Popobawa

Popobawa also Popo Bawa, is the name of an evil spirit, or shetani who is considered by residents have first appeared in the Tanzanian island of Pemba. In 1995, the focus of a major outbreak of hysteria or panic that has spread from Pemba to Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago, and across the Dar es Salaam and other urban centers of the East African coast. Meaning of

Popobawa is a Swahili name that literally translates to "bat-wing '(the Swahili popo," bat ", and Bawa," wing "). This name is said to have originated as a description of the dark shadow of the spirit, when he attacks at night, because it does not refer to the actual shape of the spirit, which is subject to change. Swahili speakers also use a plural form of the name - mapopobawa - to refer to multiple manifestations of the spirit feared. This plural is anglicized as "Popobawas Description and behavior

Popobawa is a shapeshifter and described as having different forms, not just a bat as the name implies. It can take a human or animal form, and metamorphosis of one another. Popobawa typically visits homes at night, but can also be seen during the day. It is sometimes associated with the presence of a pungent odor, but this is not always the case. Popobawa attacks men, women and children, and can attack all members of a family, before moving to another house in the neighborhood. Their nocturnal attacks may include simple assault and / or Poltergeist-like phenomena, but is the most feared sexual assault and sodomizing of adult men and women. Victims are often asked to tell others who were assaulted and threatened with repeated visits by Popobawa if they do not. During panic Popobawa many people try to protect themselves against attacks agreed to spend the night outside their homes, often gathered around a campfire with other family members and neighbors. Panics occur more frequently in Zanzibar, across the island of Pemba in the north and west and Unguja (Zanzibar) island, including the town of Zanzibar. The episodes were also reported in Dar es Salaam and other cities of the mainland coast of Tanzania Origin and history

As legendary creatures go, Popobawa is of fairly recent origin. The early history of popular Popobawa proposes that in the 1970s an angry sheikh released a Djinni to get revenge on their neighbors. The sheik lost control of the djinn, who took the devilish ways. [Citation needed] It has been argued that due to his past as a árabede Zanzibar slave market works, the story of Popobawa is an articulated social memory of the horrors of slavery (Parkin, 2004). Many of the legends on Zanzibar came settlers and traders in the past, including the Arabs, Portuguese, Indians, Chinese, British, Persians and Africans. Popobawa modern panics


Reports of attacks Popobawa rise and fall with the election cycle in Zanzibar, although victims argue Popobawa is apolitical. reports has increased dramatically Popobawa relatively recent in 1995. A wave of attacks was reported in Dar es Salaam in 2007 Residents claim that Popobawa becomes enraged if their existence is denied. Popobawa spoke to a group of villagers on Pemba in 1971 through a girl possessed by the monster. The girl, called Fatuma, spoke of man's deep voice, and then, residents say they heard the sound of a car speeding up and whisper in a nearby rooftop. Many who believe the islands charms exorcismose place at the base of fig trees or sacrificing goats

Believe it or not, I actually remember hearing about these attacks years ago.

I tried asking around since then, but most people I know think I'm just making it up I never really expected to hear about them again.

how long before syfy makes a stupid movie based on it?

seriously...the djinn is from the Islamic tradition. presumably there's a (spiritual) border in Africa where Moslem meets Pagan. maybe they'll come up with a sort of syncretic mythos.