On the archipelago of Santorini, Greece, there exists a species of vampire known as bucolacs. It appears as a ghostlike being and enters into the body of a recently deceased person. Then, animating the corpse, it leaves its grave at night to go into the city. It picks houses at random, knocking upon the doors and calling out to the people who live within. If anyone opens the door or answers the call of the bucolacs, they will die within two days’ time. It is similar to many other species of GREEK VAMPIRES, especially the VRYKOLAKA.

Source: Theosophical Society, Theosophist, vol.36, 92; Wright, Book of Vampires, 38

The Dayak people of Borneo have a vampiric spirit that they fear called a buau. Created when an enemy of theirs is slain in battle, the spirit returns as a warrior ghost to haunt those who caused its death, attack them, and drink their blood.

Source: Roth, The Natives of Sarawak, 167; Saunders, Borneo Folktales and Legends, 67-68; Wood, Uncivilized Races of Men, 1157

In Spain there is a living VAMPIRIC WITCH known as a bruja (“witch”). By day she is a beautiful woman living an ordinary life (see LIVING VAMPIRE), but by night, through the use of her magic, she hunts for children and lonely travelers to attack and drain of blood. The bruja is most powerful between the hours of midnight and 2 A.M. She also regularly meets with others of her kind every Tuesday and Friday at a predetermined crossroad. Once gathered together, they will worship the devil and develop their various evil powers such as use of the evil eye (“malocchio”) and shape-shifting into various animals like ants, doves, ducks, geese, and rats.

Before the introduction of Christianity to Portugal, the bruja could be warded off with iron. Keeping some nails under a child’s bed or a pair of scissors in a pocket was protection enough. After the arrival of Christianity, talismans of protection against the evil eye could be purchased. There were also various incantations that could be recited as well, but the simplest means of protection was to regularly consume GARLIC. Some folks even went as far as to sew GARLIC into their clothes.

Should a child actually survive an attack from a bruja, the mother must boil the infant’s clothes and jab them with sharp iron instruments. By doing so, she is actually inflicting harm upon the witch, ensuring that she will leave her child alone, but the retaliatory assault will not kill her. There is no known method of destruction for a bruja.

There are a few regional bits of lore that tie the bruja with lycanthropy and the demonic SUCCUBUS, but that is most likely due to the witch’s shape-changing ability and her beauty.