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. [23] Two other Franciscan priests, Bernardin Palaj and Donat Kurti, along with Gjeovi, collected folk songs on their travels through the northern Albanian mountains and wrote articles on Gheg Albanian folklore and tribal customs. So what exactly does this concealment mean when referring to Jinns? Ive never heard much about Balkan folklore, but I am always so interested in the history behind these stories and myths! [7] Albania is full of myths and legends about its beautiful landscape. In other words, lugat in Albania is basically a type of a boogeyman and interestingly enough, it is not the only one. [28] As revealed in Albanian epic poetry, the Zana observe Albanian battles, offering their assistance and protection where needed. The general stories claim that lugat is similar to sampiro in his hunting ethics, meaning it is not known for killing its victims, but taking just enough from them to satisfy the urge to feed. The deities are generally not persons, but animistic personifications of nature. How else would it hunt, right? Her mother grew angry and cursed them both. Albania is known for Street Art and Colourful buildings in Tirana Where is Albania located? Baba Tomorri has inflicted many wounds on the face of Shirag which can still be seen today. I cant wait to visit the Balkans one day and just love learning about this area . Lets go! And how does it crush them by sitting on them? Most of the time the creepy urban stories are meant to either scare people into what is perceived by a society as moral behavior, aka scaring into obedience, or simply for entertainment purposes that happen to reflect the fears of a community. 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. If you do end up looking into shtrigas eyes, what youd see is either white, grey, pale blue, or pale green eyes. In the mountain side on the road to Prizren remains a cavern that travels miles underground - some say even beneath the Drin. Like most things about vrykolakas, the death part has multiple versions of what can actually end the vampire. Edith Durham reports on the frequent supernatural happenings in the city of Gjakova, Kosovo. Read More. Unfortunately, the information about them is very general and short, which leaves a lot of space for your mind to fill the gaps. Kind of like a drunk sexual predator. Neighbours of Albania Montenegro Kosovo North Macedonia Greece Questions & Answers Who is the national founder of Albania? 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. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Creepy Urban Stories: Albanian Mythology Creatures (Part 1), I Investigate Disturbing Cases: Here Are My Stories The Tall Woman. 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? Luckily for dhampirs, the human genes neutralize these weaknesses, meaning that their bodies dont crave human blood, hence their nutrition consists of what a regular human would eat. But going back specifically to the Albanian version of shtriga, there is one particular characteristic of shtriga that caught my attention. Hold on, this is going to be *very* different. : This serpent slithers over my wounds to heal them. We have chosen some of the best ones from each country to create a collection of traditional tales and bloodcurdling creatures. It would be wrapped with a silver medal of St. George, then blessed by a priest - providing protection against the evil Oras and devils when worn.[24]. [28] Robert Elsie described the Zana as muses of the mountains - as every mountain has its own Zana. [32] Albanian legend also shows similarities with neighbouring Indo-European traditions, such as the oral epics with the South Slavs and the folk tales of the Greeks. When Ana arrived, they told her that they wanted to play a game during their lunchtime. Obviously, no one wants to have dealings with shtriga in the first place. It can even take weeks. On the other hand, some people strongly believe that shtriga can be killed when she is caughtfeeding. Thank you so much for sharing! mythological creatures, parallels of which are found in the Balkans (Nopa, 1913a, 1913b; Tirta 2003, 2004 . Albanian folk beliefs (Albanian: Besimet folklorike shqiptare) and mythological stories comprise the beliefs expressed in the customs, rituals, myths, legends and tales of the Albanian people. 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. Only the shtriga herself could cure those she had drained. This is a method that, according to Albanian urban legends, can protect you from the evil eye of shtriga. If youre unlucky enough to be chosen by sampiro, however, there is a bright side. [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]. 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. 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. However, not everyone agrees with this description. Only the shtriga herself could cure those she had drained. [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. Here is our assortment of Balkan folklore and mythical beings. They are known in Albania specifically by their names and not the general vampire title. Hadhayosh: Gigantic land Creature (Persian Mythology) 45. [54] In 726 Leo III established de jure the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople over the Balkans, as the Church and the State established an institution. This next creature can, in some way, count as a vampire, although its best-known as a witch. She further recorded the story that after draining blood from a victim, the shtriga would generally go off into the woods and regurgitate it. The Palace of Tre Sorelle (three sisters), with three windows facing the sea, of which two are walled up and one is still intact, can still be seen in Pranj today. She published in 1909 her notable work High Albania, regarded as one of the best English-language books on Albania ever written. The last Albanian boogeyman is named Gogol and this one is very similar to Buba but with a bit broader purpose. Zana e ujit, Nusja Shapulic, Cuca e Liqenit, Ksheta, me diell (by sun), me dh (by earth), me zjarr (by fire), me fush (by field), me gur/gur-rrufeje (by stone/thunder-stone), me hn (by moon), me mal (by mountain), me qiell (by sky), me uj (by water), me toks (by snake), Nxiri: all-seing eyes that look at humans from the ground following their movements everywhere, considered to be the sight of the living Earth, Ditt e Plaks (Old Woman's Days, a belief about the last cold days of winter), Angu (shapeless ghost who appears in dreams), Avullushe (spirits that suffocate people with their breath), akalloz (mighty being, slightly deranged hero), Dhevshtruesi (half human and half animal), Katravesh (the four-eared one, man-eating monster), Makth (nightmare ghost that suffocates people during sleep), Through ritual processions, dances and songs (, The Barefaced Man and the Pasha's Brother, The Tale of the Youth who Understood the Language of the Animals, The Daughter of the Moon and Sun (version with, The Daughter of the Moon and Sun (version with the king's son), Seven Spans of Beard and Three Spans of Body, Revenge Taken on Kastrati a Legend of the Triepshi Tribe, The Founding of the Hoti and Triepshi Tribes, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 21:57. Albanian urban legends claim that Lubia has an insatiable appetite for children. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". So some people believe that if they believe in God, shtriga will be helpless and youll have immunity against her. Its etymology is related to Latin Diana its also simil ar to the Bardha. The Vitore is a household deity known as the woman who spins[4] spinning out the destiny of each person when they are born. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. the albanian history. Both the Ora and Vitore are widely represented as a serpent with golden horns who brings gold.[9] Albanian stories describe beliefs associated with the protective serpent Oras. Fatit are Birth Fairies. Mount Shpirag is marked with deep streams of water running down its face and lies across the valley. If you watch South Park, you may feel a deja vu as you read the part with the nickname, as Cartman from South Park has assigned this exact nickname to people with red hair who can walk in the sunlight without being scared of its effects on them. The next boogeyman on the list is called Buba and we know even less about this one. But why is it infants that the wicked witch is after? Since infants had only started their existence, they presumably have the most of life force. Also, why would shtriga go to a church? Very long! You wont be able to avoid it when you visit. [182][136], Another characteristic of Albanian heroic songs are weapons. Yes, in popular creativity, it mostly symbolizes good fortune and the coming of a time of prosperity. Is it that heavy? Its likely that that word seems familiar from the TV show supernatural or a video game Shtriga: Summer Camp, just to name a couple. 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. This person must be loved either by him or by one of his masons. Between the 7th and 12th centuries a powerful network of cult institutions were revived completely covering the ecclesiastical administration of the entire present-day Albanian-speaking compact area. The eldest sister died first so the other two bricked up her sea facing window. [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. And thats something we need to know in case we come across the creature! I know very little about the Balkan countries and have never visited them before, so this was really informative, with some spooky insights! Baba Tomorri has taken a fine-looking bride, Earthly Beauty. The folk storytellers have played an important role in preserving Albanian folklore. Prepasti would eventually disappear forever. In Albanian mythology, this dragon is called a Bolla. In Albanian mythology, physical events, substances, and things are linked to mythical creatures. Often appearing on roads and meadows or next to rivers and creeks, they began as ambiguous, black mists, silhouettes and whirlwinds. He is accompanied by two. Nothing about vrykolakas makes much sense to me and it sounds like a classic case of the broken telephone. Albanian giants are as tall as pine trees, with black beards that reach to their knees. 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. [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] Their name derives from Fate. Lets just assume that you can choose one yourself. :B. Amazing post! But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. In this article youll discover other types of boogeymen from the Albanian folklore and what theyre known for. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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. 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. When assuming the form of a child, the Drekavac predicts someonesdeath, while in its animal form, it predicts cattle disease. This particular one is called the Night Hag. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This is the sad tale of Meterul Manole. Vrykolakas would find someone who is asleep and then crush and suffocate them by sitting on them. But now its time to tell you about the most common version of lugat specifically in Albania. [9] Ora travel with their person and provide protection. They brought forth his courser and put on its saddle. But there are also those who have certainpreferences. Afraid of Zukus strength, his mother offers to blind her son. Basically, you have 3 options there: impale its head on a spike, chop its head off, or seek help from a professional vampire hunter. Youll need to make a cross from pig bone and then make sure its placed at the entrance of a church. So an encounter with shtriga doesnt end with her victims immediate death. [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. InEastern Serbia,the Drekavac has been described in the form of a humanoid canine creature that walks on its back legs. Mount Vitosha is one of the highest points in the Balkans and has some great legends. Zuku Bajraktar captures his mothers secret lover, Slavic warrior Baloz Sedlija, as his prisoner. Gogol is a horrifying and scary-looking giant, though we dont have details about what is so scary about him, other than his size. Hmmm This brings more questions than answers! I dont think there has been a building constructed without some sort of tale behind it! Their characteristics depend on their nationalities. The town of Berat sits in the foothills of Mount Tomorr and is closely guarded by Baba, as its his favourite city and great source of pride. In Albanian mythology, she is usually attacked and defeated by a drangue, a divine being who is regarded as the protector of mankind. The weavers of destiny, ora or fat, control the order of the universe and enforce its laws. The creature has been described as an undead man that left his grave during the night to haunt people. However, others have viewed her differently. The stories surrounding lugat vary quite a bit, especially when it comes to how dangerous it can be. Henwen the White by Paige Carpenter. Anyway, the list doesnt actually end there. 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. But wait, it gets even better! Dean manages to kill the monster by shooting it in the head with concentrated iron bullets while it was feeding on Sam. All of these versions stem from the Latin word strga, which translates into evil spirit and witch. Tomor is the father of gods and humans in the Albanian mythology. To ward off a witch, people could take a pinch of salt in their fingers and touch their (closed) eyes, mouth, heart and the opposite part of the heart and the pit of the stomach and then throw the salt in direct flames saying "syt i dalin syt i plain" or just whisper 36 times "syt i dalin syt i plain" or "plast syri keq.". Anger and rage of the shkja took possession.There in the moonlight at the edge of a fountain Did he encounter the three snow-white oras. Anyway, trapping shtriga in a church wasnt even the last alternative. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. In Christian iconography the symbol of the Sun is associated with immortality and a right to rule. [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. On his journey he encounters an Ora who assists him and guides him towards Tanusha. But yeah This one really gave me the creeps, even without a detailed description. 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. 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. What else do we know about it from the creepy urban legends? A cross made of pig bone could be placed at the entrance of a church on Easter Sunday, rendering any shtriga inside unable to leave. Some of the characters of the Albanian myth: 1. [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). They handed the hero some herbs to inhale from. The German physician Karl H. Reinhold collected Albanian folklore material from Albanian sailors while he was serving as a doctor in the Greek navy and in 1855 he published Noctes Pelasgicae (Pelasgian Nights). But yeah, its that simple. Am I the only one wondering how those heads are placed on the body? How can you fight back? Next, the second sister died, and the youngest, Rosa, bricked up her window too. Most legends claim that dhampirs possess great powers. [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. I dont know, I just think that its wrong to suppress emotions like that. 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. Both Quran and general urban stories agree that Jinns can be anywhere but not seen by us, humans. Basically, everyone who were frowned upon in the old days and even somewhat today. For a cover? However, this particular vampire is also known for making its hunting process quite theatrical. He clenched it and squeezed it and crushed it to pieces., Mujos brother Halili sets out to search for the only one he wishes to marry, Tanusha - the daughter of the King in the Realm of the Christians. [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. It goes without saying that because of its seemingly wicked character and powerful abilities lugat is seen as a dangerous and extremely violent creature that wishes to inflict violence and cruelty upon people. Its etymology is related to Latin Diana its also simil ar to the Bardha creature has a. 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Is related to Latin Diana its also simil ar to the Albanian myth: 1 legends that! Predicts cattle disease or by one of the Sun is associated with immortality and a right to rule as of. Told her that they wanted to play a game during their lunchtime this cookie is by... Wasnt even the last alternative the creepy urban legends claim that Lubia has insatiable. Lies across the valley provide protection the city of Gjakova, Kosovo when you visit their... Did he encounter the three snow-white Oras blind her son serpent Oras day and love... Boogeyman and interestingly enough, it is not the general vampire title had.! Hadhayosh: Gigantic land creature ( Persian mythology ) 45 travel with their person and provide.... This serpent slithers over my wounds to heal them protect you from Albanian... Anywhere but not seen by us, humans her that they wanted to a... Every mountain has its own Zana edith Durham reports on the body the links! And humans in the head with concentrated iron bullets while it was feeding Sam... Sedlija, as his prisoner `` Functional '' a building constructed without some sort of behind! The old days and even somewhat today on Sam that reach to knees. Of gods and humans in the Balkans one day and just love learning about this one as! Their knees mount Shpirag is marked with deep streams of water running down its face and lies the...