Sumatra
Orang Bunian
Nature / Ancestral Spirit Danger 3 of 5 · Frightening
- Form
- Hidden human-like people
- Origin
- The 'hidden people' of Malay and Sumatran forests: an invisible parallel society whose villages, music and weddings mortals sometimes glimpse or enter.
- Behavior
- Invite or abduct mortals; time inside Bunian villages runs differently, returnees age years in a night.
- Deterrents and vulnerabilities
- Iron, prayers, and refusing Bunian food.
- Diet
- Non-consumptive
- Culture
- Malay / Acehnese / Minangkabau
- Region
- Sumatra
- Sampling
- Added in dataset v3–v5; first placed on a tree here.
Coded characters
◆ New entry coded by folklore synthesis. Sex: Unspecified.
| Human-like | Humanoid, witch, or human spirit |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male, unspecified, or variable |
| Death or birth origin | Not death or birth related |
| Incorporeal | Embodied creature or witch |
| Flight | Grounded |
| Burial | None or weak |
| Children | None |
| Blood and organs | None |
| Theft and mischief | None |
| Hair or fur | None |
| Animal form | None |
| Detached head | None |
| Fire or light | None |
| Water | None |
| Forest | Forest, jungle, or mountain |
| Settlement | Village, house, hospital, or road |
| Black magic | Black magic or witchcraft central |
| Widespread | Localized |
| Body plan | Humanoid spirit |
| Diet | Non-consumptive |
Nearest on the tree
Identical coding to Hantu Rimba, Waruga Spirit, Dedemit, Lelembut, Peri, Roh Komodo, Penunggu, Putri Gunung Ledang, Wong Samar, Gamang, Putri Mandalika, Hainuwele, so the tree cannot separate them.
