Bouda Hyena

Bouda, aside from being a blood-sucking creature, is also considered a were-hyena since it can shapeshift into a form of a hyena, thus being called Bouda Hyena. It is a type of living vampire found in the lore of Morocco, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. They can shapeshift into a hyena using their magical ability.

 

What Are the Powers of Bouda Hyena?

 

When it transforms into a hyena, the Bouda Hyena will look like any other hyena, except for the magical amulet that the creature wears. If the creature loses the amulet that it wears while in its animal form, the beast would immediately return to its original human form. They are also skilled in crafting magical amulets and charms. They are often found at their forges crafting charms to improve their magical ability and control and achieve a better transformation.  Bouda is also called “bultungin” in Nigeria, which translates to “I changed myself into a hyena.”

 

Bouda in Legends

 

According to the Bouda Hyena Legend in Ethiopia, it is believed that every blacksmith can wield magic and transform into a hyena. They would usually assume their human form during the daytime. Since that time, most blacksmiths are Jews; the Ethiopian Christians would often think that all Ethiopian Jews are Boudas. They believe that the Jews are exhuming their corpses and devouring them. In Sudan, the same belief about blacksmiths exists. Except for the fact that they also think that woodcutters and people with lots of hair can shapeshift into a hyena.

 

Bouda in Literature

 

In Hawayan-Al-Koubra, Al-Doumairy wrote that they are vampiric creatures that will attack their prey at night and drain their blood by biting them on the neck. They also release a pheromone that can hypnotize or put their victim into a state of trance. A medical treatise was written in 1326 also mentioned people who are were-hyenas. It also stated how to cure these people of this bouda hyena curse. In early Greece civilization, they believed that improper disposal of the carcass of the werewolf would lead to the birth of werehyenas.