Nëna e Diellit ("the Mother of the Sun" or "the Sun's Mother") is a mother goddess in Albanian folk beliefs. A sacred ritual called "the funeral of the Sun's Mother" was very widespread in southeastern Albania until the 20th century.[1] She has been described by scholars as a heaven goddess[2] and a goddess of agriculture, livestock, and earth fertility, as suggested by the sacred ritual dedicated to her.[3] Nëna e Diellit also features as a deity in Albanian folk tales.[4][5] Nëna e Diellit represents a manifestation of the personification of the Sun in Albanian mythology.[6]
A sacred ritual called "funeral of the Sun's Mother" consisted in burying a female figure that probably personified a seasonal phase of the mother goddess. Occurring at the end of May, it was the last festival of the spring cycle, coinciding with the feast of Pentecost (Rusica).[7] It was very widespread in southeastern Albania until the 20th century.[8] During the custom the girls and young women gathered flowers, danced and sang, celebrating together with meals. After lunch or at the end of the day, they made a clay doll that they called Sun's Mother (Nëna e Diellit), put it on a tile and went outside the village to bury the female figure.[9] It was performed in silence and with all the appropriate seriousness of the death ceremony.[10] The girls and young women mourned the mother goddess, pronouncing the typical verses Nënë moj nënë, kuku / erdhi dielli e s'të gjeti "Mother oh Mother, Alas, / the Sun came and didn't find you".[11]
Folk talesedit
Nëna e Diellit features as a deity in several Albanian folk tales. One of them has been collected by Albanologist Maximilian Lambertz and published under the title "Bei der Sonnenmutter" ["At the Sun's Mother"] in the collection Die geflügelte Schwester und die Dunklen der Erde: Albanische Volksmärchen [The Winged Sister and the Dark Ones of the Earth: Albanian Folk Tales].[12] Another has been collected by Albanologist Robert Elsie and published under the title "The Snake and the King's Daughter" in the collection Albanian Folktales and Legends.[13]
Bovan, Vlladimir (1985). "Branisllav Kërstiq, Indeks motiva narodnih pesama balkanskih Slovena SANU, Beograd 1984". Gjurmime albanologjike: Folklor dhe etnologji (in Albanian). 15. Albanological Institute of Prishtina.
Lambertz, Maximilian (1952). Die geflügelte Schwester und die Dunklen der Erde: Albanische Volksmärchen. Das Gesicht der Völker (in German). Vol. 9. Im Erich.
Neziri, Zeqirja (2015). Lirika gojore shqiptare (in Albanian). Skopje: Interlingua. ISBN978-9989-173-52-3.
Tirta, Mark (2004). Petrit Bezhani (ed.). Mitologjia ndër shqiptarë (in Albanian). Tirana: Mësonjëtorja. ISBN99927-938-9-9.
April 11, 2024
nëna, diellit, mother, mother, mother, goddess, albanian, folk, beliefs, sacred, ritual, called, funeral, mother, very, widespread, southeastern, albania, until, 20th, century, been, described, scholars, heaven, goddess, goddess, agriculture, livestock, earth,. Nena e Diellit the Mother of the Sun or the Sun s Mother is a mother goddess in Albanian folk beliefs A sacred ritual called the funeral of the Sun s Mother was very widespread in southeastern Albania until the 20th century 1 She has been described by scholars as a heaven goddess 2 and a goddess of agriculture livestock and earth fertility as suggested by the sacred ritual dedicated to her 3 Nena e Diellit also features as a deity in Albanian folk tales 4 5 Nena e Diellit represents a manifestation of the personification of the Sun in Albanian mythology 6 Contents 1 Ritual 2 Folk tales 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 BibliographyRitual editA sacred ritual called funeral of the Sun s Mother consisted in burying a female figure that probably personified a seasonal phase of the mother goddess Occurring at the end of May it was the last festival of the spring cycle coinciding with the feast of Pentecost Rusica 7 It was very widespread in southeastern Albania until the 20th century 8 During the custom the girls and young women gathered flowers danced and sang celebrating together with meals After lunch or at the end of the day they made a clay doll that they called Sun s Mother Nena e Diellit put it on a tile and went outside the village to bury the female figure 9 It was performed in silence and with all the appropriate seriousness of the death ceremony 10 The girls and young women mourned the mother goddess pronouncing the typical verses Nene moj nene kuku erdhi dielli e s te gjeti Mother oh Mother Alas the Sun came and didn t find you 11 Folk tales editNena e Diellit features as a deity in several Albanian folk tales One of them has been collected by Albanologist Maximilian Lambertz and published under the title Bei der Sonnenmutter At the Sun s Mother in the collection Die geflugelte Schwester und die Dunklen der Erde Albanische Volksmarchen The Winged Sister and the Dark Ones of the Earth Albanian Folk Tales 12 Another has been collected by Albanologist Robert Elsie and published under the title The Snake and the King s Daughter in the collection Albanian Folktales and Legends 13 See also editZonja e DheutReferences editCitations edit Golan 1991 p 55 Daum 1998 p 236 Golan 2003 pp 93 94 Tirta 2004 pp 259 260 Neziri 2015 p 124 Golan 1991 p 55 Golan 2003 pp 93 94 Tirta 2004 pp 259 260 Lambertz 1952 p 138 Elsie 2001 p 98 Bovan 1985 p 241 Golan 1991 p 55 Daum 1998 p 236 Golan 2003 pp 93 94 Tirta 2004 pp 259 260 Neziri 2015 p 124 Daum 1998 p 236 Tirta 2004 pp 259 260 Neziri 2015 p 124 Daum 1998 p 236 Tirta 2004 pp 259 260 Neziri 2015 p 124 Tirta 2004 pp 259 260 Neziri 2015 p 124 Lambertz 1952 p 138 Elsie 2001 p 98 Bibliography edit Bovan Vlladimir 1985 Branisllav Kerstiq Indeks motiva narodnih pesama balkanskih Slovena SANU Beograd 1984 Gjurmime albanologjike Folklor dhe etnologji in Albanian 15 Albanological Institute of Prishtina Daum Werner 1998 Albanien zwischen Kreuz und Halbmond Staatliches Museum fur Volkerkunde ISBN 9783701624614 Elsie Robert 2001 Albanian Folktales and Legends Dukagjini Publishing House Golan Ariel 1991 Myth and Symbol Symbolism in Prehistoric Religions ISBN 9789652222459 Golan Ariel 2003 Prehistoric Religion Mythology Symbolism ISBN 9789659055500 Lambertz Maximilian 1952 Die geflugelte Schwester und die Dunklen der Erde Albanische Volksmarchen Das Gesicht der Volker in German Vol 9 Im Erich Neziri Zeqirja 2015 Lirika gojore shqiptare in Albanian Skopje Interlingua ISBN 978 9989 173 52 3 Tirta Mark 2004 Petrit Bezhani ed Mitologjia nder shqiptare in Albanian Tirana Mesonjetorja ISBN 99927 938 9 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nena e Diellit amp oldid 1205840252, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
