Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Fictional bloodsuckers also show up in other cultures
Although we typically hear more about vampires in October, the supernatural figure has been around for centuries. The vampire has been passed down through generations in stories and folklore in many cultures, according to information gathered from www.monstrous.com.
In Greco-Roman stories there existed Lamia, who was a female vampire. Her children died, and she went mad and began to feed on other children. It is said that because of her ghastly deeds, her face became unsightly and she stayed out of the daylight to hide it.
The Rakshasa was a vampire and magician in Indian mythology. The figure shows up as a human with animal-like qualities, or an animal with human-like qualities.
A Mexican shape-shifter, the Tlahuelpuchi, sucked the blood of infants and used the form of a human being. These creatures were born as humans but inherited what would seem like a disease. At puberty, their demon-like characteristics would begin to show and they would soon need human blood to sustain themselves.
Another figure is Veshtitza, a Serbian spirit who would inhabit the bodies of hens and black moths. She fed on small infants and only during the night. Usually clusters of these creatures lived together.
Even though versions of vampire-like creatures differ from culture to culture, they always share one thing in common: a desire and need for blood.
In our society, though, the vampire has evolved from a ravenous creature, like those slayed by Buffy, to a less- threatening and handsome figure, such as Edward Cullen of "Twilight."
