Traditional Malay Mythological Creatures and Legendary Ghosts (part 1 of 2)

by Oregon Chang

Dear Readers, please do note that in Malay culture and traditions, much of the be it demonic monsters or ghosts are about same. A monster is a ghost and a ghost is also a monster. They do not make too much of a difference to them.

The locations of these monstrous creatures and ghost are pretty much shared in the Malay archipelago or neighbouring nations. Some of it can in the nation's own version or if not exactly or about the same.

This are the list of countries where these creatures have appeared either in folklore or witness sightings:
1) Malaysia
2) Indonesia
3) Singapore
4) Thailand
5) Philippines
6) Brunei
7) Papua New Guinea
8) Cambodia
9) Vietnam
10)Myanmar (Burma)
11) India

List of Malay Mythological Creatures (1 to 10)



1) Sang Kelembai



The Sang Kelembai or Gedembai are supernatural beings inhabiting in the forests of Malaysia . Kelembai has powerful magical curse that can turn anyone to stone. Kelembai(s) confines to noise as it is in the forest.
Sang Kelembai is as an ugly woman with thick eyebrows, a flat nose, big elephant ears, fanged teeth, and about three times the size of a normal person. Feda on the soft top leaves of bamboo plants and occasionally fruit and meat.

It has the power of transforming any human or animal into stone and non other forms. For a Kelembai to turn someone to turn into stone, the Kelembai has to begin with by talking to that person or animal, and this can made her even more deadly.

2) Malaysian Dragon




The Malaysian Dragon or Naga (Draco naga) – are species found in the East Indies – modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea which has been long feared by Malay mariners who called it the Naga.

The Malaysian Dragon has been known to reach lengths of 30 feet, thrice the length of the largest known Komodo Dragons. Unlike the Komodo Dragon, the Malaysian Dragon is comfortable at sea and on land, much in the manner of the Arabian Dragon of Red Sea areas. It preys on all manner of wildlife, including forest hogs, birds, deer, fish, sea snakes, crabs, and yes humans.

This dangerous of the dragons, are constant bane to fishermen in the region, often striking small fishing craft with tremendous force, throwing the occupants in the water to be consumed. They are no less a danger in the jungle and in isolated villages, and have discouraged settlement in some of the more remote regions of the archipelago.

They are known to be responsible for many deaths, even into the 20th century they were known to kill explorers and anthropologists working in New Guinea and downed Japanese and Allied aviators in the region during the Second World War. One popular theory has it that a Naga ate Amelia Earhart in her abortive world flight, though in truth where she perished is well out of their known range.

This dragon once ranged into the southern Philippines, but a concerted effort by the United States military resulted in their eradication in the first few decades of the 20th century, after a number of servicemen were eaten during the Philippine Insurrection. There was a plan by the CIA during the Vietnam War to attempt to populate the species in North Vietnam, to deny the Gulf of Tongking to North Vietnamese fishermen and present a threat to shipping. Howard Hughes was even involved, and constructed a special ship, the St. George, to carry them to the region, but the plan was aborted (though provided Hughes’ company valuable experience for the later Glomar Explorer, used to salvage a sunken Soviet sub).

3) Jentayu



In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Jatayu (Sanskrit: जटायू Jatāyū, Tamil: Chatayu, Thai: Sadayu, Malay: Jentayu or Chentayu) is the son of Aruṇa and nephew of Garuda. A demi-god who has the form of a vulture, he was an old friend of Dasharatha (Rama's father). He tries to rescue Sita from Ravana when Ravana is on his way to Lanka after kidnapping Sita.

4) Garuda



The Garuda (or giant eagle) has a significant place in many Asian legends and history. Garuda is the Malay form of the Phoenix (or the Roc). The Japanese call the Garuda, Karura. In fact, Thailand and Indonesia have the Garuda as their national symbols: The Indonesian national airline is Garuda Indonesia while the Garuda (the king of birds) is also known in Thailand as Krut Pha (a sign of Royal family).

5) Jin


A Jin or spirit from the beliefs of the West Malay people of West Malaysia. He is the guardian of a state known as ‘Royal Musical Instruments’ and he is subject to the King of Jinns, Sang Gala Raja

6) Golbin ( Toyol or Tuyul or Tiyanak )



A Toyol or Tuyul or Tiyanak is a mythical spirit in the Malay mythology of South-East Asia (notably in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippine and Singapore).
They can be a small child spirit which is invoked by Dukun (Indonesian shaman) or Bomoh (Malay witch doctor) from a dead human fetus by the means of black magic. Any person can also easily accuquire a Golbin from a Dukun or Bomoh.

Such Golbin can also be babies that died before receive the rites of baptism. After death, they enter place known as Limbo, which is a chamber for unbaptized dead people and such group of dead people are being transformed into evil spirits known to be as Phautasms. Phautasms would then return back into the mortal world as the form of goblins to feast on the living.

However, such golbin can also be the offspring between a demon and a woman . It can as well be the aborted fetus, which comes to life to take revenge on its mother. They are very vengeful creatures.

The owner of such golbin uses it mainly to steal things from other people, or to do mischief. According to a well-known superstition, if money or jewellery keeps disappearing mysteriously from your house, a goblin might be responsible.

A good way to ward off a toyol is to place some needles under your money. This is because goblins are afraid of being hurt by needles.

According to Javanese mythology, the creature is believed to be kept by a person that practicing pesugihan tuyul black magic. This magic helps people to become rich instantly, but in exchange he or she must perform some rituals or offering tumbal (sacrifice something) to keep the goblin happy. The exchange would be that a female member of the family must allow it to breastfeed from her, sucking blood instead of milk.

Most goblins are said to live in forests. If they see a human, they transform into what looks like a normal baby. When the person notices the goblin and comes near to take a look at it, that's when the goblin changes back to its true form and eats its prey.


7) A Bao A Qu



In the Malaysian mythology there is a creature by the name of A Bao A Qu is generally accepted as being pronounced Abang Aku, which means my elder brother

A Bao A Qu was those gods that were caught in this dimension when the gateway closed being unable to return Because it was caught in this world and needed to be able to cross over into its own dimension, it has become attached and dependent on human behavior, beliefs and karma.

A Bao A Qu gains more consciousness, begins to glow in different colors hoping to find itself in the bluish glow of perfection.  It is also said that the many tentacles

8) Pontianak



Pontianak is a Malay vampire. Said to be the ghost of a woman who died during pregnancy or childbirth, or the vengeful spirit of a woman murdered by her own lover. Commonly spotted at the roadside or under a tree, sometime accompanied by a baby. Pontianak appear to be young and beautiful so as to entice men to come near, whereby she would then turn into an ugly old woman with sharp teeth who will attack the victim and try to drink their blood. She can be killed by an iron nail driven into her neck, however if the nail is ever removed she will come back to life. She is depicted as wearing a full white dress, which can be bloodstained, with very long hair, long fangs and long fingernails. When she is close to you, she gives off a strong smell like flowers.

9) Kuntilanak

Similiar to Pontianak is the Indonesian Kuntilanak. It commonly takes the form of a bird and sucks the blood of virgins and young women. When a man approaches the Kunitilanak when it is in a female form, she would suddenly turns and reveals that her back is hollow. The bird, which makes a "ke-ke-ke" sound as it flies, may be sent through black magic to make a woman sick, the characteristic symptom being vaginal bleeding

10) Penanggalan



Penanggalan is another type of female vampire who is attracted to the blood of new born infants. Basically it is only the head of a woman with intestines and stomach below the head, from which her entrails trail is used to grasp her victim.

The Philippine Manananggal is a similar vampire who can separate her upper torso from her lower body in order to fly in the night with huge bat-like wings to prey on unsuspecting, pregnant women in their homes, using an elongated proboscis-like tongue.A similar concept is also found with the Thai Krasue

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