PHProfessora Akira
☯️ SôulNinetãiL☯️
Philippine folklore is a treasure trove of strange mythical creatures that have stood the test of time. Just mention the names aswang, encanto, kapre, tikbalang or tiyanak and you’ll get most Filipinos—especially the young ones—turning into scaredy cats.
But before old-school horror stories scare the living daylights out of you, let’s take a look back on some not-so-popular mythical creatures that have made Philippine mythology even more colorful and—of course—horrifying
Pasatsat
are the ghosts of those who died or killed during the Japanese occupation. Poor townspeople of this war era could not afford to buy a coffin so they used pamalisan (reed mat) to cover the dead. And because unscrupulous men at that time desecrate the graves to get gold, shirts, and other loots (Agoncillo 2000, 416), most people were forced to bury their loved ones in places other than the cemetery.
Now, this is probably where the tortured ghosts started to emerge.The name “pasatsat” actually came from the Pangasinense term “satsat” which means “to stab.” Pasatsats usually show their ghastly form to some random passersby on the street. In order to get rid of the ghost, the person who saw it will be required to stab (hence, the name) the pamalisan covering the corpse. Mysteriously, this exposes not the actual human remains but a noxious odor that will make anyone ****.
Berberoka
More popular in the remote areas of Abra, Apayao and Ilocos Norte, this freshwater ogre uses deceptive tactics to catch its prey. Berberoka sucks water from swamps or lakes until a school of fish is evident in the surface.The victims–mostly fishermen–will then be lured by the evil’s trap. Berberoka uses the same water it sucked previously to drown and eat the helpless victims.
This frightening water creature is Philippine’s counterpart of the Greek naiad, a female spirit who inhabits streams, brooks, wells, and other bodies of freshwater.,Berberoka has an unusual fear of crabs.
Ani-ani
A fusion of aswang and kapre, this mysterious night creature is relatively unknown in Philippine folklore. According to legends, ani-ani is a humanoid that stands about eighteen feet tall and emits a strong, goat-like smell.Just like the aswang (vampire), ani-ani also possesses the power of shape-shifting: It has the ability to change into various forms ranging from carabao and cow to horse and even pig.
The thing that sets ani-ani apart from the aswang is its diet—they don’t suck blood. Instead, ani-ani are mostly known to block the path of walking travellers and usually seen ******* while sitting on a large tree branch (e.g. talisay)—characteristics that are reminiscent of the traditional kapre.
Bakunawa
Bakunawa is another mythical giant that brings with it a fascinating glimpse of how our ancestors dealt with natural phenomena.Hailed as the god of the underworld, Bakunawa is a half-dragon, half-snake that allegedly appears once or twice in a man’s lifetime to bring eclipse.Legend has it that this giant sea serpent was enamored by the beauty of the seven moons we had back then.Bakunawa’s origins can be traced back to a Hiligaynon folklore which describes this mythical creature as a giant sea serpent blessed with “a mouth the size of a lake, a red tongue, whiskers, gills, small wires at its sides, and two sets of wings.”
Amomongo
Amomongo is a hairy white ape that allegedly lives in a cave at the base of Mt. Kanlaon, Negros Occidental. Using its long, sharp nails, this “Negros ape” disembowels its victims (mostly chickens, goats, and other small animals) and eats their intestines.
On an average, it stands 5 feet and 4 inches tall and described by most crytozoologists as reclusive.
Bungisngis
Bungisngis is the Philippine equivalent of Greek mythology’s Cyclops. This one-eyed monster allegedly inhabited Orion, Bataan where it was known for its unique laugh, hence the name. In fact, “bungisngis” came from the Filipino root word ‘ngisi‘ which means “to giggle.”
But don’t let the name fool you: According to legends, Bungisngis is a cannibal giant with horrifying features to boot. Aside from a single eye on the middle forehead, Bungisngis also have huge upper lips, humongous teeth and two long tusks resembling that of African elephants.
Sarangay
Sarangay is a half-man, half-bull mythical creature of Ibanag origin. It dwells in the wilderness and uses its scary reputation to protect his habitat from invaders.Apart from its devilish countenance and prominent horns, Sarangay also has sacred jewels hanging in its ears. These gems purportedly possess superpowers and if anyone tries to s†éál them, the thief is guaranteed of a gory death.
Just like the ordinary bull, Sarangay also emits smoke in its nose when angered.
This bull-headed creature, which joins other demon-like beings in the lower Philippine mythology, is also known as the local folklore’s equivalent of Greek’s Minotaur.
Gawigawen
is a fierce, six-headed giant that owns equally gigantic weapons of war. Its origins can be traced back to an original Tingguian story entitled “Gawigawen of Adasen” (1916).
The legend tells the story of Aponibolinayen who fell ill and craved for oranges owned by the giant Gawigawen. His husband, Aponitolau, overheard his wife’s request and decided to go on a long journey to find the oranges.
Sigbin
Inarguably the local version of Latin America’s chupacabra, sigbin has varying descriptions linked to its name. Some folk tales depict sigbin as a wild animal with a size of a small bear and a row of spines embedded from neck to tail.
A more popular story, however, portrays sigbins as hornless goats that look like small kangaroos. This creature possesses flapping ears, burning eyes, whip-like tail, and the ability to walk backward.
Balbal
Bal Bal is a scavenger-monster with a voracious appetite for dead human bodies. Also known as maninilong among the natives of Catanauan, Quezon, this vampire-like creature prefers to prey on corpses. With long, razor-sharp claws and a sense of smell that may be 10x more sensitive than dogs’, Bal Bal easily find its next meal on cemeteries and even funerals.Aside from their obnoxious breath, Bal Bal also have a unique power of hypnosis that is used to make people (i.e. those in the funeral) sleep while the monster feeds on its prey. To deceive people, Bal Bal replaces the corpse with banana trunk resembling the deceased
excerpt from Filipiknow
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