The Aswang
The Philippines is a country rich in folklore and legends, but perhaps the most popular creature is the Aswang. This creature is known to be a human by day and a monster by night, taking on various forms and terrorizing those who cross its path. The Aswang has fascinated people for centuries, and the stories about them have been passed down for generations. In this blog post, we'll explore the origins of the Aswang, their characteristics, and even how to fight against them.
The Aswang, like many folklore creatures, can often be traced back to the animistic belief of the Austronesian people, who once lived in the Philippines. Based on this culture of belief, it was believed that otherworldly entities could enter our natural world and wreak havoc. These beliefs and the creatures around them birthed a rich culture of folklore that is still vibrant in the culture today.
The Aswang do not always appear as the bloodthirsty beasts they are. In fact, during the day they can often inhabit the world and be easily mistaken for a typical human. Something that makes them so deadly is the fact that they can so easily shapeshift, not just into humans, but also into birds or other creatures. Since they often live deep in the forest, waiting for prey to find them, they can take on the appearance of other creatures and hunt their prey without raising any alarm bells. They are also excellent at tracking so if you do manage to shake them off your trail, they’ll likely be able to sniff you out (literally).
As mentioned earlier, during the day the Aswang will usually appear as a typical animal or human. Because of their shapeshifting abilities, their true form is often not acknowledged or, perhaps, they have none. The only telling characteristics of an Aswang are its’ disgustingly long tongue, bloodshot eyes, and a tick-tick-tick noise it makes to trick you into thinking they’re getting further away when they’re actually getting closer. In general, Aswang stories and definitions vary greatly from region to region and person to person, and no particular set of characteristics can be ascribed to the term. However, they are often depicted as beautiful yet demonic-looking women.
Often, the Aswang is specifically malevolent towards women and pregnant women. While they'll eat any flesh and blood they can get their claws on, they are particular to pregnant women and new babies. In some stories, they have a proboscis-like tongue that is specifically for sucking blood directly from the womb. When there is a miscarriage or issues with pregnancy, the Aswang is largely blamed.
But, how do you protect yourself? Typical worldwide tools of protection, like salt and vinegar, are said to work. Additionally, you can craft a tell-tale oil. Simply select a coconut as it first blooms and watch it grow. When it's ripe, pluck it at twilight during a full moon when the weather is foul. Once you have the coconut, grate it and collect all of the juice. Boil them together until they become oil and recite prayers. Once complete, you can hang the oil somewhere visible in your house, usually by the front door. If an Aswang is near or, god forbid, enters the home, the oil will begin to suddenly boil.
H.M.Bec's artistic depiction of an Aswang. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Thanks to Lorraine E.P. for your blogstonishing suggestion!