Every culture has its share of mythical creatures and urban legends. In this episode, we will travel to The United Republic of Tanzania, specifically the island of Zanzibar to discuss the terrifying shape-shifting creature that haunts the night… The Popobawa.

Popobawa is a Swahili word meaning “bat wing,” but locals believe it to be an evil spirit that attacks people in their sleep. The first reported sightings occurred on Pemba Island, Tanzania in 1965 during a period of political upheaval.

According to legend, an angry sheik unleashed a jinn for revenge against enemies, though he lost control of the supernatural being. A jinn is described as an intelligent spirit of lower rank than angels, capable of shape-shifting and possessing humans. Some versions hold that Zanzibar was once the site of an Arab slave market, and the Popobawa manifested from the suffering of that era.

Descriptions portray the Popobawa as a giant bat with enormous wings, a single eye, gray skin, and a six-foot penis. Its hallmark is sexually assaulting victims as they sleep, preying indiscriminately on men, women, and children alike. Attacks may involve only poltergeist activity or physical violence rather than rape. He is said to smell like sulfur

By day, it can assume human form. The legend states the creature pins humans down to rape them for up to an hour, driving some to take refuge sleeping outdoors.

Survivors must recount their ordeal, as the Popobawa seeks to spread fear. Failure to do so allegedly invites repeated attacks. When sightings increase…