Tikbalang
Encyclopedia
Tikbalang is a creature of Philippine folklore said to lurk in the mountains and forests of the Philippines
. It is generally described as a tall, bony humanoid creature with disproportionately long limbs, to the point that its knees reach above its head when it squats down. It has the head and feet of an animal, most commonly a horse
. It is sometimes believed to be a transformation of an aborted
fetus
which has been sent to earth from limbo
.
A superstition popular with the Tagalog
of Rizal Province is that Tikbalangs are benevolent guardians of elemental kingdoms. They are usually found standing at the foot of large trees looking around for anyone who dare to bestow malignancy on their kingdom's territory.
A common saying has it that rain from a clear sky means Kinasal na si Irene.(Filipino
, "a tikbalang is getting married".) This was most likely derived from a similar Spanish proverb that claimed a witch was getting married when there was rain on a sunny day.
According to traditional folklore, the tikbalang can also transform
itself into human form or turn invisible to humans. They like to lead travelers astray.
Tikbalang are generally associated with dark, sparsely populated, foliage-overgrown areas, with legends
variously identifying their abode as being beneath bridges, in Bamboo or Banana groves, and atop Kalumpang or Balete trees.
(talisman
) in order to keep the tikbalang as his servant. The tikbalang must first be subdued, however, by leaping onto it and tying it with a specially-prepared cord. The would-be-tamer must then hang on while the creature flies through the air, fighting madly to dislodge its unwelcome rider, until it is exhausted and acknowledges its defeat.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is generally described as a tall, bony humanoid creature with disproportionately long limbs, to the point that its knees reach above its head when it squats down. It has the head and feet of an animal, most commonly a horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
. It is sometimes believed to be a transformation of an aborted
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
fetus
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
which has been sent to earth from limbo
Limbo
In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...
.
Superstitions
Tikbalangs are said to scare travelers and lead them astray. Tikbalangs play tricks on travelers such that they keep on returning to an arbitrary path no matter how far he goes or where he turns. Supposedly this is counteracted by wearing one's shirt inside out. Another countermeasure is to ask permission out loud to pass by or, not to produce too much noise while in the woods in order not to offend or disturb the tikbalang.A superstition popular with the Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
of Rizal Province is that Tikbalangs are benevolent guardians of elemental kingdoms. They are usually found standing at the foot of large trees looking around for anyone who dare to bestow malignancy on their kingdom's territory.
A common saying has it that rain from a clear sky means Kinasal na si Irene.(Filipino
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
, "a tikbalang is getting married".) This was most likely derived from a similar Spanish proverb that claimed a witch was getting married when there was rain on a sunny day.
According to traditional folklore, the tikbalang can also transform
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
itself into human form or turn invisible to humans. They like to lead travelers astray.
Tikbalang are generally associated with dark, sparsely populated, foliage-overgrown areas, with legends
Legends
Legends are historical narratives, symbolic representations of folk belief.Legends may also refer to:-Music:*Legend , a 1984 album*Legends , a 1998 album...
variously identifying their abode as being beneath bridges, in Bamboo or Banana groves, and atop Kalumpang or Balete trees.
Taming a tikbalang
By one account a tikbalang has a mane of sharp spines, with the three thickest of these being of particular importance. A person who obtains one of these spines can use them as an anting-antingAgimat
Agimat or bertud or anting-anting, is a Filipino word for amulet or charm. Although stereotyped as a cross, a flat, round or triangular golden pendant accompanying a necklace or a necklace-like item, it is also depicted as an enchanted stone that came from the sky or from the heart of a banana...
(talisman
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
) in order to keep the tikbalang as his servant. The tikbalang must first be subdued, however, by leaping onto it and tying it with a specially-prepared cord. The would-be-tamer must then hang on while the creature flies through the air, fighting madly to dislodge its unwelcome rider, until it is exhausted and acknowledges its defeat.
Literature
- Within the Lemegeton the 55th goetic spirit OrobasOrobasIn demonology, Orobas is a powerful Great Prince of Hell, having twenty legions of demons under his control.He supposedly gives true answers of things past, present and to come, divinity, and the creation of the world; he also confers dignities and prelacies, and the favour of friends and foes...
has the physical appearance of a tikbalang.
- A tikbalang named Irene E. features prominently in The Mythology ClassThe Mythology ClassThe Mythology Class is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Filipino comic creator Arnold Arre. It was originally published by the author under his own Tala Comics Publishing in four issues in 1999, and was collected into a special edition by Adarna House in September 2005.The story centers...
, a graphic novel written and illustrated by Filipino comic creator Arnold ArreArnold ArreArnold Arre is a Filipino comic book writer and artist.-Biography:Arre has won National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle for his graphic novels The Mythology Class , a four-part action-adventure miniseries that was re-released as a Special Collected Edition by Adarna House in 2005 and...
.
- X-MenX-MenThe X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
and WetworksWetworksWetworks is an American comic book series created by comic book artist Whilce Portacio and writer Brandon Choi. It ran for four years before ending in 1998...
illustrator Whilce PortacioWhilce PortacioWilliam "Whilce" Portacio is a Filipino-American comic book writer and artist. Noted for his work on such titles as The Punisher, X-Factor, and the Uncanny X-Men. Portacio was also one of the seven co-founders of Image Comics, though he did not become a partner in the company.-Early life:Portacio...
has created a comic book series called Stone: The Awakening, which features Filipino legendary creatures, including the tikbalang.
- A tale including a tikbalang appears in When the Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza HoltheTess Uriza HoltheTess Uriza Holtheis a Filipino-American writer, who was born and raised in Bernal Heights, San Francisco and is best known for her National Bestselling novel When the Elephants Dance.-Biography:...
. The wise creature mentors a young Filipino man who can see ghosts that haven't yet passed on.
- A tikbalang is the antagonist of the issue "Rules of the Race" in the comic Trese, where it engages in street races with unwitting drivers.
- Tikbalang Kung Kabilugan ng Buwan is a child-friendly telling of the Tikbalang mythos - written by Victoria Añonuevo, illustrated by Kora Dandan-Albano and released by Adarna HouseAdarna HouseFounded in 1980, Adarna House is the Philippines' first and largest publisher of children’s books.-History:During the mid-1970s, the Nutrition Center of the Philippines found itself in need of a series of storybooks to supplement their mental feeding program. They approached Virgilio S...
- intended to familarize young Filipino audiences with Philippine Mythological creatures. In the story, a Tikbalang becomes lonely for lack of a playmate during the full moon, a time when Filipino children of generations past traditionally went out to play in the moonlight. In search for a playmate, the Tikbalang leaves his home in the Kalumpang tree and encounters first a KapreKapreKapre is a Philippine mythical creature that could be characterized as a tree demon, but with more human characteristics. It is described as being a tall , brown, hairy male with a beard. Kapres are normally described as smoking a big tobacco pipe, whose strong smell would attract human attention...
, then a NunoNunoA Nuno or Nuno sa Punso is a dwarf-like creature in Philippine mythology. It is believed to live in an anthill or termite mound, hence its name. Literally, nuno sa punso means Ancestor/Grandparent of the anthill....
, an AswangAswangAn Aswang is a mythical creature in Philippine folklore. The aswang is an inherently evil vampire-like creature and is the subject of a wide variety of myths and stories, the details of which vary greatly...
, and a TiyanakTiyanakThe Tiyanak is a vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that imitates the form of a child. It usually takes the form of a newborn baby and cries like one in the jungle to attract unwary travelers. Once it is picked up by the victim, it reverts to its true form and attacks the victim...
, before he finally meets another Tikbalang as a suitable playmate.
Music
- The Filipino hardcore band, Tame the Tikbalang is named after this creature, and the common motiff of "taming" one.
Video games
- The popular MMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing gameMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
World of WarcraftWorld of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
features a characterNon-player characterA non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
named "GriftahConfidence trickA confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
" who sells an amulet called an "Infallible Tikbalang Ward". The accompanying text states, "With this trusty warding talisman, no tikbalang will ever find you and steal you away to the treetops. It really works!" When an item in World of Warcraft is said to "really work", it seldom does; naturally, tikbalangs are not found in the game. - In the MMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing gameMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
Final Fantasy XIFinal Fantasy XI, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
, Tikbalang is a rare monster belonging to the Tauri family (demonic humanoids composed of various animal parts, capable of inflicting a lethal curse if you do not avert your eyes.)