- Karakoncolos
A malevolent creature from Northeast
Anatolia n Turk and Bulgarianfolklore . The Karakoncolos is a variety of thebogeyman - merely troublesome and rather harmless, but sometimes truly evil. It has thick hairy fur like theSasquatch . The name probably comes from the Greek "Kalikantzaros".Due to the late
Ottoman Turkish myth, they appear on the first ten days of Zemheri, 'the dreadful cold', when they stand on the murky corners, and ask ordinary questions to the passers-by. In order to avoid their mischief, one should answer each question, using the word "kara" (Turkish for 'black'), otherwise the creature would hit the victim dead with his harrow.It is also told in
Turkish folklore that the Karakoncolos call people out at the cold Zemheri nights, imitating the one's familiar voices. If one cannot wake up from the charm, one freezes to death.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 the evil and keep it away.
Source
*
Özhan Öztürk . (Black Sea : Encyclopedic Dictionary) Karadeniz Ansiklopedik Sözlük. 2 Vol. Heyamola Publishing. Istanbul. 2005 ISBN 975-6121-00-9
* [http://www.karalahana.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1923&Itemid=44 Karakoncolos, Karakura, Kukeri (Turkish)]External links
* [http://ultimate-bulgaria.com/kukeri3.jpgBulgarian kukeri pic]
* [http://www.bulgarian-guide.com/bulgarian-traditions/kukeri/ Article about Kukeri]
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