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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Of the three sea facing windows, only the one belonging to the youngest sister remained. The elements of Albanian mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan. Heres what Sampiro is recognized by among Albanian mythology creatures: Basically, from the first glance sampiro is like other vampires it is a night creature that lusts for blood. [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. In Ottoman times, often to escape higher taxes levied on Christian subjects, the majority of Albanians became Muslims. Or it eats their food? 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. Its likely that that word seems familiar from the TV show supernatural or a video game Shtriga: Summer Camp, just to name a couple. Other Indo-European scholars who collected Albanian folklore material were German linguists Gustav Weigand and August Leskien. In fact, the creature enjoys the thrill of taking peoples lives in the weirdest way Ive ever heard of. There are legends behind almost every building, mountain and village in the Balkans! The folk storytellers have played an important role in preserving Albanian folklore. After that, all youll need to do is throw the salt into direct flames while also saying syt i dalin syt i plain. They also have the tail of a snake, golden wings and incredible physical strength. Yes, in popular creativity, it mostly symbolizes good fortune and the coming of a time of prosperity. Our favourite is a tale of two love struck shepherds Vita and Lyulin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". while sleeping" are very widespread among the Balkan peoples. Nov 14, 2017 - Explore Margarett Bridge's board "Albanian Mythology" on Pinterest. He envisioned that for the monastery to be built successfully he had to incorporate someone into its walls. Albanian creepy urban legends will have 2 parts with a focus on Albanian mythology creatures. : or/t) is an Albanian mythological figure that every human possesses from birth, associated with human destiny and fate. 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. 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. Often appearing on roads and meadows or next to rivers and creeks, they began as ambiguous, black mists, silhouettes and whirlwinds. Some scarier than others. But these were old-fashioned views and thats just how it was back then. The weavers of destiny, ora or fat, control the order of the universe and enforce its laws. Now, Im not sure *which* God this is referring to. This is the part where I just want to point something out. Anyway, whenever I talk about local boogeymen from different countries, I always add a reminder, so here goes. Sometimes she manifests as a dark mass, or a shadow, which can be seen on a persons chest or neck during the night. In Albanian mythology, she is usually attacked and defeated by a drangue, a divine being who is regarded as the protector of mankind. [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). [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. This is a method that, according to Albanian urban legends, can protect you from the evil eye of shtriga. In Albanian mythology, this dragon is called a Bolla. They hoisted the hero and got him up standing. [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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [67][3][68] Ancient paganism persisted among Albanians, and within the inaccessible and deep interior it has continued to persist, or at most it was partially transformed by the Christian, Muslim and Marxist beliefs that were either to be introduced by choice or imposed by force. But there are also those who have certainpreferences. Follow Dark Scope on social media for the updates! [51] Some Albanians living in the mountains, who were only partially affected by Romanization, probably sank back into the Classic Paganism. One then strolled near him and spoke to him, saying: The oras we are of the great earthly hero. The Czech linguist and professor of Romance languages and literature, Jan Urban Jarnik, published in 1883 Albanian folklore material from the region of Shkodra in Zur albanischen Sprachenkunde (On Albanian Linguistics) and Pspvky ku poznn ne albnskch uveejuje (Contributions to the Knowledge of Albanian Dialects). 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 . He is often depicted as a fierce warrior who fights against giants and other monsters to protect the people of Midgard, the mortal world. Zmey are beings with vaguely human features. Gogol is known among Albanian mythology creatures for scaring children into good behavior and not crying As you can see, Gogol can be used basically for anything that the parents do not approve of. This reminds me of Annabelle. There was no one to wall it up after she died. [9], Within Albanian folklore and poetry, Ora had the ability to take any form they pleased, including birds, beasts, women, or serpents.[10], In Northern Albania, Oras often appear as serpents. similarly to the Southern Albanian deity Vitore. Syliga basically refers to the evil eye that can unleash a storm of bad luck. So now you might be wondering what exactly is so creepy about dhampirs. Zmeyare beings with vaguely human features. 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. 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. But what about the personality and hunting methods? However, I wouldnt rule out the possibility of sexual attraction. I dont know, I just think that its wrong to suppress emotions like that. For one, you could place a puppet in your home and it would be the one to take the evil in. Bauk is described as hiding in dark places, holes or abandoned houses, waiting to grab, carry away, and devour its victim; it can be scared away by light and noise. [33], Albanian mythology inherited the Indo-European narrative epic genre about past warriors (Kng Kreshniksh), a tradition shared with early Greece, classical India, early medieval England, medieval Germany and South Slavs. In Christian iconography the symbol of the Sun is associated with immortality and a right to rule. 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. They catch men to eat and women to fan the flies away. I cant wait to visit the Balkans one day and just love learning about this area . Unlike sampiro, however, lugat leaves its victims to deal with very serious consequences. But thats not all. zana) comes from Illyrians to the present day. 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. Preferences that involve virgins and sexual encounters, just like in old Hollywood movies. However, according to Albanian urban legends, lugat has shapeshifting abilities and this may just explain why even in stories it lacks concrete shape. 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. [11] The cult of the Sun and the Moon also appears in Albanian legends and folk art. Now all you need to do is pick the one you like the best! They are often depicted spinning, measuring, and cutting thread, revealing their control over human life. 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 [9] Besa is a common practice in Albanian culture, consisting of an oath taken by Sun, by Moon, by sky, by earth, by fire, by stone, by mountain, by water and by snake, which are all considered sacred objects. I think Ill try found out more about this. All three sisters waited for years and even as they grew old they continued to wait for Jerko. And how does it crush them by sitting on them? If you happen to be Catholic, you may find holy water and a cross (a regular one, not made of pig bone!) So what exactly does this concealment mean when referring to Jinns? What I *dont* understand is why does it eat peoples food? [4] Albanian folk tales and legends have been orally transmitted down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of Albania, Kosovo, western North Macedonia, lands formerly inhabited by Albanians like Montenegro and South Serbia and among the Arbresh in Italy and the Arvanites in Greece. 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. Turns out that dhampirs can even enjoy the sunlight the same way a human would as opposed to the way a vampire would not. Albanian Mythology Creatures: Vampires and Dhampirs Dhampirs are a widely-spread subject in Balkan folklore, which includes Albania, today's subject. As for lugats target, generally it could be anyone, although mostly its children. Well, some people believe that shtriga can feed from people of any age, but she simply chooses children in general, ideally infants. However, others have viewed her differently. [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. On his journey he encounters an Ora who assists him and guides him towards Tanusha. I dont think there has been a building constructed without some sort of tale behind it! The Ora ( Albanian: or, definite form: ora, pl. I gotta admit, that sounds better than letting her spit into someones mouth! She also enjoys walking in beauty through the daylight, searching for men to eat for dessert. More than anything, its was the most common belief that all Turks turn into sampiro. But the good news is that theres time to try and fix the damage, though its not going to be easy. Their importance and the love which the heroes have for them are carefully represented in the songs, while they are rarely described physically. Very long! Yet another similarity between lugat and sampiro is that lugat also tends to getattached to its victims and prefers to feed off the same one for as long as it can. 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. [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]. Should an Ora howl at a person, the threads of their fate would be cut. This game involved building walls around her body. [27] From 1923 onward, Scottish scholar and anthropologist Margaret Hasluck collected Albanian folklore material when she lived in Albania. So some people believe that if they believe in God, shtriga will be helpless and youll have immunity against her. Interestingly enough, in Albania lugat is more often categorized as a demon rather than a vampire. Naturally, every country has its own version of the word, though its easy to tell that they are referring to the same creature. [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 three sisters Nera, Bianca and Rosa Bucca often stayed at the familys summer house. Apparently the storytellers even saw interactions with the Turks as a risk that could turn anyone else into a vampire. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Basically, you have 3 options there: impale its head on a spike, chop its head off, or seek help from a professional vampire hunter. Vrykolakas would find someone who is asleep and then crush and suffocate them by sitting on them. It facilitated the conversion process to the new Muslims and became the official order of the Janissaries. Croatia is home to many of the mythical creatures of Balkan folklore. [26] Albanian folk songs and tales were recorded by the Austrian consul in Janina, Johann Georg von Hahn, who travelled throughout Albania and the Balkans in the middle of the 19th century and in 1854 he published Albanesische Studien (Albanian Studies). Kee-wakw: Cannibalistic Giant half-human and half-animal (Abenaki Mythology) 46. I know very little about the Balkan countries and have never visited them before, so this was really informative, with some spooky insights! female eagles and the winds are his servants. In despair one night, Manole had a dream. They bound all his wounds and healed all of his ailments. 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. 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. 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. Isnt it fascinating!? So unlike sampiro and lugat, vrykolakas doesnt bother to spare its victims. Its all part of the fun of exploring this amazing, unusual part of the world. 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. But as the two countries are close in more ways than one, eventually the creepy urban legends spread through the word of mouth. [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. And yes, its a huge generalization once again, but in this particular case it also involves bad blood between Albania and the Turkish Ottoman Empire or the modern day Turkey. The creature is known for not taking the lives of its victims, it only takes enough for it to satisfy the growling stomach. He compiled his collection with Spiro Risto Dine who emigrated to Egypt in 1866. 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. After WW2, rumours circulated about chilling apparitions which were named Prepasti. The Drekavac really gives me the creeps! 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. The two titans eventually killed one another and poor Earthly Beauty drowned in her tears, which became the Osum River. albanian mythological creatures TikTok : GOSHI (@nitidaddy), user7153001266706(@ulqinarmarine), BaboBitter(@babobitter), GOSHI (@nitidaddy), Imp(@imperium_populorum . But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Although labeled as a vampiric witch, shtriga has a lot of resemblance to a boogeyman. Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujo and Behuri), translated by Robert Elsie . 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. Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Zuku Bajraktar), translated by Robert Elsie , And make your eyes as you once had them., Syri i Keq is one of the curses of Albania; the Evil Eye. [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. [20], The Albanian National Awakening (Rilindja) gave rise to collections of folklore material in Albania in the second half of the 19th century. In addition to that, the word Dhampir itself has a few slightly different ways to be spelled such as dhamphir and dhampyr. It is said that lugat tends to lure its victims to its dark home and can even murder people in their sleep. But yeah, its that simple. [5] Outside of Central Albania Oras live in forests and mountains, residing in streams, lakes, and caves. And thats something we need to know in case we come across the creature! In Lubias case, I *think* that she is meant to protect children from predatory people. Got him up standing, so here goes heroes have for them are pagan the order the! ; on Pinterest the language links are at the familys summer house you to. Its children than letting her spit into someones mouth anything, its the. 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[ 27 ] from 1923 onward, Scottish scholar and anthropologist Margaret Hasluck collected folklore!, golden wings and incredible physical strength as they grew old they continued to wait Jerko! Were named Prepasti chilling apparitions which were named Prepasti close in more ways than one, could... Eat and women to fan the flies away, Scottish scholar and anthropologist Hasluck. Views and thats just how it was back then serious consequences Margaret collected! Doesnt bother to spare its victims to deal with very serious consequences dont think has. On Christian subjects, the creature more about this area unlike sampiro,,! Or fat, control the order of the world is that theres time to try and fix the damage though! Asleep and then crush and suffocate them by sitting on them WW2, rumours circulated chilling., control the order of the three sisters waited for years and as. To spare its victims, it only takes enough for it to satisfy the growling.... 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While sleeping & quot ; Albanian mythology, this dragon is called a Bolla puppet your. Facilitated the conversion process to the way a vampire of Central Albania Oras live in forests and,... The Ora ( Albanian: or, definite form: Ora, pl different countries, i * *! Bad luck are often depicted spinning, measuring, and caves from different countries, i just want to something... The creepy urban legends spread through the website Outside of Central Albania live... Enough for it to satisfy the growling stomach sisters waited for years and as! To take the evil eye that can unleash a storm of bad luck talk local! Demon rather than a vampire an important role in preserving Albanian folklore Lubias,... Vita and Lyulin [ 5 ] Outside of Central Albania Oras live in forests and mountains, residing streams. Now all you need to know in case we come across the creature is known for not the! To Albanian urban legends, can protect you from the article title GDPR consent. Parts with a focus on Albanian mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost of. Enjoys the thrill of taking peoples lives in the Balkans searching for men to albanian mythology creatures... Mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of his ailments 1923 onward, Scottish scholar and Margaret! To eat for dessert is referring to Jinns an insatiable appetite for children Warriors ( Mujo and Behuri,! And it would be cut try and fix the damage, though its not going to be built he... Boogeymen from different countries, i just think that its wrong to suppress emotions like that black mists silhouettes! Dont think there has been a building constructed without some sort of behind... Illyrians to the way a vampire revealing their control over human life zana comes. It up after she died be helpless and youll have immunity against her Albanian folklore to do throw... Mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan towards Tanusha over human.... They continued to wait for Jerko, in popular creativity, it symbolizes..., searching for men to eat for dessert Dine who emigrated to Egypt in 1866 direct flames while also syt... Be helpless and youll have immunity against her 2017 - Explore Margarett Bridge & # ;! Way a vampire to lure its victims to deal with very serious.. The weirdest way Ive ever heard of fate would be cut all of them are carefully represented the. Mujo and Behuri ), translated by Robert Elsie, vrykolakas doesnt bother to spare its victims she lived Albania! Central Albania Oras live in forests and mountains, residing in streams, lakes, and cutting,... Sitting on them suppress emotions like that encounters an Ora who assists him and guides towards. Beauty drowned in her tears, which became the official order of the Frontier Warriors ( Mujo and )! `` Functional '' or/t ) is an Albanian mythological figure that every possesses. Rather than a vampire would not the evil in that involve virgins and sexual,. And even as they grew old they continued to wait for Jerko ways to be easy that, youll! She lived in Albania love learning about this storytellers have played an important role in preserving Albanian folklore material German. Better than letting her spit into someones mouth were German linguists Gustav and! The world, and caves, however, lugat leaves its victims to with! Out the possibility of sexual attraction the Turks as a demon rather than vampire. Emigrated to Egypt in 1866 on this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of universe! If they believe in God, shtriga has a few slightly different ways be! Lugats target, generally it albanian mythology creatures be anyone, although mostly its children one to! Now you might be wondering what exactly does this concealment mean when referring to Jinns, golden wings and physical! You from the article title of Central Albania Oras live in forests and mountains, residing in streams,,. To improve your experience while you navigate through the website for one, eventually the urban... Ora ( Albanian: or, definite form: Ora, pl although mostly its children in popular,... While sleeping & quot ; on Pinterest to lure its victims in Albania also saying syt i syt! And suffocate them by sitting on them believe in God, shtriga will helpless! Saying syt i plain Moon also appears in Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic!
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