Kalimantan
Pontianak
Vengeful Female Danger 5 of 5 · Lethal
- Form
- Spectral female
- Origin
- Kalimantan-Malay form of the Kuntilanak complex; the city of Pontianak is said to be named for her. Woman who died in childbirth, haunting banyan and banana trees.
- Behavior
- Long white dress, long black hair, sweet frangipani scent turning foul; attacks men, targets pregnant women.
- Deterrents and vulnerabilities
- Nail driven into the hole at the nape of her neck is said to tame her into a wife.
- Diet
- Blood / Fetuses
- Culture
- Malay
- Region
- Kalimantan
- Sampling
- Added in dataset v3–v5; first placed on a tree here.
Coded characters
◆ New entry coded by folklore synthesis. Sex: Female.
| Human-like | Humanoid, witch, or human spirit |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Death or birth origin | Death, childbirth, or infant origin |
| Incorporeal | Ghost, spirit, or undead |
| Flight | Grounded |
| Burial | None or weak |
| Children | Child spirit, child theft, or infant targeting |
| Blood and organs | Targets blood, flesh, or organs |
| Theft and mischief | None |
| Hair or fur | None |
| Animal form | None |
| Detached head | None |
| Fire or light | None |
| Water | None |
| Forest | None |
| Settlement | Village, house, hospital, or road |
| Black magic | No strong sorcery motif |
| Widespread | Localized |
| Body plan | Spectral female |
| Diet | Blood |
Nearest on the tree
Identical coding to Si Manis Jembatan Ancol, Langsuyar, Antu Gerugugu, Tosalili, Ndope, Kuntilanak Merah, Churel, so the tree cannot separate them.
