Wakwak
Encyclopedia
The Wakwak is a vampiric, bird-like creature in Philippine mythology
or said to be a witch. It is said to snatch humans at night as prey
, similar to the Manananggal
and the Ekek
in rural areas of the Philippines
, due to its ability to fly. The difference between the Mananggal and the Wakwak is that Wakwak cannot separate its torso from its body while the Manananggal can. Some believe it is also a form a vampire takes. Other people contend that a "Wakwak" is a Philippine night bird belonging to a witch.
The sound of a Wakwak is usually associated with the presence of an Unglu (vampire) or Ungo (ghost or monster). It is also believed that this monster is called "Wakwak" due to this sound it makes when it flaps its wings while flying. When one hears the Wakwak, it is looking for possible victims. If the sound of the Wakwak is loud, it means it is far from you. Otherwise, it is near and worse yet, it is about to attack. It slashes and mutilates its victims and feeds on their hearts.
The Wakwak is often described by old folks to have long sharp talons and a pair of wings similar to those of a bat
. It uses its talons or claws to slash its victims and to get their heart. Many say that its wings are also sharp as a knife.
The sound that a tiki, tike or teke (Common House Gecko) makes usually at night when out of sight was discovered by an American who spent much time in the Philippines to be the source of the sound everyone was saying was a "Wakwak".
"A Dictionary of Cebuano Visaya" by John U. Wolff published by Cornell University
, South East Asia Program and Linguistic Society of the Philippines 1972 defines Wak Wak as:
Also Wak-Wak in early Philippine history was the Kingdom of Wak-Wak along with the Kingdom of Zabag and were situated in Pampanga
Philippine mythology
Philippine mythology include a collection of tales and superstitions about magical creatures and entities. Some Filipinos, even though heavily westernized and Christianized, still believe on these tales...
or said to be a witch. It is said to snatch humans at night as prey
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
, similar to the Manananggal
Manananggal
The manananggal is a mythical creature of the Philippines. It resembles a Western vampire, in being an evil, man-eating monster or witch. The myth of the manananggal is popular in the Visayan region of the Philippines, especially in the western provinces of Capiz, Iloilo, and Antique...
and the Ekek
Ekek
In Philippine mythology, Ekek are creatures who are bird-like humans. They are winged-humans who search for victims at night. They hunger for flesh and blood. They are usually described by old folks as flying creatures that look like the Manananggal but are unable to divide or split their body...
in rural areas of the Philippines
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...
, due to its ability to fly. The difference between the Mananggal and the Wakwak is that Wakwak cannot separate its torso from its body while the Manananggal can. Some believe it is also a form a vampire takes. Other people contend that a "Wakwak" is a Philippine night bird belonging to a witch.
The sound of a Wakwak is usually associated with the presence of an Unglu (vampire) or Ungo (ghost or monster). It is also believed that this monster is called "Wakwak" due to this sound it makes when it flaps its wings while flying. When one hears the Wakwak, it is looking for possible victims. If the sound of the Wakwak is loud, it means it is far from you. Otherwise, it is near and worse yet, it is about to attack. It slashes and mutilates its victims and feeds on their hearts.
The Wakwak is often described by old folks to have long sharp talons and a pair of wings similar to those of a bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
. It uses its talons or claws to slash its victims and to get their heart. Many say that its wings are also sharp as a knife.
The sound that a tiki, tike or teke (Common House Gecko) makes usually at night when out of sight was discovered by an American who spent much time in the Philippines to be the source of the sound everyone was saying was a "Wakwak".
"A Dictionary of Cebuano Visaya" by John U. Wolff published by Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, South East Asia Program and Linguistic Society of the Philippines 1972 defines Wak Wak as:
- wakwak1
- noun bird which comes out at night, so called from its call. Its call signifies the presence of a vampire (unglo) or in some beliefs. it is a form the vampire takes himself.
- verb 1 [A13] for the wakwak to be about; 2 [a12] victimize someone with vampiritic activity. paN- verb [A2] go about engaging in vampiritic activity. -un noun = UNGLU, noun
- wakwak2 noun the West piece of MahjongMahjongMahjong, sometimes spelled Mah Jongg, is a game that originated in China, commonly played by four players...
= WISTL.
Also Wak-Wak in early Philippine history was the Kingdom of Wak-Wak along with the Kingdom of Zabag and were situated in Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...