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
🇮🇩 IndonesiaNyi Roro KidulRatu Laut Selatan
The spirit queen of Java's southern coast and guardian of the Indian OceanBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇹🇭 Thailand and 3 moreThai Buddha amuletsพระเครื่อง (phrakhrueang)
Sacred Buddhist images and relics worn for protection, merit, and fortune in Thailand.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity 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
🇵🇭 Philippines and 1 moreAgimatAnting-anting
A Filipino amulet or charm believed to grant protection, power, and supernatural abilities.Charm · Protection · Love and attraction Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaOgoh-ogohᬳᭀᬕᭀᬄ ᬳᭀᬕᭀᬄ
Balinese sculptures paraded and burned to cleanse the environment before NyepiTradition · Cursing and harm · Cleansing and purification Living
🇵🇭 PhilippinesAlbularyo
A Filipino folk healer who uses herbs, massage, and prayer to treat illnessTradition · Healing Living
🇵🇭 PhilippinesAnito
Indigenous Philippine spirits and the carved figures that represent themBeing · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇻🇳 Vietnam and 5 moreTếtTết Nguyên Đán
The Vietnamese lunisolar new year and the most important annual celebration in VietnamTradition · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇵🇭 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
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 1 moreBomohبوموه
A Malay shaman and traditional healer who works with spirits, herbs, and geomancy.Tradition · Healing · Seeing and foretelling Living
🇵🇭 PhilippinesPhilippine mythology
The indigenous myths and spirits of the Philippines, shaped by centuries of trade and colonial contact.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living
🇹🇭 ThailandSongkranสงกรานต์
The Thai solar New Year marked by water rituals and sand pagodasTradition · Cleansing and purification · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBarongᬩᬭᭀᬂ
A lion-like spirit king of Balinese mythology who battles the witch-queen Rangda in ritual dance.Being · Protection · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSanghyangᬲᬂᬳ᭄ᬬᬂ (Tari Sanghyang)
A Balinese sacred dance where performers enter trance to host spiritual entitiesIllusion · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 1 morePawang
A shaman from Indonesia and Malaysia who commands spirits, weather, and wild animals.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇲🇲 MyanmarWeizzaဝိဇ္ဇာ
Burmese mystics who seek immortality and await the future BuddhaTradition · Protection · Healing Living
🇵🇭 PhilippinesWitchcraft in the Philippinespangkukulam
Indigenous beliefs about sorcery and malevolent magic in the PhilippinesTradition · Cursing and harm · Healing Living
🇲🇲 Myanmar and 2 moreBurmese zodiacဇာတာ ရာသီခွင်
A traditional Burmese system of astronomy and astrology with lunar mansions and weekday signs.Tradition · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaNyepiᬜᬾᬧᬶ
A Balinese day of total silence, fasting, and self-reflection to mark the new year.Rite · Cleansing and purification · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇹🇭 ThailandYi Pengยี่เป็ง
A northern Thai festival of lights featuring sky lanterns and Buddhist merit-makingTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Luck and prosperity Living
🇹🇭 Thailand and 7 moreSpirit house
A small roofed shrine that shelters a place's protective spiritCharm · Protection 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
🇻🇳 Vietnam and 4 moreLên đồng
A Vietnamese ritual where mediums enter trance to channel spiritsRite · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Protection Living
🇻🇳 Vietnam and 2 moreThiên Y A Na
A Vietnamese goddess worshipped in folk religion and Đạo Mẫu through spirit mediumshipBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇻🇳 VietnamĐạo Mẫu
A Vietnamese shamanic tradition honouring mother goddesses through ritual performance.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority 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
🇰🇭 Cambodia and 3 moreSak Yantសាក់យ័ន្ត
Sacred geometric tattoos from Southeast Asia believed to grant protection and powerTradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreDukun
A traditional healer and spirit medium in Indonesian folk practiceTradition · Healing · Seeing and foretelling Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaPenjorᬧᬾᬜ᭄ᚚᚚᭀᬃ
A curved bamboo pole marking prosperity in Balinese Hindu ceremonyTradition · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living
🇦🇱 Albania and 5 moreDodolaДодoла / Перперуна
A Balkan rainmaking rite performed by youths in greenery to invoke summer showersRite · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇱🇦 Laos and 3 moreTai folk religionສາສະໜາຜີ
Spirits, ancestor rites, and soul-calling ceremonies of the Tai peoplesTradition · Protection · Healing Living
🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 morePalad khikปลัดขิก
A Thai phallic amulet believed to bring luck and protectionCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 morePra Jiadประเจียด
A Muay Thai armband worn for luck and confidenceCharm · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaIndonesian numismatic charmUang Gobog
Coin-like amulets from Indonesia used for protection and ritual offerings.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreKrasueกระสือ
A floating head with trailing organs from Southeast Asian folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Living
🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 moreNang Taniนางตานี
A female spirit said to inhabit wild banana trees in Southeast Asian folklore.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇲🇲 Myanmar and 5 moreChintheခြင်္သေ့
A stylized lion statue that guards Buddhist temples in Myanmar and across Asia.Being · Protection Living
🇹🇭 ThailandMae Nak Phra Khanongแม่นากพระโขนง
A Thai ghost of a woman who died in childbirth and her shrine for protection and fertilityBeing · Protection · Healing Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBarongᬩᬭᭀᬂ
A lion-like spirit king of Bali who battles the witch queen Rangda in dance and mythBeing · Protection Living
🇲🇲 MyanmarMythical creatures in Burmese folklore
A collection of spirits, beasts and hybrids from Myanmar's stories and playsBeing · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇵🇭 PhilippinesTiyanak
A vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that mimics a baby to lure travelers.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Living
🇵🇭 PhilippinesMananambal
A Filipino folk healer who treats illness with herbs, prayers, and sorceryTradition · Healing · Cursing and harm Living
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreJailangkung
An Indonesian séance using a straw effigy to communicate with spirits of the dead.Rite · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSunda Wiwitanᮞᮥᮔ᮪ᮓ ᮝᮤᮝᮤᮒᮔ᮪
A folk religion of the Sundanese people in western Java, IndonesiaTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇹🇭 ThailandPla taphianปลาตะเพียนสาน
A woven palm leaf fish mobile hung as a blessing for health and plentyCharm · 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
- Tagalog religion: The original uploader was Rodsan18 at English Wikipedia . ( Original t, CC BY 2.5, source
- Ogoh-ogoh: Simondodit, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Sunda Wiwitan: Greenland4, Public domain, source
- Tai folk religion: ( เทวประภาส มากคล้าย ), Tevaprapas, Public domain, source
- Palad khik: deror_avi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Songkran: ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เ, CC BY 3.0, source
- Barong: Michael Gunther, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pra Jiad: Samy Sana, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sanghyang: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pawang: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Weizza: YashiWong, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Burmese zodiac: Photo Dharma, CC BY 2.0, source
- Nyepi: Matt Croxson, Public domain, source
- Yi Peng: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Spirit house: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vietnamese folk religion: Unknown (traditional painting dated back to the 17th century), Public domain, source
- Lên đồng: Khangoii, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Thiên Y A Na: Lưu Ly ( thảo luận ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Đạo Mẫu: Vũ Tiến Lâm, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Burmese folk religion: Wagaung ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nat: Emily Khine, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mananambal: Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Krasue: Xavier Romero-Frias, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nang Tani: Xufanc, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mae Nak Phra Khanong: Xufanc, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mythical creatures in Burmese folklore: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Barong: Skha, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Nyi Roro Kidul: Gunawan Kartapranata, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tikbalang: The original uploader was Rodsan18 at English Wikipedia . ( Original t, CC BY 2.5, source
- Tết: vi:Lưu Ly, Public domain, source
- Chinthe: Wagaung, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Anito: Frederic H. Sawyer, Public domain, source
- Penjor: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Sak Yant: Mikhailovich, CC BY 3.0, source
- Dodola: Andrey Shishkin, CC BY 3.0, source
- Pla taphian: Mr.Peerapong Prasutr, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Agimat: FroyAgta, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ghosts in Thai culture: Heinrich Damm ( User:Hdamm , Hdamm at de.wikipedia.org ), CC BY 2.0, source
- Thai Buddha amulets: User:Mattes, Public domain, source