Freeky Friday: Things That Go Bump

Hmm. w.bloggar decided to crash mysteriously just now, wiping out most of my Freeeky Friday in the process. Grr. Therefore I am torn between rewriting the whole thing, or just going off on a tangent, probably unrelated. Oh well.

I received an email today from a friend that reminded me of this interview I heard on Hitz a few days ago. The morning crew had Prof. Hood, who happens to work in the same university as I do. An interesting speaker as well as an excellent anthropologist, you may have seen him in a recent documentary on the Discovery Channel talking about one of our most enduring ghosts, the pontianak. He has travelled the length and breadth of this country collecting stories and tracing the origin of the long haired spectre, so popular in our folklore. Worth watching at least once, although he did comment that the documentary sensationalised the story more than he liked (welcome to showbiz, Prof.).

Which brings me to my post today. Asian ghosts and ghouls have always been more malevolent compared to their western counterparts (Sadako, anyone?). Images of a white clad, often female figure with long hair permeates the subconscious of the most urbanised citizen. What is it about the pontianak, hantu kum-kum, hantu susu, pocong and so on that scares us so? Is it because we can't see them, or that if we can it's often too late? How many of us feel reluctant to look into the rear view mirror when driving alone at night, thinking of a half forgotten tale of a face, or figure seen in the back seat? Or spectral cars that roam our highways, waiting for the unfortunate traveller to goad into a race that he can never win? Or silent, grey figures walking the halls of a convent/office/dormitory? Some may not be so silent. Some leave marks. Or make noise. How many of you have had a close encounter with the other side?

Asuang, Pontianak, Manananggal (Filipino), Penanggal, Langsuir.

It's Freeky Friday, my friends. Let's scare ourselves a little.