A blue glow on a ship’s mast, a fireball rolling across a field and a light that leads travelers astray. The santelmo has haunted Filipino folklore for generations, but some sightings may have natural explanations. Read more »
Long before telescopes could explain an eclipse, people across the Philippines believed a terrifying creature was devouring the moon. In the Visayas, that creature was known as the bakunawa, a giant serpent said to rise from the depths and swallow the glowing orb whole. Read more »
He has supposedly outlasted presidents, watched over palace staff, and smoked cigars from a centuries-old balete tree. Meet Mr. Brown, the legendary kapre of Malacañang, and discover the stories behind the palace’s most famous ghost. Read more »
By day, an ordinary neighbor. By night, a creature said to fly with half its body missing. Discover the folklore behind the aswang, its regional variations, and the real dangers of accusing someone of being one. Read more »
The waters around Romblon have seen some of the country’s worst maritime disasters. But while the wrecks are real, the “triangle” is a much newer idea. Read more »
A dark giant in an old tree, the smell of tobacco, and a path that keeps looping back on itself. Here’s what Filipino folklore says about the kapre, where its name came from, and what old folks say to do when one takes an interest in you. Read more »
