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Manananggal

Manananggal from Filipino Folklore

Read "Manananggal" in Tagalog

Ano Nga Ang Mananggal?

There are different kinds of aswang.

One of which is what we call manananggal.

Why they are called manananggal?

From the tagalog word of ‘’ tanggal’’ or to split. It is believed that they split or separate half of their body, to hunt for food.

Since they are a kind of aswang, they hunt for same food, fresh blood, fetus, human organs especially heart and liver.

Pag Babagung Anyo Ng Asawang

During midnight they are gone for hunting, manananggal is changing form into a scary monster, wrinkled face, with a sharp claws and teeth, frightful and glaring big eyes. And a huge wings to fly. The lower part of the body left standing on the ground. They will fly above to start searching for food by using elongated sharp tongue to suck blood or eat fetus of a pregnant woman.

Anu Ang Kinakain Ng Aswang

We often heard stories from our ancestors, they seek pregnant woman as their prey. From the roof, patiently waiting until everybody slept, before they attack the victim. Sharp tongue is stretched long enough towards the victim.

Palatandaan Kapag May Manananggal

Manananggal is accompanied by a bird called ‘’tiktik’’ or tikling. The name is derived from its sound ‘’kikik’’, they are to confuse people. Believed that the louder the noise, the farther manananggal is.

Panguntra Upang Hindi Makalapit

To avoid manananggal you should sprinkle salt into your house, they also avoid garlic, tail of a sting ray, they also die from sunlight. They should rejoin before sunrise otherwise, they will die. Sunlight will burn them.

Pag Sasalin Lahi

Manananggal can pass on his power in the right time. He cannot die unless it is given to another member of the family. It has been told that there is a living chick inside his body. A ritual is performed. Once the living chick has been transferred, he will now hunt for food to keep it alive.

There are many version of stories about manananggal. Stories that have been told for every generation.

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#1: Guest #1208 (Mirmir) - at 12:27 on 09 Jun 2021


We have the same thing as Manannanggal; in the Malay world, it is called Penanggal or Penanggalan. Penanggal is a woman (typically) who has been practising witchcraft to keep being youth and attain immortality. Most people won't suspect this woman in a human form as she might be in high-class society and beautiful. Since Penanggal been living a pretty long time, she must have many husbands but never a child. The routine of Penanggal begins at night, half an hour before midnight. The person will get into Tempayan (A big vase of water container) and close the opener with a cloth (can be used with the different thing) dipped into dirty blood like menstrual blood. By 1 minute before midnight, the head/half body will separate from the rest. And Penanggal will roam around as far as 10 miles from the Tempayan to find a victim to feed.