Thread by @alexisofswords

#UPVencounters, #scarystories and #urbanlegends Sidenotes Part 2: What is Dungan and all its forms?

Before I begin to even begin to explain dungan, I would just like to again say thank you to everyone reading and retweeting my stories.

It has long been a tradition among —

Filipinos to pass down our folklore as stories, warnings or even just fairytales. They too, teach lessons in turn.

No matter your beliefs, I find that there is nothing wrong in trying to find magic in our world, and when we do, it at least makes it feel a bit more interesting.—

Scary, yes, but imagine having your own little experiences to share or tell— the surprise and wonder at what it could have been. The opportunities to form bonds over campfires and inumans during spooky season.

There is a lot wrong with the world, but we as Filipinos have a rich—

history in folklore. It’s a way to remember history, to mark events, to tie in our culture into consumable and interesting stories.

I love folklore and what it means to us, thus, I will never stop looking for this magic. I can afford to believe that some things can be left —

unexplained.

I hope, that in transcribing these stories, the tales UPVnians have passed down for generations never die, that there will be more to tell and more ears to hear.

I hope, that you never let magic die, too. I hope that even in your darkest days they give you solace—

distraction or at the very least, an opportunity to bond with others.

So, once again, a sincere thank you. Part 9 will be up tomorrow! I just needed a short rest and some love during period week. Being a woman and having to deal with this, is truly exhausting.

—

Onto Dungan—

To explain Dungan is complex. Some sources say, it is the soul. Some say, its your parallel representative in the paranormal world adjacent to ours. Others say it is energy, an aura that ties in with the strength of your spirit. It is ethereal, confusing in a way where it —

simultaneously does not exist in any particular part of the body, but can also leave it, inhabit other forms or extend beyond the person.

If we are speaking from a Panayanon/Ilonggo perspective, how complex it is can be explained by how Dr. Alice Magos defines it: —

“a life force, an energy, as well as an ethereal entity, a spirit with a will of its own that resides in the human body and provides the essence of life. Apart from denoting an alter ego and soul stuff, the dungan as presently understood refers to such personal attributes as —

willpower, knowledge and intelligence, and even the ability to dominate and persuade others.”

Crazy, right?

If you have read some replies to my tweets, you will often find that many will say “taasan ko nalang sila dungan”. Bear in mind, since UPV is in Iloilo, we’ll mostly—

view the folklore in an Ilonggo sense.

“Taasan dungan” means you will use the strength of yours to protect yourself, ward of entities and overcome their spiritual energy with yours.

In Iloilo, dungan can be described as strong or weak, with those being of weak dungan being —

more prone to the effects of entities. This is where the concept of “usug” comes in. When something with strong dungan overtakes that of weak dungan, the latter will wither. They are also said to be better targets for aswang, as those of weak dungan are easier to consume. —

On the other side, people with strong Dungan will be considered the opposite. Less sensitive to the supernatural. Less prone to be taken over by them.

Interestingly, exceptions do exist as people with particularly strong Dungan do tend to be tied to your local witch doctors and—

pagan priests. They, who deal with supernatural entities, are said to be born of extra senses.

I refer to @MinhanPairaya here once again, where he and I discussed that in Panayanon mythology particularly, the physical world coexists in parallel with the supernatural one where—

they both exist side by side, most humans are just limited in their ability to perceive it by having only 5 senses.

Strong dungan is essential to those who can see and communicate with the other world, if only to prevent being taken over by entities when performing ritual —

can extend theirs in defense of others or overcome other witch doctors in trying to cleanse people affected by “barangs” or curses.

Dungan strength also varies, it ebbs and flows based on (interestingly enough) real world factors. Stress, the environment and feelings. —

For example, in the case of Miagao, spending time in it helps you “get used to” the presence of entities and other magical things, so your dungan is forced to be stronger in order to protect yourself.

Spend too much time away and by the time you come back, you’ll find that —

you might find yourself susceptible to feeling or seeing otherworldly things once again.

Ilonggos place an importance in Dungan, even in pragmatic senses. Taasan dungan also applies to real world dangers, as in, when you summon it as a show of strength against potential —

but very human threats.

Strange traditions also center around Dungan. For example, you can extend it to create an almost forcefield around you or your peers.

It can also be shared. When someone of low dungan or when someone is affected by an aswang or barang, you would often—

experience a very unique display of community. Witch doctors, “manug luy-a” or pagan priests, would call upon neighbors and family to gather around the affected, in hopes that those of strong dungan would mask those of the weak.

It is also possible to “batak” or raise your —

dungan when it’s become weak, or if it wasn’t strong in the first place.

This is done by very few (even witch doctors have specializations and qualifications) through a very expensive and complex ritual, tailored to what one needs.

Some stories tell that their dungan was—

raised just by sacrificing a chicken, while others would say they needed the sacrifice of 3 pigs and to have people of strong dungan with them. It’s an odd process, sadly, one very few know how to perform nowadays.

Lastly, it goes without saying that though dungan is used most —

commonly in relation to something supernatural, its definition of willpower proves it can also affect your fellow humans.

In (commonly) Visayan culture, it is possible to overtake someone else’s dungan, weakening them. This, you will know as “usug” and there are many strange—

ways to break it. If you have ever wondered why Visayans tend to say “Buyag” around babies in particular, it’s to prevent adults from taking them over, as their Dungan are still weak.

When it does, happen, however, the usug must be broken by the person whose dungan is —

currently taking over that of another.

There are many ways to do this, a few examples of which is that the one that has the usug wears the clothing (or a piece of it) of the one whose dungan took over theirs. Other ways, which are stranger, is to wet a piece of paper with —

saliva and stick it on the forehead of the one who has the usug. Another is to pass your hand over their head.

==

Aside from this, usug and an exchange of Dungan is also possible.

In Iloilo, one must never accept ginger directly from another person. It must be placed on a —

surface and then picked up by someone else. The same goes for accepting a glass of water from someone you do not know. Never take it from them with an open palm (as in holding the bottom of the glass with your hand) as this indicates a submission to their willpower. —

And, when in doubt, various “anting-antings” (charms) also exist to protect or supplement your dungan.

An interesting thing to note about these charms. Most have probably seen them in the form of bracelets with roots and stones encased in resin, or on pins with a red pouch full—

of herbs, coins and a tiny, Catholic pendant, usually of the Sto. Niño.

As with Dinagyang and the way our colonizers combined pagan beliefs with Catholic mythology to better assimilate these clashing cultures, one might think it can be an implication that God will protect you. —

However, may I also point out that in some local beliefs (that are similar, for example to the Irish) some metals actually burn entities: particularly iron. While you can find copper on these charms with the use of an old 5 centavo coin, the small pendant of the Sto. Niño is —

actually made of (usually) iron, implying that it’s not God that protects you, rather the metal itself.

==

A few more things to add to this thread, before I end explaining Dungan.

The first, is that it can be also given. It is possible, in Panayanon mythology, to give part of—

Thread ran too long, continues here: