Interviewed by: Ma. Rita Martha "Myta" H. Santiago
1. As noticed much in Southeast Asia, a majority of ghost stories, if not all, are femininely inclined. In the Philippines, if you read some of our more traditional ghost stories, it is not much different from other SEA countries. What do you think is the reason why traditional ghost stories are tilted to the female side?
Answer: I believe it's all in where you look. What you may be observing is that stories that deal with a feminine presence are much more popular with the male populace. As a ghost hunter, I have found that ghostly activities have an equal balance when dealing with male or female entities. With men, it may sound more romantic when there is a female spirit involved in the ghost story. You can see that with the names of various female spirits, such as The White Lady of Stow Lake which is popular in San Francisco. Whoever is writing the story can center on the female entity, which brings on a male audience. We seek out a colorful character and it appears that female spirits fit that bill. By the way, thank you for the information on The White Lady of Balete Drive and Bloody Mary! Talk about ghostly colorful characters!
2. In traditional ghost stories, female ghosts are seen as beautiful women in white and found often in long sheets and act as lost hitch hikers. What is the reason for this? Is there any symbol or metaphor for this?
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