Albanian folk beliefs ( sq, Besimet folklorike shqiptare) comprise the
beliefs
A belief is an attitude that something is the case, or that some proposition is true. In epistemology, philosophers use the term "belief" to refer to attitudes about the world which can be either true or false. To believe something is to take i ...
expressed in the
customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country. Traditionally, customs ...
,
ritual
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...
s,
myth
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of Narrative, narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or Origin myth, origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not Objectivity (philosophy), ...
s,
legend
A legend is a Folklore genre, genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human valu ...
s and
tales
Tales may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Tales'' (album), a 1995 album by Marcus Miller
* ''Tales'' (film), a 2014 Iranian film
* ''Tales'' (TV series), an American television series
* ''Tales'' (video game), a 2016 point-and-click adventure ...
of the
Albanian people
The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...
. The elements of Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are
pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
. Albanian
folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...
evolved over the centuries in a relatively isolated tribal culture and society. Albanian folk tales and legends have been orally transmitted down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
,
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
, western
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
, ex-Albanian lands of
Montenegro
)
, image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Podgorica
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, official_languages = M ...
, and southern
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
, and among the
Arbëreshë Arbën/Arbër, from which derived Arbënesh/Arbëresh originally meant all Albanians, until the 18th century. Today it is used for different groups of Albanian origin, including:
* Arbër (given name), an Albanian masculine given name
* Arbëresh ...
in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and the
Arvanites
Arvanites (; Arvanitika: , or , ; Greek: , ) are a bilingual population group in Greece of Albanian origin. They traditionally speak Arvanitika, an Albanian language variety, along with Greek. Their ancestors were first recorded as settlers ...
in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
.
In Albanian mythology, the physical
phenomena
A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried W ...
objects
Object may refer to:
General meanings
* Object (philosophy), a thing, being, or concept
** Object (abstract), an object which does not exist at any particular time or place
** Physical object, an identifiable collection of matter
* Goal, an ...
are attributed to
supernatural
Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
beings. The
deities
A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...
are generally not persons, but personifications of
nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physics, physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomenon, phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. ...
, which is known as
Animism
Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, Soul, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct Spirituality, spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—Animal, animals, Plant, plants, Ro ...
. The earliest attested cult of the Albanians is the worship of the
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...
and the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
. In Albanian folk beliefs,
earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
is the object of a special cult, and an important role is played by
fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
, which is considered a living, sacred or divine element used for
rituals
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, ...
Fire worship
Worship or deification of fire (also pyrodulia, pyrolatry or pyrolatria) is known from various religions. Fire has been an important part of human culture since the Lower Paleolithic. Religious or animist notions connected to fire are assumed ...
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
and
animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...
. Besa is a common practice in Albanian culture, consisting of an
oath
Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to ...
taken by
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...
, by
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
, by
sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In the field of astronomy, ...
, by
earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
, by
fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
, by
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
and by
snake
Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...
, which are all considered sacred objects. The cult of the
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...
and the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
also appears in Albanian legends and folk art.
Albanian myths and legends are organized around the
dichotomy
A dichotomy is a partition of a whole (or a set) into two parts (subsets). In other words, this couple of parts must be
* jointly exhaustive: everything must belong to one part or the other, and
* mutually exclusive: nothing can belong simulta ...
of
good and evil
In religion, ethics, philosophy, and psychology "good and evil" is a very common dichotomy. In cultures with Manichaean and Abrahamic religious influence, evil is perceived as the dualistic antagonistic opposite of good, in which good shoul ...
, the most famous representation of which is the legendary battle between
drangue
The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...
and
kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, ...
, a conflict that symbolises the cyclic return in the
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
cosmic
Cosmic commonly refers to:
* The cosmos, a concept of the universe
Cosmic may also refer to:
Media
* ''Cosmic'' (album), an album by Bazzi
* Afro/Cosmic music
* "Cosmic", a song by Kylie Minogue from the album '' X''
* CosM.i.C, a member of ...
ora ORA or Ora may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Ora'' (film), a 2011 experimental dance film
* Rita Ora (born 1990), British-Albanian singer-songwriter and actress
* ''Ora'' (Jovanotti album), 2011
* ''Ora'' (Rita Ora album), 2012
* "Ora" ...
universe
The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the universe. Acc ...
and enforce its laws.;
A very common motif in Albanian folk narrative is
metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops including birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some inse ...
: men morph into
deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...
,
wolves
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; plural, : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been reco ...
, and
owls
Owls are birds from the Order (biology), order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly Solitary animal, solitary and Nocturnal animal, nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vi ...
turtles
Turtles are an order (biology), order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) an ...
. Among the main bodies of
Albanian folk poetry
Albanian epic poetry is a form of epic poetry created by the Albanian people. It consists of a longstanding oral tradition still very much alive. A good number of Albanian rhapsodes ( sq, lahutarë) can be found today in Kosovo and northern Alba ...
are the ''
Kângë Kreshnikësh
The ''Kângë Kreshnikësh'' ("''Songs of Heroes''") are the traditional songs of the heroic non-historical cycle of Albanian epic poetry ( Albanian: ''Cikli i Kreshnikëve'' or ''Eposi i Kreshnikëve''). They are the product of Albanian culture ...
'' ("Songs of Heroes"), the traditional non-historical cycle of
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...
.
Documentation
Albanian collectors
Albanian myths and legends are already attested in works written in
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
as early as the 15th century, however, the systematic collection of Albanian folklore material began only in the 19th century.
One of the first Albanian collectors from Italy was the Arbëresh writer
Girolamo De Rada
Girolamo de Rada ( Arbërisht: ''Jeronim de Rada''; 29 November 181428 February 1903) was an Arbëreshë folklorist, journalist, lawyer, playwright, poet, rilindas and writer. He is regarded as one of the most influential Albanian writers of t ...
who—already imbued with a passion for his Albanian lineage in the first half of the 19th century—began collecting folklore material at an early age. Another important Arbëresh publisher of Albanian folklore was the linguist
Demetrio Camarda
Demetrio Camarda ( Arbërisht: Dhimitër Kamarda; 22 October 1821, in Piana degli Albanesi – 13 March 1882, in Livorno) was an Arbëreshë linguist, patriot of the Arbëreshë, and publisher of Albanian folklore, with scientific knowledge also ...
, who included in his 1866 ''Appendice al Saggio di grammatologia comparata'' (Appendix to the Essay on the Comparative Grammar) specimens of prose, and in particular, Arbëreshë folk songs from
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
. De Rada and Camarda were the two main initiators of the Albanian nationalist cultural movement in Italy. In
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, the Arvanite writer Anastas Kullurioti published Albanian folklore material in his 1882 ''Albanikon alfavêtarion / Avabatar arbëror'' (Albanian Spelling Book).
The
Albanian National Awakening
The Albanian National Awakening ( sq, Rilindja or ), commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political and social movement in the Albanian history where the ...
(''Rilindja'') gave rise to collections of
folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...
material in
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
in the second half of the 19th century. One of the early Albanian collectors of Albanian folklore from Albania proper was
Zef Jubani
Zef Jubani or Giuseppe Jubany in Italian (born ''Zef Ndokillia''; 1818–1880) was an Albanian folklorist and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. He is known for the publication of a ''Collection of Albanian Folk Songs and Rhapsodies'' ...
. From 1848 he served as interpreter to French consul in Shkodra,
Louis Hyacinthe Hécquard Louis may refer to:
* Louis (coin)
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
Derived or associated terms
* Lewis (d ...
, who was very interested in, and decided to prepare a book on, northern Albanian folklore. They travelled through the northern Albanian mountains and recorded folkloric materials which were published in French translation in the 1858 Hécquard's pioneering ''Histoire et description de la Haute Albanie ou Guégarie'' (History and Description of High Albania or Gegaria”). Jubani's own first collection of folklore—the original Albanian texts of the folk songs published by Hécquard—was lost in the flood that devastated the city of Shkodra on 13 January 1866. Jubani published in 1871 his ''Raccolta di canti popolari e rapsodie di poemi albanesi'' (Collection of Albanian Folk Songs and Rhapsodies)—the first collection of
Gheg
Gheg (also spelled Geg; Gheg Albanian: ''gegnishtja'', Standard sq, gegërishtja) is one of the two major varieties of Albanian, the other being Tosk. The geographic dividing line between the two varieties is the Shkumbin River, which winds it ...
folk songs and the first folkloric work to be published by an Albanian who lived in Albania.
Another important Albanian folklore collector was
Thimi Mitko
Thimi (Euthimio) Mitko (1820 – March 22, 1890) was an activist of the Albanian National Awakening and folklorist.
Mitko was born in Korçë, Albania (then Ottoman Empire), where he attended the local Greek school. His uncle, Peti Mitko, ...
, a prominent representative of the Albanian community in Egypt. 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
Demetrio Camarda ( Arbërisht: Dhimitër Kamarda; 22 October 1821, in Piana degli Albanesi – 13 March 1882, in Livorno) was an Arbëreshë linguist, patriot of the Arbëreshë, and publisher of Albanian folklore, with scientific knowledge also ...
's collection. Mitko's own collection—including 505 folk songs, and 39 tales and popular sayings, mainly from southern Albania—was finished in 1874 and published in the 1878 Greek-Albanian journal ''Alvaniki melissa / Belietta Sskiypetare'' ( The Albanian Bee). This compilation was a milestone of Albanian folk literature being the first collection of Albanian material of scholarly quality. 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. He compiled his collection with Spiro Risto Dine who emigrated to Egypt in 1866. Dino himself published ''Valët 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. 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 first Albanian folklorist to collect the oral tradition in a more systematic manner for scholarly purposes was the
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
priest and scholar
Shtjefën Gjeçovi
Shtjefën Konstantin Gjeçov-Kryeziu (12 July 1874 – 14 October 1929) was an Albanian Roman Catholicism, Catholic priest, ethnologist, and folklorist. He is regarded as the father of Albanian folklore studies.
Life
Gjeçovi was born on 12 Jul ...
. Two other Franciscan priests,
Bernardin Palaj
Bernardin Palaj (20 October 1894 — 8 December 1947) was a Franciscan friar, folklorist and poet.
Life
Born as Zef Palaj in Shkodër, to Gjon and Marta Dedaj, originally from the mountains of Shllak. Bernardin Palaj went to Franciscan schools in ...
and
Donat Kurti
Donat Kurti (1903–1983) was an Albanian Albanian franciscan friar, educator, scholar and folklorist. Donat Kurti was born in Shkodër, back then Ottoman Empire). He studied theology and philosophy at the Collegium Antonianum in Rome and was orda ...
, along with Gjeçovi, collected folk songs on their travels through the northern Albanian mountains and wrote articles on
Gheg Albanian
Gheg (also spelled Geg; Gheg Albanian: ''gegnishtja'', Standard sq, gegërishtja) is one of the two major variety (linguistics), varieties of Albanian language, Albanian, the other being Tosk Albanian, Tosk. The geographic dividing line betwee ...
folklore and tribal customs. Palaj and Kurti published in 1937—on the 25th anniversary of
Albanian independence
The Albanian National Awakening ( sq, Rilindja or ), commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political and social movement in the Albanian history where the ...
—the most important collection of Albanian epic verse, '' Kângë kreshnikësh dhe legenda'' (Songs of the Frontier Warriors and Legends), in the series called ''Visaret e Kombit'' (The Treasures of the Nation).
From the second half of the 20th century much research has been done by the Academy of Albanological Studies of Tirana and by the Albanological Institute of Prishtina. Albanian scholars have published numerous collections of Albanian oral tradition, but only a small part of this material has been translated into other languages. A substantial contribution in this direction has been made by the AlbanologistRobert Elsie.
Foreign collectors
Foreign scholars first provided Europe with Albanian folklore in the second half of the 19th century, and thus set the beginning for the scholarly study of Albanian oral tradition. Albanian folk songs and tales were recorded by the Austrian consul in
Janina
Ioannina ( el, Ιωάννινα ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, an administrative region in north-western Greece. According to the 2011 census, the c ...
, Johann Georg von Hahn, who travelled throughout Albania and the Balkans in the middle of the 19th century and in 1854 he published ''Albanesische Studien'' (Albanian Studies). 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). The folklorist
Giuseppe Pitrè
Giuseppe Pitrè (22 December 184110 April 1916) was an Italian folklorist, medical doctor, professor, and senator for Sicily. As a folklorist he is credited with extending the realm of folklore to include all manifestations of popular life. He is ...
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 next generation of scholars who became interested in collecting Albanian folk material were mainly philologists, among them the
Indo-European
The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch ...
linguists concerned about the study of the then little known Albanian language. The French consul in Janina and Thessalonika,
Auguste Dozon
Auguste Dozon (2 August 1822 – 31 December 1890) was a French scholar and diplomat, known for his work on Albanian language and folklore.
Life
Born in Chalons Sur Marne on 22 August 1822 he studied ancient and modern literature in Collège Sain ...
, published Albanian folk tales and songs initially in the 1879 (Manual of the Shkip or Albanian Language) and in the 1881 ''Contes albanais, recueillis et traduits'' (Albanian Tales, Collected and Translated). The Czech linguist and professor of
Romance languages
The Romance languages, sometimes referred to as Latin languages or Neo-Latin languages, are the various modern languages that evolved from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages in the Indo-European language fam ...
and literature,
Jan Urban Jarnik
Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to:
Acronyms
* Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN
* Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code
* Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group
* Japanese Article Numb ...
, published in 1883 Albanian folklore material from the region of Shkodra in ''Zur albanischen Sprachenkunde'' (On Albanian Linguistics) and ''Příspěvky ku poznání nářečí albánských uveřejňuje'' (Contributions to the Knowledge of Albanian Dialects). The German linguist and professor at the University of Graz,
Gustav Meyer
Gustav Meyer (25 November 1850 – 28 August 1900) was a German linguist and Indo-European scholar, considered to be one of the most important Albanologists of his time, most importantly by proving that the Albanian language belongs to the Indo-Eu ...
, published in 1884 fourteen Albanian tales in ''Albanische Märchen'' (Albanian Tales), and a selection of Tosk tales in the 1888 ''Albanian grammar'' (1888). His folklore material was republished in his ''Albanesische Studien'' (Albanian Studies). 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. He recorded thirty-five Albanian folk tales from Albania and
Corfu
Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
and published them in the 1895 ''Albanesische Texte mit Glossar'' (Albanian Texts with Glossary). Other Indo-European scholars who collected Albanian folklore material were German linguists Gustav Weigand and August Leskien.
In the first half of the 20th century, British anthropologist
Edith Durham
Edith Durham, (8 December 1863 – 15 November 1944) was a British artist, anthropologist and writer who is best known for her anthropological accounts of life in Albania in the early 20th century. Her advocacy on behalf of the Albanian cause a ...
visited northern Albania and collected folklore material on the Albanian tribal society. She published in 1909 her notable work ''High Albania'', regarded as one of the best English-language books on Albania ever written. From 1923 onward, Scottish scholar and anthropologist
Margaret Hasluck
Margaret Masson Hardie Hasluck M.B.E. (1944) (18 June 1885 – 18 October 1948) was a Scottish geographer, linguist, epigrapher, archaeologist and scholar.
Biography
Margaret Hasluck was born Margaret Hardie and graduated from Aberdeen Universi ...
collected Albanian folklore material when she lived in Albania. She published sixteen Albanian folk-stories translated in English in her 1931 ''Këndime Englisht–Shqip or Albanian–English Reader''.
Origin
The elements of Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are
pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
. Ancient
Illyrian religion
Illyrian religion refers to the religious beliefs and practices of the Illyrian peoples, a group of tribes who spoke the Illyrian languages and inhabited part of the western Balkan Peninsula from at least the 8th century BC until the 7th century ...
is considered to be one of the sources from which Albanian legend and folklore evolved, reflecting a number of parallels with Ancient Greek and
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
mythologies. Albanian legend also shows similarities with neighbouring
Indo-European
The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch ...
traditions, such as the oral epics with the
South Slavs
South Slavs are Slavic peoples who speak South Slavic languages and inhabit a contiguous region of Southeast Europe comprising the eastern Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. Geographically separated from the West Slavs and East Slavs by Austria, Hu ...
and the folk tales of the
Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
.
Albanian mythology inherited the
Indo-European
The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch ...
narrative
epic genre
Epic is a genre of narrative defined by heroic or legendary adventures presented in a long format. Grant, John, and John Clute. 1997. "Arabian fantasy." ''The Encyclopedia of Fantasy''. London: Orbit Books. . . Originating in the form of epic poe ...
deities
A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...
located on the highest and most inaccessible mountains (
Mount Tomor
Tomorr is a mountain range in the region of Berat and Skrapar, in Albania. It reaches an elevation of above sea level at the Çuka e Partizanit, which is the highest peak in central Albania.
Mount Tomorr is one of Albania's biggest water-col ...
), the
sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In the field of astronomy, ...
,
lightning
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electric charge, electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the land, ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous ...
,
weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmosphere, the ...
and
fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
Verbt
Verbt ( sq-definite, Verbti) is a fire, water and wind god in Albanian pagan mythology. He controls fire, water as the opposite element to fire, and the northern wind which fans the flames of fire. Also known as ''Shën Verbti'' or ''Rmoria'', he ...
Vatër
The vatër ( sq-definite, vatra) is the domestic hearth in Albanian folklore. The fire of the domestic hearth, zjarri i vatrës, is considered the sustainer of the continuity between the world of the living and that of the dead, and ensures the c ...
,
Nëna e Vatrës Nëna e Vatrës or Nana e Votrës ("The Mother of the Hearth") is the goddess of the fire hearth (''hyjnia e zjarrit të vatrës'') in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with fire worship, the cult of the ancestor and the cult of the w ...
Drangue
The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...
and
Kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, ...
), the
Fates
The Fates are a common motif in European polytheism, most frequently represented as a trio of goddesses. The Fates shape the destiny of each human, often expressed in textile metaphors such as spinning fibers into yarn, or weaving threads on a ...
Ora ORA or Ora may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Ora'' (film), a 2011 experimental dance film
* Rita Ora (born 1990), British-Albanian singer-songwriter and actress
* ''Ora'' (Jovanotti album), 2011
* ''Ora'' (Rita Ora album), 2012
* "Ora" ...
Underworld
The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld.
...
folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...
Illyrian religion
Illyrian religion refers to the religious beliefs and practices of the Illyrian peoples, a group of tribes who spoke the Illyrian languages and inhabited part of the western Balkan Peninsula from at least the 8th century BC until the 7th century ...
. A number of parallels are found with Ancient Greek and
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
mythologies. Albanians were Christianized under
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
influence likely in the fourth and fifth centuries. In later times, after the
Gheg
Gheg (also spelled Geg; Gheg Albanian: ''gegnishtja'', Standard sq, gegërishtja) is one of the two major varieties of Albanian, the other being Tosk. The geographic dividing line between the two varieties is the Shkumbin River, which winds it ...
– Tosk split, they became Catholic in the north and Orthodox in the South.
In a text compiled around the beginning of the 11th century in the
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian (, ; bg, label=none, български, bălgarski, ) is an Eastern South Slavic language spoken in Southeastern Europe, primarily in Bulgaria. It is the language of the Bulgarians.
Along with the closely related Macedonian la ...
, the Albanians are mentioned with their old ethnonym '' Arbanasi'' as half-believers.
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
was first introduced to Albania in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of the area. In Ottoman times, often to escape higher taxes levied on Christian subjects, the majority of Albanians became Muslims. However one part retained Christian and pre-Christian beliefs. British poet
Lord Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and h ...
(1788–1824) described Albanian religious belief as follows: "The Greeks hardly regard them as Christians, or the Turks as Muslims; and in fact they are a mixture of both, and sometimes neither."
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, in Albania arrived also the Bektashi
Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
order which spread widely among Albanians in part because it allowed itself to be a vehicle for the expression of
Crypto-Christian
Crypto-Christianity is the secret practice of Christianity, usually while attempting to camouflage it as another faith or observing the rituals of another religion publicly. In places and time periods where Christians were persecuted or Christiani ...
and pagan beliefs and rituals. Bektashism is a Muslim dervish order ('' tariqat'') thought to have originated in the 13th century in a frontier region of
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
, where Christianity, Islam and paganism coexisted, allowing the incorporation of comparable pagan and non-Muslim beliefs into popular Islam. It facilitated the conversion process to the new Muslims and became the official order of the
Janissaries
A Janissary ( ota, یڭیچری, yeŋiçeri, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and the first modern standing army in Europe. The corps was most likely established under sultan Orhan ( ...
. After the ban of all the Sufi orders in
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
in 1925, the Bektashi Order established its headquarters in
Tirana
Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...
. Since its founding in 1912, Albania has been a
secular state
A secular state is an idea pertaining to secularity, whereby a State (polity), state is or purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. A secular state claims to treat all its citizens ...
, becoming
atheist
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
during the Communist regime, and returning secular after the fall of the regime.
Albanian folklore evolved over the centuries in a relative isolated tribal culture and society, and although there have been all these changes in the Albanian belief system, an ancient substratum of pre-Christian beliefs has survived until today. Folk tales, myths and legends have been orally transmitted down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
,
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
and western
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
, among the
Arbëreshë Arbën/Arbër, from which derived Arbënesh/Arbëresh originally meant all Albanians, until the 18th century. Today it is used for different groups of Albanian origin, including:
* Arbër (given name), an Albanian masculine given name
* Arbëresh ...
in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and the
Arvanites
Arvanites (; Arvanitika: , or , ; Greek: , ) are a bilingual population group in Greece of Albanian origin. They traditionally speak Arvanitika, an Albanian language variety, along with Greek. Their ancestors were first recorded as settlers ...
in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
Drangue
The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...
and
Kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, ...
Destiny
*
Fates
The Fates are a common motif in European polytheism, most frequently represented as a trio of goddesses. The Fates shape the destiny of each human, often expressed in textile metaphors such as spinning fibers into yarn, or weaving threads on a ...
Tosks
Tosks ( sq, Toskët) are one of two major dialectal subgroups of Albanians (the other being the Ghegs) differentiated by their cultural, linguistic, social and religious characteristics.
Territory
''Tosk'' may refer to the Tosk-speaking Albania ...
)
**
Ora ORA or Ora may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Ora'' (film), a 2011 experimental dance film
* Rita Ora (born 1990), British-Albanian singer-songwriter and actress
* ''Ora'' (Jovanotti album), 2011
* ''Ora'' (Rita Ora album), 2012
* "Ora" ...
Ghegs
The Ghegs (also spelled as Gegs; sq, Gegët) are one of two major dialectal subgroups of Albanians (the other being the Tosks) They are also differentiated by minor Culture, cultural, Albanian dialects, dialectal, Society, social and Religion, re ...
Sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In the field of astronomy, ...
)
**
Dielli
''Dielli'' is a newspaper published in the United States by Vatra, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America.
History
''Dielli'' started on February 15, 1909, as a political-patriotic newspaper of the Besa-Besën society of Boston, Massachusetts, on ...
(the
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
Morning Star
Morning Star, morning star, or Morningstar may refer to:
Astronomy
* Morning star, most commonly used as a name for the planet Venus when it appears in the east before sunrise
** See also Venus in culture
* Morning star, a name for the star Siri ...
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
)
*
Uji
is a city on the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
Founded on March 1, 1951, Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto. The city sits on the Uji River, which has its source in Lake Biwa. ...
(the
Water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
Mountains
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher th ...
)
Phenomena
*
Reja
A reja ("grille") is a decorative screen of iron.Milliken, William M. "Decorative Ironwork." ''World Book Encyclopedia.'' 10th ed. 1972. 365-66.
Rejas can be found in cathedrals located in Spain and Portugal."reja." ''Encyclopædia Britannica. ...
(the
Cloud
In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may co ...
Lightning
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electric charge, electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the land, ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous ...
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
)
Nature deities
Sky, weather
*
Zot
''Zot!'' is a comic book created by Scott McCloud in 1984 and published by Eclipse Comics until 1990 as a lighthearted alternative to the darker and more violent comics that dominated the industry during that period.sky father (one of the three Albanian names of God)
* Zojz: sky, lightning
* Perëndi: sky, lightning (one of the three Albanian names of God)
*
Nëna e Diellit Nëna e Diellit ("the Mother of the Sun" or "the Sun's Mother") is a mother goddess in Albanian folk beliefs. A sacred ritual called "the funeral of the Sun's Mother" was very widespread in southeastern Albania until the 20th century. She has been d ...
Verbt
Verbt ( sq-definite, Verbti) is a fire, water and wind god in Albanian pagan mythology. He controls fire, water as the opposite element to fire, and the northern wind which fans the flames of fire. Also known as ''Shën Verbti'' or ''Rmoria'', he ...
Stihi Stihi is a fire-breathing storm demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, similar to the kulshedra.
Etymology
The Albanian term ''stihí'' is a variant of ''stuhí'', "storm", related to el, στοιχείο, "element, spirit".
Appearance
A fe ...
: weather
*
Drangue
The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...
and
Kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, ...
Prende
Prende (also ''Prenne'', ''Premte'' or ''Petka'') is the dawn goddess, goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and protector of women, in the Albanian pagan mythology. She is thought to have been worshiped by the Illyrians in antiquity. In Albanian f ...
: rainbow (in Albanian,
Friday
Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. In countries that adopt the traditional "Sunday-first" convention, it is the sixth day of the week. In countries adopting the ISO-defined "Monday-first" convention, it is the fifth day ...
mother goddess
A mother goddess is a goddess who represents a personified deification of motherhood, fertility goddess, fertility, creation, destruction, or the earth goddess who embodies the bounty of the earth or nature. When equated with the earth or th ...
Drangue
The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...
and
Kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, ...
: earth, stones, trees
* Mauthia: earth and mountains
*Dhe-tokësi, Dheu or Tokësi: chthonic serpent
* Kau: earth and agriculture
* Zana: vegetation, mountains
* Bariu Hyjnor: mountains, animals
*Golden horned goats: wild goats protectors of the forests
*Nuse Mali: mountain nymphs
**
Zana e malit Zana (''Zanë'' in Gheg or ''Zërë'' in Tosk, pl. ''zanë(t)/zërë(t)'', see other variants below) is an Albanian mythological figure usually associated with mountains, springs and streams, forests, vegetation and animals, and sometimes dest ...
,
Ora ORA or Ora may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Ora'' (film), a 2011 experimental dance film
* Rita Ora (born 1990), British-Albanian singer-songwriter and actress
* ''Ora'' (Jovanotti album), 2011
* ''Ora'' (Rita Ora album), 2012
* "Ora" ...
,
Bardha Bardha ( en, 'the white one') is an Albanian mythological creature. According to old folklore, to propitiate them one strews cakes or sugar on the ground. It is similar to Zana e malit Zana (''Zanë'' in Gheg or ''Zërë'' in Tosk, pl. ''zanë(t)/ ...
,
Shtojzovalle In Albanian mythology, the shtojzovalle, also known as shtojzorreshta, shtozote is a small creature with supernatural powers and of extraordinary beauty. They are invisible woodland creatures, which can be seen by humans only on rare occasions and ...
, Jashtësme, Të Lumet Natë, Mira
Burn, fire, hearth
* Hyj: burn, glow, spark, heavenly fire (one of the three Albanian names of God)
* En/Enj: fire (in Albanian, Thursday bears this name)
*
Verbt
Verbt ( sq-definite, Verbti) is a fire, water and wind god in Albanian pagan mythology. He controls fire, water as the opposite element to fire, and the northern wind which fans the flames of fire. Also known as ''Shën Verbti'' or ''Rmoria'', he ...
: fire-storms, fire-whirls
*
Drangue
The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...
and
Kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, ...
: fire
*
Stihi Stihi is a fire-breathing storm demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, similar to the kulshedra.
Etymology
The Albanian term ''stihí'' is a variant of ''stuhí'', "storm", related to el, στοιχείο, "element, spirit".
Appearance
A fe ...
: fire
*
Djall
Djall or Dreq is the personification of evil in Albanian mythology and folklore. The name is used also for a demon of fire.
Etymology
The name ''djall'' derives from the Latin ''diabolus'', "devil". Alternative forms are ''dreqi'' from the La ...
i: fire
*
Vatër
The vatër ( sq-definite, vatra) is the domestic hearth in Albanian folklore. The fire of the domestic hearth, zjarri i vatrës, is considered the sustainer of the continuity between the world of the living and that of the dead, and ensures the c ...
: hearth
*
Nëna e Vatrës Nëna e Vatrës or Nana e Votrës ("The Mother of the Hearth") is the goddess of the fire hearth (''hyjnia e zjarrit të vatrës'') in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with fire worship, the cult of the ancestor and the cult of the w ...
Prende
Prende (also ''Prenne'', ''Premte'' or ''Petka'') is the dawn goddess, goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and protector of women, in the Albanian pagan mythology. She is thought to have been worshiped by the Illyrians in antiquity. In Albanian f ...
Verbt
Verbt ( sq-definite, Verbti) is a fire, water and wind god in Albanian pagan mythology. He controls fire, water as the opposite element to fire, and the northern wind which fans the flames of fire. Also known as ''Shën Verbti'' or ''Rmoria'', he ...
Drangue
The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...
and
Kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, ...
: water, rain, seas
* Bolla: water serpent
* Bushi i kënetës: bull of ponds and swamps which can cause rain by bellowing
*
E Bukura e Detit E Bukura e Detit ("the Beauty of the Sea") is a character in Albanian mythology, Albanian mythology and folklore, depicted in some traditions as a sea-fairy / nymph, and in other traditions as a sea goddess, the counterpart of e Bukura e Dheut (the ...
: the beauty of the sea
*Nuse uji: water nymphs
**Zana e ujit, Nusja Shapulicë, Cuca e Liqenit, Ksheta,
Perria
Perria or Pehria is a fairy-like mountain figure in Albanian mythology and folklore.
Etymology
From the Albanian word ''përrua'' ("brook").
From Proto-Albanian ''*pVrē/ān-'', or Proto-Albanian ''*per-rāno'', possibly a prefixed derivative o ...
Societal deities
*
Prende
Prende (also ''Prenne'', ''Premte'' or ''Petka'') is the dawn goddess, goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and protector of women, in the Albanian pagan mythology. She is thought to have been worshiped by the Illyrians in antiquity. In Albanian f ...
love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
and
fertility
Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction following the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born by a female during her lifetime and is quantified demographically. Fertili ...
*
Nëna e Vatrës Nëna e Vatrës or Nana e Votrës ("The Mother of the Hearth") is the goddess of the fire hearth (''hyjnia e zjarrit të vatrës'') in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with fire worship, the cult of the ancestor and the cult of the w ...
: the mother of the
hearth
A hearth () is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by at least a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a lo ...
/
fireplace
A fireplace or hearth is a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the design.
...
household
A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is im ...
golden horned serpent
Sacred animals
*Bleta (the
Bee
Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyly, monophyletic lineage within the ...
, associated with human life: when an animal ceases to live, Albanians predominantly use the verb '' ngordh''; When a bee ceases to live, the verb '' vdes'' is used often (which is used to refer to human death). Alluding that bees are beings of a higher caste, comparable to humans.
*Dreri (the
Deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...
, associated with
sun cult
A solar deity or sun deity is a deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it. Such deities are usually associated with power and strength. Solar deities and Sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The ...
)
*Shqiponja (the
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
–
totem
A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or ''doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system.
While ''the wo ...
of
Albanian people
The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...
– associated with freedom and heroism)
*Dhia e egër (the
wild Goat
The wild goat (''Capra aegagrus'') is a wild goat species, inhabiting forests, shrublands and rocky areas ranging from Turkey and the Caucasus in the west to Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east. It has been listed as near threatene ...
Serpent
Serpent or The Serpent may refer to:
* Snake, a carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes
Mythology and religion
* Sea serpent, a monstrous ocean creature
* Serpent (symbolism), the snake in religious rites and mythological contexts
* Serp ...
, associated with
earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
and
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
Wolf
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly u ...
)
Concepts
* Kanun
* Besa/Beja ( oath swearing)
**me diell (by sun), me dhè (by earth), me fushë (by field), me gur/gur-rrufeje (by stone/thunder-stone), me hënë (by moon), me mal (by mountain), me qiell (by sky), me ujë (by water), me toks (by snake)
* Numbers
*
Good and Evil
In religion, ethics, philosophy, and psychology "good and evil" is a very common dichotomy. In cultures with Manichaean and Abrahamic religious influence, evil is perceived as the dualistic antagonistic opposite of good, in which good shoul ...
*
Fate
Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.
Fate
Although often ...
Soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
Animism
Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, Soul, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct Spirituality, spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—Animal, animals, Plant, plants, Ro ...
Ljubi The lubia or ljubi is a water and storm demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually depicted as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon similar to the kulshedra. In Southern Albanian beliefs, she is a storm deity. She is also referred ...
**
Stihi Stihi is a fire-breathing storm demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, similar to the kulshedra.
Etymology
The Albanian term ''stihí'' is a variant of ''stuhí'', "storm", related to el, στοιχείο, "element, spirit".
Appearance
A fe ...
**Sprija
** Llamja (half snake, half woman)
*Angu (shapeless ghost who appears in dreams)
*Avullushe (spirits that suffocate people with their breath)
*Bariu i mirë (the good shepherd)
*
Baloz
Baloz or bajloz is a sea monster in Albanian mythology.
Etymology
Maximilian Lambertz suggested that the word derived from Italian ''bailo'', the title of the Republic of Venice, Venetian ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Ottomans.
Literally, ...
Dhampir
In Balkans folklore, dhampirs (sometimes spelled ''dhampyres'', ''dhamphirs'', or ''dhampyrs'') are creatures that are the result of a union between a vampire and a mortal human. This union was usually between male vampires and female mortal huma ...
(half-vampire, half-human)
*Dhevështruesi (half human and half animal)
*Dhamsutë (deaf and dumb mare)
*Divi ( ogre)
*Flama (restless evil ghost)
*Gjysmagjeli
*Gogol ( bogeyman)
*Hajnjeri (man eating giant)
*Hija (shadow ghost)
*Judi (giant ghost)
*Kacamisri (similar to Tom Thumb)
*
Karkanxholl
The ''kallikantzaros'' ( el, καλικάντζαρος; bg, караконджул; sr-Cyrl-Latn, караконџула, separator=" / ", karakondžula; tr, karakoncolos), or ''kallikantzaroi'' in plural is a malevolent goblin in Southeas ...
(
werewolf
In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or ...
)
*Katallan ( giant), having its origins in the Catalan Company's brutality in the
Catalan Campaign in Asia Minor
In 1303, the Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus hired 6,500 Catalan mercenaries under Roger de Flor to campaign against the Turks in the spring and summer of the same year. Their costly service came with success, driving back the Turk ...
.
*Katravesh (the four-eared one, man-eating monster)
*Kolivilor (demon similar to an incubus)
*Kore (child eating demon)
*
Kukudh The Kukudh ( Albanian definite form: Kukudhi) is an undead creature in Albanian mythology.
Etymology
Undetermined. Most probably a derivative of Albanian kuku ("mourn, lament."), as its synonym kukuvriq suggests. Alternatively from Greek κο ...
Lugat
A lugat or liogat is a vampire-like being in Albanian mythology. They abide in shadows and darkness, especially places that never see sunlight, such as inside water wells, old ruins, and caves. They have a frightening visage and are extremely viole ...
( revenant)
*Magjí (evil woman, old hag))
*Makth (nightmare ghost that suffocates people during sleep)
*Pëlhurëza (
veil
A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent ...
ghost)
*Qeros (Scurfhead)
*Qose (Barefaced Man)
*Rrqepta (similar to a beast)
*Rusale (
mermaid
In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Mermaids are sometimes asso ...
)
*
Shtriga A shtriga 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). Only the shtriga herself could cure those she had dr ...
(vampiric witch)
*Syqeni (the Doggy Eyed, a wizard)
*Thopçi or Herri (
gnome
A gnome is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characte ...
Xhindi Xhindi is a mythological creature in Albanian mythology.Lurker, Manfred (1984). ''The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons, Taylor & Francis e-Library''. p.38
Appearance
Xhindis are usually depicted as invisible spirits, so ...
(
jinn
Jinn ( ar, , ') – also Romanization of Arabic, romanized as djinn or Anglicization, anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources)
– are Invisibility, invisible creatures in early Arabian mytho ...
)
Heroic characters
The
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
terms for "hero" are ''trim'' (female: ''trimneshë''), ''kreshnik'' or ''hero'' (female: ''heroinë''). Some of the main heroes of the Albanian epic songs, legends and myths are:
*Demigods
**
Drangue
The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...
: semi-human winged warrior, whose weapons are meteoric stones, lightning-swords, thunderbolts, piles of trees and rocks
** E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit: the Daughter of the Moon and Sun, whose weapon is a point of light
*Humans
** Zjerma and Handa: protagonists of the heroic folktale " The Twins". Zjerma (lit. "fire") was born with the sun in the forehead, while Handa (lit. "moon") was born with the
moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
in the forehead. They have two horses and two dogs as companions, and two silver swords as weapons
**Muji and Halili, protagonists of
epic cycle
The Epic Cycle ( grc, Ἐπικὸς Κύκλος, Epikòs Kýklos) was a collection of Ancient Greek epic poems, composed in dactylic hexameter and related to the story of the Trojan War, including the ''Cypria'', the '' Aethiopis'', the so-cal ...
of the ''
Kângë Kreshnikësh
The ''Kângë Kreshnikësh'' ("''Songs of Heroes''") are the traditional songs of the heroic non-historical cycle of Albanian epic poetry ( Albanian: ''Cikli i Kreshnikëve'' or ''Eposi i Kreshnikëve''). They are the product of Albanian culture ...
Little Constantine Little Constantine ( sq, Konstandini i vogël) is a legendary figure of Albanian folk poetry. In northern Albania he is also known as Aga Ymeri, in southern Albania as Ymer Ago, among the Italo-Albanians as Konstandini i Vogëlith (Little Constant ...
Heroic motifs
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
Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion often associated with negative self-evaluation; motivation to quit; and feelings of pain, exposure, distrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness.
Definition
Shame is a discrete, basic emotion, d ...
and dishonour, regarded as worse than death; besa and
loyalty
Loyalty, in general use, is a devotion and faithfulness to a nation, cause, philosophy, country, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpersonal and only another h ...
, gjakmarrja.
Another characteristic of Albanian heroic songs are
weapons
A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...
. Their importance and the love which the heroes have for them are carefully represented in the songs, while they are rarely described physically. A common feature appearing in these songs is the desire for fame and glory, which is related to the courage of a person.
Fire ritual
Worship or deification of fire (also pyrodulia, pyrolatry or pyrolatria) is known from various religions. Fire has been an important part of human culture since the Lower Paleolithic. Religious or animist notions connected to fire are assumed to ...
s (living, sacred or divine fire)
**Calendar fires: , associated with the cosmic cycle and the rhythms of agricultural and pastoral life
**Livestock fires: , associated with the purification of domesticated animals
**Hearth fire: '' zjarri i vatrës'', associated with the cult of the hearth
*Weather rituals
**Rituals to avert hailstorms (''ndalja e stuhisë së breshrit'')
***Through noise, gunshots and bonfires
** Rainmaking rituals ()
***Through ritual processions, dances and songs ( Rone or Dordolec)
* Vajtim, Gjâmë
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandr ...
(
March 14
Events Pre-1600
* 1074 – Battle of Mogyoród: Dukes Géza and Ladislaus defeat their cousin Solomon, King of Hungary, forcing him to flee to Hungary's western borderland.
* 1590 – Battle of Ivry: Henry of Navarre and the Huguen ...
of the
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...
). In the old Albanian calendar it corresponds to the first day of the new year ( sq, Kryeviti, Kryet e Motmotit, Motmoti i Ri, Nata e Mojit) and marks the end of the winter season (the second half of the year) and the beginning of the summer season (the first half of the year) on the spring equinox. Another festival of the spring equinox is Nowruz ( sq, Dita e Sulltan Nevruzit) celebrated on
March 22
Events Pre-1600
* 106 – Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea.
* 235 – Roman emperor Severus Alexander is murdered, marking the start of the Crisis of the Third Century.
* 871 – Æthelr ...
.
*
Nata e Buzmit
Nata could refer to:
__NOTOC__ Places
* Nata, Botswana, a village in Central District of Botswana
* Nata, Cyprus, a small village near Paphos, Cyprus
* Natá, Coclé, a town and corregimiento in Natá District, Coclé Province, Panama
* Natá Dist ...
: " Yule log's night" celebrated about the time of the
winter solstice
The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere ( Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winte ...
, between December 22 and January 6. In Albanian beliefs it marks the return of the sun for summer and the lengthening of the days.
List of folk tales, legends, songs and ballads
Folk tales
*Marigo of the Forty Dragons
* For the Love of a Dove
*The Silver Tooth
*The Snake Child
*The Maiden who was Promised to the Sun
*The Grateful Snake and the Magic Case
*The Jealous Sisters
*The Princess of China
*The Foolish Youth and the Ring
*The Barefaced Man and the Pasha's Brother
*The Boy with No Name
*Half Rooster
*Gjizar the Nightingale
*The Snake and the King's Daughter
*The Bear and the Dervish
*The King's Daughter and the Skull
*The Stirrup Moor
*The Tale of the Youth who Understood the Language of the Animals
*The Maiden in the Box
* The Girl who Became a Boy
*The Shoes
*
*The Three Brothers and the Three Sisters
*The Three Friends and the Earthly Beauty
*The Scurfhead
*The Boy and the Earthly Beauty
* The Twins
*The Daughter of the Moon and Sun (version with
kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, ...
)
*The Daughter of the Moon and Sun (version with the king's son)
*The Daughter of the Sun
*The Serpent
*Seven Spans of Beard and Three Spans of Body
*The Skilful Brothers
*
The Tale of the Eagle
The Tale of the Eagle is an Albanian Folklore, folk tale that explains how Albania and Albanians received their indigenous name.
Tale
A youth was hunting in the mountains. An eagle flying above him alighted on top of a crag. The eagle was especi ...
Legends
*Aga Ymer of Ulcinj
*Ali Dost Dede of Gjirokastra
* Baba Tomor
*Mujo and Halili cycle
* Gjergj Elez Alia
*Sari Salltëk
*Scanderbeg and Ballaban
*Shega and Vllastar
*The Lover's Grave
*Legend of Jabal-i Alhama
* Princess Argjiro
*
Nora of Kelmendi
Nora of Kelmendi is a legendary folktale 17th century Albanian woman for her beauty and valor.
She is sometimes referred to as the "Helen of Albania" as her beauty also sparked a great war. She is also called the Albanian Brünhilde too, for s ...
* The Legend of Rozafa
*Revenge Taken on Kastrati – a Legend of the Triepshi Tribe
*The Founding of the Kelmendi Tribe
*The Founding of the Kastrati Tribe
*The Founding of the Hoti and Triepshi Tribes
Songs and Ballads
*
Songs of the Frontier Warriors
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetition ...
Song of Marko Boçari
The Song of Marko Boçari from Suli ( sq, Kënga e Marko Boçarit nga Suli) is an Albanian polyphonic song of the early 19th century, narrating the death of Markos Botsaris, a Souliot leader.
History
Markos Botsaris was a leader of the Souli ...
*
Constantin and Doruntinë
''Constantin and Doruntine'' ( sq, Kostandini dhe Doruntina), or ''Constantin's Besa'' ( sq, Besa e Kostandinit), is an Albanian ballad and legend. It is also narrated in a prose version
The legend has been narrated also:
*As a novel written by ...
*Eufrozina of Janina
*Oh, my Beautiful Morea
* Song of Tana
*Songs of the Battle of Kosova
* The Ballad of Rozafa
*The Song Collection of Vuk Karadžić
See also
*
Albanian folk poetry
Albanian epic poetry is a form of epic poetry created by the Albanian people. It consists of a longstanding oral tradition still very much alive. A good number of Albanian rhapsodes ( sq, lahutarë) can be found today in Kosovo and northern Alba ...