The Malay Peninsula’s fiercest ghost

At tonight’s Paranormal Pajama Party, we’re doing mani-pedis in honour of our claw-some party guest of honour, the dreaded Pontianak – a vampire ghost from the Malay Peninsula.

The Pontianak’s appearance and behaviour challenge societal expectations of women. She embodies the untamed and uncontrollable aspects of femininity with her dishevelled hair, bloodstained dress, and razor-sharp claws.

Patriarchal cultures often associate women with nature, portraying us as emotional and irrational beings. The Pontianak’s uncontrolled rage and wild nature reflect society’s fear of women’s power and agency. By defying societal norms, she becomes a symbol of liberation and a threat to the established order.

In stories of the Pontianak, she’s often transformed (by a man) from a vengeful spirit to a subservient wife, which mirrors the societal pressure to conform and suppress one’s power and autonomy.

So I think the Pontianak is a very scary symbol of resistance.

She represents the rage and vengeance of women who have been oppressed and silenced. The Pontianak’s wrath is not limited to those who directly wronged her; it extends to anyone who stands in her way. This aspect of her character reflects the broader struggle for gender equality in Southeast Asia: Women who challenge patriarchal norms and demand their rights often face backlash and resistance.

It’s also very interesting to consider her association with nature and the wilderness where she’s been banished. The Pontianak’s existence serves as a reminder that monsters are always lurking at the borders of society. They represent the fear of the uncontrollable and the unknown, challenging the established order and demanding change.

The Pontianak’s legend continues to this day – as does the struggle for gender equality in patriarchal Southeast Asia, where discriminatory practices and gender-based violence persist. Her story serves as a reminder of the deep-rooted gender inequalities that remain despite progress in other areas.

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Sources

• Nicholas, Cheryl L., and Kimberly N. Kline. “‘Cerita Pontianak’: Cultural Contradictions and Patriarchy in a Malay Ghost Story.” Storytelling, Self, Society, vol. 6, no. 3, 2010, pp. 194–211. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41949133.

• Kuntilanak (Wikipedia)

• Duile, Timo. “Kuntilanak: Ghost Narratives and Malay Modernity in Pontianak, Indonesia”. Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en volkenkunde / Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia 176.2-3 (2020): 279-303. https://doi.org/10.1163/22134379-17601001 Web.

• The Time a Town Was in an Uproar Over a 300-Foot Ghost Statue

• Tan, Kenneth. (2010). Pontianaks, Ghosts and the Possessed: Female Monstrosity and National Anxiety in Singapore Cinema. Asian Studies Review. 34. 151-170. 10.1080/10357821003802037. 

• Southeast Asia’s Vengeful Man-Eating Spirit Is a Feminist Icon

• Sympathy for Lady Vengeance: Feminist Ghosts and Monstrous Women of Asia | Stephanie Lai