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
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreDukun
A traditional healer and spirit medium in Indonesian folk practiceTradition · Healing · Seeing and foretelling Living
🇻🇳 Vietnam and 1 moreVietnamese folk religiontín ngưỡng dân gian Việt Nam
A collection of local spirit worship and ancestral veneration in VietnamTradition · Protection · Healing Living
🇲🇲 MyanmarBurmese folk religionNat Worship
Animistic worship of nature spirits and ancestors in Myanmar, often practiced alongside Buddhism.Tradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreKejawènꦏꦗꦮꦺꦤ꧀ (Kajawèn)
A Javanese tradition blending animism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam into a path of inner harmony.Tradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇲🇲 MyanmarNatနတ်
Spirits venerated in Myanmar alongside Buddhism, including deified humans and nature guardians.Tradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇵🇭 PhilippinesAnito
Indigenous Philippine spirits and the carved figures that represent themBeing · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇰🇭 Cambodia and 3 moreSak Yantសាក់យ័ន្ត
Sacred geometric tattoos from Southeast Asia believed to grant protection and powerTradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇲🇲 MyanmarWeizzaဝိဇ္ဇာ
Burmese mystics who seek immortality and await the future BuddhaTradition · Protection · Healing Living
🇱🇦 Laos and 3 moreTai folk religionສາສະໜາຜີ
Spirits, ancestor rites, and soul-calling ceremonies of the Tai peoplesTradition · Protection · Healing Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSunda Wiwitanᮞᮥᮔ᮪ᮓ ᮝᮤᮝᮤᮒᮔ᮪
A folk religion of the Sundanese people in western Java, IndonesiaTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇻🇳 VietnamCây nêuCây nêu (chữ Nôm: 核標)
A bamboo pole raised to keep evil spirits away during the Lunar New Year in VietnamTradition · Protection Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaMarapu
Ancestral religion of Sumba and Flores in IndonesiaTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Protection Living
🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreMărțișor
A red and white string charm worn in early spring to welcome the seasonTradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇲🇲 MyanmarYadayaယတြာ
Rituals in Myanmar to avert misfortune using astrology and numerologyTradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Dukun: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sunda Wiwitan: Greenland4, Public domain, source
- Tai folk religion: ( เทวประภาส มากคล้าย ), Tevaprapas, Public domain, source
- Weizza: YashiWong, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vietnamese folk religion: Unknown (traditional painting dated back to the 17th century), Public domain, source
- Burmese folk religion: Wagaung ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nat: Emily Khine, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Marapu: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Yadaya: Thai Government, CC BY 2.0, source
- Anito: Frederic H. Sawyer, Public domain, source
- Sak Yant: Mikhailovich, CC BY 3.0, source
- Cây nêu: vi:Phạm Xuân Nguyên, CC BY-SA 3.0, source