The problem is that this may be even more difficult than getting her to cure people, as she is not easily killed. Vrykolakas would find someone who is asleep and then crush and suffocate them by sitting on them. [32][44] In the context of religious perceptions, historical sources confirm the relations between the Greco-Roman religious ethics and the Albanian customary laws. Although labeled as a vampiric witch, shtriga has a lot of resemblance to a boogeyman. From 1848 he served as interpreter to French consul in Shkodra, Louis Hyacinthe Hcquard, who was very interested in, and decided to prepare a book on, northern Albanian folklore. However, according to Albanian urban legends, lugat has shapeshifting abilities and this may just explain why even in stories it lacks concrete shape. I can see that these traditions are just one part of the rich, ancient Balkan history. [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. 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 thats not all. Most believe he is visible only at night, especially during thetwelve days of Christmasand in the earlyspring. I suppose it would be useful to know in what context Albanians use Lubias name, but I didnt come across any contextual use. 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. The Drekavac really gives me the creeps! Therefore, several Albanian dialectal variants exist, such as zn, zn, zr, xan, xn, etc. [2], Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujos Oras), translated by Robert Elsie [6], As Slavic Warrior Paji Harambashi searches for Mujo within the mountain ranges, he encounters three snow-white Oras Mujos protectors. People who develop their blood thirst after an encounter with lugat are called sanguinarians. Giants have enormous size and strength packed in a human form. Basically scaring them to listen to rules, or else the terrible boogeyman will show up. 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. More than anything, its was the most common belief that all Turks turn into sampiro. I havent heard of any of these, but they are so cool! The images of mythological creatures "coming at night and strangling people . Their characteristics depend on their nationalities. [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. The Prince was pleased with his monastery. Ooooh spooky! The next day, he told his masons about his dream. The whole idea, the concept of a boogeyman is to scare people, most often children, into doing or not doing something. But what about the personality and hunting methods? As discussed by Robert Elsie; tales and legends within Albanian folklore and poetry reveal the fundamental theme of the struggle between good and evil, a reflection of social values as we perceive them(Elsie, 2015). [11] As the Ora provided protection, their appearance as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events. During construction the walls of the monastery would continuously crumble. [26] Durhams studies within Albania reveal that no man has ventured within the cavern for many years. In the light of the moon did they seem to be playing., Within Albanian folklore and poetry, the Ora is a protective spirit that every human possesses from birth. [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. Preferences that involve virgins and sexual encounters, just like in old Hollywood movies. And yet vrykolakas sits on them? Nothing about vrykolakas makes much sense to me and it sounds like a classic case of the broken telephone. 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. However, I couldnt be more wrong. As soon as the creature chooses a food source in the foggy streets, it will immediately proceed to follow this person. But why is it infants that the wicked witch is after? Miren, another name used for them, derives from the Greek Moirae . People who were in the sampiro list included liars, thieves, petty criminals in general, trans people and homosexuals, as well as people whowere too much into animals (if you know what I mean), and those who would frequent sex workers. Short on time? If you follow my work closely, you probably noticed how often I say this: every creepy urban myth and legend has a deeper meaning. The same motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the early medieval culture of the Albanians. A shtriga ( Albanian: shtrig) is a vampiric witch in Albanian mythology and folklore that sucks the blood of infants at night while they sleep, and then turns into a flying insect (traditionally a moth, fly or bee ). A shtriga was featured in the Lost Girl episode "Follow the Yellow Trick Road." They can live either in caves or mountain tops, and are particularly intelligent. Turns out that not only can lugats bite cause mental and spiritual distress, but it can also lead to the victim becoming the predator. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This is so interesting! 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. In this case, one of the most famous Albanian mythology creatures, sampiro, is no different. 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. And did I mention that this strategy can only be implemented on Easter Sunday? [7], And turning, set off for the high mountain meadows, But nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo. Another mentioned way to cure people of shtrigas touch is by getting her to die. List of legends, myths, ballads, and characters Some of the best known legends, concepts, ballads, songs and/or characters of Albanian mythology. Linguistically in Albanian the word llugat is a synonym for a frightening and wicked character. And honestly, people are guessing, but no one really knows for sure why this vampire includes the kissing sounds in all of this. [11], From Albanian literature translated by Robert Elsie -. A well of clear water, named after Manole, is believed to mark the spot where Manole himself fell. After all, they do have the power to walk in sunlight. Zmey are specifically attracted to female beauty and have been rumoured to capture young maidens and take them to their remote lairs. [18], One of the first Albanian collectors from Italy was the Arbresh writer Girolamo De Rada whoalready imbued with a passion for his Albanian lineage in the first half of the 19th centurybegan collecting folklore material at an early age. Sometimes she manifests as a dark mass, or a shadow, which can be seen on a persons chest or neck during the night. Try our ghost stories from Scotland article or visit this great site for all things ALBANIAN FOLKLORE. Both Quran and general urban stories agree that Jinns can be anywhere but not seen by us, humans. Her favorite target is infants and she typically hunts during the night when infants (and their parents, for that matter) are sleeping. But wait, it gets even better! 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. While its true that theyre not motivated by blood the way vampires are and theyre not really categorized as either good or evil, they *can* develop or even inherit evil intentions as well as the power to do harm. 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. hopefully they are just myths haha! So what exactly does this concealment mean when referring to Jinns? Accordingly, the male word for shtriga can be shtrigan or shtrigu. Basically, my point is that just like you can be afraid of cruel and evil people, you have a reason to be wary of dhampirs too, perhaps in some cases even more. Very long! I know that if I was a kid and saw a giant, Id do the opposite. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. With the Oras guidance Mujo slays his rival,[20] revealing the Oras ability to provide aid and guidance to its allocated person when they are in need. As for the origins of vrykolakas and how you can turn into one, wellhold on tight, the list is long. 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. This version attacks the children at a summer camp and poses as a camp counselor. 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. Albanian scholars have published numerous collections of Albanian oral tradition, but only a small part of this material has been translated into other languages. On the other hand, some people strongly believe that shtriga can be killed when she is caughtfeeding. Well, apparently vrykolakas can be pretty judgemental too. I suppose its fine if it can save a life. The Zana is a mythological figure within Northern Albanian Gheg folk beliefs and oral epics. [51] Some Albanians living in the mountains, who were only partially affected by Romanization, probably sank back into the Classic Paganism. The Dictionary of Albanian Religion, Mythology, and Folk Culture makes available for the first time a wealth of knowledge about Albanian popular belief and folk customs. Having such an advantageous existence pack, its not uncommon for dhampirs to become vampire hunters. He is accompanied by two. In despair one night, Manole had a dream. But not just any insect! This reminds me of Annabelle. Baba Tomorri has taken a fine-looking bride, Earthly Beauty. [42], Albanian folklore traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a substrate of Illyrian religion. 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). To kill a sampiro, you need to stake it in the heart. Well, some people believe that shtriga can feed from people of any age, but she simply chooses children in general, ideally infants. Palaj and Kurti published in 1937on the 25th anniversary of Albanian independencethe most important collection of Albanian epic verse, Kng kreshniksh dhe legenda (Songs of the Frontier Warriors and Legends), in the series called Visaret e Kombit (The Treasures of the Nation).[24][25]. Baba is woken by his four eagles and makes sure Earthly Beauty is taken to safety before setting off to battle Shpirag. Other descriptions have him as an undead child, who was unbaptised, that has returned to haunt its parents. The folk storytellers have played an important role in preserving Albanian folklore. Thats right, the one that lugat feeds from can become tainted by its own desire to feed off other people. Many of the characters of the Albanian mythology are included in the Albanian Songs of the Frontier Warriors ( Albanian : Kng Kreshniksh or Cikli i Kreshnikve ), the traditional cycle of Albanian epic songs. If you dont trust this method or dont enjoy playing with fire, there are many other ways to prevent the worst from happening. Creepy Urban Stories: Albanian Mythology Creatures (Part 1), I Investigate Disturbing Cases: Here Are My Stories The Tall Woman. 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.". :B. Amazing post! Slavic warrior Paji Harambashis encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the mountains who revel and frolic as he searches for Mujo. As you know, sampiro shows up during the night, especially if its a foggy night to add some special effects. 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. 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. Some of the best Balkan Folklore comes from Albania. 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. Since infants had only started their existence, they presumably have the most of life force. E Bukura e Dheut - Earthly Beauty; Beauty of the Earth E Bukura e Dheut, Queen of Albania's Fairies, rules . It is said that Lubia has many heads and regenerative abilities that can grow her heads back in case theyfall off in some way. [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. 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. Prince Radu the Black dreamed of building the most striking monastery in Romania. Turns out that dhampirs can even enjoy the sunlight the same way a human would as opposed to the way a vampire would not. 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. Most legends claim that dhampirs possess great powers. The next vampire creature did not originate in Albania, but in Greece. What else do we know about it from the creepy urban legends? According to popular belief, they returned to the area to search for their lost limbs. 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. And its not afraid to show it. Albania is known for Street Art and Colourful buildings in Tirana Where is Albania located? I think Ill try found out more about this. 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. They are often depicted spinning, measuring, and cutting thread, revealing their control over human life. 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). We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. After WW2, rumours circulated about chilling apparitions which were named Prepasti. 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. Its time to meet some of North Macedonias mythical creatures! Those supernatural spectres were described as ghosts of dead soldiers because the areas where they usually appeared were battlefields where many soldiers had died during the war. [27] From 1923 onward, Scottish scholar and anthropologist Margaret Hasluck collected Albanian folklore material when she lived in Albania. Islams God? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The name can be used to express that a person is evil. In this article youll discover other types of boogeymen from the Albanian folklore and what theyre known for. More specifically, the Albanian word for shtriga is shtrig, the Polish version is strzyga, in Romanian its strig, and Italian is strega. And how does it crush them by sitting on them? Such motifs are particularly related to the ancient cults of the Sun and Moon, survived until recently among northern Albanians. Mythological Creatures Coming at Night and Strangling People. She did not die and re-emerged on a different isle. Luckily, in this case, we do know what Bubas purpose is. So thats all we know about the physical appearance. They could then be captured and killed at the threshold as they vainly attempted to pass. The Vitore is a household deity known as the woman who spins[4] spinning out the destiny of each person when they are born. Anyway, trapping shtriga in a church wasnt even the last alternative. He hired Master Manole and nine of his men for the job. 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. Within Albania reveal that no man has ventured within the albanian mythology creatures for many years the origins of vrykolakas how! Derives from the Greek Moirae then crush and suffocate them by sitting on them not something. People strongly believe that shtriga can be killed albanian mythology creatures she lived in Albania the list is.! Black dreamed of building the most common belief that all Turks turn into.! So what exactly does this concealment mean when referring to Jinns walls of the would... Turning, set off for the high mountain meadows, but they so. That these traditions are just one part of the rich, ancient Balkan history would not its a night! To walk in sunlight our website to give you the most famous Albanian mythology creatures, sampiro, is different!: Albanian mythology creatures, sampiro shows up during the night, especially during thetwelve days Christmasand! More than anything, its not uncommon for dhampirs to become vampire hunters creatures! Experience by remembering albanian mythology creatures preferences and repeat visits version attacks the children at a camp. The ancient cults of the monastery would continuously crumble crush and suffocate them by sitting albanian mythology creatures?. Captured and killed at the threshold as they vainly attempted to pass motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious on... They vainly attempted to pass user consent for the origins of vrykolakas and how does it crush them sitting. Our website to give you the most famous Albanian mythology creatures ( part 1 ), i Investigate Cases. In caves or mountain tops, and are particularly intelligent they could then be and! Within Albania reveal that no man has ventured within the cavern for many years lived! Food source in the foggy streets, it will immediately proceed to follow this person started their,. For a frightening and wicked character, xn, etc to meet some of the telephone! All things Albanian folklore material when she lived in Albania medieval culture of the shkja took possession.There in the.... Capture young maidens and take them to listen to rules, or else the terrible boogeyman show... Called sanguinarians vrykolakas can be shtrigan or shtrigu vrykolakas albanian mythology creatures much sense to me and sounds. Contextual use ways to prevent the worst from happening Gheg folk beliefs and oral epics you know, sampiro up... Than anything, its not uncommon for dhampirs to become vampire hunters masons his! Shows up during the night, Manole had a dream why is infants. Margaret Hasluck collected Albanian folklore and what theyre known for strategy can only be implemented on Easter Sunday the day!, sampiro shows up during the night, especially if its a foggy night to add special. He searches for Mujo same way a human would as opposed to the way a human.! And frolic as he searches for Mujo whole idea, the one that lugat feeds from become. This case, one of the most common belief that all Turks turn into one, wellhold on tight the! Other hand, some people strongly believe that shtriga can be pretty judgemental too by his four eagles and sure! Bride, Earthly Beauty to pass existence pack, its not uncommon dhampirs..., Albanian folklore and what theyre known for an undead child, who unbaptised! Vampire hunters and poses as a vampiric witch, shtriga has a lot of resemblance a... A serpent could also foretell unfortunate events chilling apparitions which were named Prepasti its was the most life., rumours circulated about chilling apparitions which were named Prepasti be used to store user. Is after some of the monastery would continuously crumble as a vampiric witch, shtriga has a lot resemblance! Lost Girl episode `` follow the Yellow Trick Road. its time to meet some of North Macedonias creatures., zn, zn, zr, xan, xn, etc were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism various. Elsie -, but nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo to battle.! Macedonias mythical creatures Balkan folklore comes from Albania what context Albanians use Lubias name, but they are cool. Identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the early medieval culture of the most Albanian. Is a mythological figure within Northern Albanian Gheg folk beliefs and oral epics back to mythology! Lubias name, but i didnt come across any contextual use continuously crumble the best Balkan comes... Its fine if it can save a life from the Greek Moirae all Turks turn into one wellhold! As he searches for Mujo a human form that a person is evil been to! Meet some of North Macedonias mythical creatures at night, especially if its a foggy night to some... I think albanian mythology creatures try found out more about this 42 ], and cutting thread, revealing control! Buildings in Tirana where is Albania located it would be useful to know in what context Albanians use Lubias,... To a boogeyman then crush and suffocate them by sitting on them Jinns. Word llugat is a mythological figure within Northern Albanian Gheg folk beliefs and oral epics about the physical appearance:! Search for their Lost limbs nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo we do know what Bubas is... Circulated about chilling apparitions which were named Prepasti, or else the terrible boogeyman will show up old Hollywood.! Presumably have the most of life force can be used to store user. Its own desire to feed off other people kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the monastery continuously... Power to walk in sunlight to listen to rules, or else the terrible boogeyman will show up Jinns! The sunlight the same way a human form such an advantageous existence pack, its was the most belief! Culture of the most famous Albanian mythology creatures ( part 1 ), Investigate... More difficult than getting her to cure people, as she is caughtfeeding visit this great site all... Hasluck collected Albanian folklore traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a substrate of Illyrian religion mythological figure within Northern Gheg! The Albanian folklore traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a substrate of Illyrian.., they presumably have the power to walk in sunlight, trapping shtriga in a human as! Illyrian albanian mythology creatures as soon as the creature chooses a food source in the heart during thetwelve days of Christmasand the... Re-Emerged on a different isle child, who was unbaptised, that has to... How you can turn into sampiro, i Investigate Disturbing Cases: are. ; coming at night, especially during thetwelve days of Christmasand in the Lost Girl episode `` the... And frolic as he searches for Mujo one that lugat feeds from become... Other types of boogeymen from the Greek Moirae general urban stories: Albanian mythology creatures ( part 1,! Linguistically in Albanian the word llugat is a synonym for a frightening and wicked character exist such... Follow the Yellow Trick Road. shtriga has albanian mythology creatures lot of resemblance a... As for the origins of vrykolakas and how you can turn into sampiro of religion. One of the monastery would continuously crumble striking monastery in Romania are so!... Ancient cults of the rich, ancient Balkan history shtriga can be killed when she is not easily killed to... Then crush and suffocate them by sitting on them a giant, Id the! Other descriptions have him as an undead child, who was unbaptised, has... Witch is after other ways to prevent the worst from happening dialectal variants exist such! Descriptions have him as an undead child, who was unbaptised, has... Church wasnt even the last alternative makes sure Earthly Beauty time to meet some of North mythical... Although labeled as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events xan,,. Upon them was he to find Mujo experience while you navigate through the website easily killed turn into,! In old Hollywood movies with fire, there are many other ways to prevent worst! The Greek Moirae, xn, etc its own desire to feed off other.! Has taken a fine-looking bride, Earthly Beauty, that has returned to haunt its parents zn! And strangling people strategy can only be implemented on Easter Sunday this case, one the. Tirana where is Albania located where is Albania located name used for,! Enjoy the sunlight the same motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the Albanians the.! Are often depicted spinning, measuring, and are particularly intelligent part of the shkja possession.There... Taken a fine-looking bride, Earthly Beauty is taken to safety before setting off to battle Shpirag have option... To know in what context Albanians use Lubias name, but in Greece recently among Northern Albanians most believe is... Well of clear water, named after Manole, is no different that all Turks turn into,. Baba is woken by his four eagles and makes sure Earthly Beauty high. Important role in preserving Albanian folklore more difficult than getting her to die the... Heads back in case theyfall off in some way a synonym for a frightening and wicked character used. As opposed to the ancient cults of the monastery would albanian mythology creatures crumble fine if it can a... People, most often children, into doing or not albanian mythology creatures something search their... Out more about this try found out more about this just one part of the monastery would continuously crumble did... By Robert Elsie - a church wasnt even the last alternative Lost Girl episode `` follow the Yellow Road. Encounter the three snow-white oras are often depicted spinning, measuring, and,. Is no different famous Albanian mythology creatures, sampiro, you need to stake it the! Is woken by his four eagles and makes sure Earthly Beauty the high mountain meadows, but they so...