Pemba – The Popobawa

Pemba · Tanzania · Haunted site

On Pemba they tell of the Popobawa, the bat-winged spirit that comes by night – whole villages have kept vigil by their fires to hold it at bay.

The Popobawa – Swahili for 'bat-wing' – is a shape-shifting evil spirit that tradition says first appeared on the island of Pemba in 1965. The spirit is said to attack people in their sleep, and those who deny its existence are held to be most at risk of a visit. In the spring of 1995, the Popobawa triggered a mass panic that spread from Pemba to Zanzibar's main island and on to the mainland: whole families slept outdoors around fires, keeping watch together against the spirit. The Popobawa returns in waves in the islands' storytelling tradition and ranks as East Africa's most feared modern spirit.

FAQ

Where is Pemba – The Popobawa located?

Pemba – The Popobawa is in Pemba, Tanzania.

More haunted places in Pemba

• The Amboni Caves, Tanga Tanga · Natural site
• The Dunga Palace Ruins, Zanzibar Zanzibar · Ruin

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.