#nuno sa punso

[beholdtheleaves]

Nuno sa Punso

Tale of Artistry

Your kind were the original owners of the land. In the days of old, people would seek your permission before breaking ground or tilling a field.

Homeward Mound: You have an underground sidhe accessible via an anthill or otherwise similar mound of dirt. It has an entrance to a location in the Coils.

Underground Riches: Once a scene, you can reach into the earth and dig up a precious item up to the size of your palm, such as a jewel or rare root plant.

Excuse Me (Weakness): When someone politely asks you to move out of the way, you are compelled to do so.

[samanthakgarner]

Filipino & Finnish mythology & folklore in my recent work

Today I'd like to share the Filipino & Finnish mythology & folklore I’ve incorporated in my work so far. This includes The Quiet is Loud, Twist the Branch (formerly known as Seeker of the Lost Song), TTB’s sequel, and my new science-fantasy novella Tempest Ascending.

Folklore/mythology from the Philippines:⁠

✦ Nuno sa punso, a nature spirit who takes the form of an old man living in a mound of earth⁠ ✦ Tikbalang, a half-horse, half-human trickster who lives in the forests and mountains ⁠ ✦ Siyokoy, a humanoid sea creature with a scaled body, large red eyes, and sharp teeth⁠ ✦ Engkanto, an umbrella term for various enchanted spirits⁠ ✦ A certain deity that I can’t reveal because it’s a spoiler but SO COOL⁠ ✦ Actually, make it two⁠, why not? ⁠

Folklore/mythology from Finland:⁠

✦ Tuonela, the land of the dead, popularly appearing in the Kalevala ⁠ ✦ Ukko, the god of thunder, the sky⁠, and weather ✦ Haltija/Haltia, a guardian spirit that protects places or people⁠ ✦ Spell-song, which is featured in the Kalevala and also in real-life poem-singing competitions called kilpalaulanta

⁠Honestly, nothing feels more life-affirming than combining the mythology and folklore of both of my wildly different cultures into a cohesive whole that works together. I don’t think it’s too cheesy to say that it feels healing.⁠

Väinämöinen sings Joukahainen into a mire, Joseph Alanen. Tempera painting with a motif from Kalevala 1912-1913.

[howicked]

bbc ghosts but they’re all Creatures™ from Philippine mythology

*the english translation of the filipino terms are boldly formatted

**i’m not an expert on this area, i just loosely describe and relate the characters based on what i know

**blood, guts, gore, and horror in general ahead, the illustrations are also not mine

• Kitty - diwata or boringkantada or a duwende

can’t decide which works best for kitty: a filipino nymph, a beautiful supernatural woman or a playful hobgoblin.

diwata is umbrella term for beautiful goddesses, and the most popular ones are dayang makiling, mariang sinukuan, and maria cacao. i think kitty would be mariang sinukuan— a kind and generous goddess who stopped bringing fruits and harvests to humans when they became unsatisfied and greedy.

a boringkantada is definitely not boring: it possesses beauty both physically and in its voice. when someone is lured by its singing, it instinctively assumes the person is about to rob the treasures it guards and viscously attacks them.

the hobgoblin that loves to play, a duwende has the tendency to be extremely jealous and may either shower gifts to the ones they like and play tricks on the ones they don’t.

*i also see pat as a duwende, and i’ll elaborate that on the next parts.

• Fanny - white lady or a dalikamata

i mean, she’s already a grey lady so this one’s not far-fetched. basically, a white lady is a ghost dressed in a white dress, particularly an urban legend that resides in a Balete tree in Quezon City, Manila. it is also known as the Weeping Woman or the Wronged Woman in other beliefs.

alternatively, i also think she would be a dalikamata— a Visayan goddess with many eyes that can see the past, present and the future. i relate the all-seeing, all-knowing attribute to fanny’s nosy attitude.

• Mary - albularyo

derived from the spanish term herbolario, these folk or witch doctors are either believed to have supernatural abilities to cure illness better than modern medicine or hated for being a pseudoscience and/or a witch. screams mary to me. She knows every herb and ointment, can track the roots of what caused the sickness, but also has the capability to harm those who wronged her. ultimately, she does her best to help others.

• Annie - mangkukulam

rip annie you would’ve loved putting curses on men. she would’ve been a powerful witch. there are many other terms for filipino witches according to respective regions, but we call them mangkukulam in our area. plus, these witches believe that their spells do not work on the innocent, their targets often being thieves and colonizers.

side note: i actually have this oc from a story i once tried to write wherein the albularyo and mangkukulam are girlfriends because of the contradicting capabilities, and the idiots themselves told me mary and annie were gay.

• Pat - nuno sa punso or a duwende

a nuno sa punso is a dwarf goblin that will harm you if you anger it by kicking its house (an anthill) and/or pissing on it. if modern medicine cannot cure you in any way and you have disrespected him, you may need to ask for his forgiveness or seek help from the albularyo. “tabi-tabi po” or “excuse me please” is a phrase you say to show respect to beings like this.

my first reason for nuno!pat was because of his height. but it is also depicted as a tiny, angry grandpa and a protector of the earth— which reminds me of pat.

on the other hand, the duwende is a hobgoblin that likes playing with children because of its natural playful attitude. this one’s not that easily angered unlike the nuno sa punso, but can still hurt those it doesn’t like.

• Captain - kapre

the way i giggled when i thought of cap being a CAPre. kapre cap,,, i feel like the funniest person alive. the photo makes it funnier— just some local kapre with glasses with a tree behind it

a kapre is a cigar-smoking, tree-dweller. traditionally, it presents itself as a hairy, muscular, and tall guardian/protector of the land that can also shapeshift into a beautiful man to invite people to follow them (especially in the woods). hence, it can make you run around in circles as you forget memories of your life.

side note: thomas can also be a kapre because if a kapre likes you, it will follow and protect you from your enemies for life. a former filipino president (emilio aguinaldo) is believed to have outlived his enemies because he had a kapre amulet.

• Humphrey - manananggal or pugot

a manananggal is a self-segmenting vampire. its upper torso has wings that help it fly and hunt humans (particularly pregnant women and their babies), while its lower torso stays behind. there is a belief that you can actually kill it by finding its lower torso and putting salt or crushed garlic in it in order to prevent it from uniting with its upper torso. i’m thinking about this image of humphrey’s head having wings attached behind him, and his tudor outfit already spells out vampire to me.

or if we’re gonna be canon compliant, humphrey is already a version of a pugot— a headless creature from the ifugao. but i’m putting this on a maybe part because there are many versions of the pugot: some believe it is a version of the kapre, some believe it is a shapeshifting ghoul.

• Robin - aswang or sigbin or bungisngis

aswang is a broad, umbrella term for all cannibal shapeshifters. they appear as normal humans by day, and various human-animal hybrids by night.

i also see robin as a sigbin. both are seen as dog-like creatures that eat fresh, bloody, and raw meat. some believe that you can keep a sigbin as a pet that will protect you and even let you hop in on its back— but once you let it starve, it will always be a creature of the night that can eat you and your entire family.

robin would also make a good bungisngis because it is a cannibal one-eyed cyclops. its name directly translates to “one who giggles a lot”, which is why it is known for laughing and playing tricks. ironically, it is dumb enough to be tricked.

• Julian - bakunawa or engkanto

the bakunawa is a dragon serpent notably known for allegedly eating the earth’s seven moons. i’d like to think of that as a parallel to a politician like julian being enamored by the shiny power and wealth.

and because of julian’s charms, he would also be an engkanto— environmental spirits that presents to be good-looking and formerly known as a protector of the people but may also tend to be deceiving (much like of a politician).

• Thomas - tikbalang

this one’s peer-reviewed by a friend so i’m more than confident about thomas being a tikbalang. it appears to be a half-human half-horse creature known to lead travelers astray as they live in the mountains. it is known to be mischievous when it play tricks on humans (a tribute i might also relate to julian or robin), so make sure to wear your shirt inside out or stay quiet while in the woods to not disturb it.

unrelated but fun fact: if it’s raining, we have this belief that a tikbalang is getting married. (this phrase is potentially from the spanish when they believed that a witch is getting married when there’s rain on a sunny day)

[lihimlihamtinta]

Hanggang sa huli ay hindi ko nalaman ang sagot

Sa maraming katanungang dekada ang itinakbo

Salungat man sa karanasan ang lahat ng tagpo

Pilit itong umaahon at muling nagtatanong

Kung naging matapang ba'y iba ang dulo?

Masasagot ba ang mga tanong ng yagit na puso?

Kung iba ba ang piniling pinto?

Mabubuksan kaya ang ngayo'y nakasarado?

Hanggang sa huli ay hindi ko nalaman ang sagot

Sa maraming katanungang pilit itinago

Kailan ba sasang ayon sa nais ng puso?

Kung ang kalaban ko'y lahat ng nuno sa punso?

[elykrindon]

There are many places in the Philippines where sightings of local cryptids are often talked about, the City of Muntinlupa is no stranger to it. Here are artworks of known cryptids in Muntinlupa with a millennial twist, as seen in Museo ng Muntinlupa page.

The Tikbalang - is probably one of the most popular mythological creatures in the Philippines. According to stories, these beings have half-human, half-horse bodies. It has two versions: one with a horse's head and the other with a human-like face. Based on folklore, whoever rides on the back of the tikbalang and manages to pull out its golden hair from its nape will be able to tame it and serve as its master. Despite their powerful and fearsome appearance, tikbalangs do not harm or kill people. They simply enjoy leading or playing with people in the forest.

The "Nuno sa Punso" - are said to be old men with long beards. Their height is likened to that of a three-year-old child. According to other stories, the "nuno" are depicted wearing wide-brimmed hats called "salakot." The "nuno sa punso" are known for inflicting illness upon those who disturb their dwellings. Typically, this results in high fever, severe body pains, and swelling of private body parts.

The Sirena - In legends and on television, mermaids are commonly depicted as beings with beautiful and gentle faces, long hair, glistening skin, and a melodious voice. They are considered guardians of the seas, and whoever disturbs their domain will be punished and dragged into the depths of the ocean. Their enchanting voices attract men, and this is what they use to lure those they fancy into their world. In The City of Muntinlupa, there are often folk stories about mermaids being sighted in Jamboree Lake.

The "Tiktik" - belongs to the family of "manananggal." They are commonly depicted as creatures resembling birds that only fly at night to seek food. It's also believed that their color is as black as crows. They are known to favor consuming babies from pregnant women's wombs. The "tiktik" got its name from the sound it makes. When you hear its loud screech, you can be sure that the "tiktik" is still far away. But as the sound gets softer and softer, the "tiktik" is getting closer to you!

The "Kapre" - typically resides in trees and forests. It's said that they often play tricks on people who find themselves near their dwellings by suddenly misleading them in the woods and mountains. Kapres are described as large, man-like beings covered in dark hair. Some say they are only clad in loincloths, while others claim they are naked and that only leaves cover their private parts. They are often depicted carrying tobacco, the scent of which tends to attract people's attention. When a Kapre is attracted to a woman, he befriends her and follows her for life.

[anyonghalimaw]

being stricken w a supernatural illness as a baby and having 2b brought 2 a witch doctor is very funny in hindsight like WTF DID I EVEN DO? my tito got cursed once coz he messed with a nuno sa punso but i didnt do shit i literally Just arrived in the philippines from mexico and A Something was like Fuck this kid in particular like WHO TF WAS BEEFING WITH A BABY

[introvertbard]

My family is from the Philippines and my mother has a story about how either my dad or my brother got "cursed" as a child by the nuno sa punso (usually translated as "goblins," though I've heard of "dwarves" being another translation because the nuno are small and earth-dwelling).

He stepped on an anthill while playing and couldn't walk for a while. The folk-healer they asked for advice said it was because he'd angered the nuno, so they had to go there and apologize for him to get better, AND GUESS WHAT??? HE DID!!!

Apparently there are mild/moderate strains of polio that don't permanently disable people, but no matter how much I rationalize it as "of course he got better, all they had to do was wait!", I still worry about "but what if he DIDN'T get better???"

Like how fucking close did me and my twin get to not having a brother??? Or not existing in our current states, because we have a different father???

And I think about this every time I hear an anti-vaxxer talk about how "covid is just like the flu/cold, lol."

NO BITCH, SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE THE FLU! BUT SOMETIMES IT KILLS YOU!!! OR PUTS A HEALTHY THIRTY-YEAR-OLD ON BED REST FOR MONTHS!!! OR IT DISABLES YOU!!!

DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT GAMBLE???

My mom is in her seventies. The fear of "eradicated" childhood diseases is still within LIVING MEMORY, and in PLACES THAT DO NOT HAVE MODERN WESTERN MEDICAL CARE!!!

Covid in the preindustrial Philippines would be seen as a curse from the spirits. My ancestors and their whole village would be lining the fuck up to get vaccinated if they had the option.

The burning question about "homesteading tradwive influencer vs. actual medieval farmwife" wouldn't be about who would win, but what would be the final straw that would make Kathrynn - who got married at 21, doesn't know what a chemical is, and who would have sent her children to school if she had had the chance - finally decide to beat the ever-loving shit out of Kathrynn, who got married at 21, doesn't understand what a chemical is and can't spell for shit, but still thinks she can homeschool her kids.

It wouldn't be over feminist issues. Medieval Kathrynn has no concept of "women's right to vote" - it's not like her husband has the right to vote in government matters either. It would probably be about religion. Medieval Kathrynn has no idea what "catholism" is, but she heard Modern Kathrynn talk shit about the saints and decides to toss aside the goat she was castrating and go "that's it, I'm beating your ass."

[persevereforahappyending]

Eh well, we have a LOT. As you know Philippines consists of 7,641 islands I believe? and we have more than ten regions. Each region has their own set of mythical creatures but I do believe they're kind of related to each other?

I have lots of favorites, like the aswang, manananggal, tiyanak, bungisngis, amaranhig, kapre, sirena, duwende (otherwise known as nuno sa punso), and sigbin. These aren't even a quarter of how many they are here. If we don't have these creatures that feast on blood, flesh, meat or even fetuses, we have many versions of ghosts, witches and cults. It's a lot but if you're really into that kind of thing? It's fun.

Well, it is fun until you come across one of them. I did and it is safe to say, I wish I won't be seeing them again 😭. — 💐

That's so cool. I love that each region has their own set of mythical creatures. It's all so fascinating to me.

So, the only one of those that I recognize is the aswang. I honestly find it so interesting. I'm not sure why I'm so fascinated by it, but I've never forgotten about it ever since I learned about it. Was researching vampire like creatures from other countries and the aswang is the one that stood out to me for some reason.

I think it sounds fun. I mean if I ever ran into one of these things I'd be absolutely terrified. But also, it sounds like so much fun!

[fairyencyclopedia]

Pygmy Fairies Master List Part 1:

Pygmy fairies are short humanoids. 

Africa:

Abatwa

Agogwe

Aziza

Egbere

Kalanoro

Kakundakari

Kontomblé

Mala-gilage

Mmoatia

Obrigwabibikwa

Séhité

Watu wa Miti

Yaamana-Juuju

Yumboe

Zankallala

Asia:

Abura Sumashi

Aghoy

Akaname

Akateko

Akathaso

Amefuri kozō

Ansisit

Bichura

Dokkaebi

Duwende

Ebu Gogo/ Lai ho’a

Hantu Sakai

Hiderigami

Hitotsume-kozō

Jembalang tanah 

Kamanan Daplak/ Kamanati-daplak

Kiba-an

Kijimunā

Korpokkur

Little Yeti/ Pyar- them/ Teh-lma

Mrenh kongveal

Nando babā

Nittaewo

Nuno Sa Punso

Orang Pendek/ Sedapa

Polong (Indonesian and Malaysia mythology)

Ragit-ragit

Sansei

Shenxian (Shinseen)

Ta'ai

Tirtiris

Tōfu kozō

Yaksha

Yamajijii

Yamawaro

Yanari

Yasaw

Yokai

Australia and Oceania:

Elephant Humanoid

Kakamora

Menehune

Mimi

Net- net

Nopitu

Nuku-mai-tore

Tauira-ahua

Turaki-hau

[troysantelmo]

You have heard this story before but you have heard it.

From the brightest minds of J.R. Gorda comes the story of Jack Brothers.

A multi-generational story arcs

8 + 4 Sagas

The Constuct Reality Saga

The Known World Saga

The Desolate Universe Saga

The Unknown Universe Saga

The Worlds Behind the Sun Saga

The New Realities Saga

The Jack Brothers Series:

Jackal - sword - dog

Jackel - bow and arrow - hare

Jackil - technology - mouse

Jackol - Doctor A / Aesclepius / Aesop

Jackul (Sael-sael) - ant

The Man - bat

Jaery - moth

Jaerman - fish

The Four Horsemen Series:

Troy Santelmo - scribe (Media Noche) - White Horse, lion, lamb

Lakan Malakas - ancient warrior (Noche Buena) - Black Horse, fox

superjayr - superhero (Commerce) - Red Horse, snake

doc_jayr - doctor (Medica / Scienca) - Pale Horse, bird

The Monarchs Series:

Beast of the Sea

Fiadas (Judas) - serpent - The Light Sorcerer

Saing-atas (Ananias) - The Light Elf

Krol (Jezzebel) - Anti-human - The Light Naga

Duxie (Sapphira) - Antisocial - The Light Gorgon

Media (Satan)

Commercia (Dragon)

Medica / Sciencia (Beast of the Land)

The Animals

The Elder Heights

The Alphabets

The 12 Tribes of Jacob

The 12 Tribes of Jack

The Directions

The Horoscope

* from all the characters

The Zodiacs

* from The Animals

The Dark Elements Saga Series

1 - Hydrogen

2 - Helium

3 - Lithium

4 - Beryllium

5 - Boron

6 - Carbon

7 - Nitrogen

8 - Oxygen

9 - Fluorine

10 - Neon

11 - Sodium

12 - Magnesium

13 - Aluminum

14 - Silicon

15 - Phosphorus

16 - Sulfur

17 - Chlorine

18 - Argon

19 - Potassium

20 - Calcium

21 - Scandium

22 - Titanium

23 - Vanadium

24 - Chromium

25 - Manganese

26 - Iron

27 - Cobalt

28 - Nickel

29 - Copper

30 - Zinc

31 - Gallium

32 - Germanium

33 - Arsenic

34 - Selenium

35 - Bromine

36 - Krypton

37 - Rubidium

38 - Strontium

39 - Yttrium

40 - Zirconium

41 - Niobium

42 - Molybdenum

43 - Technetium

44 - Ruthenium

45 - Rhodium

46 - Palladium

47 - Silver

48 - Cadmium

49 - Indium

50 - Tin

51 - Antimony

52 - Tellurium

53 - Iodine

54 - Xenon

55 - Cesium

56 - Barium

57 - Lanthanum

58 - Cerium

59 - Praseodymium

60 - Neodymium

61 - Promethium

62 - Samarium

63 - Europium

64 - Gadolinium

65 - Terbium

66 - Dysprosium

67 - Holmium

68 - Erbium

69 - Thulium

70 - Ytterbium

71 - Lutetium

72 - Actinium

73 - Hafnium

74 - Tantalum

77 - Tungsten

78 - Rhenium

79 - Osmium

80 - Iridium

81 - Platinum

82 - Gold

83 - Mercury

84 - Thallium

85 - Lead

86 - Bismuth

87 - Polonium

88 - Astatine

89 - Radon

90 - Thorium

91 - Protactinium

92 - Uranium

93 - Neptunium

94 - Plutonium

95 - Americium

96 - Curium

97 - Berkelium

98 - Californium

99 - Einsteinium

100 - Fermium

101 - Mendelevium

102 - Nobelium

103 - Lawrencium

104 - Rutherfordium

105 - Dubnium

106 - Seaborgium

107 - Bohrium

108 - Hassium

109 - Meitnerium

110 - Darmstadtium

111 - Unununium - Roentgenium / Samsonite

112 - Ununbium - Copernicium

113 - Ununtrium - Nihonium

114 - Ununquadium - Flerovium / Herculite

115 - Ununpentium - Moscovium

116 - Ununhexium - Livermorium

117 - Ununseptium - Tennessine

118 - Ununoctium - Oganesson - fly

The Deviants Saga Series

"The World of the "

Aswang

Nuno sa punso

Tikbalang

Tiktik

Duwende

Kapre

Engkanto

Diwata

The Desserts Saga Series

Sapin-sapin

Suman

Buchi

Biko

Tikoy

Turon

Bibingka

Chocolate

Candy

Leche Flan - 1995

Refrigerated Cake - 2002

Buko Salad - 1990

Tupig - 1990

Halo-halo - 1990

Ice Cream

Gelatin - 1994

Puto

Puto Bumbong

Pie

Custard cake

Cake

Maja Blanca

Biscocho

Otap

Polvoron

Macaroons

Mango sago - 2002 / 2015

Fruit shake

Creme Brulee

The T.I.E. Series

The Elder Heights Series

The Enchanted Forest

Way Above the Skies

Underneath the Under

The Frozen Kingdom

The Unknown Realm

The Kingdom behind the Dark Clouds

The Worlds Behind the Sun

The New Realities

This is the story of Troy Santelmo as he saves the Three Heavens from the Monarchs.

Mga Pinili / The Chosen

Mga Hinirang / The Elect

Mga Tagagapi / The Conquerors

The Jack Universe / Jay-R Universe

125

.30

70

30

100

30

7

7

7

21

51

125

- 51

74

Heroes of Mythology

Zeus

Hercules

Perseus

Ulysses

Adonis

Narcissus

Atlas

Hephaestus / Vulcan

Kronos

Helios

Zeus Jupiter

Hercules Herakles

Hermes Mercury

Aphrodite Venus

Gaia

Saturn

Uranus

Poseidon Neptune

Hades Pluto

Athena Minerva

Artemis

Apollo

Castor

Pollux

Cassiopeia

Persephone

Titan

Medusa: Gorgon

Sprites - Nymphs

Siren

Fates

Cyclops

Centaur

Minotaur

Griffin

Chimaera - Chimera

Odin

Thor

Frigga

Loki

Phoenix

Isis

Osiris

Hathor

[briefbestiary]

They are spiteful when wronged, but by being respectful to the spirits in nature and saying "tabi tabi po" (excuse me) before passing through an area, one can avoid mishaps with beings such as nuno sa punso.

[samanthakgarner]

"The Lucid Fever Dream" chapter is what I call one of my favourite The Quiet is Loud chapters. Despite it being a very tumultuous night in Freya's life, it was so much fun to let loose with fantastical imagery and Filipino mythology/folklore characters (my dude nuno sa punso says hey later on in this chapter).

It was one of the chapters that flowed out of me quite freely, seemingly without me having to do much. Was I dreaming when I wrote it? Was I awake? Somewhere in between? Who can say? ___

Photos © Samantha Garner, 2023.

[boog-how]

Tabi Tabi Po (2021) #24: Nuno sa Punso

Vengeful mound dwarf

"Tabi Tabi Po" is an art challenge I do every other year in the month of October where I draw my take on (hunky) Philippine mythological creatures.

[orobaxis]

gaslight

gatekeep

girlboss

mansplain

manipulate

malewife

[denofgeek]

Trese, Netflix‘s new anime, introduces us to Alexandra Trese, a mandirigmang-babaylan—aka a warrior-shaman—who assists the Metro Manila police in solving supernatural crimes. Based on an award-winning Filipino comic by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo, the series combines urban fantasy noir and the bloody horror of Southeast Asia.

For fans from the Philippines and of the Filipino diaspora, the inspiration for the show’s setting and worldbuilding will be familiar and nostalgic. For other viewers, it may be fresh and unique. In fact, for many people, Trese may be the first series they’ve ever watched that’s set in the Philippines and that features elements from the country’s rich folklore...

[Read more at Den of Geek]

[tonitart]

Some of the Philippine Mythological Creatures for a class project.