Spirit

Popobawa


Published
Popobawa seen with its bat-like wings and head resting on a forest floor

Popobawa is an evil spirit (shetani) in the folklore of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is part of the United Republic of Tanzania in East Africa. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean consisting of several islands, including Zanzibar (also known as Unguja) and Pemba Islands. Recurrent episodes of Popobawa mass hysteria in Zanzibar reportedly originated on … Read more

Kelpies, Each-Uisge, and Water Horses


Published
The kelpie in the form of a huge horse able to run across the ocean. Seen here at night trying to lure a human on to its back.

Scottish and Celtic folklore is rich with stories of various shape-shifting water horses, from the kelpie to the Gaelic each-uisge. They all share some similarities, but there are some differences, though often, these subtleties are lost in translation or get a little mixed up. The tales have been mostly passed down by word of mouth, so … Read more