Orang Bunian
Encyclopedia
Orang Bunian are supernatural
beings in Malay world
s, similar to elves.
They are said to exist in large communities, mimicking human social structures, with families and clans. Orang Bunian are said to inhabit the deep forests, far from human contact, but they are also known to live near human communities, and are even said to share the same houses as human families. The place for orang bunian is in the West Kalimantan
(West Borneo). Some hauntings are attributed to orang bunian.
Orang bunian possess great supernatural powers, and have been known to befriend and assist humans, in particular pawangs or bomohs
. Orang bunian are known to abduct human children, and are often blamed for leading people astray in the deep forest.
As orang bunian are very similar to human beings (except for the fact that they are usually 'ghaib' or 'halimunan', i.e. invisible and have supernatural powers) it is not unknown for them to intermarry with humans. Orang bunian live far longer than human beings. Stories are recounted of men who married orang bunian, but pining for their families they left behind, decided to leave the orang bunian. Upon their return to human society, they found that everyone they once knew has died, and that many years have passed--similar to the tales of Rip Van Winkle
and of the elves of Germanic folklore.
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
beings in Malay world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
s, similar to elves.
They are said to exist in large communities, mimicking human social structures, with families and clans. Orang Bunian are said to inhabit the deep forests, far from human contact, but they are also known to live near human communities, and are even said to share the same houses as human families. The place for orang bunian is in the West Kalimantan
West Kalimantan
West Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia. It is one of four Indonesian provinces in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital city Pontianak is located right on the Equator....
(West Borneo). Some hauntings are attributed to orang bunian.
Orang bunian possess great supernatural powers, and have been known to befriend and assist humans, in particular pawangs or bomohs
Bomoh
A bomoh or dukun is a Malay shaman. The bomoh's original role was that of a healer and their expertise was first and foremost an in-depth knowledge of medicinal herbs and tajul muluk or Malay geomancy...
. Orang bunian are known to abduct human children, and are often blamed for leading people astray in the deep forest.
As orang bunian are very similar to human beings (except for the fact that they are usually 'ghaib' or 'halimunan', i.e. invisible and have supernatural powers) it is not unknown for them to intermarry with humans. Orang bunian live far longer than human beings. Stories are recounted of men who married orang bunian, but pining for their families they left behind, decided to leave the orang bunian. Upon their return to human society, they found that everyone they once knew has died, and that many years have passed--similar to the tales of Rip Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle
"Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by the American author Washington Irving published in 1819, as well as the name of the story's fictional protagonist. Written while Irving was living in Birmingham, England, it was part of a collection entitled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon...
and of the elves of Germanic folklore.
External links
- Malay poisons and charm cures By John Desmond Gimlette
- Indonesia in focus: ancient traditions, modern times By Reimar SchefoldReimar SchefoldReimar Schefold , is professor emeritus of cultural anthropology and sociology of Indonesia at Leiden University. His special interests are thematic symbolic anthropology, cultural materialism, vernacular architecture, and social change among ethnic minorities...
, Vincent Dekker - The Invisible People by Carlosox
- Kesenian adat, kepercayaan dan petua, By A. Samad Ahmad