It's now just before midnight here, and the #Halloween theme of today's #FolkloreThursday provides the perfect excuse for a thread on Malaysian #ghosts and other scary things. I will not include beings like the gergasi and bunian which are not ghosts at all but mythological races
One of the reasons for this thread is to give an authentic description of these ghosts from traditional folklore, the way they would've been imagined historically. This often differs from modern interpretations you'll find online or in movies and urban legends
Let's start with an explanation of terminology. The general word for ghost in modern Malay is hantu, although it actually means something more akin to "spirit" than ghost. Contrary to modern misconception, not all are bad or scary
Hantu is only coincidentally similar to the English word 'haunt'. In fact, hantu is an indigenous word which has cognates in every Austronesian language. The Filipino equivalent is anito 
Anito is not the Filipino word for ghost but instead refers to spirits of the deceased (therefore a ghost of a sort) who act as familial guardians. That should give you some idea of how Malays originally interpreted the term
Malay spirits of the dead don't always appear as apparitions, though there are stories like that. Often they'll only be seen as a flaming ball of light, like the Japanese hitodama. These are commonly seen around graves, in which case they're called hantu kubur
By extension of its definition as a spirit, the term hantu included not just the ghosts of the dead, but also evil spirits and sometimes other malevolent beings or even what we might call demons
Perhaps the more proper term for demon in Malay is raksasa. Although the word itself conjures up the image of an ogre-like anthropoid, raksasa today can be used for a wider variety of creatures, making it closer to the term "monster"
Another type of being that needs to be understood in context is the djinn or genie (jin in Malay). Djinns were introduced into Malay folklore along with Islam and became a very common word in the local vocabulary
Djinns and devils (referred to as iblis, syaitan, setan, etc) are blamed for a lot of things in Muslim societies, though these beliefs are a lot more diverse in the Middle East than among Malays, as you can see in this thread by @aaolomi
I wanted to clarify those terms because in modern Malay they're used for just about anything. To the average Malay-speaker today, any evil spirit is a jin. Anything that can't be seen with the naked eye is a hantu. Any monster is a raksasa
Of course that's not how people saw it historically, but the confusion is normal. Just as not all English-speakers know the difference between a poltergeist, a ghoul, and a wraith, so Malays didn't always properly differentiate between supernatural beings
A good example of this is how the term jin in Malay was often used in place of jembalang, a malevolent earth demon that had to be placated before beginning any kind of construction. Malay depictions of djinns look identical to the native jembalang
Many of the ghosts I'll mention here are common to Malays and Proto-Malay orang asli. It's also interesting to note that belief in Malay ghosts extended to the local Chinese community during colonial times. Anyway, let's move on to the ghosts themselves
TOYOL
Not actually a ghost but an undead male child. They're created from a dead human baby or fetus through some sort of necromancy. They can be used to steal things for their owner
Not actually a ghost but an undead male child. They're created from a dead human baby or fetus through some sort of necromancy. They can be used to steal things for their owner
You've probably seen modern goblin-like depictions of toyol but they're traditionally just supposed to look like a baby or small child. Despite their mischief, they normally don't cause physical harm. Art by @chancil
The toyol is related to the anak kerak, an amulet created by roasting an unborn fetus. This practice exists in several Southeast Asian countries. The anak kerak *usually* has a more benign function, protecting the household and offering guidance through dreams
Since carrying a smoked fetus might be just a little too creepy for some, figurines of them are sold in Thailand for that purpose, which should give you some idea of how the toyol was historically interpreted
LANGSUIR
Also spelled langsuyar. Often translated as vampire or banshee, the langsuir is the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth. She has long nails, long hair that reaches her ankles, and wears a green robe-like dress
Also spelled langsuyar. Often translated as vampire or banshee, the langsuir is the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth. She has long nails, long hair that reaches her ankles, and wears a green robe-like dress
Her long nails aren't meant to be intimidating but are in fact a sign of beauty that recalls the nail ornaments used in many classical Asian dances
The langsuir is associated with and can transform into an owl. In fact, the Malay word for owl is burung hantu meaning ghost bird. They can fly even in human form, and are known for shrieking like a banshee
Having died during childbirth, the langsuir preys on children by sucking their blood. Otherwise they normally stay at the coastline where they eat fish. Even in human form they often perch on tree branches
PONTIANAK
The pontianak or matianak (known by many other names in other languages) is very similar to the langsuir, so much that the two are often confused and it can be hard to tell which is which
The pontianak or matianak (known by many other names in other languages) is very similar to the langsuir, so much that the two are often confused and it can be hard to tell which is which
Some say that the pontianak is the child of the langsuir, the ghost of a stillborn baby. This would make it like the Filipino tiyanak (which actually more closely resembles the toyol)
But other accounts say the langsuir dies during childbirth while the pontianak is a woman who died while pregnant (or vice-versa). There's no real concensus on how they come to be, but all agree on what they look like
The pontianak is the stereotypical long-haired female Asian female ghost dressed in white. Like the langsuir, they can turn into owls. A white owl near a child's grave is a sure sign of a pontianak
therakyatpost.com/2019/10/01/lar…
therakyatpost.com/2019/10/01/lar…
To prevent a woman's corpse from becoming a langsuir or pontianak, glass beads are placed in her mouth, a chicken egg under each armpit, and a needle in each hand. This prevents her from screaming or flying
Both the langsuir and pontianak are deceptively beautiful. They have a hole in the back of the neck which, if a man can drive a nail inside, the ghost will be his wife
In this form, they appear to be regular women, and can even have children. But the effect of the nail apparently either doesn't last forever, or can somehow be undone. At some point they revert back to ghost form and fly off
PENANGGAL
Not exactly a ghost but actually a witch who, through meditation, acquired the ability to separate her head and trailing organs from the rest of her body. In this form, they use their long tongue to feed on the blood when a woman gives birth. Art by @chancil again
Not exactly a ghost but actually a witch who, through meditation, acquired the ability to separate her head and trailing organs from the rest of her body. In this form, they use their long tongue to feed on the blood when a woman gives birth. Art by @chancil again
At night from afar, they appear as a will-o'-the-wisp. For some reason the penanggal exists in every single Southeast Asian country, and it's definitely the one I dislike the most. Here's a thread on them
You might think there's no problem if this ghost just licks some blood, but it usually results in death. The penanggal is often blamed when a woman dies during childbirth
Honestly why would you even go through the work of becoming a penanggal just to lick some blood. At least a vampire I could understand for the immortality and super strength but here I don't even see any benefit.. OK, moving on
MAK KOPEK
Also known as hantu kopek or hantu tetek ("breast ghost"), she appears as an older lady with sagging breasts. The flaccid breasts bring to mind the witch-queen Rangda of Balinese mythology
Also known as hantu kopek or hantu tetek ("breast ghost"), she appears as an older lady with sagging breasts. The flaccid breasts bring to mind the witch-queen Rangda of Balinese mythology
Mak Kopek was also used as an archetypal boogeyman, as it was said that she'd kidnap children. This commonly went along the lines of "if you don't come inside at dusk, Mak Kopek will take you away"
POCONG
A hopping corpse wrapped in its white burial shroud. That's... pretty much it. Although such a thing would undoubtedly be frightening to see, they typically don't harm anyone. They just hop around because of restlessness, possibly due to an incomplete burial
A hopping corpse wrapped in its white burial shroud. That's... pretty much it. Although such a thing would undoubtedly be frightening to see, they typically don't harm anyone. They just hop around because of restlessness, possibly due to an incomplete burial
HARIMAU JADIAN
Jadi-jadian is the umbrella term for shape-shifting animals. The most famous and most feared is the harimau jadian or weretiger which holds a similar place in Asian culture as the werewolf of Europe. I go into detail on it in this thread
Jadi-jadian is the umbrella term for shape-shifting animals. The most famous and most feared is the harimau jadian or weretiger which holds a similar place in Asian culture as the werewolf of Europe. I go into detail on it in this thread
Despite the obvious comparison to werewolves, Asian weretigers are more comparable to the fox spirits of East Asia in that their true form is an animal, even if they spend most of their lives in human form, as some do
HANTU PENYAKIT
Spirits that cause sickness and disease in orang asli folklore. The orang asli believed all illnesses were caused by such demons. Each was named after the ailment they caused like the bloating spirit (hantu kembung) and the smallpox spirit (hantu ketumbuhan)
Spirits that cause sickness and disease in orang asli folklore. The orang asli believed all illnesses were caused by such demons. Each was named after the ailment they caused like the bloating spirit (hantu kembung) and the smallpox spirit (hantu ketumbuhan)
The orang asli believed that a person's soul leaves their body while they sleep, which is when demons and spirits might take advantage by entering their body and making the person sick
The spirits of sickness usually appear as goblin-like beings afflicted with whatever illness they embody. So a spirit that causes a headache might look a demon holding its head in pain
HANTU KAYU
If your parents were anything like my mom, you might've been told not to walk under trees at night, especially old trees, because they have spirits. They're normally benign unless you offend them or break certain taboos
If your parents were anything like my mom, you might've been told not to walk under trees at night, especially old trees, because they have spirits. They're normally benign unless you offend them or break certain taboos
Tree spirits are common to animism worldwide. Southeast Asians believed that all living things had souls, including trees. The souls often have an animal form, depending on the type of tree
Older trees were said to cultivate themselves in the way a human practices meditation, until the spirit is able to appear beside the tree in human form. When this type of tree spirit manifests itself this way, it always appears as a beautiful woman
In addition, older trees often became the dwelling place of beings like the yaksa (which I'll deal with in a separate thread). Certain kinds of trees had a reputation for attracting supernatural entities, most famously the banana tree (pokok pisang)
kisahseram.com/kenali-pokok-y…
kisahseram.com/kenali-pokok-y…
Tree spirits are normally friendly and kind, but will make you sick if you don't respect them. I've heard a possible rationale for this, that kicking old trees might release some sort of harmful particles. I won't conjecture but maybe someone else can confirm this
The tale of St Boniface defiantly cutting down Thor's tree to spread Christianity has a curious equivalent in Malay folklore, albeit a much later one. The story tells of a young man named Buyong who came to a village as a Quran teacher
pathguy.com/thorsoak.html
pathguy.com/thorsoak.html
Buyong wanted to fell some trees to remodel the surau, but the villagers warned him that the forest is protected by a guardian spirit (penunggu). Buyong resolved to do it himself and began hacking at a tree with his axe
His fingers curled in pain and his legs went limp, but he persevered and invoked the name of God until, with a flash of lightning, the tree was cut. This is how Kampung Gual Pasung Hantu in Kelantan got its name
Like the tale of St Boniface, this story's purpose is to assert the superiority of the adopted religion by divorcing the people from their traditional nature worship, and demonising indigenous spiritual entities
But in practice, Malays continued to revere tree spirits even after converting to Islam. The custom of adorning sacred trees with pieces of fabric was common even into the early 20th century, as is still done in neighbouring countries like Thailand
HANTU TINGGI
Literally "tall ghost", also known as hantu galah meaning "pole ghost". A type of giant in Malay &orang asli folklore. They live at the uppermost part of rivers (hulu sungai) & appear as two spindly tree-like legs. They're so tall that the upper body can't be seen
Literally "tall ghost", also known as hantu galah meaning "pole ghost". A type of giant in Malay &orang asli folklore. They live at the uppermost part of rivers (hulu sungai) & appear as two spindly tree-like legs. They're so tall that the upper body can't be seen
KERTAU
One of my favourites, the hantu kertau has the head of a deer and the body of a boar. Most of the other information you'll hear about it are modern interpretations.
Art by bkr_reon on Instagram
One of my favourites, the hantu kertau has the head of a deer and the body of a boar. Most of the other information you'll hear about it are modern interpretations.
Art by bkr_reon on Instagram
BAJANG
Not a ghost but a type of familiar in the form of a civet cat (musang). The bajang is normally passed down through families as a saka. It has to be passed through the male line, so its owner is always male
Not a ghost but a type of familiar in the form of a civet cat (musang). The bajang is normally passed down through families as a saka. It has to be passed through the male line, so its owner is always male
The bajang is a birth-spirit like the toyol, and is acquired by saying certain incantations over the grave of a stillborn baby. It's kept inside a bamboo tube (tabung buluh) and fed with eggs and milk
If not fed, the bajang turns on its owner. Children are particularly vulnerable to bajang attacks, so it was the custom for them to wear an armlet of black silk for protection, called gelang bajang. When possessed by a bajang, the victim either goes unconcious or into convulsions
PELESIT
Another birth-spirit familiar, this one in the form of a katydid. It's created from the tongue of a dead child. Whereas the bajang is owned by a male, the pelesit owner is female
Another birth-spirit familiar, this one in the form of a katydid. It's created from the tongue of a dead child. Whereas the bajang is owned by a male, the pelesit owner is female
The words bajang and pelesit were often confused, as they serve similar functions. Their owners aren't normally witches or shamans but ordinary people. The pelesit was said to be especially common in the state of Kedah
If someone had an unusual case of delirium, the bajang or pelesit was blamed. The dukun would perform a ritual to find its owner, after which they'd be put to death by drowning. Some pelesit took the form of lizards but they were usually insects
The pelesit is the pet or plaything (permainan) of another familiar, the polong. After entering its victim's mouth by flying in backwards, the pelesit chirps for the polong. Which brings us to...
POLONG
Most today have heard of the polong but don't really know what it is. It's often confused with the penanggal or some other ghost. The polong is actually a bottled imp, with the appearance of a small female the size of a finger's distal phalanx
Art by @YeLaughingDog
Most today have heard of the polong but don't really know what it is. It's often confused with the penanggal or some other ghost. The polong is actually a bottled imp, with the appearance of a small female the size of a finger's distal phalanx
Art by @YeLaughingDog
The polong is created by placing the blood of a murdered man in a round bottle, and then saying certain prayers over it for seven days. The owner is considered the polong's father or mother
The polong is hidden outside the owner's house and fed on blood from the owner's finger. The middle digit is known in Malay as jari hantu (ghost finger), which is commonly pricked to feed familiars with blood
The polong is preceded by the pelesit, then arrives to possess (rasuk) its victim, which causes them to go insane. The polong victim foams at the mouth, tears at their clothes, attacks anyone nearby, and generally just goes insane
The cure for a person who's been afflicted by a bajang, pelesit or polong is a shaman's exorcism. The dukun asks the polong to reveal its parent, and the polong speaks through the possessed person in a high-pitched voice
A polong is loyal though, and they might protect their "parent" either by falsely accusing someone else or by just screaming and attacking the shaman so they won't have to answer
HANTU RAYA
Literally meaning "great spirit" or "high spirit", it takes the form of its owner and acts as a doppelganger. Considering the possibilities of this, the hantu raya is regarded as one of the greatest spirit helpers a person can have
Literally meaning "great spirit" or "high spirit", it takes the form of its owner and acts as a doppelganger. Considering the possibilities of this, the hantu raya is regarded as one of the greatest spirit helpers a person can have
Because it just adopts the appearance of its owner, modern interpretations of the hantu raya in its true form depict it as a large black shadow. The name has confused some into thinking the hantu raya is a sort of ghost king. But no, that's our next one..
HANTU SEBURU
Known as the hantu pemburu to Malays and hantu seburu to orang asli, this is the single most important ghost of Malaysian folklore. He remains prominent in orang asli legend but is now obscure among Malays.
Art by @YeLaughingDog
Known as the hantu pemburu to Malays and hantu seburu to orang asli, this is the single most important ghost of Malaysian folklore. He remains prominent in orang asli legend but is now obscure among Malays.
Art by @YeLaughingDog
The story goes that a woman named Si Kusanun was pregnant and had a craving for mousedeer (pelanduk). But she didn't want just any deer, she specifically asked for a doe that's pregnant with a buck. Her husband named Si Kedah misheard it as "a pregnant buck" which.. doesn't exist
Kedah set off with his dogs and hunted mousedeer all over. He never did find a pregnant male, and eventually became a ghost. After he felt that he searched everywhere in the world, he decided to search the skies
He sent his dogs above while he stayed on earth. By constantly looking up at the dogs in the sky, the hunter's head was stuck in that position. A leaf eventually fell onto his neck from which a shoot grew, which is a pretty creepy image
In time, his wife gave birth to a son who was ridiculed because his father was a ghost. The boy asked his mother about it, and she told him the whole story. The son went in search of his father and eventually found him
The hunter explained that he never came home because he wanted to keep his word not to return without finding the mousedeer he thought his wife wanted. He sent his son back home, treatening to cut out the heart of whoever makes fun of him again
The hantu pemburu is described as having black skin. He carries a blowpipe (sumpit), a spear (lembing), a sword (klewang), and a dagger
A sign that he's nearby is when you hear the bebirik bird, making them a symbol of bad luck. When Malays and orang asli heard this bird, they'd make noise by banging on pieces of wood
The noise wasn't meant to scare the huntsman away, no he's not so easily scared. Instead it was meant to acknowledge him as kin, hoping that way he'd spare them
The hantu pemburu was the most feared ghost. Just touching him would cause severe illness or death, a quality normally ascribed to royalty. This placed him at the top of the hierarchy. Hantu raya? That's a joke
If you accost (tegur) him in some way, you'll contract a debilitating and long-lasting fever. Physically crossing his path will result in symptoms resembling cholera that will quickly kill you
If he doesn't kill you through sickness, he'll do so physically. His dogs hunt down his victims so he can carve them up and drink their blood
The dogs are of the Telomian breed, each of a different colour. Their names and number vary from three to seven. One of them is an old lame dog that the hunter himself has to carry, but has the strongest bite of them all
Whether we believe in ghosts or not, they reflect aspects of traditional Malay life. The many birth-spirits remind us of how risky birth could be in the old days, for both mother and child. Tree spirits and other animistic beings show a respect and fear of nature
Weretigers demonstrate the otherism of anyone different within a community. Often it was Sumatrans or solitary loners who were blamed for weretiger attacks
This is also why it's important to recognise how each of these beings was traditionally viewed, even as they change in modern depictions. It's explained in the last minute of this video
And note that even after the introduction of Islam, it has always been the shamans who were consulted to combat supernatural threats, never the imam or anything like that. You couldn't scare off supernatural threats using just prayer, with some exceptions
The rituals were case-specific. People of the time believed there was a method to it, and took the study of shamanism as seriously as med school. It wasn't the same as modern fakery
So if you do happen to believe in Malay ghosts, reciting holy verses or holding up a cross won't save you. The fact that genuine shamanic practices are increasingly rare would mean that you're defenseless. Now there's a horror story idea for you
