Drangue
Encyclopedia
In Albanian mythology, the drangue is a semi-human winged warrior. The goal of the drangue is to defeat the kulshedras and the enemies of the Albanian people.
s, with wings under their arms. Thunderstorms are conceived as battles between the drangues and the kulshedras. Drangues are believed to have slain a kulshedra, knocking her unconscious by throwing trees and boulders at her, and afterwards drowning her in Shkumbin
, a river in central Albania
.
: Highland Lute) -- one of the most important heroic epic
s of Albania—the drangues are presented as the personification of the Albanian Highlands
heroes, and are the central figures of the 16th and the 17th canto. In the 16th canto a kulshedra escapes from a cave in Shalë
to take revenge on Vocerr Bala, a drangue. A force of drangues gather and defeat the kulshedra. After the battle they are invited by oras, female protective spirits, to celebrate their victory.
In the 17th canto the central figures are two drangues named Rrustem Uka and Xhem Sadrija. After preparing for a wedding ceremony, they travel to Qafë Hardhi (English
: Grapevine Pass) to rest. While cleaning their weapons and smoking, they discover that eight Montenegrin battalions, consisting of three hundred soldiers led by Mark Milani, are marching against Plav
a and Gucia. The two drangues with the help of local shepherds manage to defend Qafë Hardhi and defeat the Montenegrin troops which retreat at Sutjeska.
, a region in northern Albania and southern Montenegro inhabited mostly by Albanians, the locals believe that the drangues exist and live among them.
Appearance
The drangues are semi-human warriors with extraordinary strength, giving them the ability to tear trees out of the ground and throw large boulders at their enemies. They are born wearing shirts and qelesheQeleshe
A qeleshe is a traditional skull cap, which is worn by Albanian men throughout Albania, in Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, and in the Arbëresh villages in Italy....
s, with wings under their arms. Thunderstorms are conceived as battles between the drangues and the kulshedras. Drangues are believed to have slain a kulshedra, knocking her unconscious by throwing trees and boulders at her, and afterwards drowning her in Shkumbin
Shkumbin
Shkumbin is a river in central Albania, flowing into the Adriatic Sea. It is considered the dividing line for the two dialects of the Albanian language: Tosk and Gheg ....
, a river in central Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
.
Highland lute
In the Lahuta e Malcis (EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Highland Lute) -- one of the most important heroic epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
s of Albania—the drangues are presented as the personification of the Albanian Highlands
Malësia
Malësia or Malësia e Madhe, is a historical geographical region in northern Albania and eastern Montenegro. It consists of an area of land that stretches from the southeast of Podgorica to northern shores of Lake Scutari, and includes much of the Malësi e Madhe District of Albania...
heroes, and are the central figures of the 16th and the 17th canto. In the 16th canto a kulshedra escapes from a cave in Shalë
Shalë
Shalë is a municipality in the Shkodër District, Shkodër County, northwestern Albania. The municipality covers the upper course of the river Shalë, and part of the Prokletije mountains. There are eleven small mountain villages in the municipality: Breg-Lumi, Abat, Nicaj-Shalë, Lekaj, Vuksanaj,...
to take revenge on Vocerr Bala, a drangue. A force of drangues gather and defeat the kulshedra. After the battle they are invited by oras, female protective spirits, to celebrate their victory.
In the 17th canto the central figures are two drangues named Rrustem Uka and Xhem Sadrija. After preparing for a wedding ceremony, they travel to Qafë Hardhi (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Grapevine Pass) to rest. While cleaning their weapons and smoking, they discover that eight Montenegrin battalions, consisting of three hundred soldiers led by Mark Milani, are marching against Plav
Plav
Plav Plav Plav (Montenegrin, (Albanian: Plav) is a town in north-eastern Montenegro. It has a population of 3,615 (2003 census).Plav is the centre of the municipality (population of 13,805),-Geography:...
a and Gucia. The two drangues with the help of local shepherds manage to defend Qafë Hardhi and defeat the Montenegrin troops which retreat at Sutjeska.
Modern beliefs
In MalësiaMalësia
Malësia or Malësia e Madhe, is a historical geographical region in northern Albania and eastern Montenegro. It consists of an area of land that stretches from the southeast of Podgorica to northern shores of Lake Scutari, and includes much of the Malësi e Madhe District of Albania...
, a region in northern Albania and southern Montenegro inhabited mostly by Albanians, the locals believe that the drangues exist and live among them.