Filipino Folklore: Manananggal, Engkanto, and Duwende, Oh My!

From the manananggal that stalked her grandfather; the menehune who entertained her uncle; the exorcism of Baby, lured by engkanto; to the duwende that possessed her cousin, this collection of Sapphire Sandalo’s personal family paranormal folklore stories just couldn’t have coalesced anywhere other than Philippine culture.

This is an H-Files episode, a limited-edition mini-series we host from time to time. This mini series features paranormal stories that are based more on folklore and family history than first-hand accounts. Today’s guest, Sapphire Sandalo, tells us many tales of paranormal creatures you just might encounter if you venture into the dark Philippine forests. Filipino folklore galore!

Episode Summary

Never heard about all the fantastical mystical creatures living among the balete trees in the Philippines? Well, you’re in for a treat. Sapphire shares the bizarre details of her family’s history with the paranormal which, thanks to a rash of overly-chill babysitters, is quite extensive.

Our guest, Sapphire Sandalo, also hosts multiple paranormal podcasts you can stream now!

Multitalented artist Sapphire is a Filipino-American creator, host, animator, and podcaster based out of LA. Her work includes such varied things! Check out her videos, Stories with Sapphire. Then, stream her paranormal podcast, the Something Scary Podcast. Don’t forget to watch the web series Toon Buzz on Channel Frederator. There’s just too much awesomeness to cite everything here, so may we suggest you check out her website. Assuming you’re here because you like ghosts and spooky storytelling, we think you’ll love everything she does.

Episode Show Notes

Duwende and art

Tabi-tabi po, please do not tread on the little people who live in the anthills. Duwende (or duende) refers rather broadly to several mythical small creatures/paranormal beings. And seemingly unrelatedly, if you’ve ever been so moved by a work of art that you have a passionate physical reaction (crying or the like; get your mind out of the gutter), it is the duende that possesses you (although in a far less literal sense than Sapphire’s tita spoke of). Both concepts arose from the Spanish phrase dueño/duen de casa or “master of the house.” Quite possibly, the creature duwende is a parable that reminds us we do not truly own the land, but must coexist with it. Perhaps the artistic concept of tener duende is a parable that reminds us that we do not truly comprehend the full nature of our own emotion, but must coexist with it.

If you would like to stream a fabulous podcast about the less-paranormal artistic role of the duende, and how this concept relates to other artistic muses, take a listen to this episode by Starling.

Engkanto: trickster spirits of folklore, or ominous heralds of colonialism?

If a gorgeous Scandinavian-looking woman invites you back to her place, and that place turns out to be a balete tree, be on guard. There’s a chance she’s an engkanto, a kind of trickster spirit of Philippine mythology. They will lure you to them with their beauty, accept a gift or ask for a commitment, then drain your energy or steal your soul. Having an engkanto living in a tree near your house can be good luck, but if one tries to proposition you, steer clear.

Is the tiqui the same as a manananggal?

The manananggal is like a vampire, in that it sprouts bat wings when it attacks, and drinks human blood. A little less vampirically, it also performs gruesome navel abortions with it’s eel-like, razor-tipped tongue. It also leaves its bottom half behind to fly through the night; intestines flapping behind like a horrible gory kite tail. We have a suspicion this paranormal monster inspired the short story “Geraldine” by Ian McDowell in the anthology Love In Vein, edited by Poppy Z Brite (one of our favorites from the nineties).

Morris the Cat at the Crescent Hotel

Diana begins this paranormal podcast episode by talking about her recent trip to the haunted Crescent Hotel, where she caught something unusual and potentially supernatural on camera. Could it be the spirit of Morris the cat? Check out the photos, taken only a moment apart, and tell us what you see. Diana certainly had a spooky day!