Magic in Southeast Asia

Spirit houses and the animist layer beneath Buddhism and Islam: protective tattoos, bomoh and pawang, nat and phi. 84 entries on EveryJaadu so far.

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇲🇾 Malaysia and 1 morePawang A shaman from Indonesia and Malaysia who commands spirits, weather, and wild animals.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Living

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreDukun A traditional healer and spirit medium in Indonesian folk practiceTradition · Healing · Seeing and foretelling Living 🇲🇾 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

🇵🇭 PhilippinesTikbalang A horse-headed spirit of Philippine forests that leads travelers astrayBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Living 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreToyoltuyul An undead infant spirit in Southeast Asian folklore, invoked for theft and fortune.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Living

🇮🇩 IndonesiaNyi Roro KidulRatu Laut Selatan The spirit queen of Java's southern coast and guardian of the Indian OceanBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Living

🇮🇩 IndonesiaOgoh-ogohᬳᭀᬕᭀᬄ ᬳᭀᬕᭀᬄ Balinese sculptures paraded and burned to cleanse the environment before NyepiTradition · Cursing and harm · Cleansing and purification Living

🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 moreGhosts in Thai cultureผี (phi) A wide range of spirits and ghosts found in Thai folklore and popular belief.Belief · Protection · Cursing and harm Living

🇲🇾 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 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 1 moreBomohبوموه A Malay shaman and traditional healer who works with spirits, herbs, and geomancy.Tradition · Healing · Seeing and foretelling Living

🇮🇩 IndonesiaRangdaᬭᬗ᭄ᬤ A Balinese demon queen who leads witches in an eternal battle against good.Figure · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇵🇭 PhilippinesWitchcraft in the Philippinespangkukulam Indigenous beliefs about sorcery and malevolent magic in the PhilippinesTradition · Cursing and harm · Healing Living 🇵🇭 PhilippinesEkek A winged creature from Philippine myth that hunts pregnant women at nightBeing · Cursing and harm 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

🇵🇭 PhilippinesAswang A shape-shifting monster from Philippine folklore that preys on humans.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇵🇭 PhilippinesManananggal A Philippine creature that splits its body to hunt at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreKallikantzarosκαλικάντζαρος A malevolent goblin that dwells underground and surfaces during the twelve days of Christmas.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical

🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreKrasueกระสือ A floating head with trailing organs from Southeast Asian folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Living

🇮🇩 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 🇵🇭 PhilippinesTiyanak A vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that mimics a baby to lure travelers.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Living 🇮🇩 IndonesiaKediri curse An Indonesian urban legend: presidents who visit Kediri are said to lose their jobsBelief · Cursing and harm Living 🇵🇭 Philippines and 3 moreMy Way killings Fatal disputes in the Philippines sparked by singing Frank Sinatra's song at karaoke barsBelief · Cursing and harm Historical 🇵🇭 PhilippinesMandurugo A shapeshifting spirit from Philippine folklore that feeds on human bloodBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇵🇭 PhilippinesMarukos A crossroads demon in Ilocano folklore that drowns wayward travelers.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇵🇭 PhilippinesBatibat A tree-dwelling demon that causes sleep paralysis and nightmares in Philippine folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇵🇭 PhilippinesMananambal A Filipino folk healer who treats illness with herbs, prayers, and sorceryTradition · Healing · Cursing and harm Living

🇮🇩 IndonesiaBabi ngepet A Javanese myth about a person who turns into a boar to steal wealthBeing · Luck and prosperity · 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.

Kallikantzaros: Katolophyromai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dukun: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ogoh-ogoh: Simondodit, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Penanggalan: Hi I really try my best here, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Philippine mythology: The original uploader was Rodsan18 at English Wikipedia . ( Original t, CC BY 2.5, source
Manananggal: Gian Bernal, CC0, source
Pawang: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Rangda: Boy Lawson, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ghosts in Thai culture: Heinrich Damm ( User:Hdamm , Hdamm at de.wikipedia.org ), CC BY 2.0, source
Mananambal: Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Krasue: Xavier Romero-Frias, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Vengeful ghost: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi; Tsukioka Yoshitoshi died 1892; Negishi Chokuzan;, Public domain, source
Nyi Roro Kidul: Gunawan Kartapranata, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Babi ngepet: Tropenmuseum, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Tikbalang: The original uploader was Rodsan18 at English Wikipedia . ( Original t, CC BY 2.5, source

Magic in Southeast Asia

Places of magic

Rites of the region

Countries

Photo credits on this page

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