Mitologjia Shqiptare

Kore (Kelmendi child-eating demon)

Kore

Elsie Kore: Kelmendi child-eating demon; Easter burn Selcë/Vukël

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Description

Female child-eating demon of the Kelmendi. Elsie 2001 s.v. Kore: northern Albanian mythology; in the mountain towns of Selca and Vukël the kore used to be burnt symbolically during Easter processions. cf. Çabej 1966:370; Lambertz 1973:485. She is not Greek Kore/Persephone (homonym only), nor the blood-witch Shtriga, nor nursery Gogol.

Features

  • child-eating demon (Elsie)
  • symbolically burnt in Easter processions at Selcë/Vukël (Elsie)

Lead story

In Kelmendi they named a female demon who eats children — Kore. In Selcë and Vukël, Easter processions once burnt her in effigy. Elsie keeps the rite and the fear. She is not the Greek maiden of that name, and not the moth-witch Shtriga of the cradle.

Aliases

Kore · Kora (orthographic)

Region

Kelmendi tribe (northern Albania); Selcë and Vukël Easter processions

Relations

Linked stories

  • Kore of Kelmendi (Easter effigy)Recorded

    Elsie: Kelmendi female child-eating demon; burnt symbolically in Easter processions at Selcë and Vukël. Not Greek Kore; not Shtriga.