Vampires » philippines

Mini Vampire Myths

Moonlight — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:00:18 +0000

There are countless vampire myths and legends around the world and among them are a large number of different vampire species. The only problem is that some of these tales have faded over time and as a result we are left with only a crumb of information on each. So with that in mind today’s post is dedicated to those little-known vampires.

Peuchen
This vampires hales from southern Chili and it is described as a giant flying snake that makes peculiar whistling sounds. It is said that it’s gaze could petrify its intended victim. While the victim is trapped the peuchen would then be able to drink down their tasty blood. The only way to destroy this creature is to have a Machi (Mapuche Medicine Woman) take it down.

Tunda
This Columbian vampire is for sure an odd one. She is a shapeshifter that takes on the form of a beautiful woman to lure her victims deep into the forests. Her true appearance is a hideous creature with one wooden leg that is shaped like a molinillo (a kind of whisk). Once she has lured a man to her she then feeds him shrimp that she has farted on, the shrimp then puts him into a kind of trance and this is when the tunda attacks and feeds on his blood and flesh.

Abchanchu
Very little is known about this Bolivian vamp. What we do know is that it would take on the form of an helpless elderly traveler. When people would stop and offer the creature help the abchanchu would grasp them and feast on their blood.

Amalanhig
A Filipino vampire that looks very similar to humans except for its incredibly long canine teeth. Amalanhig are actually Aswangs that never completed the full transformation. Instead they simply rise from their graves to kill humans by biting their necks. To escape from one of these monsters you need to run in a zigzag pattern since they can only walk in a straight line due to the stiffness of their body. You can also run into a body of water since Amalanhigs are afraid of deep bodies of water.

- Moonlight

The Aswang

Moonlight — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:20:57 +0000

The Aswang are another one of those vampire species that are way different than your traditional opera cape kind. This particular vampire is from the Philippines and is believed to be a sexy normal woman by day and an evil flying monster of terror at night.

During the day the Aswang appears to be a completely normal human. She can live in a house, work a job, carry and raise children and do all sorts of other human things like you and I. At night, however she takes the form of a demonic looking bird and takes flight, crying out “Kikik! (or Kakak!).

She feeds on blood and only blood and the way she feeds isn’t with fangs like the average vampire. She feeds using her very long, thin, hallow tongue she inserts through cracks in the roof of prey’s houses. The Aswang will feed especially on children but not on those that sleep on the edge of their mats. For some reason she only feeds on those that sleep in the middle and supposedly announces this before eating.

At dawn the Aswang returns to human form, possibly because of the sun or because it washes off the special ointment it uses to become a vampire. Because that is how an Aswang come to be, through a special ointment it rubs all over its body that gives it it’s dark powers.

Also, if the Aswang happens to lick your shadow you will die shortly after. Seriously. Curse those shadow lickers! Ahem. There is a way to keep them from licking your poor shadow though. Garlic rubbed under one’s armpits is an excellent Aswang repellent…although if you do that you will be repelling just about anyone and anything within 10 feet of you.

The Aswang is still used today by Filipinos as a kind of boogie-man to make their children behave.

So what have we learned today? Sleep in the middle of your bed and protect your shadow… oh and don’t rub any strange lotions all over your body.

- Moonlight

Vampire Abilities and Flaws

veritas — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:29:04 +0000

The abilities of a vampire are numerous, and naturally depends on what vampire is in what area, for one to know what kind of things they might be capable of. For example; many species of vampire are not know to be able to fly, however, the bruxsa in Portugal, the lansuir in Malaysia, and aswang in the Philippines all have the ability to fly. Other vampires native to cultures in different regions must first change shape to fly, which is but one more of their many talents. A vampire might turn into a dog, cat, bat, wolf, insects, and pests or rodents; anything to escape destruction. Many cultures believed that during the cremation of a vampire if you were to let even one maggot, or bug to escape from his corpse during the burning that he would have survived. Vampires also have the ability to defy gravity, in some cases, such as Count Dracula’s nimble talent of scaling walls like a spider, head down facing the ground.

To invade locked doors, or escape in tightly cramped areas, the vampire is able to transform himself into a mist, or vapour, so that he can travel beneath doors or through keyholes. Others believed that he was able to reduce in size or dimension, so that he could slip through narrow spaces. The vampire also possesses great mental and physical strength; if he is not able to hypnotize his enemy, he will surely have the strength of several men to defend himself. Some vampires have the power to control other animals, making them familiars or servants, while others are able to control the elements. Some believe that vampires are responsible for crop failure, and bad harvests. The Balkan people, among a few other cultures believed that a vampire could have intercourse with a human female, producing their dhampir offspring. Many cultures believed that vampires naturally possess eternal life, or at least live very long lives. In India and the Ukraine, some species of vampire stole human organs, while the Romanians believed that vampires caused impotence.

Despite the vampires many numerous strengths, they also have many weaknesses that render them destructible by man, or skilled hunters. For example, many cultures believe that a vampire is unable to cross over a threshold that they have not been invited into. Others believed that vampires could not cross over running water. European cultures maintained the belief that vampires must sleep during the day, which keeps them in a comatose state. The reason being for sleep during the day, is yet another weakness; vampires are unable to withstand direct sunlight. The vampire in many legends is vulnerable to Christian religious objects, as well as hallowed ground. Some cultures also believed that vampires must return to the soil of their native land in order to regenerate their powers, and to sleep. The other weakness, is that vampires are unable to see themselves in mirrors; this would not seem like a weakness, but was actually used to capture Dracula, in the film Dracula 2000.

Vampires » philippines

Mini Vampire Myths

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The Aswang

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Vampire Abilities and Flaws

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