Other Indo-European scholars who collected Albanian folklore material were German linguists Gustav Weigand and August Leskien. It may not be the first time you hear the word shtriga. Or, if the evil puppet is not your vibe, theres also the option to make some crafts. Prepasti often manifested in places where the soldier had lost a body part. Am I the only one wondering how those heads are placed on the body? People who develop their blood thirst after an encounter with lugat are called sanguinarians. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sometimes she manifests as a dark mass, or a shadow, which can be seen on a persons chest or neck during the night. And its not pretty. Naturally, for that same reason children are warned to stay away from the wells. However, I wouldnt rule out the possibility of sexual attraction. The male noun for shtriga is shtrigu or shtrigan. In these circumstances, she somehow becomes vulnerable and can be killed when shes shot with iron bullets. [10] A widespread folk symbol is the serpent, a totem of the Albanians associated with earth, water, sun, hearth and ancestor cults, as well as destiny, good fortune and fertility. In various tales there is a certain degree of Pellazgian influence, some mythological figures derive from pellazgian mythology. This is a very generic description, but they also add that dhampirs dont have a shadow, which is a much more noticeable sign. Yes, in popular creativity, it mostly symbolizes good fortune and the coming of a time of prosperity. Want to read a bit more folklore and discover more mythical creatures? But wait, it gets even better! Between the early 7th century and the late 9th century the interior areas of the Balkans were deprived of church administration, and Christianity might have survived only as a popular tradition on a reduced degree. Vrykolakas would find someone who is asleep and then crush and suffocate them by sitting on them. He envisioned that for the monastery to be built successfully he had to incorporate someone into its walls. Well, some people believe that shtriga can feed from people of any age, but she simply chooses children in general, ideally infants. Its whole body is completely covered, save for a part of its eyes that can be seen glowing brightly. For the Realm of the Christians hes long since departed, But come over here, young man, in my direction. The Eastern Church expanded its influence in the area along with the social and political developments. Id just like to add that I cant justify trans people and homosexuals being on this list, its completely undeserved. [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. Thank you for sharing. [3] A strong belief in God could make people immune to a witch as She would protect them. One day, Baba Tomorri is lounging in bed with Earthly Beauty when Shpirag attempts to take over Berat. Mount Vitosha is one of the highest points in the Balkans and has some great legends. Speaking of spitting into someones mouth If you want to avoid that for your children, or any children, for that matter, youll be relieved to know that in some Albanian regions its common to say mashaallah to children and babies while also touching their noses. They hoisted the hero and got him up standing. 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 that would need an article of its own. [15], Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujos Oras), translated by Robert Elsie -, Oh oras, to whom do you render assistance?. [43][29] A number of parallels are found with Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies. This particular one is called the Night Hag. Welcome to the second country of creepy urban legends Albania! 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. 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). Dhampirs have the ability to think and act in different ways, just like people and vampires. The deity of Tomor is of Illyrian origin. Also, he claimed that dhampirs can also be identified as such if their bodies are boneless, which also shows in their movement. Abaia: A magical eel (Melanesian Mythology) 47. I think Ill try found out more about this. As a matter of fact, even today many Albanians point their fingers at shtriga whenever theres untimely infant death. List of legends, myths, ballads, and characters Some of the best known legends, concepts, ballads, songs and/or characters of Albanian mythology. while sleeping" are very widespread among the Balkan peoples. The Ora ( Albanian: or, definite form: ora, pl. And thats something we need to know in case we come across the creature! Nothing about vrykolakas makes much sense to me and it sounds like a classic case of the broken telephone. [7], And turning, set off for the high mountain meadows, But nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo. Their characteristics depend on their nationalities. On his journey he encounters an Ora who assists him and guides him towards Tanusha. While sampiro does look amusing to some, it is still a vampire and fighting back right there and then sounds easier than it actually is. She also enjoys walking in beauty through the daylight, searching for men to eat for dessert. Its all part of the fun of exploring this amazing, unusual part of the world. This reminds me of Annabelle. This is a mythical creature inSouthSlavic mythology. Very straightforward. The second part of Dine's collection was devoted to folk literature, including love songs, wedding songs, funerary songs, satirical verse, religious and didactic verses, folk tales, aphorisms, rhymes, popular beliefs and mythology. [48] After the first access of the ancestors of the Albanians to the Christian religion in antiquity the term Zot which in the pre-Christian pagan period was presumably used in Albanian to refer to the sky father/god/lord, father-god, heavenly father (the Indo-European father daylight-sky-god) has been used for God, the Father and the Son (Christ). In this case, one of the most famous Albanian mythology creatures, sampiro, is no different. Anyway, whenever I talk about local boogeymen from different countries, I always add a reminder, so here goes. Syliga basically refers to the evil eye that can unleash a storm of bad luck. Albania is full of myths and legends about its beautiful landscape. See more ideas about mythology, fantasy, fantasy art. the Bolla dragon. 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. Fun facts! When assuming the form of a child, the Drekavac predicts someonesdeath, while in its animal form, it predicts cattle disease. And yet vrykolakas sits on them? This game involved building walls around her body. Perhaps thats the best way to undo her damage? No matter how you look at it, this method seems very risky and may just make everything worse if youre not quick enough! Bo's friends search for the creature after figuring out that the shtriga had bitten Bo in its moth form, leaving her comatose and dying as it feeds on her fears. I gotta admit, that does sound hard to ignore. A shtriga was featured in the Lost Girl episode "Follow the Yellow Trick Road." Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Some of the characters of the Albanian myth: 1. [22] At midnight, Zuku slays Slavic warrior Baloz Sedlija, and burns his mother to her death. Who knows. Ive never heard much about Balkan folklore, but I am always so interested in the history behind these stories and myths! I suppose its fine if it can save a life. De Rada and Camarda were the two main initiators of the Albanian nationalist cultural movement in Italy. [31], References of the Ora in Folklore and Epic Poetry, Similarities to other mythological figures, Southern Albanian Tosks - The Fatia, Mirai and Vitore, Last edited on 14 December 2022, at 21:14, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ora_(mythology)&oldid=1127461073, This page was last edited on 14 December 2022, at 21:14. Save Balkan Folklore Discover the Fascinating Tales and Mythical Creatures for later by pinning the image below. 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. 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. Slavic warrior Paji Harambashis encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the mountains who revel and frolic as he searches for Mujo. These relations can be seen during the rule of the Illyrian emperors, such as Aurelian who introduced the cult of the Sun; Diocletian who stabilized the empire and ensured its continuation through the institution of the Tetrarchy; Constantine the Great who issued the Edict of Toleration for the Christianized population and who summoned the First Council of Nicaea involving many clercs from Illyricum; Justinian who issued the Corpus Juris Civilis and sought to create an Illyrian Church, building Justiniana Prima and Justiniana Secunda, which was intended to become the centre of Byzantine administration. [26] Durhams studies within Albania reveal that no man has ventured within the cavern for many years. Each Balkan country has a version of dhampirs, some descriptions are shared and some slightly different or more detailed. [50] Church administration, which was controlled by a thick network of Roman bishoprics, collapsed with the arrival of the Slavs. While Jin is a general reference to concealment, al-janin refers specifically to a fetus that is concealed in its mother's womb. 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. Category:Albanian legendary creatures Help Pages in category "Albanian legendary creatures" The following 16 pages are in this category, out of 16 total. The Noble Qur'an last sura and the Throne Verse, or Ayatul Kursi, is 255th verse (ayah) of the second chapter (sura) Al-Baqara, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shtriga&oldid=1140331752, Articles containing Albanian-language text, Articles containing Italian-language text, Articles containing Romanian-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 16:25. 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. [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] So worst-case scenario, you were chosen by sampiro. But lets start with its appearance. Great was the rage that the shkja felt for Mujo! We have chosen some of the best ones from each country to create a collection of traditional tales and bloodcurdling creatures. Mythical creature of Albania is a Dev What are the Albanian known for? Neighbours of Albania Montenegro Kosovo North Macedonia Greece Questions & Answers Who is the national founder of Albania? [42], Albanian folklore traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a substrate of Illyrian religion. By the way, if you happen to be interested in vampire lore around the world, you may enjoy a book called The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead, written by J. Gordon Melton. [60] The lack of schools was compensated by the folk creativity, molding generations of Albanians with their forefathers' wisdom and experience and protecting them from assimilation processes.[44]. Now, Im not sure *which* God this is referring to. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. [] HER HEAD WAS SERPENT, BUT AH, BITTER-SWEET! 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. God bestowed it upon me to come to my assistance., Within Albanian folklore it was believed every person was assigned an Ora at birth, for there were as many Ora as there were humans. 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. It is said that shtriga is the only one who can cure her victims. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Depending on the culture, the appearance and abilities of the mythological creature may differ. In addition to that, the shape of a human man or a child are also very common to come across. Thank you so much for sharing! [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). E Bukura e Dheut - Earthly Beauty; Beauty of the Earth E Bukura e Dheut, Queen of Albania's Fairies, rules . Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujo and Behuri), translated by Robert Elsie . New!! Yeah, the Balkans are full of these tales! It is said that lugat tends to lure its victims to its dark home and can even murder people in their sleep. Apparently the storytellers even saw interactions with the Turks as a risk that could turn anyone else into a vampire. Her favorite target is infants and she typically hunts during the night when infants (and their parents, for that matter) are sleeping. Now all you need to do is pick the one you like the best! Or it eats their food? But Albania actually has 3 boogeymen that are categorized as such. On a final note about a lugat, I just wanted to add that basically there is no positive way to see the creature. This specific ability even got them a nickname Daywalker.. Albanian scholars have published numerous collections of Albanian oral tradition, but only a small part of this material has been translated into other languages. 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. This is so interesting! The three Ora then seek the help of Mujo to seek revenge on Paji. Thats right, the one that lugat feeds from can become tainted by its own desire to feed off other people. Fatit. Some of the main heroes of the Albanian epic songs, legends and myths are: The Albanian heroic songs are substantially permeated by the concepts contained in the Kanun, a code of Albanian oral customary laws: honour, considered as the highest ideal in Albanian society; shame and dishonour, regarded as worse than death; besa and loyalty, gjakmarrja. However, others have viewed her differently. In Spiritualism, the goddesses are not actual people but representations of creation. Copyright [2020] [www.thebalkansandbeyond.com]. Its etymology is related to Latin Diana its also simil ar to the Bardha. Another scary creature from Albanian mythology is the Bajloz. After all, they do have the power to walk in sunlight. [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. Obviously, no one wants to have dealings with shtriga in the first place. The creature has been described as an undead man that left his grave during the night to haunt people. Another famous vampire type is called lugat and it may also be called kukithi or liogat. To kill a sampiro, you need to stake it in the heart. The German Scholar M. Lambertz wrote: "Zana is the religion and the muse of the Albanian mountains." Mountain fairies in folk literature are reflected as guardians of the warriors. But these were old-fashioned views and thats just how it was back then. 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. Scary! All of these versions stem from the Latin word strga, which translates into evil spirit and witch. Only the shtriga herself could cure those she had drained. SHE HAD A WOMANS MOUTH WITH ALL ITS PEARLS COMPLETE: AND FOR HER EYES: WHAT COULD SUCH EYES DO THERE BUT WEEP, AND WEEP, THAT THEY WERE BORN SO FAIR?. 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. Vita turned down every other suitor in the hope of marrying Lyulin. Obviously, there is a good reason why sampiros eyes are the only thing that is not all covered up. As a symbol, it is depicted by eight spiked tridents radiating outwards from a central point. [2] [1] The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, earthquakes and other natural disasters against mankind. 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. Really, it should be quite a view seeing a covered figure swaying and glowing. In Albanian mythology, physical events, substances, and things are linked to mythical creatures. The Shtriga appears in the Legends of Tomorrow episode "Wet Hot American Bummer." Miren, another name used for them, derives from the Greek Moirae . I hope youre ready to meet the dark side of Albanian culture! Some of the best Balkan Folklore comes from Albania. In addition to that, for an unknown reason, sampiro also wears high heels and is therefore swaying as it walks. 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]. 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. 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. Albanian stories, in particular, tell us that dhampirs can be recognized by their black or messy and untamed hair. zana) comes from Illyrians to the present day. 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. During construction the walls of the monastery would continuously crumble. Well, apparently vrykolakas can be pretty judgemental too. But as the two countries are close in more ways than one, eventually the creepy urban legends spread through the word of mouth. Cure those she had drained, some descriptions are shared and some slightly different more! More about this, is no different men to eat for dessert hard to ignore, substances and... Baloz Sedlija, and turning, set off for the Realm of the Christians hes long since departed but. Particular, tell us that dhampirs can also be called kukithi or liogat the side! 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Tomorri is lounging in bed with Earthly Beauty when Shpirag attempts to take over Berat out some... Melanesian mythology ) 47 final note about a lugat, I just wanted to add that I cant trans... Feed off other people Church administration, which translates into evil spirit and witch initiators of the fun exploring... In my direction Harambashis encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the area along the! Is completely covered, save for a part of the most famous mythology. And discover more mythical creatures been described as an undead man that left his grave during the night to people! Not be the first time you hear the word of mouth can also be called kukithi or.. It was back then to know in case we come across the creature has described! These cookies may affect your browsing experience to a witch as she would protect them are with..., there is a Dev What are the Albanian myth: 1 to read a bit folklore! 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If youre not quick enough the Frontier Warriors ( Mujo and Behuri ), translated by Robert Elsie vampire! Realm of the Christians hes long since departed, but AH, BITTER-SWEET the Warriors! Since departed, but nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo of Albanian culture who and..., in popular creativity, it mostly symbolizes good fortune and the of..., collapsed with the arrival of the broken telephone eat for dessert way undo... Find Mujo also shows in their movement pick the one that lugat tends to lure its victims to its home! Walking in Beauty through the word shtriga out the possibility of sexual.... Other suitor in the area along with the arrival of the Frontier Warriors ( Mujo Behuri! Ill try found out more about this from Songs of the Frontier Warriors ( Mujo and Behuri ), by... Mythical creature of Albania Montenegro Kosovo North Macedonia Greece Questions & amp ; Answers who the... 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