Thursday, May 23, 2019

ANITO


The Legend of Anito

Anito also called Engkantada (female) or Engkanto (male) are fairies, nymphs, goddesses or enchanted persons who are believed to guard natural creations such as forests, seas, mountains, land and air. Anitos are said to reside in large trees, such as acacia and balete and in anthills or termite mounds (punso) including mountains, waterfalls, tree groves, reefs, and caves. They are the guardian spirits of nature, bringing blessings or curses upon those who do good or harm to the forests and mountains and the material manifestation of their realms.

One famous anito is Maria Makiling, guardian of Mount Makiling in Laguna province. Engkanto (sometimes spelled Encanto) is an umbrella term for most supernatural beings. The common connotation is that they are fairies who reside primarily in the forests and the sea. They can also be called encantado (male) or encantada (female). Maria Makiling is a fairy who dwells atop Laguna's Mount Makiling, an inactive volcano. Oral tradition described that Mount Makiling was once a castle and Maria Makiling was a princess who fell in love with a mortal.

Local Practices

To avoid inadvertently angering a anito, Filipinos perform a customary gesture when passing by or through their domain by "respectfully apologizing or asking permission for passing". This is done by saying the phrases "tao po", "tabi po" or "tabi" ("by your permission") when passing by a place believed to be inhabited by a anito.

Anito are rarely spoken about openly for fear of attracting their attention. Instead they are referred to with euphemisms like "those unlike us" (Visayan: dili ingon nato, Tagalog: hindi kagaya natin) or various names, like banwaanon or taga-banwa, that translate to "dweller of the lake forest".  They are also euphemistically referred to as lamanglupa "dwellers of the bowels of the earth" or lamangdagat "dwellers of the depths of the sea", literally depending on their domain.

Local Beliefs

Anito exist in both the material world and the spirit world. They can be formless or have a material body. They can also take over a body through spirit possession. They are believed to be capable of shapeshifting, becoming invisible, or creating visions or illusions. Their powers, however, are limited to their particular domain. A anito of a forest, for instance, has no dominion over the sea. Most are generally benevolent or capriciously neutral, although they can cause misfortunes and illnesses if angered, disrespected, or mistakenly encountered.

Anito are also believed to be able to mate with humans. People born with congenital disorders (like albinism or syndactyly) or display unusual beauty or behavior are commonly believed by local superstition to be the children of anito who seduced (or sometimes raped) their mothers.

Anito are often depicted as appearing to unsuspecting people in human or animal form, sometimes causing unintentional harm. They can also deliberately play tricks on mortals, like seducing or abducting beautiful men and women into the spirit world. Certain places are believed to be owned by anito or are borders to the spirit world. These are normally avoided or only entered with precautions, especially during twilight when anito are believed to cross over from the spirit world into the material world. Harm or illness caused by anito are known as "buyag" in Visayan and "usog" in Tagalog. People who were harmed by interactions with anito are euphemistically described as having been "greeted" (Visayan: gibati, Tagalog: nabati) or "played with" (Visayan gidulaan, Tagalog: napaglaruan or nakatuwaan) by anito.

Characteristics of Anito

Common characteristics of anito are that they are perceived as an invisible "cold" presence (in contrast to "warm" human spirits); that they leave no footprints (unlike human spirits); and that they sense the world and "eat" by means of smelling "vital force" or "breath" (ginhawa) of human beings. Anito who take human form are said to be pale-skinned and could be distinguished from humans by the absence of a philtrum on the upper lip or no vertical indentation in the middle area of the upper lip. They are also said to be annoyed by perfume, as well as salt and spices.




References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anito

WAKWAK

The Wakwak is just like Manananggal, they snatch humans at night as prey. The difference  between the Mananggal and the Wakwak is that Wakwak cannot separate its torso from its body while the Manananggal can.
The Wakwak is often described as having long sharp talons and a pair of wings similar to those of a bat. It uses its talons or claws to slash its victims and to get their heart. Its wings are also said to be as sharp as a knife. It is called "Wakwak" due to this sound it makes when it flaps its wings while flying. Wak… Wak… Wak, this sound is only heard when the creature is seeking out for prey. If the sound of the Wakwak is loud, it means it is far away – but if the sound becomes faint, relatively gentle and low the creature is close enough and is about to attack, this is to confuse the would-be victim.
Some believe the Wakwak is a vampire with a bird or a bat like wings. Others contend that a Wakwak is a Philippine night bird associated with witches or is just simply a bird which only flies at night with terrifying sounds when it flaps its wings. Or maybe just another tell-tale to scare children.


(October 2013 https://sites.google.com/site/catmonanonsabako/tradition/customs-and-beliefs/folklore)

References, Attributions and Further Reading:
           Philippine mythical creatures – Wikipedia
           Philippine Myths & Legends: Manananggal – FFE Magazine
           File:Manananggal.jpg From Wikimedia Commons 
•https://www.academia.edu/37262886/Supernatural_Creatures_in_Philippine_Folklore

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

WHITE LADIES


White Ladies are often used as subjects to convey horror and mystery. Dressed in white. Long hair. Beautiful face covered in blood. Woman floating on air. These creatures are common among folks around the country, from the secluded barrios and towns up to the highly urbanized cities.

The most popular tale of White Lady is the one of Balete Drive in Quezon City. According to legends, the ghost of a long-haired woman in a white dress appears to taxi drivers doing the graveyard shift or to those solitary people driving by Balete drive in the wee hours of the morning. The woman appears in the rear view mirror for a split second. Some accidents on this road are blamed on the White Lady. It is believed that the White Lady is the ghost of a woman who died when her car crashed in Balete Drive.

Across the country, there are many versions and reported sightings of White Lady. Some White Ladies are ghosts of women victims of murder and heinous crimes, accidents, and other tragedy.

(October 2013 https://sites.google.com/site/catmonanonsabako/tradition/customs-and-beliefs/folklore)

References, Attributions and Further Reading:
           Philippine mythical creatures – Wikipedia
           Philippine Myths & Legends: Manananggal – FFE Magazine
           File:Manananggal.jpg From Wikimedia Commons – Manananggal, mythical creature of the Philippines – Gian Bernal – Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
•https://www.academia.edu/37262886/Supernatural_Creatures_in_Philippine_Folklore

ASWANG


Aswangs are the most feared mythical creature by the Filipinos. They are Filipino ghouls and shape shifters. They are human-like by day but transform into monsters at night. They can change from human to an animal form like bat, bird, pig, cat, or black dog. The transformation can happen through their own will or through the use of foul concocted oil. They also have the ability to steal cadavers secretly and replace them with the trunk of a banana tree carved in the cadaver’s likeness.

Aswangs wait by the roadsides, preying upon unsuspecting travelers. Some attacks houses to feed on sleeping people. It is said that human liver and heart are their favorite parts. Aswangs prefer pregnant women who are about to give birth. They love human fetus that they have developed the ability to track down pregnant women by the scent of their unborn child. Upon finding the house of a pregnant mother, the aswang positions itself on the roof and digs a hole through which it drops its long thin tongue to enter the woman’s womb and feast  on the fetus.

Since aswangs can take on a human image, it is hard to detect them in a crowd. However, there are many superstitions on how to deal with them. Firstly, it is said that you can determine if another human being is an aswang if you see your own reflection in their eyes as upside down. Also, the presence of an aswang can be revealed by using a bottle of special oil extracted from boiled and decanted coconut meat mixed with certain plant stems. When an aswang comes around, the oil will boil and will continue until the aswang has departed. Further, aswangs are afraid of salt, ginger, garlic, rosary, stingray’s tails (ikog sa pagi) and shiny, sterling silver sword, and so these items can be used as defense weapons against them. These creatures cannot heal themselves, so an injury acquired as an aswang will remain when they revert back to human form.

The myth of Aswang is popular in the Visayas, particularly in the provinces of Capiz, Antique and Iloilo. The aswang is also known as wakwak, tiktik, bal-bal, soc-soc, and yanggaw.


(October 2013 https://sites.google.com/site/catmonanonsabako/tradition/customs-and-beliefs/folklore)

References, Attributions and Further Reading:
           Philippine mythical creatures – Wikipedia
           Philippine Myths & Legends: Manananggal – FFE Magazine
           File:Manananggal.jpg From Wikimedia Commons – Manananggal, mythical creature of the Philippines – Gian Bernal – Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
•https://www.academia.edu/37262886/Supernatural_Creatures_in_Philippine_Folklore

SIGBIN



Sigbin, sigben, orzegben is said to be another form of aswang. It has the appearance of a kangaroo, Tasmanian devil or a hornless goat but with spotty fur. It has very large ears which it can clap and a long, flexible tail that can be used as whip. It also has a wide mouth with large fangs. It walks backwards with its head lowered between its hind legs. This creature has the ability to become invisible, but its presence is still detectable by the nauseating odor it emits.

It is believed that the sigbin goes out at night to suck the blood of victims from their shadows. During Holy Week, the sigbin looks for children that it can kill for their heart which it uses as amulets. It is said that there are families known as Sigbinan or “owner of sigbin” who keep the creature in jars made of clay. As a return, the owner shall possess great fortune and have the power to control the sigbin.

In other parts of the country, the sigbin is known as Amamayong. Other countries have urban legends of similar creatures known as chupacabra.

(October 2013 https://sites.google.com/site/catmonanonsabako/tradition/customs-and-beliefs/folklore)

References, Attributions and Further Reading:
           Philippine mythical creatures – Wikipedia
           Philippine Myths & Legends: Manananggal – FFE Magazine
           File:Manananggal.jpg From Wikimedia Commons – Manananggal, mythical creature of the Philippines – Gian Bernal – Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
•https://www.academia.edu/37262886/Supernatural_Creatures_in_Philippine_Folklore


SANTELMO



(St. Elmo's Fire)
Santelmo, or Santo Elmo, is a fireball seen by dozens of Filipinos, especially those living in the seashore. It was scientifically explained as electric fields which have diverged from the lines. However, the sightings were reported since the Spanish era (16th-19th centuries). 


(October 2013 https://sites.google.com/site/catmonanonsabako/tradition/customs-and-beliefs/folklore)

Reference:
           Philippine mythical creatures – Wikipedia

TIKBALANG


Tikbalang (also tigbalangtigbalan, tikbalan, or demon horse) is a half-man and half-horse creature. It has the head and feet of a horse, and the body of a human. It usually appears on the night of full moon looking for a female prey and usually rapes the victim in order to bear its offspring. Tikbalangs are playful creatures and they usually make people imagine things that are not real, sometimes to the point that they become crazy. 

Tikbalangs are believed to live in dark, sparsely populated, foliage-overgrown areas, specifically in bamboo or banana groves, atop balete trees, and even beneath bridges. According to legends, a pair of Tikbalangs is being wed when rain falls while the sun is shining.

(October 2013 https://sites.google.com/site/catmonanonsabako/tradition/customs-and-beliefs/folklore)

References, Attributions and Further Reading:
           Philippine mythical creatures – Wikipedia
           Philippine Myths & Legends: Manananggal – FFE Magazine
           File:Manananggal.jpg From Wikimedia Commons 
•https://www.academia.edu/37262886/Supernatural_Creatures_in_Philippine_Folklore