Looking up "danag" on Google will yield unsatisfactory results: most of the links refer to the gossip of having a Filipino film version of Twilight to be entitled Danag - which is just stupid because "twilight" is "takip-silim" in Filipino and as mentioned in the novel, danag is a Filipino mythological creature most similar to the Western vampire.
But why did I have to look it up? I'm Filipino, I should know that. But I don't. Because I've never heard of it. I figured it's probably not Tagalog (a.k.a. Filipino, the national language, also pertaining to a majority of Filipino people whose primary language is Tagalog).
Further research proved fruitful, however.
I found a PDF file of a fictional story on the net:
B1 Gang Mysteries
Case File No. 10
Aswang sa Hating Gabi
by Joey E. Alcaraz
It presented types of aswang, which the more general term of the somewhat "vampire" in the Filipino folklore.
1. Bampira (Vampire)- It is very much alike the vampire of the West except that instead of sharp fangs, it has multiple, long tongues. It is also known as Amalanhig, Danag, and more appropriate for the Tagalogs, Mandurugo.
2. Manananggal (Viscera Suckers) - Grows wings and detaches its upper half of the body, from the waist up, from its lower half to look for victims, pregnant women are its favorite. Its favorite parts of the body are the heart, lungs, liver, and intestines. Also known as Abat, Buruka, Aswang, Manananggal.
The Manananggal attacks by settling on the victim's roof top while the victim sleeps. It then punctures the roof to create a small hole where it slithes its thread-thin tongue until it reaches the body of the victim below. The tongue then enters the victim's body to consume its internal organs, and if the victim is pregnant, then the baby in her womb is also eaten.
3. Kiwig (Werebeast) - Similar to the Werewolf of the West, a Kiwig shapeshifts on midnight but usually takes the form of a black dog or a big boar, instead of a wolf. Also known as Malakat.
4. Mangkukulam - Takes revenge on people by making ragdolls of its victim and physically hurting the victims by hurting the ragdolls. It can also order its minion insects to enter the victim's body and eat its internal organs. Also known as Mambabarang, Manggagamod, Mamumuyag.
5. Balbal (Carrion eaters; ghouls) - Steals the bodies of the dying to eat them. Also known as Busaw, Segben, or Wirwir.
6. Kantanod - Would appear like an ordinary person and acts like an ordinary person until it catches the scent of a pregnant woman. It then could not help itself but follow the pregnat womant to her home where he will sit outside the house, smelling the scent of the baby. When it leaves its post, the baby would also be gone, a mass of blood in its place.
7 comments:
I'm proud to be a FIlipino despite all the discriminations, despite all the concept that we are slaves like pigs. I believe that people have to be aware that a novel is only a part of an imagination just what Stephenie Meyer did. However, I am so afraid that many of those who aren't Filipino won't bother to check the reality of it. Thus, they will carry it in their subconscious and perhaps will unintentionally scatter a mere folklore. As I read Twilight, I'm deeply devastated when I saw " Filipino" which means this term carries all our nation's dignity. I am very much hopeful that people who read the book will be very educated enough to research about this stuff. Thank you.
What?
hey,
i have been studing filipino folklore for a while now.
i am inlove with the culture an all that comes with it, i spend most nights talking to my husband and his family about the phillipens and all the things they went through there good and bad. it makes me smile and i plan on going in the future.
i understand where you were going with this,
you wanted people to understand that diffrent cultures believe in other types of creature and just because its not well known in america does not mean it doesnt exist in the harts and minds in other countries.
i am not sure if you check this often or even at all,
but i would like to talk to you more and hear what you have to say.
my IM is Chibi_347@msn.com
if you like you can contact me...
inichdefa -
I wouldn't worry about your nation being thought poorly of because Meyer referenced the danag and connected it with Filipino folklore. Very, very few people are going to assume it has anything to do with the modern culture of the Philippines.
If you're concerned about it and how it will influence people's perception of the Philippines of the past, I still wouldn't worry. Every culture of sufficient age has unusual beliefs in history, whether we're talking about the United States, the Philippines, or Italy. Why should anyone think poorly of the Philippines in particular, whether or not these creatures are actually a part of old Filipino folklore?
As for the information… It's quite interesting, actually, and not the sort of stuff you find everywhere!
just to add sigbin or segben are creatures similar to chupacabras and is said to be kept by aswangs as pets they are described as creatures who walks backwards. an interesting note that recently, a sort of cat-fox species was discovered in borneo,(with its front legs larger than the hind legs) it is quite possible that we have an endemic version on the philippines.(since some of these sigbin sighthings describes the creatures sporting spots on it's body) and that it got mixed up in our folklore.
Thank you for that insightful contribution. I had to Google Chupacabras and Borneo cat-fox to visualize them.
I never heard of aswang pets because I don't think Shake Rattle and Roll's Aswang movie didn't have one :P
Like all other cultures, the Philippines has its own elaborate and fascinating lower mythology. Most creatures have their counterparts in other southeast asian nations like the manananggal and the tianak (known as pontianak in Malaysia, if I'm not mistaken). In this modern age, Filipinos from all walks of life still believe,or at least have an interest on lower mythology.The definitive published works on Philippine Lower Mythology and Demonology is by Maximo Ramos.
Post a Comment