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Engkanto

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Engkanto
GenderMale/female
RegionPhilippines

Engkanto (from Spanish encanto, lit. 'enchantment') are mythical environmental spirits that are said to have the ability to appear in human form.[1] They are often associated with the spirits of ancestors and spirits of the dead called anito in the Philippines.[2][3][4] They are also characterized as spirit sorts like sirens, dark beings, elves, and more.[5] Belief in their existence has likely existed for centuries,[4] and continues to this day.[6]

It is a bracket term for enchanted human-like beings of the land which includes a variety of mythical races. The term itself was adopted from the Spanish, who were dumbfounded by the wide array of mythical races in the Philippines and just referred to many of the races as "enchanted".[7] Though at the same time the term does not differ at all from the archaic Spanish sense of the word as referring to a supernatural apparition, sometimes tied to a place.

Some types of engkanto are "unbound" spirits with an independent existence. They appear in animal (usually as birds) or human-like forms and have gender differentiation and personal names. They are most similar to the elves of European folklore. These are the most common types of spirits to become abyan (the spirit guides of babaylan), as they are the most "sociable" and can take interest in human activities.[8] These spirits are usually referred to as engkanto (from Spanish encanto) in modern Filipino folklore. Unlike the "bound" spirits, these spirits can be invited into human households, and their rituals can take place both outdoors and indoors.[9]

Engkanto are also believed to be able to mate with humans. People born with congenital disorders (like albinism or syndactyly)[10] or display unusual beauty or behavior are commonly believed by local superstition to be the children of engkanto who seduced (or sometimes raped) their mothers.[11][12]

Francisco Demetrio made a study of 87 folk stories from Visayas and Mindanao relating to engkanto. He contended that the engkanto were based on early European friars.[2][4]

Appearance

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Engkanto have many similarities to humans in that they age, appear to have male and female sexes, can suffer from illness and even die. They are an object of mythology for many Filipinos, often told by adults as stories and shown on media. Some appear to be beautiful having blue eyes, fair complexion and golden hair,[4] but may also have unusual features such as high-bridged noses and absent philtrums. They have a wide range of appearances but give off a different feeling or vibe from humans.[5] Other variants exhibit sexual dimorphism such as Bagobo spirits which are separated into the female tahamaling and the male mahomanay. The female spirit is alleged to have a red complexion while males have a fair complexion.[5] Their dwellings will normally appear as natural features such as large rocks, trees, or shadows in human form, although they can appear as magnificent palaces to humans they have befriended.[4] These creatures prefer large trees and natural features such as the balete, in which they also place their belongings.[5] An engkanto may choose to stay by a human's side as told by stories where characters are usually in either a sense of trance or a deep loss of energy. Engkanto may be good or bad. Some engkanto are called "itim na engkanto" (black engkanto) are depicted as malevolent, violent, dark-skinned figures that stalk and harass and inflict harm to humans they fancy and pursue romantically.[13]

Capabilities

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Engkanto are most commonly known for either extreme malignant effects, or an overwhelming influence of luck. Those who the engkanto do not favor would become depressed, suffer from madness, or even disappear for days or months, possibly as a result of possession.[4][14] They are also said to be capable of causing fevers and skin diseases such as boils. These spirits also sometimes lead travelers astray in the forest, even kidnap them. This, however, is said to be avoidable by bringing an "anting-anting" or "agimat" a piece of magical charm or amulet that wards away evil spirits and prevents them from harming the wielder.[3] However, if they do favor someone, they are generous and capable of bringing power and riches to that person. Shamans often try to commune with engkanto on holy days to obtain better healing powers from them, as well as to learn how to better deal with evil spirits.[4]

Equivalents in non-Filipino traditions

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Elves

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Main article: Elf

The engkanto of Philippine mythology are highly similar to elves of European folklore. Elves are magical, human-like beings from Germanic folklore and are especially common in Norse mythology. In early stories, they were seen as beautiful and powerful—sometimes helpful, sometimes harmful. The word elf likely meant “white being,” and beliefs about them varied across time and cultures.[15][16] In medieval times, elves were linked to gods, magic, illness, and seduction. Later, the word fell out of use in some areas, replaced by terms like "dwarf" or "fairy," but belief in elves lasted longer in places like Scotland and Scandinavia.[15][17] In Central Europe and Scandinavia, as society modernized, belief in elves faded. However, they became popular in literature and art, evolving into small, playful creatures, especially in Shakespeare's plays. Romantic-era writers revived the idea, which led to the elves in modern fantasy stories and Christmas tales.[18] Thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien, modern fantasy often portrays elves as tall, graceful, and magical beings.[18][19][20]

Jinn

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Main article: Jinn

Jinn are supernatural beings in Arabian and Islamic mythology, made from smokeless fire. Jinn can be good or bad, invisible to humans, and are believed to have free will, like people.[21] They can influence human thoughts, actions, or even possess people. Highly similar to engkanto, they are mysterious spirit-beings known for their beauty, magical abilities, and their power to enchant, possess, or bring illness to humans. The jinn, elves, and engkanto share common traits: they exist in a realm beyond human perception, interact with the human world in unpredictable ways, and are both feared and revered.[22][23]

Orang bunian

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Main article: Orang bunian

Orang bunian are supernatural beings from Malaysian, Bruneian, and Indonesian folklore, often compared to elves. Their name means "hidden people" or "whistling people," and they are usually invisible to humans, except to those with spiritual sensitivity. They look almost exactly like humans, often dressed in traditional ancient Southeast Asian clothing.[24] Like the engkanto in Philippine mythology, orang bunian live in a hidden realm parallel to ours and can interact with people in mysterious ways. Both are believed to be beautiful, powerful beings who can either help or harm, much like the elves of European folklore or the jinn of Arabian tradition.[25][22]

Patupaiarehe

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Main article: Patupaiarehe

In Māori culture, Patupaiarehe are beings similar to Philippine engkanto and European elves and fairies.[26] Patupaiarehe are supernatural beings in Māori mythology, often described as pale-skinned with red or blonde hair. They look human but live in misty forests or mountains, away from people. Sunlight harms them, so they are active mostly at night or on foggy days. They dislike fire and cooked food, and their music is said to be more beautiful than human music.[27][28] Like the pale-skinned engkanto of Philippine mythology, patupaiarehe are spirit-like beings who live in hidden places, can be seen by only a few, and may react negatively if disturbed.[1][10][27]

Yaksha

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Main article: Yaksha

Yakshas in Hinduism and engkantos in Philippine folklore are both nature spirits with complex, dual natures, sometimes benevolent, sometimes malevolent. Yakshas, found in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, are associated with forests, rivers, and hidden treasures, and can be protectors or tricksters. Similarly, engkantos are spirits tied to nature, often living in trees or remote areas, and are believed to bless or curse humans depending on how they are treated. While yakshas have a more structured presence in religious texts, engkantos come from oral folk traditions.[29][30]

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See also: Category:Engkanto films

Engkanto have been portrayed in Philippine pop culture and media, particularly in films and television shows:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Silliman University, James W. Chapman Research Foundation (1977). "Silliman Journal". Silliman Journal. Silliman University: 354. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
  2. ^ a b Aguilar, Filomeno V. (1998). Clash of Spirits. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-2082-7.
  3. ^ a b Gailyn Van Rheenen, Gailyn Van Rheenan (2006). Contextualization And Syncretism: Navigating Cultural Currents. William Carey Library. ISBN 0-87808-387-1. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g * Demetrio, Francisco (1969). "The Engkanto Belief: An Essay in Interpretation". Asian Folklore Studies. 28 (1): 77–90. doi:10.2307/1177781. JSTOR 1177781.
  5. ^ a b c d Ramos, Maximo D. (1971). Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Philippines: University of the Philippines Press. pp. 55–56. OCLC 804797. ISBN 971-06-0691-3 (Quezon City Press, 1990)
  6. ^ *Borchgrevink, Axel (2003). "Ideas of Power in the Philippines". Cultural Dynamics. 15 (1): 41–69. doi:10.1177/0921374003015001108 (inactive November 15, 2024). Retrieved June 19, 2008.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  7. ^ "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho: Engkanto: Kuwento-kuwento o totoo?" (in Tagalog). GMA Public Affairs. April 22, 2019. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho: Mga anak ng Abyan?". YouTube. July 13, 2020.
  9. ^ Buenconsejo, Jose S. (2013). Songs and Gifts at the Frontier. Current Research in Ethnomusicology: Outstanding Dissertations. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. ISBN 978-1-136-71980-6.
  10. ^ a b "'KMJS': 3 magkakapatid na may albinism, bakit iniuugnay sa umano'y nilalang na 'Abyan'?". Balitambayan. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  11. ^ Santos, Josefina (August 1, 2004). "Subersyon o Tradisyon?: Isang Pagsusuri sa mga Mensaheng Ipinahihiwatig ng Morning Girls at Sis. Television Review of Morning Girls (ABS-CBN) and Sis (GMA)". Plaridel. 1 (2): 155–163. doi:10.52518/2004.1.2-07. ISSN 1656-2534.
  12. ^ Bissett, John (January 5, 2023), "What goes around comes around", It's Not Where You Live, It's How You Live, Policy Press, pp. 64–74, doi:10.1332/policypress/9781447368212.003.0007, ISBN 978-1-4473-6821-2, retrieved February 18, 2025
  13. ^ "UKG: Engkantong itim, nanliligaw umano sa isang dalaga". YouTube. October 27, 2014.
  14. ^ Tremlett, Paul-François (2007). "The Ethics of Suspicion in the Study of Religions". DISKUS. 8. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  15. ^ a b Jakobsson, Ármann (May 4, 2015). "Beware of the Elf! A Note on the Evolving Meaning of Álfar". Folklore. 126 (2): 215–223. doi:10.1080/0015587X.2015.1023511. ISSN 0015-587X.
  16. ^ Orel, Vladimir E., ed. (2010). A handbook of Germanic etymology. Leiden Boston: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-12875-0.
  17. ^ Jolly, Karen Louise (1996). Popular religion in late Saxon England: elf charms in context. Chapel Hill: Univ. of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-2262-3.
  18. ^ a b Restad, Penne L. (1996). Christmas in America: a history. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-510980-1.
  19. ^ Comer, K. (August 24, 2010). "Exceptionalism, Other Wests, Critical Regionalism". American Literary History. 23 (1): 159–173. doi:10.1093/alh/ajq043. ISSN 0896-7148.
  20. ^ "Bartholomew, John George, (22 March 1860–16 April 1920), geographer and cartographer to the King; head of the Edinburgh Geographical Institute", Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, December 1, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u193209, retrieved April 8, 2025
  21. ^ Zayn, Amīraẗ al- (2009). Islam, Arabs, and the intelligent world of the Jinn. Contemporary issues in the Middle East. Syracuse (N.Y.): Syracuse university press. ISBN 978-0-8156-3200-9.
  22. ^ a b Hall, Alaric (January 23, 2006). "Elves on the Brain: Chaucer, Old English, and elvish". Anglia: Zeitschrift für englische Philologie. 124 (2). doi:10.1515/ANGL.2006.225. ISSN 0340-5222.
  23. ^ de Bruyn, Theodore (September 2018). "Christianizing Egypt: Syncretism and Local Worlds in Late Antiquity. By David Frankfurter. Martin Classical Lectures. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2018. xix + 314. $39.95 cloth". Church History. 87 (3): 827–830. doi:10.1017/s000964071800166x. ISSN 0009-6407.
  24. ^ Hadler, Jeffrey (2008). Muslims and matriarchs: cultural resilience in Indonesia through Jihad and colonialism. Ithaca (N.Y.): Cornell university press. ISBN 978-0-8014-4697-9.
  25. ^ Forth, Gregory (2008). Images of the wildman in Southeast Asia: an anthropological perspective. Kegan Paul Library of Anthropology, Economics, and Society. London New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-203-88624-3.
  26. ^ Gabbert, Lisa (2016), "Teaching Fairy Tales in Folklore Classes", New Approaches to Teaching Folk and Fairy Tales, Utah State University Press, pp. 35–47, doi:10.7330/9781607324812.c002, ISBN 978-1-60732-481-2, retrieved April 8, 2025
  27. ^ a b Gabbert, Lisa (2016), "Teaching Fairy Tales in Folklore Classes", New Approaches to Teaching Folk and Fairy Tales, Utah State University Press, pp. 35–47, doi:10.7330/9781607324812.c002, ISBN 978-1-60732-481-2, retrieved April 8, 2025
  28. ^ "Contexts". Folk and Fairy Tales: 151–178. 2004. doi:10.5040/9798400652011.ch-005. ISBN 979-8-4006-5201-1.
  29. ^ Dated 100 BCE. Quintanilla, Sonya Rhie (2007). History of Early Stone Sculpture at Mathura: Ca. 150 BCE – 100 CE. BRILL. p. 368, fig. 88. ISBN 9789004155374.
  30. ^ Dalal, Roshen (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. Penguin Books India. p. 398. ISBN 978-0-14-341517-6.
  31. ^ title Spirit Warriors the Shortcut at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  32. ^ title Shake, Rattle & Roll 9 at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  33. ^ title Shake Rattle & Roll X at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  34. ^ title Shake Rattle and Roll 12 at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  35. ^ Godinez, Bong (November 17, 2008). [November 17, 2008 "Heart Evangelista gives life to "Luna Mystika""]. www.pep.ph. Archived from the original on November 17, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2008. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)
  36. ^ Luna Mystika (Drama, Fantasy, Romance), Heart Evangelista, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Dante Rivero, GMA, November 17, 2008, retrieved February 19, 2025{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  37. ^ title T2 at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  38. ^ ccsediaren (January 6, 2018). "Movie Review: Ang Panday (MMFF 2017)". That's What CSed. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
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