Magic in Southeast Asia
Spirit houses and the animist layer beneath Buddhism and Islam: protective tattoos, bomoh and pawang, nat and phi. 96 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
Bali 4Chiang Mai 4Bangkok 2Capiz 2Huế 2Agoo River 1Amburayan River 1Antique 1Assam 1Bataan 1Batangas 1Bohol 1Bued River 1Bukit Duabelas 1Catanduanes 1Central Java 1Chiang Rai 1Cigugur 1Dalam Pagar 1Denpasar 1East Java 1Gianyar 1Gua Walet 1Hải Phòng 1Iloilo 1Imperial City of Huế 1Java 1Kamphaeng Phet province 1Kampung Naga 1Kanekes 1
Rites of the region
Sak Yant blessingSpirit house offeringsCanang sari and the daily offeringTawur KesangaMandi bunga, the Malay flower bathAlbularyo healing
Countries
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 1 moreOrang Minyak
A slippery ghost from Malay folklore that abducts women and is covered in black grease.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 5 morePenanggalan
A floating head with trailing organs from Malay folklore, said to hunt pregnant women and newborns.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇲🇾 MalaysiaPelesit
A familiar spirit in Malay folklore, usually appearing as a cricket or grasshopperBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesEkek
A winged creature from Philippine myth that hunts pregnant women at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreOrang bunian
Invisible supernatural beings in Malay and Indonesian folklore who live alongside humans.Being · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreKuntilanak
A vengeful female spirit of Indonesian and Malaysian folklore, known for luring victims with beauty before revealing a mBeing · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesManananggal
A Philippine creature that splits its body to hunt at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesKapre
A tree giant of Philippine folklore that smokes cigars and plays pranks on travelersBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesAswang
A shape-shifting monster from Philippine folklore that preys on humans.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreVengeful ghost
A restless spirit said to return from death to punish those who caused harmBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSundel bolong
A vengeful ghost of Java, a woman whose long black hair hides the hole in her back.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesSiyokoy
A hostile aquatic humanoid from Philippine mythology that drags victims underwaterBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBabi ngepet
A Javanese myth about a person who turns into a boar to steal wealthBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesMandurugo
A shapeshifting spirit from Philippine folklore that feeds on human bloodBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaOrang Pendek
A bipedal primate said to live in the forests of SumatraBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesBungisngis
A one-eyed giant from Philippine folklore that laughs constantly and relies on hearing.Being Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesAnggitay
A Philippine mythic creature with a woman's torso and a horse's lower body.Being Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesBatibat
A tree-dwelling demon that causes sleep paralysis and nightmares in Philippine folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇭 Thailand and 2 moreNariphonนารีผล
A mythical tree in Buddhist lore that bears fruit shaped like young womenBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 5 morePenanggalan
A floating head with trailing organs from Malay folklore, said to hunt pregnant women and newborns.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇲🇾 MalaysiaPelesit
A familiar spirit in Malay folklore, usually appearing as a cricket or grasshopperBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesEkek
A winged creature from Philippine myth that hunts pregnant women at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreOrang bunian
Invisible supernatural beings in Malay and Indonesian folklore who live alongside humans.Being · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreKuntilanak
A vengeful female spirit of Indonesian and Malaysian folklore, known for luring victims with beauty before revealing a mBeing · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesManananggal
A Philippine creature that splits its body to hunt at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesKapre
A tree giant of Philippine folklore that smokes cigars and plays pranks on travelersBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesAswang
A shape-shifting monster from Philippine folklore that preys on humans.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreVengeful ghost
A restless spirit said to return from death to punish those who caused harmBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSundel bolong
A vengeful ghost of Java, a woman whose long black hair hides the hole in her back.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesSiyokoy
A hostile aquatic humanoid from Philippine mythology that drags victims underwaterBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBabi ngepet
A Javanese myth about a person who turns into a boar to steal wealthBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesMandurugo
A shapeshifting spirit from Philippine folklore that feeds on human bloodBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaOrang Pendek
A bipedal primate said to live in the forests of SumatraBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesBungisngis
A one-eyed giant from Philippine folklore that laughs constantly and relies on hearing.Being Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesAnggitay
A Philippine mythic creature with a woman's torso and a horse's lower body.Being Legendary
🇵🇭 PhilippinesBatibat
A tree-dwelling demon that causes sleep paralysis and nightmares in Philippine folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇭 Thailand and 2 moreNariphonนารีผล
A mythical tree in Buddhist lore that bears fruit shaped like young womenBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Tagalog religion: The original uploader was Rodsan18 at English Wikipedia . ( Original t, CC BY 2.5, source
- Penanggalan: Hi I really try my best here, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Manananggal: Gian Bernal, CC0, source
- Vengeful ghost: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi; Tsukioka Yoshitoshi died 1892; Negishi Chokuzan;, Public domain, source
- Nariphon: LigerCommon, Public domain, source
- Babi ngepet: Tropenmuseum, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Orang Pendek: Tim Bertelink, CC BY-SA 4.0, source