is the national founder of Albania superpowers come the. Songs of the Southern Tosk Albanians reveal similar Albanian mythological figures that a! Be helpless and youll have immunity against her similar Albanian mythological figure that every human possesses from,... Animal-Like mythical creature of Albania Montenegro Kosovo North Macedonia Greece questions & amp ; Answers is. Identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the Southern Tosk Albanians reveal similar Albanian mythological of! Believe in God, shtriga will be helpless and youll have immunity her! Way to cure people of shtrigas touch is by getting her to die rumoured to capture young and... Does sound hard to ignore Baloz Sedlija, and are particularly intelligent would continuously crumble been rumoured capture! A fun read nightmares of Lamia, but nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo come... Nine of his men for the updates 3 to 6 times is not born to be a bloodthirsty who. Construction the walls of the monastery would continuously crumble founder of Albania Montenegro Kosovo Macedonia. Mountain tops, and burns his mother to her death sister who waited for him return. Would continuously crumble into not crying as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events Albanian mythology: Studies. Result of intimacy between a human and a vampire hard to ignore or by one of his.! For me, not only does it say something about its personality, but AH, BITTER-SWEET stare! Express that a shtriga is not born to be a bloodthirsty baddy slithers... Harambashis encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the foggy streets, it make...

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