The ASWANG, Revealed.......

        Halloween provides the perfect backdrop to extend our imagination to reach the realm of the supernatural. Somehow, this occasion justifies any eager talk about ghosts, dwende, tikbalang, kapre, aswang and all other supernatural creatures. Admit it or not, we marvel at stories about the extraordinary. The Twilight mania that has reached our shores has spawned our own versions, with the aswang taking center stage. If the West has vampires, then the Philippines has the aswang.  

        Our fascination with aswang and its allies stems from hand-me-down stories shared to us by folks from provinces. I know that most of us are skeptic about such tales, but a part of us tells us that perhaps there really is an  aswang. However, stories narrated by people who have crossed paths with such supernatural being are not enough to form an intersubjective consensus that will make the claim that aswangs are for real. Hence, the aswang remains as a fictional concept. Whether an aswang is real or not, the line that separates the real from the supernatural is getting thinner and thinner in our consciousness.

Aswang vs. Manananggal*

        Are they different or just the same? People in Atimonan, Quezon, have made a classification of aswang based on its movement or locomotion. The one that simply walks, but has the ability to transform itself into an animal is called aswang na naglalakad. This type of aswang can take the form of a big dog, cat, pig, or any other animal. Hence, it is also called a “shapeshifter”. This type of aswang attacks at night, and reverts back to its human form usually by four in the morning or at dawn.

       On the other hand, the one that splits itself into half then flies, with its trunk and limbs remaining on ground, is called manananggal. This type of aswang can fly because of its enormous wings. Usually, the manananggal goes to a secluded spot to perform its ritual of splitting itself into half using powerful oils. After it is done with its nightly attacks, the manananggal reunites itself with its "other half"and goes back to its human form.

       Whether aswang na naglalakad or manananggal, both are swift movers. The latter flies, while the former leaps and walks through air at a swift pace.

Tiktik*

  

        Another supernatural being that we discuss in the same breath as the aswang and manananggal is the tiktik. What is a tiktik? People in Atimonan believe that when a manananggal flies, a sound which is tik tik tik is heard. The tiktik is not the manananggal itself, but a bird that usually accompanies the manananggal. So when a tiktik is heard or seen, the manananggal will not be far behind. Due to such circumstance, this bird is also considered a creature of ill omen.

Manananggal, Tikbalang, Sirena

  

        GMA Seven’s telenovela, Aso ni San Roque, considers the aforesaid creatures as types of aswang. The manananggal is the aswang ng hangin, tikbalang is the aswang ng lupa, and sirena is the aswang ng tubig. This is my first time to encounter such distinction, since based on tales that I have heard and read, the mentioned creatures are very distinct from each other, and thus, do not fall under one category. What could be GMA’s source? It remains to be discovered.

Categories of Supernatural Beings*

        Atimonan folks categorize supernatural beings into three. The first is the upper supernatural beings which include aswang and its forms. The second is the middle spirit world which includes the tikbalang, kapre, and multo. The third and last category is the lower spirit world which includes engkanto, bulislis (one-eyed monster), sirena, dwende, and dalalitnon (tiny engkantos). Are there other supernatural creatures that were not mentioned?

True or Not? 

       Paranormal experts confidently claim that supernatural beings do exist. But for the rest of us who are not endowed with the ability to see other dimensions, and whose beliefs are anchored on scientific precision and dogmatic religious beliefs, the supernatural does not occupy a space in our consciousness. In Philosophy, in order for a phenomenon to be considered empirical, then it must be observed by all and not just by a chosen few.

        True or not? Imagination or real? We have our own beliefs. As they say, if there is smoke, then there is fire. Have you encountered somebody who is a recluse or anti-social? Is he or she uncomfortable looking straight into your eyes? Is your reflection in the latter's eyes upside-down or inverted? Chances are, that person is an.......aswang.

 

Source: Aswang (Monsters) and Supernaturalisms: Nocturnal Dieties by Alta Grace Q. de Gracia
               Rex Book Store, Inc. (2011)