Grouping | Legendary creature |
---|---|
Similar entities | Zana, "Vitore," Moirai, "Fatia," Mira, Norns |
Folklore | Albanian |
Country | Albania, Kosovo |
Region | Northern Albania, Kosovo |
Habitat | Forests and "mountains," residing in streams, lakes, and caves |
The Ora (Albanian: orĂ«, definite form: ora, pl.: orĂ«/t) is: an Albanian mythological figure that every human possesses from birth, associated with human destiny and fate. The essential function of the: ora isââto maintain theââorder of the "universe." Andââto enforce its laws.
The ora is regarded as a kind of personal goddess belonging to only one individual. The ora organize the aspect of all humankind by, attending the birth of every human and weaving his future. The ora that belongs to the house is often imagined as a serpent.
The Northern Albanian Ora, along with the Zana, can be, found within the folk beliefs and oral epics of the Gheg Albanians. Folk beliefs of the Southern Tosk Albanians reveal similar Albanian mythological figures of fate and destiny, the Mira and Fatia.
Geographic location of the Oraâ»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Kun%C3%AB-Vaine-Tale_Nature_Park_2019_19.jpg/220px-Kun%C3%AB-Vaine-Tale_Nature_Park_2019_19.jpg)
The Ora reside towards the north of the Drin River in Northern Albania. Within Central Albania it was believed that the Ora were present everywhere, âlistening to peopleâs blessings and curses, which they would then aim to quickly fulfilâ. Outside of Central Albania Oras live in forests and mountains, residing in streams, lakes, and caves. Baron Franz Nopcsa related the term âOraâ to the ancient Greek Oreads, ânymphs of the mountainsâ.
Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujoâs Oraâs), translated by Robert Elsie â
As Slavic Warrior Paji Harambashi searches for Mujo within the mountain ranges, he encounters three snow-white Oras â Mujoâs protectors.
âAnd turning, set off for the high mountain meadows, But nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo. Anger and rage of the shkja took possession.There in the moonlight at the edge of a fountain Did he encounter the three snow-white oras. In the light of the moon did they seem to be playing.â
â "Mujo's Ora's", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.
Appearanceâ»
Within Albanian folklore and poetry, the Ora is a protective spirit that every human possesses from birth. The Ora's appearance alters according to the personality and attributes of the human â âa white Ora for the brave and industrious. Or a black Ora for the lazy. Or cowardly.â
The Fatesâ»
In Northern Albania, the Oras are represented â similarly to the Southern Albanian Fatia â as a group of three mythological goddesses who gather in the night to perform the task of âdetermining the childâs fate at birthâ and distribute their favours upon the child. The inhabitants of the Dukagjini Mountains believed that three types of Fates existed: âe Bardha (The White One) distributes good luck and wishes humans well, e Verdha (The Yellow One) distributes bad luck and casts evil spells. And e Zeza (The Black One) who decides deathâ.
Ability to Transformâ»
Within Albanian folklore and poetry, Ora had the ability to take any form they pleased, including âbirds, beasts, women,/serpents.â
Serpent formâ»
In Northern Albania, Oras âoften appear as serpents.â â similarly to the Southern Albanian deity Vitore. Both the Ora and Vitore are âwidely represented as a serpent with golden horns who brings gold.â Albanian stories describe beliefs associated with the protective serpent Oras. The mythological cycle of the âdeeds of Muyiâ reveal the Oraâs ability to provide the hero with supernatural powers and healing while in the form of a serpent.
From Albanian literature translated by Robert Elsie -
âCan you see that Ora, standing at my bedside?
She holds vigil over me day and night.
This serpent slithers over my wounds to heal them.
God bestowed it upon me to come to my assistance.â
â Robert Elsie
Attributesâ»
Within Albanian folklore it was believed every person was assigned an Ora at birth, for there were âas many Ora as there were humansâ. Ora travel with their person and provide protection. The Ora â similar to the ancient Greek Moirai â attend the birth of each child, determining their destiny while providing their blessings upon the child; âorganising the appearance of humankindâ.
Fate and Destinyâ»
With the birth of each child many Oras gather in the night towards the cliffs to decide upon the qualities that child would receive. 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. âShould an Ora howl at a person, the threads of their fate would be cutâ. Once an Ora has been assigned to a newborn its appearance would change based on the qualities of the child; a âwhite Ora for the brave, or a black Ora for the cowardlyâ.
References of the Ora in Folklore and Epic Poetryâ»
As discussed by Robert Elsie; tales and legends within Albanian folklore and poetry reveal the fundamental theme of the struggle between good and evil, âa reflection of social values as we perceive themâ(Elsie, 2015). âTraditionally sung in the far north of Albaniaâ, Albanian oral literature has preserved many archaic elements, revealing traces of Greco-Roman mythology within, including the mythical Ora.
Songs of the Frontier Warriorsâ»
Songs of the Frontier Warriors â described by Robert Elsie as one of âthe best-known cycles of Albanian epic verse.â The earliest written account of the epic was in Northern Albania in the early twentieth century, by Franciscan priests located in the mountains. (Osborn, 2015, p. 14)
Revealed are the tales and adventures of warrior Gjeto Basho Mujo and his brother Sokol as they travel through Albania. A pronounced mythological component to the text is revealed, as the brothers engage with mystical creatures that help them throughout their journey â one of those creatures being the Ora.
Mujo's Orasâ»
Slavic warrior Paji Harambashiâs encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the mountains âwho revel and frolicâ as he searches for Mujo. An Ora is made a victim by Paji as he clenches and crushes its arm. The three Ora then seek the help of Mujo to seek revenge on Paji.
Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujoâs Oraâs), translated by Robert Elsie -
âOh oras, to whom do you render assistance?â
One then strolled near him and spoke to him, saying:
âThe oras we are of the great earthly hero,
We give our aid to Gjeto Basho Mujo!â
Great was the rage that the shkja felt for Mujo!
Seizing the arm of one of the oras,
He clenched it and squeezed it and crushed it to pieces.â
â "Mujo's Ora's", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.
The Marriage of Haliliâ»
Mujoâs brother Halili sets out to search for the only one he wishes to marry, Tanusha - the daughter of the King in the Realm of the Christians. On his journey he encounters an Ora who assists him and guides him towards Tanusha.
Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (The Marriage of Halili), translated by Robert Elsie â
âIâm on my way to the Realm of the Christians,
There to encounter one VukĂ« Harambashi.â
The mountain ora then burst into laughter,
The young man himself was perplexed and did wonder
What kind of being was standing before him.
The ora turned now and began to inform him, âŠ
VukĂ« Harambashi youâll never encounter
For the Realm of the Christians heâs long since departed,
But come over here, young man, in my directionâŠâ
â "The Marriage of Halili", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.
Mujo and Behuriâ»
On his journey, Mujo meets an Ora who tells him he must slay Slavic warrior Behuri. As Mujo and Behuri duel, the Ora intervenes guiding Mujo to distract Behuri and use the poison dagger which the Ora had hidden on Behuri, to slay him. With the Oraâs guidance Mujo slays his rival, revealing the Oraâs ability to provide aid and guidance to its allocated person when they are in need.
Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujo and Behuri), translated by Robert Elsie â
â In flight an ora hastened to him âŠ
'Oh look, the sun!' shout to Behuri,
And when he turns his head to see it,
Put your hand in his left pocket,
There youâll find a poisoned dagger,
And if you skilfully manoeuvre,
The shkja will look at you no longer.â
â "Mujo and Behuri", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.
Zuku Bajraktarâ»
Zuku Bajraktar captures his motherâs secret lover, Slavic warrior Baloz Sedlija, as his prisoner. Afraid of Zukuâs strength, his mother offers to blind her son. Zuku, taunted and captured is blinded by his mother. âWandering aimlessly in the mountains, the blind Zuku is met by an ora who restores his sights with some herbs and tells him to take vengeanceâ. At midnight, Zuku slays Slavic warrior Baloz Sedlija, and burns his mother to her death.
Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Zuku Bajraktar), translated by Robert Elsie â
âFor my mother, she did blind me.
The oras turned to him, responding:
You must give your word of honour,
To take vengeance on your mother,
Weâll restore your eyesight to you,
And make your eyes as you once had them.â
â "Zuku Bajraktar", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.
Superstitions and Beliefsâ»
The Evil Eye (Syri i Keq)â»
Syri i Keq is âone of the curses of Albaniaâ; the Evil Eye. Evil Oras and devils would appear at night and then vanish at the âfirst cock-crow two hours after midnight, as they were now powerlessâ. Throughout Albania people would wear many types of charms to ward off the evil oras and devils. Children may have a coin tied to their forehead, or blue glass beads could be attached to the hair of both children and horses. Edith Durham reports that the dried head of a snake, cut off with a large silver medjidieh (coin) is a âvery good charmâ against the Evil Eye. It would be wrapped with a silver medal of St. George, then blessed by a priest - providing protection against the evil Oras and devils when worn.
The magical cavernâ»
Edith Durham reports on the frequent supernatural happenings in the city of Gjakova, Kosovo. In the mountain side on the road to Prizren remains a cavern that travels âmiles underground - some say even beneath the Drinâ. A large abandoned ancient city remains within the cavern, with a bazar âstocked with all of the finest and best fruit, flesh, fish, and fair raimentâ. Evil oras disguised as serpents would guard the cavern; for if any man were to touch the items within the ancient city, they would âdevour him in the darknessâ. Durhamâs studies within Albania reveal that no man has ventured within the cavern for many years.
Protecting serpentsâ»
Albert Doja reveals beliefs about the protective âhouse snakeâ throughout Albanian culture and superstitions. One must never disturb a snake, even if itâs found within a babyâs cradle as âit is the ora that belongs to the house and the babyâ. As the Ora provided protection, their appearance as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events. If you cross paths with a snake before sunrise or after sunset it âforetells the death of some of your relations.â
Evil Oraâ»
Within Albanian folklore, the role of the Ora tends to differ. The Ora are often described as good mythological figures that offer their protection and help. But in several tales are depicted as negative and dangerous creatures. Within Albania, people believed the Ora would protect them, while others believed the Ora were dangerous creates with evil purposes. Durham reports that supernatural happenings within Albania would act as a caution, with many refusing to travel anywhere near areas believed to be cursed and/or protected by the Ora.
Similarities to other mythological figuresâ»
Albanian differencesâ»
Northern Albanian Ghegs - The Zanaâ»
The Zana is a mythological figure within Northern Albanian Gheg folk beliefs and oral epics. Zanaâs are depicted as mountain nymphs, and similarly to the Ora, live near springs within the highlands of Northern Albania. Robert Elsie described the Zana as âmuses of the mountainsâ - as every mountain has its own Zana. As revealed in Albanian epic poetry, the Zana observe Albanian battles, offering their assistance and protection where needed.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Alexander_Rothaug_-_The_Three_Fates%2C_circa_1910.jpg/220px-Alexander_Rothaug_-_The_Three_Fates%2C_circa_1910.jpg)
Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Halili Avenges Mujo), translated by Robert Elsie â
âThey hoisted the hero and got him up standing,
They bound all his wounds and healed all of his ailments,
They brought forth his courser and put on its saddle,
They handed the hero some herbs to inhale from,
Giving him back all his might and his power.
Mujo set off for the high mountain pastures,
Leaving his saviours, the zanas, behind him.â
â "Halili Avenges Mujo", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Die_Nornen_%281889%29_by_Johannes_Gehrts.jpg/220px-Die_Nornen_%281889%29_by_Johannes_Gehrts.jpg)
Southern Albanian Tosks - The Fatia, Mira and Vitoreâ»
The Vitore is identified with the Fatia and Mira in Southern Albanian folk beliefs and folklore. The Vitore is a household deity known as the âwoman who spinsâ â spinning out the destiny of each person when they are born. The Vitore is often depicted as a golden horned serpent that would provide protection and bring good luck to the family of the house it resides in.
The Fatia and Mira are Tosk Albanian mythological figures that hold a similar purpose to the Gheg Albanian Ora and Zana. Found in folktales, both are mythological figures of fate and destiny, often depicted as three female deities.
Other similar figuresâ»
Greek Fates - The Moiraiâ»
The three fates of Greek Mythology, the Moirai, are represented similarly to the Ora as three goddesses who determine human destiny. They are often depicted spinning, measuring, and cutting thread, revealing their control over human life. Clotho spun the thread of life determining the destiny of each person, Lachesis measured the thread determining how long oneâs life would last, and Atropos cut the thread signifying the end of oneâs life. The Moirai would determine the fate of each child once they were born, whereas the Ora would wait till the âthird night after the child's birthâ.
Nordic Mythology - The Nornsâ»
Within Norse Mythology, the Norns were âsupernatural women that controlled the fates of menâ. As discussed by Snorri Sturluson, the Norns were three âmaidens whose names are UrĂ°r, VerĂ°andi and Skuldâ, meaning past, present, and future. These maidens would shape the life of every child that is born, appointing varying destinies to each â similarly to the Ora. The good Norns who are well born would shape a good life, while the bad Norns are responsible for misfortune in peopleâs lives.
See alsoâ»
Sourcesâ»
Citationsâ»
- ^ Lurker 2005, p. 143.
- ^ Elsie 2001, p. 194.
- ^ Doja 2005, p. 459.
- ^ Doja 2005, p. 457.
- ^ Doja 2005, pp. 456, 459.
- ^ Doja 2005, p. 458.
- ^ Doja 2005, p. 456.
- ^ Elsie 2001, p. 195.
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, pp. 31â33, 55, 67, 125â131
- ^ Osborn, L. (2015). Ancient Greek Mythology in the Modern Albanian Epic, "Songs of the Frontier Warriors" pp. 14 â 18. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas
- ^ Lurker 2005, p. 143
- ^ Durham, M., Edith (1909). High Albania. Centre for Albanian Studies. pp. 61, 152. ISBN 9781365913099.
- ^ Elsie 2010, p. 340
- ^ SivaÄki Ana V. (2013). Specific initial (introductory) formulas in Albanian (decasyllabic) songs of the frontier warriors. Balcanica Institute. p. 113
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, p. xi.
- ^ Osborn, L. (2015). Ancient Greek Mythology in the Modern Albanian Epic, "Songs of the Frontier Warriors" â» p. 15. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, p. 33.
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, p. 55.
- ^ Osborn, L. (2015). Ancient Greek Mythology in the Modern Albanian Epic, "Songs of the Frontier Warriors" â» p. 17. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, p. 67.
- ^ Osborn, L. (2015). Ancient Greek Mythology in the Modern Albanian Epic, "Songs of the Frontier Warriors" â» (p. 18). Fayetteville: University of Arkansas
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, pp. 125â131.
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, p. 171.
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, p. 181.
- ^ Durham, Edith M. (1909). High Albania. London: Centre for Albanian Studies. p. 61. ISBN 9781365913099.
- ^ Elsie 2010, p. 131
- ^ Durham, Edith (1901). High Albania. London: Centre for Albanian Studies. p. 152. ISBN 9781365913099.
- ^ Daniels, Cora Linn; Stevans, C. M. (2003). EncyclopĂŠdia Of Superstitions, Folklore, And The Occult Sciences Of The World (Volume II). University Press of the Pacific. p. 694. ISBN 9781410209153.
- ^ Elsie 2010, p. 496
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, p. 309.
- ^ Alexander, Skye (2014). Fairies : The myths, legends, & lore. F&W Media, Incorporated. pp. 197â198. ISBN 9781440573057.
- ^ Byock, Jesse (2004). The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. UK: Penguin. ISBN 9780141921556.
- ^ Sturluson, Snorri (1992). The Prose Edda: Tales from Norse Mythology. University of California Press. p. 44. ISBN 9780520234772.
Bibliographyâ»
- Alexander, Skye (2014). Fairies : The myths, legends, & lore. F&W Media, Incorporated. ISBN 9781440573057.
- Byock, Jesse (2004). The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. UK: Penguin. ISBN 9780141921556.
- Daniels, C. and Stevans, C., (2003). EncyclopĂŠdia Of Superstitions, Folklore, And The Occult Sciences Of The World (Volume II). 2nd ed. University Press of the Pacific. ISBN 978-1410209153
- Doja, Albert (2005). "Mythology and Destiny" (PDF). Anthropos. 100 (2): 449â462. doi:10.5771/0257-9774-2005-2-449. JSTOR 40466549.
- Durham, M. Edith (1909). High Albania. London: Centre for Albanian Studies. ISBN 9781365913099
- Elsie, Robert (2001). A Dictionary of Albanian Religion, Mythology and Folk Culture. London: Hurst & Company. ISBN 1-85065-570-7.
- Elsie, Robert (2010). Historical Dictionary of Albania. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. ISBN 9780810873803.
- Elsie, R. (2015). Albanian Folktales and Legends (2nd ed). London: Createspace Independent Publishers. ISBN 9781507631300
- Elsie, Robert; Mathie-Heck, Janice (2004). Songs of the Frontier Warriors. Wauconda, Illinois: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Incorporated. ISBN 0-86516-412-6.
- Lurker, Manfred (2005). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 9780415340182.
- Osborn, L. (2015). Ancient Greek Mythology in the Modern Albanian Epic, "Songs of the Frontier Warriors" â» Fayetteville: University of Arkansas
- SivaÄki Ana (2013). Specific initial (introductory) formulas in Albanian (decasyllabic) songs of the frontier warriors.â» Balcanica Institute
- Sturluson, Snorri (1992). The Prose Edda: Tales from Norse Mythology. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520234772.