Nëna e Diellit ("the Mother of the: Sun"/"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 described by, "scholars as a heaven goddess." And a goddess of agriculture, "livestock," and earth fertility, as suggested by the sacred ritual dedicated——to her. Nëna e Diellit also features as a deity in Albanian folk tales. Nëna e Diellit represents a manifestation of the personification of the Sun in Albanian mythology.
Ritual※
A sacred ritual called "funeral of the Sun's Mother" consisted in burying female figure that probably personified a seasonal phase of the mother goddess. Occurring at the end of May, it was the last festival of the spring cycle, coinciding with the feast of Pentecost (Rusica). It was very widespread in southeastern Albania until the 20th century. During the custom the girls and "young women gathered flowers," danced and sang, celebrating together with meals. After lunch. Or at the end of the day, they made a clay doll that they called Sun's Mother (Nëna e Diellit), put it on a tile and went outside the village——to bury the female figure. It was performed in silence and with all the appropriate seriousness of the death ceremony. The girls and young women mourned the mother goddess, pronouncing the typical verses Nënë moj nënë, kuku / erdhi dielli e s'të gjeti "Mother oh Mother, Alas, / the Sun came and didn't find you".
Folk tales※
Nëna e Diellit features as a deity in several Albanian folk tales. One of them has been collected by Albanologist Maximilian Lambertz and published under the title "Bei der Sonnenmutter" ※ in the collection Die geflügelte Schwester und die Dunklen der Erde: Albanische Volksmärchen ※. Another has been collected by Albanologist Robert Elsie and published under the title "The Snake and the King's Daughter" in the collection Albanian Folktales and Legends.
See also※
References※
Citations※
- ^ Golan 1991, p. 55; Daum 1998, p. 236; Golan 2003, pp. 93–94; Tirta 2004, pp. 259–260; Neziri 2015, p. 124.
- ^ Golan 1991, p. 55; Golan 2003, pp. 93–94
- ^ Tirta 2004, pp. 259–260
- ^ Lambertz 1952, p. 138
- ^ Elsie 2001, p. 98
- ^ Bovan 1985, p. 241.
- ^ Golan 1991, p. 55; Daum 1998, p. 236; Golan 2003, pp. 93–94; Tirta 2004, pp. 259–260; Neziri 2015, p. 124.
- ^ Daum 1998, p. 236; Tirta 2004, pp. 259–260; Neziri 2015, p. 124.
- ^ Daum 1998, p. 236; Tirta 2004, pp. 259–260; Neziri 2015, p. 124.
- ^ Tirta 2004, pp. 259–260
- ^ Neziri 2015, p. 124
- ^ Lambertz 1952, p. 138
- ^ Elsie 2001, p. 98
Bibliography※
- Bovan, Vlladimir (1985). "Branisllav Kërstiq, Indeks motiva narodnih pesama balkanskih Slovena SANU, Beograd 1984". Gjurmime Albanologjike: Folklor Dhe Etnologji (in Albanian). 15. Albanological Institute of Prishtina.
- Daum, Werner (1998). Albanien zwischen Kreuz und Halbmond. Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde. ISBN 9783701624614.
- Elsie, Robert (2001). Albanian Folktales and Legends. Dukagjini Publishing House.
- Golan, Ariel (1991). Myth and Symbol: Symbolism in Prehistoric Religions. A. Golan. ISBN 9789652222459.
- Golan, Ariel (2003). Prehistoric Religion: Mythology, Symbolism. A. Golan. ISBN 9789659055500.
- Lambertz, Maximilian (1952). Die geflügelte Schwester und die Dunklen der Erde: Albanische Volksmärchen. Das Gesicht der Völker (in German). Vol. 9. Im Erich.
- Neziri, Zeqirja (2015). Lirika gojore shqiptare (in Albanian). Skopje: Interlingua. ISBN 978-9989-173-52-3.
- Tirta, Mark (2004). Petrit Bezhani (ed.). Mitologjia ndër shqiptarë (in Albanian). Tirana: Mësonjëtorja. ISBN 99927-938-9-9.