Indonesian
mythical creatures
Here
is some Indonesian mythical creatures, they maybe not as famous as Europeans mythical
creatures. Some of the Indonesian mythical creatures is similar or linked with
several mythical creatures from neighboring country in southeast asia such as
Malaysia and Thailand. In Indonesia, these mythical creatures is often called
“Ghosts”.
1.
Kuntilanak
Kuntilanak is one of the famous mythical creatures known
within Indonesia folklores and stories. The appearance of kuntilanak is
describe as black-long haired female wore white long dress with pale skin. In
Indonesia, they known as the baby-hunter and baby-eater. Many stories says,
kuntilanaks like to waiting for the pregnant mothers and then hunt for their
babies. The sign of the kuntilanak is their creepy laughter.
2.
Genderuwo
Genderuwo is creature originally from Javanese folklore, this
creature describe as tall, smells, with black-hair cover it’s body and face
just like bigfoot. Genderuwo can disguise themselves like normal men (but they
still smells). In some story, genderuwo loved to disguise themselves as husband
to do sex relation with the wife when the real husband is not home. Genderuwo
lives in the silent-corner of the forest, ancient building, or in the big
trees. According to the legend, this creature origin is from jati forest (now in danalaya nature
conservation) in slogohimo village about 60 km east of wonogiri. And in lemah
putih region, purwosari, girimulyo- kulon progo, about 60 km to the west
Yogyakarta.
3.
Onggo-inggi
These evil creatures lives in watery area, such as lake or big
river. they known as human-eater. Onggo inggi appearance describe as bodiless
human head with very long hair, they like to wandering underwater and hunt for
people swims in their territory. Onggo-inggi uses their long-hair to pull down
swimmer to the depth. Once pulled in, victim will then disappear. Even when the
river or lake is ran dry, the body of the victim (as well as the Onggo inggi)
is never founded.
4.
Uwel
Uwel is similar to onggo-inggi. the difference is, uwel has no
appearance. This creature loved to hunt, not only humans but also animals. When
attacking victim, uwel will transformed in to whirlpool and pull the victim to
the depth. The victims hunted by uwel is
not disappear, the body will floated on the surface of the river or lake with
hole on it’s head because uwel only suck the victim’s brain and blood.
5.
Gundul pringis
gundul
pringis is Javanese word for “grimace-bald head”. It was named according the
gundul pringis appearances (a bald-bodyless head with grin face ). Gundul
pringis only came out at night, they usually annoys people who travels alone.
First, the gundul pringis fall from tree (like coconut or other fruits) near
people. When picked up, the gundul pringis will show his creepy-grin face.
6.
Pocong
Originally, pocong is the word used to call the dead peoples
covered with white clothes. (in Indonesia, moslem peoples did’nt use coffin, but they shroud the dead body
with white clothes). Some story says they who died with their incomplete
business or promises in this world, will came back and ask for forgiveness to
their relations because they did’nt complete it. Or at least they wandering the
night until their business (or debt perhaps) is completed.
7.
Wewe gombel
This creature describe as fat woman with big breasts,
long-claws, and creepy face. They also known as the childseeker. In Javanese
villages, kids is not allowed to go out alone after dark. They believed the
wewe gombel will kidnapped them. With some tradition, Javanese people could
bring back the child kidnapped by wewe gombel, but the child will lose their
memory and intelligence.
8.
Engklek-Engklek
Is one of the most feared creature in java-land from long time
ago. They have slim-tall body with terrifying face. They usually wandering on
the graveyard in the nights carrying corpses. Some say, the corpses he carried
is the body he stole from the graveyard. Engklek-Engklek have loudly-strange
voice “klek… klek… klek…” in the
silent night when they appear. Nowadays, this creature is not as popular as
other mythical creatures in Javanese folklore.
9.
Tuyul
In Indonesian mythology, especially in java, tuyul is mythical
creature that look like boy or dwarf with bald-head and voice like a chick. In
many stories, tuyul can work as thief for their (human) master. To avoid being
stolen by tuyul, people putting crabs in several corner of their house.
Javanese people believe that tuyul loves crab, so they will forget about the
mission given by their master.
10.
Babi ngepet
Babi ngepet can roughly translated as “filthy pig”. Originally, babi ngepet is human being who using the
dark ritual to turn himself into form of a pig. Through this, performer of the
ritual will be able to steal money by wandering the village in the night and
fiddling it’s body near the house he want to steal. Before transformed, the
performer must firstly wear the black coat, after then he cast the spell and
thus, he transformed. This ritual requires 2 mens, one for the performer (which
transformed as pig) and other one for the candle-keeper. If the light of the
candle is louring or unstable, it’s mean the performer is being detected and in
danger. The candle-keeper must put out the fire of candle, by then the
performer will transform back in human form.
11.
Jenglot
Technically, jenglot is small fuman-figure (about 10-17 cm)
with dark skin, long claws and rough texture like mummy. Jenglot have creepy
face like undead or skull with fangs on it’s mouth and long hair. They can be
found in many sites in Indonesia like java, borneo, and bali. People believe
that jenglot have magical power and drink human blood. People also believe that
jenglot can bring bad omen if (after found and picked up by human) they needs
is not fully satisfy. Medically, jenglot is defined as not life beings after
been researched by forensic team of Cipto Mangun Kusumo Hospital, Jakarta.
Through rontgenogram, the team did’nt found any skeletons. But from DNA examination which taken from
jenglot’s abraded skin it’s found that the DNA is similar to primates or human.
But the medical research about jenglot is stopped because the owner of the
jenglot not allowed the research team to cutting open the jenglot.
12.
Balinese Leak (pronounced : le-ak)
In Balinese mythology, leak is dark sorcerer, or evil
sorcerer. “Le” is mean sorcerer and “ak” means evil. Leak can only be seen in
night by leak-hunter shamans. In daylight, leak looks like common people, but
when night come they search for human organs for their magical potions. Those
potions used by leak to turn himself/herself in to form of a tiger, monkey,
boar, fireball, etc. but the original form of leak is flying bodiless head with
organs attached to it’s neck, they have very long tongue and sharp teeth.
Leak also hunt for human being organs if necessary.
It was told that leak wandering in the night looking for
pregnant women to drink the blood of the unborn child. Balinese believes that
leak is common people practicing the dark magic which require blood and embryo
to survive. Some says, that leak rituals can only worked in island of Bali, that’s
why leak can be found only in Bali. If someone stabs the leak’s neck from the
bottom to the top when the head separated from it’s body, leak will ununifiable
with the body. If leak’s head separated with the body too long, the leak will
dead.
13.
Sundel Bolong
Sundel bolong known as female ghost with beautiful face,
long-black hair, and wore long white gown. But sundel bolong have hole on her
back showing her organs and skeleton. Many people had a hunch that sundel
bolong and kuntilanak are similar or linked caused by similarity of their
appearances (but kuntilanak does’nt have hole on her back). Sundel bolong also
known in Malaysia after this folklore’s been told by Indonesian travelers.
14.
Barong
15.
Jatayu
Jatayu is the protagonist character from wiracarita Ramayana,
son of Aruna and nephew of the Garuda in hindu mythology. Jatayu is the bird
who have seen how Dewi sita been kidnapped by Rahwana. He tried to face him but
he lose the fight and flew to report it to the Sri Rama before he died.
16.
Makara
In hindu mythology, makara is the creature with
elephant-headed fish. As it was describe and carved in many hindu shrines in
Indonesia, especially in java and bali. Balinese call makara as “gajahmina” which literally means
elephant fish. Sometimes, makara is describe as half goat-and half fish just
like Capricornus.
17.
Buto Ijo
Buto ijo is giant creature with green skin, gnarly teeth, and
sharp fangs. He likes to abduct kids or babies and make them as slaves, toys,
or foods. Some says, to prevent the buto ijo arrival, people used yellow
bamboos and stringing up like necklace.
There’s many more mythical creatures, I will add soon..thanks
for reading and sorry if my English is not too good J
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