COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur van karbouwenhuid voorstellende een everzwijn TMnr 809-167p

Babi ngepet () is

boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is no ...

demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...

in Indonesian mythology. Babi ngepet are commonly known in Java and Bali.

Outline

According to local myth, the creature is believed to be the manifestation of a person practising ''pesugihan babi'' black magic. ''Pesugihan'' is derived from the Javanese word ''sugih'' meaning "rich". It is a kind of magic to help people become rich instantly, but in exchange they must sacrifice something. In this case they must sacrifice their humanity; allowing themselves to be transformed into a boar for a period of time, or allowing themselves to be possessed by a boar

. The human-animal transformation is similar to

shapeshifting In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, Magic (paranormal), sorcery, Incantation, ...

or the

werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or ...

concept in the

West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...

Transformation

Some of the myths told about a man enveloped in black robes before miraculously turning into this creature. After the transformation, the demon boar roams around the village, scratching its body against the wall, door, cupboard, or furniture. Magically the belongings of the villagers, such as money, gold, and jewellery will disappear and be magically carried away by the Babi Ngepet. If the mission was successful, by the time Babi Ngepet safely returns home and transforms back into their human form, the black robes will be filled with the stolen money or jewellery. The person that practices Babi Ngepet black magic needs assistance from another person. The assistant's task is to stay home and guard the lit

candle A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. A person who makes candles i ...

floating on a basin of water, while the Babi Ngepet is in action. If the candle flame is shaking, fading or almost out, it is the sign that the Babi Ngepet is in danger, caught in the act by villagers, or turned back into their human form. Because of this belief, Javanese villagers often chase or even kill any boar wandering around the village at night.

Interpretation

The

skeptic Skepticism, also spelled scepticism, is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the pe ...

al view is that it was probably a traditional way to explain the unexplainable loss of fortune or a mysterious theft in the village, by blaming the wild boar roaming the village in the night. Or probably it was a means of traditional pest control; to get rid of wild boars from eating and destroying rice fields or barns. The association of the boar with magic concerning fortune probably originated from Javanese pre-Islamic and pre-Hindu-Buddhist beliefs that associate the boar with domestic richness, fortune and prosperity, similar to its connections with Celengan, which means

piggy bank Piggy bank (sometimes penny bank or money box) is the traditional name of a coin container normally used by children. The piggy bank is known to collectors as a "still bank" as opposed to the "mechanical banks" popular in the early 20th century ...

in Javanese. The word Celengan is derived from word ''Celeng'' which means boar.

References

{{Mythology of Indonesia Javanese mythology Shapeshifting Mythological pigs Indonesian legendary creatures

Outline

Transformation

Interpretation

See also

References