That, her many heads, and her preference for girls seem like indicators to me. For one, you could place a puppet in your home and it would be the one to take the evil in. his belt. As for lugats target, generally it could be anyone, although mostly its children. The Ora's appearance alters according to the personality and attributes of the human a white Ora for the brave and industrious, or a black Ora for the lazy or cowardly.[8], In Northern Albania, the Oras are represented similarly to the Southern Albanian Fatia as a group of three mythological goddesses who gather in the night to perform the task of determining the childs fate at birth and distribute their favours upon the child. They catch men to eat and women to fan the flies away. The Drekavac really gives me the creeps! [12], Albanian myths and legends are organized around the dichotomy of good and evil,[13] the most famous representation of which is the legendary battle between drangue and kulshedra,[14] a conflict that symbolises the cyclic return in the watery and chthonian world of death, accomplishing the cosmic renewal of rebirth. [15], Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujos Oras), translated by Robert Elsie -, Oh oras, to whom do you render assistance?. List of legends, myths, ballads, and characters Some of the best known legends, concepts, ballads, songs and/or characters of Albanian mythology. The three fates of Greek Mythology, the Moirai, are represented similarly to the Ora as three goddesses who determine human destiny. So you already know that a shtriga typically targets infants for some weird reason. They bound all his wounds and healed all of his ailments. Its all part of the fun of exploring this amazing, unusual part of the world. Kee-wakw: Cannibalistic Giant half-human and half-animal (Abenaki Mythology) 46. Mythological creatures of the Alps Mountain Fairies The cult of mountain fairies (Alb. Danish Indo-Europeanist and professor at the University of Copenhagen, Holger Pedersen, visited Albania in 1893 to learn the language and to gather linguistic material. Id just like to add that I cant justify trans people and homosexuals being on this list, its completely undeserved. There are no known explanations why, but one could assume that female vampires are either not attracted to mortals or simply do not possess a sexual appetite as vast as the males do. It is said that Lubia has many heads and regenerative abilities that can grow her heads back in case theyfall off in some way. [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. It does not store any personal data. 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 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. This compilation was a milestone of Albanian folk literature being the first collection of Albanian material of scholarly quality. 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. [26] Durhams studies within Albania reveal that no man has ventured within the cavern for many years. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. InEastern Serbia,the Drekavac has been described in the form of a humanoid canine creature that walks on its back legs. [65][66] After the ban of all the Sufi orders in Turkey in 1925, the Bektashi Order established its headquarters in Tirana. [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. 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). If you cross paths with a snake before sunrise or after sunset it foretells the death of some of your relations.[27], Within Albanian folklore, the role of the Ora tends to differ. I think you already know the answer and you can thank Hollywood for that. Giving him back all his might and his power. Now you know about the general Balkan stories about lugat that are also told in some parts of Albania. Dino himself published Valt e Detit (The Waves of the Sea), which, at the time of its publication in 1908, was the longest printed book in the Albanian language. Our favourite is a tale of two love struck shepherds Vita and Lyulin. [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. However, according to Albanian urban legends, lugat has shapeshifting abilities and this may just explain why even in stories it lacks concrete shape. Accordingly, the male word for shtriga can be shtrigan or shtrigu. [5], In Albanian mythology, the physical phenomena, elements and objects are attributed to supernatural beings. Very long! 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. [6] The earliest attested cult of the Albanians is the worship of the Sun and the Moon. She might be able to do it in different ways too, but for now, spitting is the only way that is mentioned. In addition to that, for an unknown reason, sampiro also wears high heels and is therefore swaying as it walks. 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. Fun facts! He began to take an interest in 1859 and started recording Albanian folklore material from the year 1866, providing also folk songs, riddles and tales for Demetrio Camarda's collection. 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. Shefit Koboci Afrdita Armati Bardha Bindusi Bolla Baloz (monster) Constantin and Doruntin [11] The cult of the Sun and the Moon also appears in Albanian legends and folk art. The next vampire creature did not originate in Albania, but in Greece. As a matter of fact, there is only one way and it is by using a wolf, as it is the only creature that can do harm to lugat. Have you visited any Balkan countries? But the good news is that theres time to try and fix the damage, though its not going to be easy. In Christian iconography the symbol of the Sun is associated with immortality and a right to rule. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. And thats something we need to know in case we come across the creature! [51] The earliest church vocabulary of Middle Greek origin in Albanian dates to the 8th9th centuries, at the time of the Byzantine Iconoclasm, which was started by the Byzantine Emperor Leo III the Isaurian. All of these versions stem from the Latin word strga, which translates into evil spirit and witch. Travelling anywhere in the Balkan region, you are almost certain to be told one of these folklores or hear about a mythical beast. 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. Mujo set off for the high mountain pastures, Leaving his saviours, the zanas, behind him., The Vitore is identified with the Fatia and Mirai in Southern Albanian folk beliefs and folklore. However, not everyone agrees with this description. (Osborn, 2015, p.14). 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. [11], From Albanian literature translated by Robert Elsie -. So unlike sampiro and lugat, vrykolakas doesnt bother to spare its victims. But why is it infants that the wicked witch is after? Zuku, taunted and captured is blinded by his mother. The defense against Night Hags is to close all keyholes to stop them from entering the room. [20] A substantial contribution in this direction has been made by the Albanologist Robert Elsie. 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. A shtriga was featured in the Lost Girl episode "Follow the Yellow Trick Road." He prayed for rain and storms to stop or delay her. Anyway, just being a Turk was not where it all ended. Ooooh spooky! As Mujo and Behuri duel, the Ora intervenes guiding Mujo to distract Behuri and use the poison dagger which the Ora had hidden on Behuri, to slay him. Serbia - Bauk is an animal-like mythical creature in Serbian mythology. One of the early Albanian collectors of Albanian folklore from Albania proper was Zef Jubani. For a cover? In Norse mythology, the Helm of Awe (also known as the Helm of Terror) is a magical item worn by the dragon Fafnir, who attributes much of his invincibility to its power. And its not pretty. I wont deep into their history, but what you need to know for context is that many Albians viewed, and even now many see the Turks as invaders who forced their language and religion on Albanians. If you do end up looking into shtrigas eyes, what youd see is either white, grey, pale blue, or pale green eyes. This is a mythical creature inSouthSlavic mythology. 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). These would travel high into the clouds and even change into creepy, dark figures. hopefully they are just myths haha! Try our ghost stories from Scotland article or visit this great site for all things ALBANIAN FOLKLORE. [62][63][64] Bektashism is a Muslim dervish order (tariqat) thought to have originated in the 13th century in a frontier region of Anatolia, where Christianity, Islam and paganism coexisted, allowing the incorporation of comparable pagan and non-Muslim beliefs into popular Islam. [8] Fire worship is associated with the cult of the Sun, the cult of the hearth and the cult of fertility in agriculture and animal husbandry. Am I the only one wondering how those heads are placed on the body? I gotta admit, that sounds better than letting her spit into someones mouth! When I was doing my research specifically about dhampirs, I expected to discover some kind of defects that would come from the human parent. Syliga basically refers to the evil eye that can unleash a storm of bad luck. [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]. Mount Shpirag is marked with deep streams of water running down its face and lies across the valley. This serpent slithers over my wounds to heal them. Mount Tomorr is a mountain range in central Albania. Mount Vitosha is one of the highest points in the Balkans and has some great legends. If you were killed by a vampire or even ate the meat of an animal that wasnt properly slaughtered, or it was killed accidentally You guessed, these things make you a vampire too. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. [5] Outside of Central Albania Oras live in forests and mountains, residing in streams, lakes, and caves. Albanian myths can be divided into two major groups: legends of metamorphosis and historical legends. 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 [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. Lets just assume that you can choose one yourself. [47], The historical-linguistic determination of the Albanian Christian terminology provides evidence that Albanians have already joined the process of conversion to Christianity in the Balkans since the late antiquity (4th5th centuries AD). Yes, you read that right. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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. In other words, lugat in Albania is basically a type of a boogeyman and interestingly enough, it is not the only one. 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. The Balkan region is home to many captivating legends and mythical creatures. People who develop their blood thirst after an encounter with lugat are called sanguinarians. It starts as an illness and it begins to progress, eventually ending with death. This is the part where I just want to point something out. But lets start with its appearance. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This is so interesting! Prince Radu the Black dreamed of building the most striking monastery in Romania. All in all, she is either middle-aged or an elderly woman who, judging from her dark stare alone, is definitely not a sweet and ordinary grandma. It is said that lugat tends to lure its victims to its dark home and can even murder people in their sleep. 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. These maidens would shape the life of every child that is born, appointing varying destinies to each similarly to the Ora. Now all you need to do is pick the one you like the best! 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. She published sixteen Albanian folk-stories translated in English in her 1931 Kndime EnglishtShqip or AlbanianEnglish Reader. the Bolla dragon. Kron-i/krua/kroi: living water, flowing water. Children may have a coin tied to their forehead, or blue glass beads could be attached to the hair of both children and horses. Perhaps these consequences have something to do with the fact that lugat has regular human teeth and not the vampire fangs? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Basically, you have 3 options there: impale its head on a spike, chop its head off, or seek help from a professional vampire hunter. One day, Baba Tomorri is lounging in bed with Earthly Beauty when Shpirag attempts to take over Berat. Another famous vampire type is called lugat and it may also be called kukithi or liogat. The ora turned now and began to inform him, . Thanks for sticking to the end, I hope you enjoyed the Albanian creepy legends and Albanian mythology creatures so far! Her spell was so powerful that Vita was turned into black stone that is now known as the Black Peak while Lyulin suffered a similar fate and became Lyulin Mountain. and I think Im going to have nightmares of Lamia, but this whole post was such a fun read. I know that if I was a kid and saw a giant, Id do the opposite. 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. 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. It kills people by sitting on them. 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. This list may not reflect recent changes . 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. The problem is that this may be even more difficult than getting her to cure people, as she is not easily killed. Of course, theres more work doing it this way, but security requires thoughtfulness. 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. Folklore of Northern Albania emphasizes that a shtriga is not born to be a witch. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, in Albania arrived also the Bektashi Sufi order[61] which spread widely among Albanians because of its traditional tolerance and regard for different religions, practices and beliefs and because it allowed itself to be a vehicle for the expression of Crypto-Christian, Christian and pre-Christian pagan beliefs and rituals. [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. The folklorist Giuseppe Pitr published in 1875 a selection of Albanian folk tales from Sicily in Fiabe, novelle e racconti popolari siciliani (Sicilian Fables, Short Stories and Folk Tales). The same motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the early medieval culture of the Albanians. For the Realm of the Christians hes long since departed, But come over here, young man, in my direction. 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. 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