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From mountain phantom to horse-headed trickster: the tikbalang's centuries-long evolution. Written by Glenn Junsay Pansensoy  ·  Culture  ·  13 min read The Tikbalang: A Historical Documentary Article | Poetic Codes The Tikbalang: A Historical Documentary Article 📅 April 1, 2025 ✍️ By Glenn Pansensoy 🔗 poetic-codes.pages.dev Introduction In the forests, mountains, and lonely rural roads of the Philippines, generations of Filipinos have spoken of a creature that watches from the shadows: the tikbalang. Often described as a tall, bony humanoid with the head of a horse, long limbs, powerful hooves, and a mane of coarse hair, the tikbalang has become one of the most recognizable beings in Philippine folklore. It is a creature of fear, mischief, and mystery—said to lead travelers astray, inhabit anc...

From anito to aswang: how Filipino spirits survived colonialism and faith. Written by Glenn Junsay Pansensoy  ·  Culture  ·  9 min read Spirits, Monsters, and Sacred Worlds: Philippine Supernatural Belief | Poetic Coded Spirits, Monsters, and Sacred Worlds: A Historical Look at Philippine Supernatural Belief 📅 April 2025 ✍️ By Glenn Pansensoy 🔗 poetic-coded.pages.dev The supernatural beliefs of the Philippines form one of Southeast Asia’s most enduring cultural traditions. Long before Spanish colonization, Filipino communities understood the world as inhabited by unseen powers: ancestral spirits, nature guardians, deities, and dangerous beings that moved between the human and spirit realms. These beliefs did not disappear with the arrival of Christianity; instead, they adapted, merged with Catholic pract...