8/26/2014

GYPSY DEMONS

Xalo (baldy): Roma that live in Rogatica believe that Xalo is a wind (bahval), i.e. a phantom, spirit.

Aždaha: is the same as Xalo, but it has hair on its body.

Prepeljaši: restless spirit, he sits in the dust.

Khasehko (spirit inside hay): when a gypsy goes into the field to steal hay and brings it with him, Khasehko sits on top of him and presses him so hard that he is unable to escape. That's why he must throw away half of the hay in order to escape.

Dromehko: If a person has been killed on a road, this demon appears in that spot and scares people.

Bibija or Bibi (plague) is among the Roma the most important deity and deamon. They also call her Tetka Bibija (Aunt Bibija) since centuries ago she saved them from the plague in Egypt. That's why they chose her for their deity. When they drink the Roma toast: "To Bibija's health! (Ande Bibijako sastipe!). Hasiba Salkanović from Čajnič described her in the following manner: "She is a forest divine woman which resides in large mountains, and great forests. She is tall, taller than humans, clad in a white dress, shining as if made out of gold. She can't walk she levitates. She flies at night so no one can see her. She hides from people. She appears only to honest and noble people. Bibija is a rich and beautiful woman, she doesn't have a husband nor children. She doesn't speak, nor sing, nor drink, nor eat. She enters homes but not the poor ones. When there is a big disease she appears as well and brings death to people. We then say: "Go to big men and big women, and hit them with the disease!" We defend ourselves from her by cutting a dogs, cats or a pigs ear and eating it. Then she can't hurt us. When we see her we say: "I eat your vagina, I eat your penis!"