Malysian Myths

Bajang : A Malysian vampire assumed to be male, appearing as a cat and normally threatening children. The Bajang can be enslaved and turned into a demon servant and is often handed down from one generation to the next within a family. It is kept in a tabong (bamboo vessel) which is protected by various charms. While imprisoned it is fed with eggs and will turn on its owner if not enough food is provided. The master of such a demon can send it out to inflict harm on his/her enemy, the enemy usually dying soon after of a mysterious disease. According to traditions the Bajang came from the body of a stillborn child, coaxed out of it by various incantations.

Langsuir: A Malysian vampire said always to take the form of a beautiful woman. A woman can become such a creature if she dies in childbirth. She is said to have extremely long nails, dress in green robes and have black hair, which hangs down to her ankles. She generally feeds on the blood of children.

Maneden: Lived in the wild pandanus plant.  If the plant got attacked the creature would attach itself to a man’s brow or a woman’s nipple and sucked it’s blod until given a nut or some other substitute.

Pelesit: A Malaysian spirit vampire. It invades a person’s body, causing illness and death.   Victims will rant and rave while under its possession.

Penanggalan: A Malysian vampire, which flies at night with only the head and neck of its body complete and with its intestines dangling beneath them. The creature is always female and generally feeds on children or women in labor.

Polong: A vampiric imp from Malaysia, created by bottling the blood of a murdered man and performing certain archaic rituals over the bottle, a bond is made between the creator of the Polong and itself by allowing it to feed briefly each day on a finger. It is closely associated with Pelesit

Pontiannak: Related to the Langsoir in that when the mother dies in childbirth it becones a Langsoir. If the child is stillborn it becomes a Pontiannak.  Have the ability to turn into screech owls.