Aswang (why all Filipinos accept the idea of aswang?

)
80% believed that it exists
Make it more horrifying After Spanish colonizers Christianized their indigenous
beliefs
MOVIE: Aswang directed by wyre martin and barry polterman by bourn prod.
Filipinos 83% catholic but have strong belief in superstition basically the aswang
Aswang lock of constant info
EVIL- constant information that aswang acquire from every corner of the phil
LUZON
Tao po- the tagalong always use it coz they referring that the one who knocks
are human
(the feeling in the back of your mind that it is real because someone old said that it
is real based on their experienced from old guy)
(Huge majority will believed when somebody said that there is an aswang, there is
an acceptance for the aswang)
There is no concise depiction of the aswang
Dr. max ramos, 5 kinds of aswang (Philippine lower mythology)
Aswang word came from the word asin and bawang and the first used of the word
came from the two bikolano gods
Bikol gods
Asuwang-evil god, inside mt. malinao
guguran- good god lives at the side of the mt mayon
PANAY(story of aswang)
Came from the two spirits
Agorang- forces of good, stronger during the daytime
Asuwang- forces of evil, strongest at the evening
-

Theyre fighting for the ownership of panay

*under the WITCH

WHY THEY ARE ALWAYS PORTRAY AS WOMEN?
The answer is in 1567- MIGUEL LOPEZ DE LEGAZPI landed on PANAY AND made it
Christianized so there were many upheavals led by WOMEN(AT THE TOWN OF
CAPIZ) and they told that these people are evils perform witchcraft so the people
wont follow these women who attack at night. The Spaniards told to the natives
that those are asuwangs
And also because of the babaylans sticked to their pagan beliefs, the Spaniards
destroy the stereotype of the babaylans and told that they are also aswangs
too much belief in supernaturals turned us to ignorant, too much rely in logical and
science make us arrogant.
The Spaniards introduced the witchcraft and the demons to the indigenous people.
Many male babaylans are being presented coz they reverse it to think that
babaylans turned unto midwifes to eat the babies,
Spanish beliefs= aswang are the ones who did not join the angels Michael and
Lucifer fallen angel

WEREWOLVES-WEREDOGS
SHAPESHIFTERS - LARGE PIGS OR DOGS
It is being passed down by the elders to the rural areas to the children that the
aswang shapeshifted to pigs or dogs. But the properties in the province have its
own dogs or pigs. And the children have this collective mentality when one believe
all we believe.
BECAUSE OF MOVIEMAKERS AND ARTISTIC IMAGINATION
VAMPIRES
*dracula
more logical and scientific

bites from different animals can cause rabies that can breakdown their
nervous system
VISCERA SUCKERS
*wakwak- giant flying fox who is abundant in the island are said to ba
mistaken to be the wakwak that also produce the same sound wakwak
MANANANGGAL
The friars show the concept of demons
A friar name Juan de Plasencia's Classification of "devils" in the Philippines ~ 1588
The seventh was called MAGTATANGAL, and his purpose was to show himself at night to many persons,
without his head or entrails. In such wise the devil walked about and carried, or pretended to carry, his head
to different places; and, in the morning, returned it to his body - remaining, as before, alive. This seems to
me to be a fable, although the natives affirm that they have seen it, because the devil probably caused them
so to believe. This occurred in Catanduanes.

*magtatanggal another kind of witch who separate his head at night

And the other country has also this kind of folkloristic monster
The detachment of the body from head to waist of this creature maybe came from
the pre-spanish Filipino women who exposed their upper part of the body and their
lower part are the only one covered to show some power in the community and the
devils wing are added to show the Christian influence at that time
-by day a beautiful maiden
Commonly depicted
GHOUL
----STORY

Aswang maybe the all the evils would denied by the town, the dark side of the town,
all the secrets they hiding in their cabinets that has to be personified, it is needed to
come out. The need of the people to blame for them to have the sense of cleansing.
ALSO IF SOMEBODY ARE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT THE THING IS YOU GO TO THE
MOUNTAINS AND POOF
SOCIAL CONTROL
Anything that you cannot identify that makes you powerless become the monster so
they need to create a monster to strike at it

It become more hoorifying because society denies it so it has to find a way to come
out and become more terrible
FOR BETTER OR WORSE ASWANG IS PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Investigating the monster in 'The

Aswang Phenomenon'
It scares children into coming home before dark, and gives even the toughest-looking grown-up the
shivers. It can be blamed for anything and everything that seems wrong from strange neighbors to
mysterious murders. It's the personification of all things evil.
There are varying opinions on what it looks like, or even what it is, exactly. But millions believe it
exists. Almost everyone in the country has an aswang story to tell.
The aswang can turn into a big dog or pig. It can sever its upper body and fly away, leaving its lower
half on the ground. It has an extremely long tongue, all the better to suck a baby from the mother's
womb.
In the Philippines, the existence of this supernatural creature is often taken for granted. Little kids
are warned by their parents to stay inside, or else the aswang will get them.
400 years of fear
Canadian filmmaker Jordan Clark first encountered the aswang in Wrye Martin and Barry
Poltermann's 1994 film "Aswang." Six years after seeing the film, Clark visited the Philippines, where
he observed how Filipinos were both religious and superstitious. Wanting to understand how these
two seemingly contradictory beliefs could be held at the same time, he began to research on
Philippine folklore, and again came across the aswang.
"This creature seemed able to do anything. It could transform into animals, fly, cast magic spells,
heal itself, and really didn't seem to need a specific foodsource. Pregnant women, the sick, or
children, it was a perfect subject for a film," said Clark, who returned to the Philippines to film his
own interpretation of the folklore.
"In the end I felt I had a pretty strong film but was always troubled by the lack of consistent
information regarding this creature. I realized while screening it that without a generalized
understanding and acceptance of the aswang, like many Filipinos have. So I flew back to the

Philippines to answer this lingering question: what is the aswang?" Clark said in
his documentary "The Aswang Phenomenon."
As Clark discovered, asking this question led to several other questions. Finding the answers took
Clark on a journey to several parts of the country, including Capiz, the aswang's rumored home.
"After learning about the various manifestations of the aswang described by Dr. Maximo Ramos
(vampire, viscera sucker, witch, ghoul, and were-dog) I wanted to know why there were so many,
why they were predominantly women, where the manananggal came from, where the word came
from, and why Capiz was suspected as their home," Clark said.
-

One creature, many descriptions

What intrigued Clark was how the aswang, unlike the other creatures in Philippine Lower Mythology,
had no consistent image or behavior associated with it. "I usually jest that there are as many
descriptions of the aswang as there are Filipinos," Clark told GMA News Online.
"The Aswang Phenomenon" is a comprehensive survey of information on the aswang, told from the
unique perspective as someone who didn't grow up hearing the stories. But apart from what can be
seen in the documentary itself, what Clark has done is provide a venue for further exploration of the
subject.
"The Aswang Phenomenon" is 77 minutes long, but it goes beyond the running time, as many of
those who view the film have their own tales to add to the narrative.
"I love that people are taking the time to comment on YouTube to share their experiences and
expand on the subjects I have touched on in the film. If one was to watch the film and read the
comments, their understanding of the aswang would be pretty solid," Clark said.
He describes "The Aswang Phenomenon" as a compilation of information. Since the documentary
came out in 2009, Clark has received several emails from people who became interested in the
aswang, including students who were assigned to do work on the subject.
"Its purpose is to create a starting point for those who wish to conduct their own research," Clark
said.

The aswang and Pinoy culture

The aswang is often depicted in horror movies and stories as a fearsome creature, but it's not often
that people get to go beyond the spooky tales and exchange views on how it figures in the lives of
Filipinos. Clark shared that the most striking thing he came across was how intertwined the aswang
is with Philippine history.

"There is this enormous evolution that the aswang has been taken through it's use in pre-colonial
indigenous and animist beliefs, social control by the church, de-sexualizing women, attempting to
end matriarchal societies, unchecked papers through the turn of the 20th century, and finally through
amazing artistic interpretations. It is truly astounding," said Clark, who covered the evolution in his
film.
One of the most important parts in the film sheds some light on why Capiz is believed to be where
aswangs come from. "What I discovered as the reason I believe Capiz is suspected as their home
was both eye-opening and heartbreaking," said Clark.
After completing the documentary, he decided to put it online. This decision was partly due to his
experience conducting research for the documentary, where he met some resistance from members
of the academe.
"There are volumes of incredible research in the Philippines that will die on old dusty bookshelves
because of this elitist mentality. It is my opinion that research is to educate everyone which is why
I made the documentary free to the public," he said.
Clark shared that in contrast, the arts community was very helpful. The documentary includes clips
and information from Regal Films, horror director Peque Gallaga, author Gilda Cordero Fernando,
and comics writer Budjette Tan.
"There were so many Filipinos who embraced my research, took me into their communities, shared
their connections and trusted me with their stories. The Philippines has an incredibly rich and
fascinating culture. To experience and start to understand it, one needs only to look as far as the
artists who represent it," Clark said. KDM, GMA News