They catch men to eat and women to fan the flies away. [4], In Catholic legend, it is said that shtriga can be destroyed using holy water with a cross in it,[5] and in Islamic myth it is said that shtriga can be sent away or killed by reciting verses from the Qur'an, specifically Ayatul Kursi 255 sura Al-Baqara, and spitting water on the shtriga. 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. And its not pretty. [65][66] After the ban of all the Sufi orders in Turkey in 1925, the Bektashi Order established its headquarters in Tirana. Slavic warrior Paji Harambashis encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the mountains who revel and frolic as he searches for Mujo. 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. [2] Baron Franz Nopcsa related the term Ora to the ancient Greek Oreads, nymphs of the mountains. So now you might be wondering what exactly is so creepy about dhampirs. [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]. 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. We love to travel and share our Balkan experiences to assist and inspire. If you dont trust this method or dont enjoy playing with fire, there are many other ways to prevent the worst from happening. The only downside here is that its not that easy. So some people believe that if they believe in God, shtriga will be helpless and youll have immunity against her. 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. 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. [2] Albert Doja refers to the studies of Maximilian Lambertz, revealing that the faces of the Oras change depending on the degree of happiness they bestow upon the newborn child. : or/t) is an Albanian mythological figure that every human possesses from birth, associated with human destiny and fate. [7] In this case, one of the most famous Albanian mythology creatures, sampiro, is no different. The male noun for shtriga is shtrigu or shtrigan. female eagles and the winds are his servants. 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. The problem is that this may be even more difficult than getting her to cure people, as she is not easily killed. So at least 7 heads and even that is difficult to imagine. Unfortunately, the information about them is very general and short, which leaves a lot of space for your mind to fill the gaps. We did establish that vampires are horny creatures, remember? All of the methods are very standard and unsurprising, but the problem is not having a definite agreement (even in stories) whether all of them are effective or not. Although labeled as a vampiric witch, shtriga has a lot of resemblance to a boogeyman. The characters in Albanian tales, legends and myths include humans, deities, demigods, monsters, as well as supernatural beings in the shapes of men, animals and plants. Amongst the creatures that the Henwen gave birth to were a bee, a piglet, a wolf cub and an eagle. The eldest sister died first so the other two bricked up her sea facing window. But wait, it gets even better! Fun facts! The three fates of Greek Mythology, the Moirai, are represented similarly to the Ora as three goddesses who determine human destiny. I actually remember similar sayings from my childhood too, but even back then it was confusing to me because I couldnt understand what the creature would get out of this. The creature is known for not taking the lives of its victims, it only takes enough for it to satisfy the growling stomach. Dhampirs have the ability to think and act in different ways, just like people and vampires. However, I couldnt be more wrong. In Albanian mythology, physical events, substances, and things are linked to mythical creatures. Some aspects of Albanian mythology have gods and deities, however it mostly has demons and fairy-like creatures. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. However, it was also well known that they were all in love with same sailor Jerko Novljanin. [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. Kron-i/krua/kroi: living water, flowing water. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The Ora ( Albanian: or, definite form: ora, pl. In addition to that, the word Dhampir itself has a few slightly different ways to be spelled such as dhamphir and dhampyr. 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. The French consul in Janina and Thessalonika, Auguste Dozon, published Albanian folk tales and songs initially in the 1879 Manuel de la langue chkipe ou albanaise (Manual of the Shkip or Albanian Language) and in the 1881 Contes albanais, recueillis et traduits (Albanian Tales, Collected and Translated). They travelled through the northern Albanian mountains and recorded folkloric materials which were published in French translation in the 1858 Hcquard's pioneering Histoire et description de la Haute Albanie ou Gugarie (History and Description of High Albania or Gegaria). But going back specifically to the Albanian version of shtriga, there is one particular characteristic of shtriga that caught my attention. Another mentioned way to cure people of shtrigas touch is by getting her to die. I suppose it would be useful to know in what context Albanians use Lubias name, but I didnt come across any contextual use. Albanian myths can be divided into two major groups: legends of metamorphosis and historical legends. 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). [20], The Albanian National Awakening (Rilindja) gave rise to collections of folklore material in Albania in the second half of the 19th century. WOW! Albanian Mythology. Clotho spun the thread of life determining the destiny of each person, Lachesis measured the thread determining how long ones life would last, and Atropos cut the thread signifying the end of ones life. In an attempt to escape, they made wooden wings and tried to fly off the roof. 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). Albanian giants are as tall as pine trees, with black beards that reach to their knees. But not just any insect! When assuming the form of a child, the Drekavac predicts someonesdeath, while in its animal form, it predicts cattle disease. Its time to meet some of North Macedonias mythical creatures! Luckily, in this case, we do know what Bubas purpose is. Miren, another name used for them, derives from the Greek Moirae . Each Balkan country has a version of dhampirs, some descriptions are shared and some slightly different or more detailed. 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). If your parents had an intimate gathering and it resulted in giving life to you on a Holy Day you are vrykolakas. [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. [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. I love these stories! 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. I dont know, I just think that its wrong to suppress emotions like that. In Christian iconography the symbol of the Sun is associated with immortality and a right to rule. As a symbol, it is depicted by eight spiked tridents radiating outwards from a central point. [3] A strong belief in God could make people immune to a witch as She would protect them. [26][20], In the first half of the 20th century, British anthropologist Edith Durham visited northern Albania and collected folklore material on the Albanian tribal society. I mean, it would make more sense if it was the evil nose, but fair enough. Id just like to add that I cant justify trans people and homosexuals being on this list, its completely undeserved. Unlike with a female shtriga, however, we dont really get an explanation of how men turn into shtrigu. According to Maximilian Lambertz (1882-1963), he is the relic of an ancient Illyrian god. Have you visited any Balkan countries? So you already know that a shtriga typically targets infants for some weird reason. 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. These maidens would shape the life of every child that is born, appointing varying destinies to each similarly to the Ora. [7], And turning, set off for the high mountain meadows, But nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo. [4], With the birth of each child many Oras gather in the night towards the cliffs to decide upon the qualities that child would receive. 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. Of course, theres more work doing it this way, but security requires thoughtfulness. Of the three sea facing windows, only the one belonging to the youngest sister remained. 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.". Ive never heard much about Balkan folklore, but I am always so interested in the history behind these stories and myths! the Bolla dragon. Do you know any great stories or terrifying creatures? Well, some people believe that shtriga can feed from people of any age, but she simply chooses children in general, ideally infants. Melton is a bright and educated man and I genuinely found his book a very interesting read. Albanian stories, in particular, tell us that dhampirs can be recognized by their black or messy and untamed hair. 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. In the northern cultures, the kucedra is believed to have the . The elements of Albanian mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan. Fatit are Birth Fairies. And although all of this is very extreme, the older generations of Albanians saw it as a means to an end when it came to teaching the future generations a lesson of being careful around the Turks. The pagan cult of the Sun was almost identical to the Christian cult in the first centuries of Christianity. Other descriptions have him as an undead child, who was unbaptised, that has returned to haunt its parents. The defense against Night Hags is to close all keyholes to stop them from entering the room. 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. The Drekavac is translated literally as the screamerorthe screecher. [49], At the time of the South Slavic incursion and the threat of ethnic turbulence in the Albanian-inhabited regions, the Christianization of the Albanians had already been completed and it had apparently developed for Albanians as a further identity-forming feature alongside the ethnic-linguistic unity. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. They can roar like thunder, make the earth shake, and snack on grown people. The shtriga is often pictured as a woman with a hateful stare (sometimes wearing a cape) and a horribly disfigured face. E Bukura e Dheut. 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. zana) comes from Illyrians to the present day. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". [4], The Ora reside towards the north of the Drin River in Northern Albania. [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. But, one by one, they all plummeted to the ground and died. [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. The three Ora then seek the help of Mujo to seek revenge on Paji. Because of this, the Prince threatened to murder Manole and his team. This specific ability even got them a nickname Daywalker.. 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. During the day, Earthly Beauty spends time with her sister, Sea Beauty, and in the evening the wind returns her to Baba Tomorri. 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). The Drekavac really gives me the creeps! 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. That, her many heads, and her preference for girls seem like indicators to me. In Albanian mythology, she is usually attacked and defeated by a drangue, a divine being who is regarded as the protector of mankind. To prevent the worst from happening I mean, it would make more if. Destiny and fate with fire, there is one particular characteristic of shtriga that caught my attention be spelled as. Experiences to assist and inspire defense against Night Hags is to close all to! Sunrise or after sunset it foretells the death of some of North Macedonias mythical.... 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