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The pontianak (Dutch-Indonesian spelling: boentianak, Jawi: ڤونتيانق) is a female vampiric ghost in Malaysian and Indonesian mythology. It is also known as a matianak or kuntilanak, sometimes shortened to kunti. Pontianak is called Churel, or Churayl, in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. The pontianak are said to be the spirits of women who died while pregnant. This is despite the fact that the earliest recordings of pontianaks in Malay lore describe the ghi swassup Once the ugly ghost ate the bebe

Etymology

The word pontianak is reportedly a corruption of the Malaysian perempuan mati beranak, or “woman who died in childbirth”. Another theory is that the word is a combination of puan (woman) + mati (die) + anak (child). The term matianak means "death of a child". The city of Pontianak in Indonesia is named after this wicked creature, which was claimed to have haunted the first sultan who once settled there.

Appearance

Pontianaks are usually depicted as pale-skinned women with long black hair, red eyes, and white dress smeared in blood, but they are said to be able to take on a beautiful humanly appearance since they prey on men and helpless people. They can also be beasts due to their bloodthirsty and carnivorous nature.

In folklore, a pontianak usually arises at full moon and announces her presence through high-pitched baby cries. If the cry is soft, it means that the pontianak is near, and if it is loud, then she must be far. Some believe that if ones hears a dog howling at night, that means the pontianak is far, but if a dog is whining, that means the pontianak is nearby. Her presence can sometimes be detected by a nice floral fragrance identifiable as that of the plumeria, followed by an awful stench (resembling that of a decaying body) afterwards. The Indian version, the Churail, can be identified by her feet turning backwards just before her transformation into her vampiric form.

A pontianak kills her victims by digging into their stomach with her sharp fingernails and devouring their body organs. In some cases where the pontianak desires revenge against a male individual, the beast rips out the body organs with her hands. It is said that if one has his or eyes open when a pontianak is near, she will suck them out of the victim's head. Pontianak locates her preys/victims by sniffing out the hanging laundry outside. For this reason, some Malaysians refuse to leave any piece of clothing outside of their house overnight.

The pontianak is associated with banana trees, and her spirit is said to reside in them during the day.

To fend off a pontianak, a nail should be plunged into the hole on the nape of her neck. This is said to make her turn into a beautiful woman and a good wife until the nail is removed. In the case of the kuntilanak, the nail is plunged into the apex of her head.

The Indonesian kuntilanak is similar to the pontianak, but commonly takes the form of a bird and sucks the blood of virgins and young women. The bird, which makes a "ke-ke-ke" sound as it flies, may be sent through some black magic to make a woman fell sick, the characteristic symptom is vaginal bleeding. In her female form, when a man approaches her, she suddenly turns and reveals that her back is hollow, but this apparition is more specifically referred to sundel bolong.

Sightings

There are numerous sightings of the Pontianak/Lang suir all over South East Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia. Most of them are hoaxes. In August 2010 there was a video caught by a group of Malaysian Policeman PDRM in the town of Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia. The 2-minute-long video does not show the apparition of the Pontianak at all in her full form.

In popular culture

• Indonesian films, see also id:Kategori:Film kuntilanak
  • Kuntilanak (1962) starring Ateng
  • Kuntilanak (1974)
  • Lawang Sewu (2007)
  • Casablanca Tunnel (Red Kuntilanak) (2007)
  • Kuntilanak's Nest (2008)
  • Kuntilanak (2006), Kuntilanak 2 (2007), Kuntilanak 3 (2008)
  • Kuntilanak's Morgue (2009)
  • Kuntilanak Beranak (2009)
  • The Nail of Kuntilanak (2009)
  • Santet Kuntilanak (2012)
• Indonesian Video Game
  • DreadOut (2014)
• Malaysian films
  • The Pontianak Child (1958)
  • Pontianak Musang Cave (1964)
  • The Return of Kuntilanak (1963)
  • Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam (2004)
  • Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam 2 (2005)
  • The Scream of Pontianak (2005)
  • Help Me, I'm a Pontianak (2011)
  • Pontianak vs Oil Person (2012)
  • The Nail of Kuntilanak (2013)
• Malaysian fiction
  • The House of Aunts (2011) by Zen Cho
• American fiction
  • Supernatural: Cold Fire

Related folklore

In Philippine folklore, the vampiric tiyanak shares many similarities in terms of origin with the pontianak. However, the tiyanak is the ghost of the child rather than the mother.

See also

• Malay folklore
• Sundel Bolong
• Lang Suir
• White Lady (ghost)
• Tai Thong Klom
• Keres (Κῆρες), spirits of violent or cruel death in Greek mythology
• Hun and po
• Onryō
• Mavka

References

1. Lee R. The Almost Complete Collection of True Singapore Ghost Stories. 2nd ed. Singapore: Flame of the Forest, 1989.
2. Chandran83. "PONTIANAK LEPAR HILIR 7,PAHANG,MALAYSIA" YouTube, Pahang, 15 August 2010. Retrieved on 5 February 2013.
3. "The House of Aunts". 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2015-04-13.

External links

• Kuntilanak ('Pontianak'): 'The Ghost of a Woman Who Died While Pregnant' | Dukun Indonesia
• Article by Singapore Paranormal Investigators about pontianaks
• Pontianaks And The Issue Of Verisimilitude In Singaporean Cinema(requires a login and password)—an essay by Dr Timothy White of the National University of Singapore, about the important role played by 1950s and 1960s horror films in the evolution of pontianak mythology (Microsoft Word document).

v t e Indonesian mythology
Adat • Aliran Kepercayaan • Balinese mythology • Batak mythology • Ghosts in Malay culture • Hantu • Kejawèn • Malay folklore
Java	Babi ngepet Batara Kala Dewi Sri Genderuwa Hyang Keong Emas Jailangkung Jenglot Nyai Roro Kidul Pocong Semar Sundel bolong Tuyul Warak ngendog Wewe Gombel
Bali	Barong Batara Kala Bulan Pejeng Hyang Kala Rau Leyak Rangda Setesuyara Twalen
Sumatra	Malin Kundang Orang bunian Pelesit Putri Tangguk Silewe Nazarate Hantu Bongkok Cindaku Cigau
Kalimantan	Hudoq Kuyang Lembuswana Pontianak
Sulawesi	Sureq Galigo
Nusa Tenggara	Ebu gogo
Maluku	Hainuwele O Tokata Suanggi
Papua	Manseren Manggoendi

v t e Mythology of Malaysia
Legends	Badang Hang Tuah Hang Jebat Mahsuri Nunuk Ragang Panglima Awang Princess of Mount Ledang Seri Gumum Dragon Si Tanggang Siti Wan Kembang Tujuh Puteri
Priestesses, shamans	Bisan Bobohizan Bomoh Dukun Pawang
Types of Malay ghosts	Hantu Air Hantu Hantu Raya Hantu Tinggi Orang Bunian Orang Minyak Penanggal Pocong Polong Pelesit Pontianak Toyol
Malay saints	Datuk Keramat
Chinese spirit places	Na Tuk Kong Tua Pek Kong Sin Sze Ya and Si Sze Ya
See also	Malay culture Ghosts in Malay culture Malaysian folk religion Folklore of Malaysia Ghost Festival Batu Caves Kellie's Castle Temple Á Bao A Qu

• Indonesian legendary creatures
• Malay ghost myth
• Malay folklore
• Vampires
• Corporeal undead
• Indonesian folklore
• Jinn
• Female legendary creatures
• Ghosts