Pontianak: The Vengeful, Violent Vampiric Ghost of Southeast Asia | Monstrum
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
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After suffering a horrible death while pregnant or during childbirth, the pontianak, or kuntilanak, has long been a staple of Malay horror. Known for her long black hair, sharp claws, and desire for blood and organs, this popular monster of Southeast Asia is as deadly as she is beautiful...(well, sometimes).
In addition to serving as an allegory for the tension between traditional and modern cultural and spiritual practices, these monsters gave name to a real city. In this episode, you’ll learn how Islamic trade routes, animism, and the role of women in Southeast Asia contribute to stories of this notorious ghost.
#pontianak #kuntilanak #malayfolklore #MonstrumPBS
Written and Hosted by: Dr. Emily Zarka
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Producer: Stephanie Noone
Illustrator: Samuel Allen
Editor: Sara Roma
Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.
The world is full of monsters, myths, and legends and Monstrum isn’t afraid to take a closer look. The show, hosted by Dr. Emily Zarka takes us on a journey to discover a new monster in each new episode. Monstrum looks at humans' unique drive to create and shape monster mythology through oral storytelling, literature, and film and digs deep into the history of those mythologies.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Duile, Timo. “Kuntilanak: Ghost Narratives and Malay Modernity in Pontianak, Indonesia.” Brill.com, 2020.
Joyce, Michael James. “The Vampire Our Age Deserves: 21st Century Forms of Ancient Evil.” eTropic, 17.1, 2018, pp. 117-136.
Izharuddin, Alicia. “Pain and pleasures of the look: The female gaze in Malaysian horror film.” Asian Cinema, vol. 26, no. 2, 2015.
Ng, Andrew Hock-Soon. “‘Death and the Maiden’: The Pontianak as excess in Malay Popular Culture.” Draculas, Vampires, and Other Undead Forms: Essays on gender, race, and culture. Ed. John Edgar Browning and Caroline Joan (Kay) Picart, The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2009, pp. 167-185.
Nicholas, Cheryl L., and Kimberly N. Kline. “‘Cerita Pontianak’: Cultural Contradictions and Patriarchy in a Malay Ghost Story. Storytelling, Self, Society, Sept-Dec. 2010, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 194-211.
"Pontianak." Britannica Academic, Encyclopædia Britannica, 4 Apr. 2013.
Tan, Kenneth Paul. “Pontianaks, Ghosts, and the Possessed: Female Monstrosity and National Anxiety in Singapore Cinema.” Asian Studies Review, June 2010, vol. 34, pp. 151-170.
The Asian Cinema Experience: Styles, Spaces, and Theory, Ed. Stephen Tao, Routledge, 2012.
You know what, I am suprised that no bullies ever come up with this line "your mom so scary, she become a myth in borneo"
Oh, now that you mention it....
Interesting
A myth in Mexico also works.
Hippity hoppity your line is now my property
Yeah...if the bully said something like that he would be bullied instead.
Nerd.
All these feminine related monsters and yet moms anger still top them
Hah. I bet even warlords and generals of the pasts were afraid of their moms.
@@Ong.s_Jukebox even god would be scared of their mum
Right? Talk to me when ghosts start throwing their slippers at you
*Madre Chancla has entered the arena*
Asian moms
When the voice is near, she is far away.. when the voice is far, she is near next to you..
Pontianak, kuntilanak
Oh that’s not terrifying at all.
@@dubbingsync yeah... If u understand more about that creature, u will be feel so Pity for her.
That is sooo true
@Happie Our No offense, but all of the so called mystic documentaries are fake and heavily dramatised.
I've heard pontianak's (Kuntilanak) laugh behind me 2 years ago, good thing she's far away
I'm Malaysian Malay and what a delight it is to stumble on this video! Your research is 100% accurate, I hope you'll explore more creatures from Malay culture as we have an abundance of creepy creatures from our oral folklore.
Scary
this ghost is not only from malaysia
its real i know her
Other than laughters, I was always told that if you’re walking alone & smell the scent of Jasmine petals, the pontianak is near. (Or far, I honestly blocked it out of my memory due to an ingrained fear since childhood)
Sometimes you’d hear stories about people listening to a women crying outside someone’s window as well. Any glimpse of a white fabric in the middle of a night, would make any locals shake in fear tbh.
i also heard that if you find a strand of hair on the floor or which position it is it’s also a sign like when you go to the bathroom and then find a few strands of hair on your room but it wasn’t there before i don’t know if it’s true tho
I'm an Indonesian and this Kuntilanak (that's what we call it here) is famous for its scary high-pitched laughs :"""
Oh that’s creepy I just got chills
Imagine hearing those laud voice when you're alone at home in midnight. 😱😱😱
when you hear it loud, it means she's far away, if you hear it soft and low, it mean she's right nearby aka you are fked up
@@Bayofthe91st Exactly!🔥
we also have Sundel bolong which basically kidnaps children
Her eyes are red. Bless her heart she needs some sleep!
Hah!
Now that you say this, It's me... I'm also Asian, so it fits 😱😱
Nah bro she been smoking some good kush
@@TheFunwichHorror YEaaaaaaaaaaah
So true
Cool, Here in the Philippines we have Monster called "Tiyanak", but instead of the mother, it's the Baby that does the killing. Hope that monstrum can feature this too.
She did.
@@MrKIMBO345 She didn't.
Give it milk!
Tiyan + anak = new born baby
we call them tuyul in malaysia and Indonesia
Expectation : vamipiric blood thirsty
Reality : annoying people with laughter
w super high pitch...
Wait till you meet one😃
As long as you're not newborn or recently gave birth you're safe
Pontianak : *scaring the settlers*
Sultan : parry this, you filthy casual
That sultan brings in canon likes he's about to perform 1812 Overture
@@acapraichu4879 *cannon sounds intensifies*
@@acapraichu4879 now i can't unhear that bits with the cannons
Boom
The nail in the neck forcing her to be a wife is kind of reminiscent of selkies and their coats being taken away, although the selkie women can find their coats and free themselves.
It reminded me of Nordic swanmaidens, who have a similar deal with their wings.
Finally Pontianak, I'm from South East Asia and this got to be one of the scariest thing we have known.
I was born and raised in Pontianak.
@@dennydenlim What you mean in Pontianak?
@@amoschan997 pontianak is an Indonesian city on a west borneo island
@@amoschan997 it a indonesian city
@@amoschan997 most Singaporeans and Malaysians aren't aware where Pontianak originated from. It's from the city of Pontianak, Kalimantan
Singaporean here. It's always interesting to see the different regional interpretations of myths and monsters; over here, we believe that you could bind a potianak to your will by finding the banana tree she lives in, and then forcing a needle laced with red thread into the trunk of the tree. You then tie the other end of the thread to the base of your bed, and the pontianak would then be forced to serve you as a spiritual familiar of sorts. If the thread breaks or the needle removed however, the pontianak would then take its revenge on you.
do you like lottery by any chance
Why do you think people tie red cloths around big trees? Is that something to do with controlling some spirit?
Wait, how long is this thread?
@@Vanished_Mostly very long, that's for sure.
Imagine getting an enemy who finds out what you're doing. They just gotta snip the thread and it's game over
I love the connection to womanhood and it also true that animism is still culturally pervasive in Malaysia regardless of religion. One very common example is to pay respect upon entering the jungle or wooded area. We are taught to not curse or use foul language and give greetings upon entering a jungle or wooded area. I just realised it probably a very ancient sensibility.
Malaysians treat forests/woodlands like limitless bank accounts/credit cards and chop down trees like cutting grass.
@@perrycheong1058 that would be another complex conversation involving revenue sharing between state and federal, power sharing arrangements between state and federal, and ultimately the devolution of certain powers from federal. States have very limited revenue streams and are at the mercy of federal and in some cases legitimate revenue are withheld from state. Unfair treatment of some states and the increasing push for more autonomy and devolution of powers especially from Sabah and Sarawak.
One clear example of the absurdity of the power sharing arrangement is that urban planning, and public transport planning are federal powers not state or even local authorities.
The positive is that we are seeing this conversations about a new power and revenue sharing arrangement between state and federal. As a matter of fact Sabah and Sarawak will always have more autonomy than peninsular states.
@@perrycheong1058 Recently, there has unfortunately been too much logging and intrusion into the jungle which has always been the home of Orang Asli. I sympathize with our want to modernize and strengthen our economy, but it doesn't make it right.
@@oblati Recently? It has been happening since eternity.
@@perrycheong1058Most of the illegal logging were done by Chinese who owns said companies. Not Malays ourselves.
honestly, it actually pretty nice to see one of our folklores being covered by u guys. In malaysia there's also a warning to not stop at a road if a woman who's carrying a baby asks for a lift cuz...yeah. thank you for covering this.
Creepy, I’ve seen the sign before
From Singapore - my mom used to scare me by telling me the pontianak would get me if I was outside at night and walked close to trees...There are trees everywhere.
Growing up, i realize such folklore are made for parent to easily control their children with fear. Effective
It followed me from tree to tree in sembawang Park...
Same
@@tartilasahid8056 its super effective
Sembawang park is one of these creatures haunting ground,kampung wak hassan is the other haunting ground too
Indonesian here! Great to see a video on an infamous legend from my own country, also happens to be one I may have had an experience with. Growing up I've heard numerous stories from friends and family members about their encounters with a kuntilanak. Today I consider myself a skeptic and take these stories with a grain of salt, but if someone asks me if I ever had a supernatural experience, this is the 'ghost' I go to.
This happened when I was just a child. I was walking at night to a cousin's house who lived nearby. As I walked by a supposedly empty house, a dark-haired woman wearing a long white dress, exactly as described in this video, walked out of the door and stood still for several seconds, staring. She turned around and went back inside as soon as I passed the house and I never saw her again. I told my cousin about this and pale-faced he said that other kids in the neighborhood have seen the exact same thing. Now, it could've been anything from a random squatter to my own brain making up false details about this memory. Maybe it was just a woman who actually lived there that I just didn't know about. Regardless, it was definitely a strange experience that I'll have trouble forgetting anytime soon.
Some other experiences I've heard growing up:
-A different cousin who had the 'sixth sense' believed that a kuntilanak lived on one of the trees in his front yard. I've heard many tales of these ghosts living in trees, but had no idea about the etymological origins and their relationship to trees. It all makes sense now!
-A friend who used to sneak out of his bedroom to play video games on the computer late at night often hears a woman's laughter outside his window. He swore it was the laugh of a kuntilanak. Another part of the myth that wasn't discussed in this video, apparently if you hear a kuntilanak's laugh nearby, it actually means that they are far away. But if it sounds far away, she's actually very close.
-While hanging out by the campus parking lot, a college friend who also had the 'sixth sense' suddenly pointed at a random guy and asked me if I only saw one person or two, to which I answered one. He stated that he saw two, and that the faded shadow of a kuntilanak was sitting next to that guy. When I asked him what it looks like, he funnily enough answered that he couldn't see it too clearly as it hadn't fully materialized, and I quote "Kind of like a 3D model in a video game that hasn't rendered yet." Got a good laugh out of that one.
ohhhhh. Creepy!
Wow! Thank you for sharing your stories with us. 🙂
TL:DR
Creepy! In many parts of the world birds and other wild fauna can produce eery human-like sounds like laughter or shrieks. But they don't produce ghost visions that often.
Aaaaand so much for me getting some sleep
In indonesia kuntilanak not killing someone, she just disturbing a man with her creepy laugh and floating. there's 2 type of kuntilanak, white gown and red one. Kuntilanak with white gown she just scared people, but the red one she scared and hurts people at once
That's kinda creepy
Yeah just her laughing and crying at night, omg
Well... There are different kinds of kuntilanak and some of them would attack you
Just search for Pontianak scream then you know how annoying it is.
The white one will not attacked people unless provoked, but it different story if it's the red one
Do 'Toyol' next. A child sized spirit that steal things for their master.
Also pocong
Kata cerita di antah-berantah,
Tuyul sedang bersidang~
It only steals coins right?
@@pooja350 also jewellery
@@pooja350 jewelry, and all money not only coin.
Calling their name is actually inviting. So here, in Indonesia, if we suspect that they're near, we'll never say "Kuntilanak", we usually nicknamed them "Miss K" "Flirty girl on top of tree" "Flirty aunties". They're infamous for being the more mischievous and seductive ghosts who fell easily for handsome men. So aside for disturbing pregnant women, they also like to tease men.
Similar with us in Malaysia. We usually refer them as Cik Pon or Cik Ponti. Another entity that we refer them through nicknames is Pak Belang or Atuk for tiger. I think it is a shared belief in Malaysia and Indonesia that when we say their names, it is as if we are inviting them.
Yeah never liked to spell or type the full name either. Dunno why.
The Philippines does have the local version of the Pontianak but as it was mentioned in the video, it is known in the Southern parts of the Philippines. It isn't as famous as the Tiyanak or Manananggal but it is one of my favorite monsters. In the Philippines, it is known as the Mantiyanak. I love how legends and folklore are shared all over South East Asia.
Mantiyanak sounds similar to Mati Anak which means "(the one with) dead offspring", which is the premise of Puntianak. And your Tiyanak is very similar to Toyol, a stillborn ghost. We are one humanity after all 🫶🏻
tiyanak is pontianak. the name is even so close with each other. it's just that the belief of tiyanak is so far away from where the belief of pontianak came from that it deviated from its original story. instead of the woman dying of child born, the story become so that the child were the one who died instead of the mother. there's also a lot of places where the pontianak is the child of the pregnant woman who died other than the philippines because stories of the pontianak belief varies a lot.
The Mantiyanak is popular in rural Visayas. A vengeful female spirit
Man, Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam was legendary. It gave kids during those years nightmares
Can't agree more, my cousins and I peed our pants watching that movie
And it still does
The song tho...goosebumps
maya was gorgeous in that movie. even in her pontianak form - watch it again there is nothing scary about it
Maya Karin's best acting yet to be topped by any horror films
Gives a new meaning to the term 'I'm nailing your wife'.
Underrated
Oh god
Bruh
😂🤣🤣
😂😂😂
How to banish a ghost
Rituals ❌
Prayers ❌
Cannons ✔
science way is a real deal
violance is always the answer
Farmer with shotgun is their biggest counter
*Heavy metal intensifies*
@@danisatria33 true
I'm from SEA as well, and it's amazing to see the pontianak featured here. There are many variations of the pontianak, but the ones I grew up with mostly evolve around a woman who dies during childbirth and resurrects as a vengeful, female ghost bent on preying on pregnant ladies, their unborn foetuses, and anyone else who gets in their way. Apparently, she also has wings (or she can fly somehow) so in many stories, her wings can be heard beating against the rooftops of village huts. Other aspects to this creature includes the scent of the frangipani flower that accompanies the pontianak's presence, her voice tricks (when she sounds far away, she's actually near to you, and vice versa), subduing her by embedding a nail into her nape, enslaving her to be used in the divination of lottery numbers, etc.
I'm always stoked for more Monstrum! Great episode, and a monster I'd never heard of. Thanks, Dr. Z!👻😁🤘
Beware the sudden, sweet smell of frangipani flowers at night.. A pontianak may be about... At least that's what we were told as kids growing up.. 😅
If its not fragipani,rose or wild orchid smell together with a foul rotten smell will be present as they came,flying or sitting on the tall tress waiting to prey on any unsuspected victims for their blood..with an eerie laughter..I actually admitted seeing these creatures actually while driving back late at night after jamming with my friends in the city..on my way back to the rural village i saw this creature flying pass my car and i press the car's throttle as hard as i can in order to escape..i arrived home safely,but in a pale state with cold sweat.I woke up in a feverish state.Greetings from Sarawak,Malaysia.
When I served in the air force as a security trooper, our troops would often drive past a quiet area where a sweet, fragrant smell would always be present. Since the airbase is so big, it can be quite scary at night when most of the people left the area.
@@forcexjr1566 do you guys talk about it or keep shut during passing that area hahaha
@@muhammadaiman6713 Actually we were rather busy complaining about our duty roster, so it’s likely that I was the only one who always tense up whenever the transport passed by the area 😆
@@forcexjr1566 there are some cases where only one person is smelling the fragrant while the person next to him dont
"Once vibrant, alive and pregnant, she's none of those things anymore." She should have RSVPed "No" to the Red Wedding.
that sounds like my ex
Malaysian here! not really scared of ghosts, but the Pontianak is one that when simply mentioned sends chills down my spine. She is absolutely terrifying to encounter
Great job, Monstrum team! As a Malaysian, I am giving this video two thumbs up. The information was well researched and well presented in a short video. I do hope that you will feature more folklores and monsters from not only Malaysia and Indonesia, but also throughout South East Asia. By the way, "hantu" literally means ghost/ghosts. Much love from 🇲🇾
Ah it's so great to hear your voice during these trying times
Not gonna lie, the Pontianak is one of the few ACTUALLY scary legends from mythology and folklore
The original vampires are pretty terrifying, but yes, this thing is ridiculously scary.
@@robgau2501 they have some report in Sabah I think. During covid 19, A group of malaysian police officers staying at night on the road, they heard a woman starts to cry
Every mythology from southeast asia always Scary & demonic lol, oh wait.. there's a legend of "Nyi Roro kidul" the queen of the southern sea, basically southeast asian Atlantis, she likes to enslave human tho..
Thanks!
south east asia always filled with witch and voodoo stuffs. and due to the tropical jubgle environment with more rural looks country, its environment already make the feel of the stories very scary. and many people here still believe and practice witchcraft and voodoo in real life.
It seems like there needs to be a good being who saves these women from such a tormenting existence.
I know. There cruel fates make me sad.
There have been stories of people freeing Pontianak from their nails. It never ends well for other people because they end up *dead*
@@cucuhangtuah1 It seems so horrible that there is no way to save them or release them from their torment.
@@rainydaylady6596 without killing others , I agree
@@cucuhangtuah1 not really,As long as the Kuntilanak Trust the other person on the intent of freeing her,then she wont rlly do much harm
hi I'm Malaysian and man i am happy to hear one of the horor sories from Malay culture has spread far and wide i hope you will make another one. thank you
*_"Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam"_* was my child nightmare 😰
If You Hear it Close, Then it is Far and You are Safe
If You Hear it Far, You Better Start Your Prayers
GRAB YOUR PIKE AND FIND THE PONTIANAK!!!
LOVING & SUBMISSIVE GHOST MOMMY!! HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joke aside , if its near you better be in a vehicle or it will be the end for you
@@s0meRand0m129 did you read Kang Ciloks Twitter or something?
@@GaryHamad kang cilok? nah, I'm just boring
@@s0meRand0m129 well I followed a guy @ilham_udin_r he draws cute Ghost
Why do videos like this one have a thumbs down so fast? WTF? Who dislikes objective information?
She isn't always so objective. Just saying.
@@MrWyzegy More than likely.
@@MrWyzegy sorry,but where? Telling a story is feminism now? Dude,that's downright obsession,calm down.
@@MrWyzegy these stories have been around forever. Before the feninist movement existed.
@@lunawolfheart336 i think he means she's using a western lens on an culture that's different from hers.
apparently the Malay and Indonesian versions are slighly different from each other, the Indonesian version had some terrifying giggles and haunt graves as well along forests. great video, finally some love for south east asian ghosts
Maybe not. Maria Menado the star of the first Pontianak movie back in the late1950s shared a lot of stories from Indonesia where she is from in writing the script. She also shared that Indonesian government banned the words Pontianak and Kuntilanak and suppressed the spreading of these folklore in the name of modern national progress. By the way, the Pontianak movies proved to moviemakers that Malay movies had universal appeal by drawing Indian and Chinese audiences. They had originally planned for 2 days of screening but the movie ran for a whole month in the cinema. Malays do not refer to her by name, they now use alternative names like Cik Pon. Everyone who lives in these parts know you do not acknowledge a sweet flowered scent, usually of frangipani, the cemetery flower, that came from nowhere, you do not walk under trees at night, and this does not just apply to this particular monster. Most of them seem to have the ability to shapeshift, imitate voices of people familiar to you and they come out at dusk. They do not necessarily wear white, but wearing red is probably a mix of Chinese cultural belief of vengeful female spirits who when alive deliberately died in red robes as it robs them off a transition to the netherworld in order to stay in this world to exact revenge. What is so frightening about Pontianak is that she can exist in our daily world in the daytime like a normal looking woman. I have heard stories of Mak Andam (bridal makeup artist) who saw a bride take a long iron nail and stick it into the back of her head/hair. That's scary as that is a departure from the usual story that the thing can't do it herself.
Just claim the ghost bro. Nobody want it in Malaysia.
@@SiraVoltz nah mate we can share, they're some fun bunch to hang around with at night don't you think, especially when you're lonely
@@tinateh "...she can exist in our daily world in the daytime like a normal looking woman..." --sounds like our manananggal, she becomes a monster ONLY during night time.
I'm Malaysian. There's a book "Quedah: A Cruise in Japanese Waters" authored by Sherrad Osborn, a Royal Navy admiral and Arctic explorer in 1895. In that book, Osbon recounts his experience of seeing the sighting of a pontianak in Malaya that he didn't believe it at first.
Sounds interesting. Where can I get the book?
R. O Winsted, a British officer to Malaya wrote several books about the malay culture, and supernatural beliefs. In one book a chant to summon Pontianak was detailed.
Singaporean here - these stories are still as ingrained in our culture as they have ever been. I've heard (and honestly, you'd find more people who have heard than not heard) of firsthand accounts of people who have witnessed pontianak or other hauntu. One story comes to mind:
I was in a cab on my way back from a week at National Service. My camp is in the far north western part of the island, and it's famously underdeveloped due to it being an army training area. There's a bus stop in front of my camp, but it was a long week and it was getting late, and I wasn't going to wait the 15 or so minutes for the bus. I called a cab ahead of time instead and was picked up from the front gate of the camp.
So the taxi driver picks me up and as we drive out, he points to the bus stop in front of my camp. He tells me that a week or so back, he picked up an national serviceman from the bus stop. The poor guy had some night duties and was thus let out of camp really late. Unable to call a cab, he waited below the bus stop to flag one down. When the taxi driver pulled up, the soldier, tired from his day, rushed into the cool air-conditioning of the cab. Exasperated, he exclaimed that he was thankful for the driver for picking him up as the bus service at that stop had ended and that he had been waiting for a while - a number of taxis drove past him, unwilling to pick him up. The driver looked into the mirror and told him that it was in fact he who was happy as the serviceman rushed into the cab - there was a lady sitting on a branch above him at the bus stop.
what year was that when it happened ?
Essentially she's a cousin of the Aswang.
The difference is Aswang was intentionally practiced but Pontianak is involuntary melovalent spirit.
Aswang is one of the names we call ,but I get what you meant. The woman with internal organs flying around. In my hometown, we called it Kuyang. I'm from east Borneo tho. Bordered with Brunei and Malay. That one is infamous
@@myra6161 Actually what you’re referring to is the Manananggal. The self-segmenting winged woman that hunts during the night. Aswang is more of an umbrella term where there are different variants. The Manananggal is just one type of Aswang.
In Malaysia we have a Penanggal, it's similar to the Manananggal but ours don't have wings and it's just a head with it's internal organs hanging under it
It's wierd that the pantianak is the mother in some sea countries while in the philippines the tianak is the baby
Dr. Emily: Speaks about Kuntilanak
Leak: Lurks
yessss she should do the leak or any balinese monster/ghost
Isn't Leak more simmilar to Pennangallan than Pontianak/Kuntilanak?
@@Dahaka-rd6tw no, leak is way different, leak is like high level witch who seeks longer life
@@Dahaka-rd6tw just like zeska said. it can shapeshift to anything he/she wants all depends on their "knowledge" level. the higher the scarier
@@Dahaka-rd6tw she wear a mask with long tough and fangs
"Don't all great stories involve pirates." - The History Guy
Also, consider an episode about the gremlins of WWII aviation.
It's those gods thrice damned gremlins again!!
I'm Malay from Malaysia and still believe on pontianak tales but MAYA KARIN still the most beautiful pontianak ever
Pretty accurate narration of the Pontianak legend. A very prominent ghost story even here in Singapore.
I misread this and thought of the car brand Pontiac. But this looks menacing for a monster for a small stature.
Omg lololol 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
This made me think of a somewhat similar ghost tale in Thailand of the the similar name called "Nang Nak" or "Mae Nak." It's basically a story of a pregnant woman who was left alone while her husband is conscripted to serve in a war. Unbeknown to the husband, she died while giving birth and resulted in a miscarriage. The woman became a ghost, holding her ghost son, haunting the house waiting for husband to return home. One day, the husband finally return home to find his wife and his son waiting for him as if they're alive, but the villagers tried to warn him that she's dead and had to do so secretly because her haunted spirit will come for them if they ever break the truth and the happy time she finally gained. He ended up knowing it anyway and had to convince her to move on. To this day, there is a shrine dedicated to her in Thailand, and men from all around who wish to not be conscripted into army will come to pray for her to blessed them not to get into the army.
I think I watched a film about this ghost a long time ago. It was quite something
Just reading this for the first time and I got this overwhelming feeling that this is real.
@@hannyfadia2246 it's the story of pee Mak movie
thank you so much for sharing. what an interesting story ! i like how in the end, they turned her negativity into positivity, redirecting/transmuting the energy as seeking protection from her story. in a way where she can move on from her story and continue her destiny as the universe allows. Nothing ever truly lasts but also nothing ever truly dies✨💫
@@catcingylimaf6337 yeah that movie was a comedic reinterpretation of this ghost tale.
Amazing video as always, I love the artwork! I'm so happy that you guys have covered the most well-known Hantu (monsters) from the Malaysian, Indonesian, and Philippines archipelago. Stories like this highlight how the cultures in this region intertwine with each other to create unique and amazing versions of Pontianak.
She is well and alive in our psyche, I still remember having chills from hearing stories of Pontianak when I was little. After watching the movie Pontinak of the Tuber Rose it has reaffirmed her scariness but also has made me empathize and understand her story. I hope more people will see the values that folklores have in our cultures and not destroy them due to silly reasons.
7:49
You have no idea how much the movie scared me when it was released.
Even the cover of the DVD pack gave me nightmare.
For THAT time of course but even seeing the clips make my memory jolted
Thank you for the insight on Malaysian culture and folklore. It's nice to see our culture recognised by others.
omg i'm so happy that u make this one! i'm from indonesian and yes kuntilanak is really famous here, everyone know bout her. They are real and my friend was met her once, she isn't killing people but could possesed them and disturbing other by her laughing or floating. i love your art sm and its really fun to watch monstrum!
The way i immediately recognize the guy in your pfp 💀
Imagine seeing a pontianak atop a tree walking home in the middle of the night. 😳😨😱
And then you remember that, as traditional Malay societies used to live close to dense tropical jungles, it doesn't need to be only night time for it to be dark when you're walking home. 😨😨
Imagine living in a city named after that thing
There _have_ been stories about those particular incidents. *Everybody* ran away instantly or accepted their fate.
i did. not when i walking home in the middle of the night, but when i was in scout patrolling for the night. it was in the middle of a camping forest anyway, you expect something like this to happen. when it happens usually we were either too scared or don't want to make anyone who didn't see it scared so we just walked off pretend we didn't see anything. but we totally did.
In Malaysia we have a saying "jangan tegur" which means don't say anything when you saw one of those creatures so it wouldn't disturb you. If you did, then it kinda triggers the "thing" y'know. Of course this wouldn't apply to serial killer lol.
Malaysian here! she got all the Pontianak facts right! coming from a family who has a strong belief in spirits, I heard a lot about it. And I so proud she also uses Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam as a reference, that is the greatest Malaysia horror film in that time I must say,
"She thirsts for blood once , vibrant, alive, and pregnant". all this time mbak Kunti was a mosquito
This is awesome!!! Ive been a long term subscriber. Im from Brunei, on the island of Borneo. To watch this is like having a connection to this youtube channel. Thank you!!!!
Loved the amount/volume of music used in this episode, felt super immersive!
The artwork of this video is spot on, creepy yet amazing!
The whole time I was watching this, I kept thinking, “How has this not been made into a movie yet?!” Then you explained it. One of your better episodes. Keep up the great work!
There's lots of movies of them if you look into indonesian films
I love the art work in the beginning and the more it zoomed on the Pontianak's face, I got slightly more and more unnerved!
Woah. Finally.
Soon, we might need to also talk about the Pocong, Toyol, and Orang Minyak.
Orang minyak video might give some controversy
Yes! I'm so glad you're covering the Pontianak, one of my region's most well know monsters! I hope you talk about more SEA monsters and myths, maybe one of the Merlion or Red Hill?
@simplegateaux isn't tied to the founding of the country and the cultural heritage to the first settlers of the island which despite the country being colonised then occupied a folk talke that survived and thrive to this day? Right now it's a tourist icon but like unlike the jersey devil or bigfoot, I don't know of any other monster that represents an entire country.
Ah yes the Motherly Wraith, with a Vengeance!
Reminds me of La Llrona
My mother, who is from Singapore, told me about them and how they terrified her as a child.
The animation is some of the best I've seen on TH-cam in terms of "creep factor". It's up there with Bedtime Stories.
I'm surprised how accurate you got this. I'm really hoping these old mythology in Malaysia is kept rather than forgotten, personally I don't know many of them
Cerita Hantu / means Ghost films btw
Hantu - Ghost
Cerita - Story/Films/etc..
There was an episode on “Paranormal,” that had a very similar being.
It's about time... Pontianak indonesia is my hometown, and Kuntilanak as we call it here in Indonesia is very popular, even our mayor at the time, wanted to build a large statue of Kuntilanak as a Monument...
never clicked on a video so fast! Love to see my mythological culture on here!!!!
You should've played the song "Pulangkan" which is basically the theme song for the pontianak now😂
These are perfect meal videos. Having some coffee and toast while learning about monsters.
as someone who grow up in indonesia, this kind of cheesy horror movie was my staple consumption of entertainment, it made me unable to go to the bathroom alone at night
Great job, Dr Emily and Team! Very well researched and as always, I love the explanation behind the myth. I consider myself a skeptic but at 3am when the windows are wide open and I hear rustling noises, I become a little more open-minded lol. Thanks for showcasing the Pontianak and again, well done from Malaysia!
I'd love to see one of these on a Skinwalker, Two face, or the Thunderbird. You are always so respectful of the cultures that these legends come from, and I really enjoyed the Wendigo episode.
Your videos make me so happy ive always loved mythology and i got made fun of for it but your videos make me feel happy
(and can u do selkies)
I'm from Pontianak. And yes we have A LOT of supernatural stories here.
Yes, finally a Southeast Asian monster.
Interestingly, in the book Description of Malacca by Manuel Godinho de Eredia in the early 17th century, he describes the ponteana as demon-witches that learned their dark magic from the Princess of Gunung Ledang, the legendary princess of the mountain and lord of were-tigers, who harassed the Christians of Malacca.
Huh, I didn't know that the city Pontianak was named after the ghost.
I'm Indonesian...
Sama, kita memalukan negara
Astaghfirullahaladzim ck ck ck
Pdhal ada patung gedenya lho di pontianak, coba deh googling
Cuma Indonesia yang namain kota pake nama hantu. Sampe dibuatin patung!
Apakah mereka tersinggung apa terharu ya?
Kekeke kuntianak
In Singapore a lot of stories are from guys because over here all man have to serve in the military for 2 years and thus if you were in an infantry unit you'll be spending a lot of time in the jungles here and places like Brunei, personally had an experience myself i woke up at 3am in my bunk and saw a figure standing outside my bunk window thought it was my Sergeant doing spot checks but i realized the figure had long hair. Funny enough i wasn't actually frightened because i was legitimately fatigued from basic military training and i managed to went back to sleep a few seconds later.
well it depens on the thickness of the forest.In malaysia it appears in thick forests or villages
@@ramraghavendra7178 who says pontianak only lives in jungles? They already have adapted in urban areas let alone scaring you in the backseat of a myvi car ahahahah
@@foerdie i mean its easier to get snapped by pontianak near forest or jungle areas.Its more dangerous there rather then cities unless pontianak is also like the Banana tree ghost. In that case were fucked either place we are
Quite a few stories about one at SAFTI, Sembawang, and oh yes, that famous one at Loyang Ave junction.
Singapore got jungles??
This is where the philippines' tianak and patianak was derived from
never heard of patianak. ano sya?
@@luciferbroke7875 in bicol, patianak is something like a bird or a bat that force pregnant woman to a labor. this lead to a miscarriage.
@@luciferbroke7875 Kapag di pa masyadong tianak, patianak palang sya. Joke. Peace, sorry na 😅
@@luciferbroke7875 It's an 'old Tagalog' word for 'tiyanak'.
There's another similar type of vampire like Pontianak, but has slightly different in character, called 'langsuir.' A noticeable different between both was langsuir has a big hole located at the back of her body, while pontianak doesn't. People used to keep a pack of climbing perch in the small glass/transparent container or aquarium because they'd believe can prevent from those things from entering their house.
In that case, _Langsuir_ has her own Indonesian counterpart different from _Pontianak;_ her name is _Sundel Bolong._ Her description is very similar to _Langsuir,_ as she's quite similar to _Pontianak_ but with a hole on her back.
@@adityairawan1843 Obviously, ain't shocking at all hence we're shared almost the same culture and folklore indeed.
I'm weird and love anything undead, so I love learning about them from cultures across the world! Great video!
Great, now I want an English language Pontianak movie.
Just Not Disney, please not Disney.
Send a letter to some Director, don't email them, they'd overlook that, send them a letter
I'd prefer a Malay version, dubbed into Khmer with Viet subtitles 😉
Don’t think Disney would want to touch this story anyway.
@@RegretWhisperer Malay version of the story, act by Indonesian who speaks Tagalog, shot in Cambodian jungle by Thai film studio funded by Singaporean investor, first screening in Laos with Burmese subtitle, ticket bought using Vietnam Dong, then get banned in Brunei for some reason
Somehow all the western ghost stories don't really scare you like a pontianak..
Please do one about the Succubus :’( I’ve been asking for so long haha
You should do Pocong, Kuyang, Tuyul, Sundel Bolong, or Genderuwo. Tuyul is the cutest one.
Yup, green, money grubbing, vampiric baby who sucks blood through the toe of its master and was quite intelligent
Yang mirip kuyang udah dibahas, di hantu Filipin. Btw we need pocong episode!
I've met this ghost a few years back when I was exploring an old abandoned house in my neighborhood. I still remembered it clearly, it had an extremely long hair that it covers almost it's entire face and wearing white clothing. It really scared the hell out of me that by the time I knew it I was already at my house. Those are some memories.
Yesss!!! This is the monster I asked about a few months ago! I’m so happy you’ve made a video for her!
Moral of the story: don't trust a beautifull women in the middle of the woods.
Unless you're planning to nail her
@@ChengHooSew "No, no. He's got a point."
Because FAIRIES! It's too beautiful to be in a jungle. Suspicious.
_Could it be a witch? Could it be a pontianak? You'll soon find out, and there would be no tales left to tell.._
Correction. don't trust a beautiful woman period. There been sightings in urban areas - on rooftop of a multi-level carpark, outside police post, in a park in the middle of the city, on a road near resort chalets, army camps, private residential estates, a children's playground surrounded by houses etc etc
Just some addition...
In Indonesia, there are several kinds of them (I only know three types, could be more):
Kuntilanak putih (putih:white) that only scares you by giggling and occasional sightings, a docile one but mischievous
Kuntilanak merah (merah:red) that are violent and driven by revenge and hatred (especially towards men for killing and/or raping her) and would attack humans (the ones on the vid)
Mbak Dini (miss Dini, it's a common name here) that pretty much behave like kuntilanak putih but with height that can reach the ceiling of homes (about 4 meters tall), the name is derived from a specific kuntilanak but eventually generalized to tell a giant kuntilanak
These girls are not tied up to a specific place and could show up everywhere, even in people's bathroom, but quite dangerous if they showed up on roads in the night or on your backseat when driving as it could create accidents... But most sightings usually took place on large trees (like Banyan tree), roads, and graveyards
I'd love to hear more stories and analysis of Cetral America. The latino countries are full of interesting Monsters and traditions, but usually people focus only on the Mexican side of the region. For example, here in my country, Costa Rica, we have the story of El Cadejos. A big, black dog, with red eyes, and covered in chains, that, despite its demonic appearance, is actually a guardian being, scorting the drunk men late at nite, ensuring that they get home safely. As far as I know, this is a story unique to Costa Rica. I'd love to hear the analysis of this creature. After all, Latin America is not only Mexico.
Ah! Cheers! I’d love to hear more about this too
Same! I’m from Costa Rica and grew up hearing all about those legends; La Segua, La Carreta Sin Bueyes, El Padre Sin Cabeza... it’d be very interesting if they covered it all in depth.
That's a funny coincidence, here in Spain, specifically Cataluña, we got a similar creature called El Dip. It's a black dog with red eyes that goes out at night and sucks the blood of both livestock AND drunkards.
I love your videos! May I suggest that you make a video about the Plague Maiden?
Long black hair, white blouse, pale skin, mostly if not all vengeful: that describes a major pattern in east and south east Asian cultures.
Been waiting for this! Malay folklore has a lot more interesting paranormal creatures
I always get so scared by these to me unknown monsters but it's so interesting I can't stop watching!
Maybe you can do the jotun of norse mythology they seem really interesting
Just a thought though
Most definitely second that
@@satanswife2546 cause theres so many depictions on them that I would like a video where it vusually shows what they could look like also they s oi abd badass like hrungnir a giant made of stone and starkadr wgi took on a eight arned jotun who took on almost they entire norse gods
@@ryanwhorf6665 yeahhh ikr damn now I'm hyped for something that may not happen just yet
As a norwegian i endorse this idea! Have always known about the jotun because we learn about them in religion in elementary school. Would love to see monstrums take on them!
@@HenrikML damn lucky
These stories about monsters are movie material. It's very diverse and interesting. It's not just about the same old boring vampire, killer sharks, serial killers, and ghosts. I really like this.
Thank you for this great summary of the legend, very interesting! I was researching the city of Pontianak and stumbled upon your video, and I feel like it gave me an interesting angle of the history of the place.
The dab from Hmong folklore would be an interesting topic to bring to light
There's actually another video on that made by a channel called Bedtime Stories. It details the belief that the spirit was responsible for the deaths of Hmong refugees in the United States following their departure from Cambodia. Fascinating stuff.
@@FlyingFocs It really is fascinating! I haven't seen that video (yet), but I have heard of this culture-specific syndrome. It's always hard to wrap my head around how holistic an illness can be.
I don't know who I simp more, the monsters covered by Monstrum, or Dr. Emily Zarka. A few weeks ago I definitely simp'd the Nuckelavee.
Dude. Ever heard of Vtubers?
This section is, odd.
@@Ong.s_Jukebox I have... what about them?
For the record I was joking. Think that wouldn't go over peoples head but then again this is a youtube comment section.
Neat. I've never heard of the pontianak. She's a scary.
More of sad than scary actually. We maybe scared of them here, their stories are always sad.
@@kimyongin1987 I suppose it's sad, sure. But I personally am disturbed by the notion of a woman dying while pregnant. Coffin birth is terrifying.
honestly, it actually pretty nice to see one of our folklores being covered by u guys. In malaysia there's also a warning to not stop at a road of a woman is carrying a baby asks for a lift cuz...yeah. thank you for covering this.
Fantastic episode! I'd love an episode on the night marchers of Hawaii!