Name: Polong
Location/Origin: Malaysia, rooted in traditional Malay folklore and occult practices. Usually summoned by bomoh.
Powers: Possession of humans, often through whispered influence, ability to cause illness, misfortune, and mental disturbance, psychic link to its owner, allowing indirect harm to others, enhanced strength and resilience when bound through ritual
Appearance: Small humanoid, fairy-like supernatural being, pale or grayish skin with an unnatural, doll-like quality, large, dark, reflective eyes that appear overly aware, often described as quiet, watchful, and disturbingly calm, its true form may vary depending on the ritual used to create it
Specific Danger: Frequently linked to Pelesit, a smaller entity believed to precede and prepare Polong’s victims. Together, they are said to operate as a coordinated possession system. Polong does not attack openly. It influences, weakens, and erodes its victims from within, often targeting people connected to its owner. Prolonged exposure can lead to unexplained illness, paranoia, or loss of control over one’s actions.
Evolution: Traditionally created through dark rituals involving blood and spirit invocation, Polong has evolved in modern folklore from a feared weapon into a symbol of controlled supernatural power. In contemporary retellings, it often represents the illusion of mastery over forces that are never truly tame.
In traditional Malay folklore, Polong is not born — it is crafted through deep ritual. A practitioner, usually a bomoh, captures the blood of a murdered man in a bottle and recites special incantations over it for days. When the bottle begins to emit strange sounds, the spirit has been formed. To complete its binding, the owner must feed it drops of blood from their own finger. This act marks the spirit’s allegiance and makes the owner its “parent.” If the feeding is neglected, the Polong becomes unpredictable and feral even to its creator. Once bound, Polong is sent to afflict a target chosen by its owner. It often travels with a small familiar spirit called a Pelesit, which first enters the victim and calls the Polong to possess them, bringing madness, sickness, or irrational behavior. Owners who treat it as a tool rather than a being soon find the relationship reversed. A Polong that is ignored, unfed, or disrespected may return home angry, its loyalty evaporated. Legends warn that such spirits can be more dangerous to their masters than to their intended targets.
Warning to Travelers:
In regions where Polong lore still holds cultural weight, folklore advises extreme caution: Do not touch blood without knowing its purpose. If someone offers blood or suggests feeding an unseen spirit, refuse. Avoid involvement in spirit-binding practices. Polong is said to require daily nourishment from its owner’s own finger to remain stable; failure to do so can unleash chaotic effects. Unexplained sensations of weakness, dizziness, or persistent unease at night may be attributed to the spirit’s influence. If you suspect a Polong is involved, seek out a traditional healer (dukun or bomoh) rather than confronting the spirit directly. Legends say calling it out without proper ritual safeguards can make it turn on the challenger.
Symbolism:
Polong embodies the dark edge of human desire to control forces beyond natural law. The act of feeding it blood from one’s finger is symbolic of the sacrifice — personal, moral, and spiritual — that such control demands. In folklore, this bond is both literal and metaphoric: the spirit’s strength is sustained by the owner’s own life force, suggesting that what is unleashed outside will also be felt within.Rather than simply a tool or weapon, Polong represents a cycle of dependence: the owner feeds the spirit, and the spirit feeds on the owner’s intent, emotions, and ultimately their integrity. If neglected, the bond becomes a curse, turning the attempted master into the spirit’s next victim.