The Popobawa
A shape-shifting demon or jinni, blamed for nocturnal assaults in Zanzibar in the 1990s.
- Region
- Zanzibar
- Country
- Tanzania
- Category
- Folklore
- Date
- 1990
- Continent
- Africa
The report
The Popobawa is a creature from Zanzibar folklore, described as a shape-shifting jinni or demon. According to reports, it is known to attack individuals in their sleep, often in the middle of the night. The Popobawa is said to be capable of turning into various forms, including a large, monstrous figure. Victims report being assaulted in their beds, and the creature is often associated with fear and a sense of paralysis. Popobawa sightings peaked in the 1990s, with widespread hysteria in Zanzibar, though skeptics attribute the phenomenon to mass panic or hallucinations.
Sources and further reading
Location
-6.1659, 39.2026