Karakoncolos
Encyclopedia
The Karankoncolos is a malevolent creature from Northeast Anatolia
n Turkish and Bulgarian folklore
. It is a variety of bogeyman
, usually merely troublesome and rather harmless, but sometimes truly evil. It has thick hairy fur like the Sasquatch. The name probably comes from the Greek Kalikantzaros
.
According to late Ottoman
Turkish myth, they appear on the first ten days of Zemheri, 'the dreadful cold', when they stand on murky corners, and ask seemingly ordinary questions to the passers-by. In order to escape harm, one should answer each question, using the word "kara" (the Turkish
word for 'black'), or risk being struck dead by the creature.
It was also said in Turkish folklore
that the Karakoncolos could call people out during the cold Zemheri nights, by imitating voices of loved ones. The Karakoncolos' victim risked freezing to death if he or she could not awake from the charm.
The Bulgarian name of the creature is Karakondjul (or Karakondjol, Bulgarian: Караконджол). The Karakondjul walks at night. Koukeri
(or kukeri) is the name of a Bulgarian custom, the purpose of which is to scare away the evil creature and avoid contact with it.
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n Turkish and Bulgarian folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
. It is a variety of bogeyman
Bogeyman
A bogeyman is an amorphous imaginary being used by adults to frighten children into compliant behaviour...
, usually merely troublesome and rather harmless, but sometimes truly evil. It has thick hairy fur like the Sasquatch. The name probably comes from the Greek Kalikantzaros
Kallikantzaros
A Kallikantzaros pl. Kallikantzaroi is a malevolent goblin in Greek folk tradition. They dwell underground but come to the surface during the twelve days of Christmas, from 25 December to 6 January...
.
According to late Ottoman
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
Turkish myth, they appear on the first ten days of Zemheri, 'the dreadful cold', when they stand on murky corners, and ask seemingly ordinary questions to the passers-by. In order to escape harm, one should answer each question, using the word "kara" (the Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
word for 'black'), or risk being struck dead by the creature.
It was also said in Turkish folklore
Turkish folklore
The tradition of folklore—folktales, jokes, legends, and the like—in the Turkish language is very rich, and is incorporated into everyday life and events.-Nasreddin Hoca:...
that the Karakoncolos could call people out during the cold Zemheri nights, by imitating voices of loved ones. The Karakoncolos' victim risked freezing to death if he or she could not awake from the charm.
The Bulgarian name of the creature is Karakondjul (or Karakondjol, Bulgarian: Караконджол). The Karakondjul walks at night. Koukeri
Kukeri
Kukeri is a traditional Bulgarian ritual to scare away evil spirits, with a costumed man performing the ritual. The costumes cover most of the body and include decorated wooden masks of animals and large bells attached to the belt...
(or kukeri) is the name of a Bulgarian custom, the purpose of which is to scare away the evil creature and avoid contact with it.
Source
- Özhan ÖztürkÖzhan ÖztürkÖzhan Öztürk is a Turkish writer and researcher. He was a writer for the first Turkish Folklore Encyclopaedia and first encyclopaedic dictionary of the culture, folklore of the peoples Black Sea region of Turkey.- Works :...
. (Black SeaBlack SeaThe Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
: Encyclopedic Dictionary) Karadeniz Ansiklopedik Sözlük. 2 Vol. Heyamola Publishing. Istanbul. 2005 ISBN 975-6121-00-9 - Karakoncolos, Karakura, Kukeri (Turkish)