I grew up hearing Aswang stories and how they love to eat children who still roam the neighborhood after 6 pm. That had me scurrying to go home every time it gets dark, even if I’m in a middle of a hide and seek game. The threat of getting whacked with a guava twig on the butt didn’t succeed in getting me home before six, the thought of Aswang surely did.
Here’s an interesting description of an Aswang from Wikipedia:
An Aswang (or Asuwang) is a ghoul in Filipino folklore. The myth of the Aswang is popular in the Western Visayan regions such as Capiz, Iloilo and Antique. The trademark or major feature of Aswangs which distinguish them from other Filipino mythological creatures is their propensity to replace stolen cadavers with the trunk of a banana tree carved in the cadaver’s likeness. They are also said to like to eat small children. Their favorite body parts are the liver and heart. Other local names, especially in Capiz are tik-tik and wak-wak.
So, the Aswang is a homegrown creature of Western Visayas. No wonder it’s the favorite story among old folks. Growing up, my folks would always remind me not to go at the far end of our Barangay where a certain family is believed to be aswang. Apparently, a member of that family married an aswang from another town. They had two beautiful daughters that nobody in the community courted.
The Flores de Mayo during May is a big fiesta for us. It is celebrated with having a family as the Hermana Mayor where the Reyna Elena would be chosen and they will provide food for everybody. That family being well off was the Hermana Mayor for that year and respectively, the daughters where the center of the procession.
It was customary that after the procession, those who attended it will accompany the Virgin Mary icon to the house of the Hermana Mayor where they will be served with food. The couple, knowing their reputation, asked other people to cook the food for the occasion. However, not everybody was aware of it especially the children for nobody expected what happened after the procession. When the food was served, the children and those unaware of it, left the place in such a hurry that they destroyed the bamboo fence in their haste. The couple was really disappointed but they couldn’t do anything about their reputation. Up until now, they’re still rumored to be aswang. And the daughters? One became a doctor and the other a nurse. They’re already in the United States now where hopefully nobody believes in aswang.
But really, has anyone truly seen an Aswang? Even now folks back home still believed in them. Mind you, we don’t live in the woods. Our place is just 11km away from Iloilo City but people believed in stories of Aswang and other mythical creatures who lurk in the dark ready for their next victim. Their stories are deeply ingrained in our culture that it’s so hard to shake them off. I don’t really believe in them but I still sometimes look behind my back at night lest there’s an Aswang ready to pounce on me.
[image credit: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com]
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Having experienced the wonderful years of growing up in Bacolod, and having moved away to live in Europe, it is so refreshing to read about the topic – growing up with Aswang. This is one aspect of our rich heritage which we should really cultivate in the younger generation. Story telling was so magical and it still it! Have you heard of Tenyente Gimo? Before we lose this thread, we must get our older populace to recall and record such stories.
Let’s form a team to relive this part of our culture!
Oka tokat……
Ang aswang ay kwentong ginawa ng mga matatanda na panakot lamang sa mga batang matitigas ang Ulo.. Hindi dapat katakutan ang aswang dahil walang katotohanan.
Dalawang klase lang ang “aswang” na nananatili ngayon.
1. Yung mga nang-aaswang ng asawa ng may asawa.
2. Yung Aswang na nasa malakanyang.. kilala niyo siya?
i believed it, i’d seen it with my own eyes with other people when i was a little girl. my question is, is it still exist. and one more thing they hate the smell of garlic. And if you suspect somebody is aswang invite them in the house and put the broom right at the door and by the time they are leaving they can’t get out of the house.they can stay inside all day without getting out. try it.
Really? That’s interesting and well, scary. I heard so many aswang stories and how to spot them when I was a kid. Will post something about it one of these days. Thanks for sharing your experience Josie.
i believe in aswang , i remember when i was at my age at 17 me and my friends went on a vacation in mindoro we arrive there holy thursday that night we decided to drink together with his relatives so while where drinking one of his uncle told a story about there neighbor a family of eating humans flesh . its true why? because his uncle seen the family eating human flesh. after three weeks my friend told me that his uncle died the body of his uncle was found in river side and dont have internal organ.
That is really scary! Whatever/whoever did that to your friend’s uncle was a horrible persons/creature.
It’s true. When I was 8 years old, the child from Sipalay City where I grow old was abducted by aswang. Asking her why she was tied in a mango tree, she told the people who rescued her that a certain flying creature brought her there. An aswang will not die if someone in his relatives will not receive his demonic power.
Lucky for her she was not killed.
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