Upload
parasiitti
View
165
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Asian geographic magazine
Citation preview
No. 99 Issue 6/2013
PPS 1367/04/2013 (022956)
ASIA WITHOUT BORDERS
AUSTRALIA AUD8 (with GST) BRUNEI BND8.80 CHINA CNY40 INDIA INR250 INDONESIA IDR70,000MALAYSIA MYR15 PHILIPPINES PHP220 SINGAPORE SGD7.50 (with GST) TAIWAN TWD180 THAILAND THB220 USA USD10.99
AFTERLIFEANGELS & DEMONS
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSASIA WITHOUT BORDERS
SD10.99No. 27
Issue 4 | 2013
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAssssssssssssssssiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGeeeeeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooo.........ccccccccccccccccoooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmm
EEEEEEEEE OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE OOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFF TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR(((((((((((((((((MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPP SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRWWWWWWWWW DDDDDDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS 22222222220000000000001111111111122222222222))))))))))
Insist on an original warranty by your local sales VMJL South and Southeast Asia Regional Headquarters: Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd. | 1 Harbourfront Avenue #04-01 Keppel Bay Tower Singapore 098632 | www.canon-asia.com
www.canon-asia.com/eos6dGFK Asia covers China (30 Cities), Hong Kong, India (10 Cities), Indonesia (7 Cities), Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Korea (8 Regions and Online), Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Full-Frame CMOS sensor (equivalent to 35mTSm)
APS-C-size image sensor
)LUL[ZVMH-\SS-YHTLZLUZVY!>PKLYd`UHTPJYHUNL6\[Z[HUKPUNIHJRNYV\UKIS\Y3V^UVPZLH[OPNO0:6
Canon AsiaCanon EOS Asia
SURPASS
EF16-35mm f2.8L II USM ISO 3200 f2.8 30sec3832'32" N 10942'22" W
The worlds lightest* full-frame DSLR. Capture everything in the best possible light.
Discover new excellence with the dynamic full-frame EOS 6D. Robust and compact, EOS 6D delivers images of superb quality, even in low light situations. With built-in Wi-Fi support, you can view, control and shoot all via the EOS Remote app on your smart devices. Make light work of photographic brilliance with the EOS 6D now. * As of 13 September 2012, Canon survey
01 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
Incarnate devil in a talking snake, The central plains of Asia in his garden, In shaping-time the circle stung awake, In shapes of sin forked out the bearded apple, And God walked there who was a fiddling warden And played down pardon from the heavens hill.
When we were strangers to the guided seas, A handmade moon half holy in a cloud, The wise men tell me that the garden gods Twined good and evil on an eastern tree; And when the moon rose windily it was Black as the beast and paler than the cross.
We in our Eden knew the secret guardian In sacred waters that no frost could harden, And in the mighty mornings of the earth; Hell in a horn of sulphur and the cloven myth, All heaven in the midnight of the sun, A serpent fiddled in the shaping-time.
By Dylan Thomas
Phili
ppe
Liss
ac/C
orbi
s
TIMELESS
Incarnate Devil
Dylan Marlais Thomas (19141953) was a Welsh poet and writer. Thomas refusal to align with any literary group or movement has made him and his work difficult to categorise. Although influenced by the modern symbolism and surrealism movement, he refused to follow its creed. Instead, Thomas is viewed as part of the modernism and romanticism movements, though attempts to pigeonhole him within a particular neo-romantic school have been unsuccessful.
Krishna fights Kaaliya, the poisonous Naga of Hindu mythology
DylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylayDyDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaDylaD MMM Man Man Man Man Man Mn Man Man Man Man Man Man Man Man Man Man Maan Man MaMan MaMaMan MaMMMM l il il ilrlarlairlairlairlaiirlairlairlarlairlairlairlairlairlairlailaiaaa s ThThs Ths ThThs Ths Ths Ths Ths Ths Ths ThThs Ths Ths Ths Ths Ths Ths ThThhT omasomasomaomasssomasomasmasomasomasomasomaomomasmasomasomasa ((19(19(19(19(19(19(19(1919199999( 141414 111411411414114114114114114141414141953)953)953)95953)953)953)953)953)953)953)3)953)95395 waswaswaswaswaswwaswaswaswaswaswaswasa WWWa Wa Wa Wa Wa Wa Wa Wa Wa Wa WWWWWWWWW l hhhelshelshelshhelshhelshelshelshelshelshelshelselsshl ppoepoepoepopoepoepoeppoeoepoepoeo t tttt t tt tt ttttttanandandandaandandanddandandandandndaandn itititiitwritwritwritwwwritwritwritwritwritwritwritw twritw erer.r.r.r.err.erererrerer ThThomThoThThomThomThomThomThomThomThomThomThoThomThomhomThom asasassasasasassasaasaass fffrefurefurefufrefurefurerefurefurefurefurefuefuefuefufreefef llsalsasal sal sal sal sal sal sal salaaaa to ato ato ato to ato ato ato ao ao ao ao aao ao lililigngnlignlignlignlignignlignlignlignlignlignlignlignnligligligng iitwitwitwitwitwitwitwitwitwitwwitwitwitwitwith anh ahh ah anh anh anh ah an anh anh anh anhh anh anh anny ly liy ly liy ly ly liy liy liy liy liy liy liy liy liiy ttteraterattterateraterateraeteraerateratte ry gry gy gry gy gry gry gy gy gry gry gry ggry gry gry ggrouproupouprouproupouprouprouprouprouprouproupouproupppr ooror or or oor oroororororormmmmovemovmovemovemmovemovemovemovemovemovemove tttmentmentmentenmentmentmenmenttmentmentmentmentmen hashhhashashashashashashashashashashashashasaa dddmaddmadmadmadmadmaddmadmadmadmadmadadaddaddm e hihihie he hie hie hie h he hie hie he heee hie hiee hie ie m anm anm am aam anm ananm anm anm anm m anm annddd hid hid hd hd hid hid hid hihd hid hid hid hid hiih s wos wos wowwwos wos wos ws wos wos wows wos w k dk drk dk drk drk drk drk drk drk drk drk drk drk drk drk drk dk dk diffiifficifficifficifficifficifficifficifficifficifficifficiffiiffiiffiiffiffif ltult ltult ult ult ult ult ultult ultulttultultlult tttto cto cto cto cto cto cto cto cto cto cto cooo c ttategategategateategategteategategategategategategategegggg iiiiiiiorisorisorisriorisoriorisorisoooorisorise.e.e.ee..e.eeeeeeeAAAlthAAlthAlthAlthAlthAlthAlthAlthAAlthAlthAlthAlthAlthAltAltAAltl oughoughoughoughoughughughoughoughoughoughoughugougoughoughhghg iiiininflinflinflinflinflinflinflinnflnflnflnflflflnflfluencuencuencuencuencuenccuencueuencuencueuence d bded bed bd bd bd bed bed bed bed bed bed bed bed bed bed y ty ty thy ty thy thy ty thy thy thy thy thy thy thy thy thhyy the moe moe mm me moe moe moe moe moe me momm dderndernderndernderndernderndernderndernderndernrderededernde symsymsymsymsymsymsymsymsymsymymymsymymb liboliboliboliolibolibolibolibboliboliboliboliboliib llism asm am am m am aasm asm asm am asm asmsm a dddndnddndndndndndndndndndndndssssuursurrsurrsurrsurrsurrsurrsurrurrurr llililieaealiealieaealiealiealiealiealiealialialialal sm msm msm mm mm mm mmm msm msm msmsm msm mmm ms ovemovemvemovemovemvemovemovemovemovemovememm tentnttent,nt,ent,ent,nt,ent,ent,ententenentent,ennt, he hhhe he hehe he he he hehehehee he ffffrefurefurefrefurefurefurefurefuefurefurefuefuefuefuf ddddddsedsed sed sed sed sed sedseddsedesedsed t ft ffto fto fto fto fto fto fto fto fto fto fto fo fo fo f llolloollololloolloolloolloolloolloolloolloolloollollolloloollo iiitw itw itw itw itw itw itw ititw itw itw itw itw itw itw s crs crs crs crs cccrcrs crs crss crs crs crc ddddd.eed.eed.eed.eed.eed.eededeedeedeedeedeeeddee IIInsInsInsInsInInsInsInsnInsnsnsnsnssns dt ddt dt dtteaddteadteadteadeadteadteadteadteadteadteada ,,,,,, , ,,ThomThomThomThThThomTThomThThomThomThomThomThomhomThomhomhomm iias ias ias is is ias is ias iasass iasassaa iiis vis vss vs vs vis vis vis vs vis viviii ddddddewedwedewedewedewedewedewedewedewedewedeweeweed asasasas as as as as as asas asassass tpartpartpartpartpartpartpartartpartpartpartpartparaapara fofof of of of of of of of ofoffofof the the hhthe the the the the thethethehethehehet dddmodemodemodemodmodemodemodemodemodemodemodeodemodedededemmo iiiiirnissrnisrnisrnisrnisrnisrnisrnisrnissm anm anm am aam am anm anm anm anm anm anm anm ananddddddd rod rod rod rod rod rod rod rod rod rod ro ttmantanmantmantmantmantmantmantmantmantmantmantmanttana i ii iiiiii iicisicisciicisicisiciiciscisicism m mmm mmmmmmm mmmovemovemovemovemovemovemovemovemovemovemovemovee ttmententmentmentmentmenmentmentmentmentmentments, ts ts, ts, ts, ts ts, ts, ts, ts, ts, ts, ts, ts,s, ts, t, hhhoughoughhoughoughoughoughoughoughoughoughoughoughoughougggggh ath ah ah ath ath ah ath ath ath ath ath ath ath ah ath ath attemptemptemptemptempemtemptemptemtemptemptemptetemptempee ts tttts tts tt tts tts tts tts tts tts tts tts tts tt o pio pio pio pio pio po pio pio pio pio o pio po po po pipipiigeoneonngeongeongeongegeongeongeongeongegegeeg h lh lholelhholeholeholeholeholeholeholeoleholeholeholeholeholeh lelee hihimhihimhimhimhimhimhimhimhimhimhimhimhimhimhimi iiwitwitwitwitwitwitwwitwitwitwitwitwitww hininihin hin hin in hin n hinhinhinhininhinhinhinh aaaaaaaaaaaappartppartpartarpartpartpartparpartpartpartpartpartpartpaa i liculiculculiculculciculccuiculculiculcuciculicu ar nar nar nr nr nnnar nr nnar nar nar nr narraaa eo ro reo-ro-ro-rreo-reo-reo-ro-reoeoeoo romanmannomaomanomanomanomanomanomanomanomanananma tititictictic tic tic tic c ticticticticictictictic hschoschohschoschoschoschschschoschoschschochoschoschoschoc ll hl hol hol hol hl h hol hol hol hhhol hol hol hol hoo aveaveaveaveaveveaveaveaveaveaveava beenbbbeenbeenbbeenbeenbeenbeenbeenbeenbeenbeenbeennbeen uuuunsunsuuunsunsunsuunsunsunsnsssuccecceucceuccucceucceucucceuccecceucceucceu fffssfusfusfusfussfussfussfussfussfussfussfusfsfs llll.l.l.l..lllll
Dylan Marlais Thomas (19141953) was a Welsh poet and writer. Thomas refusal to align with any literary group or movement has made him and his work difficult to categorise. Although influenced by the modern symbolism and surrealism movement, he refused to follow its creed. Instead, Thomas is viewed as part of the modernism and romanticism movements, though attempts to pigeonhole him within a particular neo-romantic school have been unsuccessful.
30 FEATURE THE WORSHIP OF GAJAN
Pleasing the gods for a better year aheadBy Boris Joseph
At the end of winter, the rural communities of West Bengal engage in a series of graphic processions as devotees submit
their bodies to extreme physical tests. For good measure, these sanyasis use the heads from corpses in their famed death dance. But its not about gore celebration, penance and
strength restoration are part of this sacred month.
88 ON ASSIGNMENT EPIPHANY AT QASR AL-YAHUD
Sharing a beliefBy Rachel Einav Photos Vered Shahef
The traditional spot where the biblical narrative of the baptism of Jesus took place goes by an Arabic name that means Castle of the Jews. As one of the holiest sites in Christianity, it comes alive at Epiphany,
when adherents take a dip in the holy Jordan River, many saving their white baptismal robe for their entrance to the next life.
42 FEATURE MAHA KUMBH MELAThe biggest festival on EarthBy Nikki Thapa Photos Thomas Kelly
The largest human congregation on the planet, Kumbh Mela is a show of devotion like no other, held every 12 years at each of four sacred places in India. However, this supersized festival is taking a huge toll on the sacred waters so revered by Hindus, with health and hygiene issues threatening the events long-term future.
10 PICTURESQUE THE MORBID AND THE MACABREChannelling the darkness within By Ash Sivils
To digital artist Ash Sivils, goth is her cathartic fix, where she finds herself most comfortable. In encapsulating the grotesque in all its morbid glory, she accentuates the frightening pleasures of what lurks beyond popular cult-like ethos and exposes a twisted and oxymoronic force, disturbing yet alluring, that is latent in each of us.
No. 99, Issue 6/20131 TIMELESS INCARNATE DEVILBy Dylan Thomas
28 REVEALED A WOMAN SCORNEDThe mainly yin of Chinese ghostsBy Dr Gerry Groot
38 ART WHATS THAT IN THE PHOTO? When ghosts reveal themselves
56 CARE AOTEAROA Land of the long white cloudBy Adrian Page
64 ENVIRONMENT SKY FATHER, MOTHER EARTH Revitalising Tengrism By Sophie Ibbotson and Maxwell Lovell-Hoare
70 FEATURE I AINT AFRAID OF NO GHOST Crossing worlds By Flash Parker
76 EXPLORATION THE HIDDEN ONES Theres a genie in a bottle By Sophie Ibbotson and Maxwell Lovell-Hoare
82 HERITAGE OH HEAVENS, FROM EUNUCH TO GOD Admiral Zheng Hes leap to Sam Po fameBy Khong Swee Lin
98 OCEAN QUEEN OF THE SEVEN SEAS A penchant for men? By Anita Surewicz
102 CONSERVATION GODS, DEMONS AND CONSCIOUSNESS The allure of Mount KailashBy Amardeep Singh
110 MEMORIES WRATH OF THE WEHEDU Egypts faceless evil spirit
112 ICON THE RING Asias paragon of fear
48 THE GEOGRAPHIC SPARKSGhosts in the machine The enigma of electricity drives every aspect of our existence, from laptops and underground trains to the very circuits in our own bodies. Its a ghost that shows itself in a rare flash of light, a bolt from the heavens or a static snap from a seemingly random contact, but it is no less mysterious for all its familiarity.
16 PHOTOGRAPHICA PHOTOGRAPHING GODS AND GHOSTSAn attraction to faithBy Joanie Fan Hui Ling
To photographer Joanie Fan, capturing representations of folklore culture on camera is a means of keeping these significant rituals alive. Through it all, she is challenged to also translate into pictures the reverence of a 1,000-year-old tradition in modern-day Taiwan, where hordes of spirited visitors flock to the boat-burning festival to seek peace and fortune.
LOVE & LIGHT,
ASIAN Geographics editor received the prestigious Editor of the Year award at the 2011 & 2012 MPAS magazine awards.
ON THE COVER The Fisherman and the Genie by Maxeld Parrish
Photo: PoodlesRock/Corbis
EDITORS NOTE
facebook.com/AsianGeo facebook.com/AsiaWithoutBorders
@asiangeographic
Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd
FROM THE POLITICAL to the social to the simple need of faith, our lives have been lled with tales of gods and angels, as well as ghosts and the devil. It was what kept many of us up at night as children. It entertained, terried and amused; for some, it was the beginning of worlds beyond we could only imagine. Indeed, the concept of the Asian ghosts is terrifyingly unique, so much so, the West has gravitated to this haunting perception like moth to a ame. On the ipside, the Asian gods continue to evoke powerful reactions from those who remain admirably close to our diverse Asian roots. Faith is sewn into the very fabric of culture and heritage that keeps us in fervent strive to appease deities and satisfy the presence that could bring doom. We scared the bejeezus out of ourselves to bring you this spectacular edition. Enjoy and keep the light on at night if you need to.
IIII tttthhiinnkkk aaaa PPPPeeerrssssoooonn wwwwhhhhooo iiiiissssss tttthhhuusss ttteeerrified with the IIImmmaaaaggggginnaaatttiiiioooonnn ooofffff GGGGhhoosssttttsss aaaaannnnnnddddd SSSSSppppeeeeeccctres much mmmmooorreee rrrrreeeeaassooonnnnnaaabbblllee,, tttthhaann ooonnnneeeee wwwwwhhhoooo cccccooontrary too ttthhheee RRRRReeeeeppppoorrrtttsssss..... ttthhhhhiiiinnnnkkss ttthhhheeee AAAAAAApppppppppppeeaaarrrraaannce of Spiriiitttsss fffaaabbbbuuuuulllloouusss aaaannnddd ggggrrrroooouunndddlllleeesssssssss...Joseph Addison, The Spectator, 1711
A curse is born: Dont look in the mirror at night, but they say that ghosts are the product of spirits succumbing to strong negative emotions that keep them here in the corporeal world
Chairman LIM Geok Khoon
Publisher/Editorial Director John THET | [email protected] Editor Lunita S V MENDOZA | [email protected] Editor Ian SELDRUP | [email protected] Assistant Selina TAN | [email protected]
SUPPORTING EDITOREditor (AG THE READ) LIM Say Liang | [email protected]
ADVERTISING & MARKETINGSenior Advertising/Marketing Manager Elysee TAN | [email protected]/Marketing Manager Colin LIN | [email protected] PR/Marketing Manager Cassandra Ann DRAGON | [email protected]/Marketing Manager Dinn EFFENDY | [email protected]
DESIGNSenior Graphic Designer ENG Chun Pang | [email protected] Graphic Designer Paul DIVINA | [email protected] Graphic Designer Eric WONG | [email protected] Senior Art Director Ralph HRING | [email protected]
CIRCULATIONSenior Circulation/Distribution Manager Victor OW | [email protected]/Marketing Manager Emrys PHUA | [email protected]/Administration Executive Sheila DEVI | [email protected]/Production Executive Kamille PANLAQUI | [email protected]
FIELD EDITORSDoug Perrine (USA), YD Bar-Ness (Australia), Oliver Benjamin (Thailand), Renyung Ho (Singapore), Scott Bennett (Canada), Stephen Burrows (Hong Kong), Dr Rachel Einav (Israel), Zann Huizhen Huang (Middle East)
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORSDr Simon Pollard, Dr Doug Fenner, Dr Nicolas J Pilcher, Dr Dionysius Sharma, Dr Carl Grundy-Warr
EDITORIAL INTERNS Dorian GEIGER, Mark SONG, Esther TAN, Flora TOH, TOH Wei Shi
ASIAN Geographic magazine is a recipient of the Ngee Ann School of Engineering Internship Programme/Sponsorship of Industrial Projects appreciation award for the academic year 2010/2011.
COPYRIGHT 2013 by Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd. No material may be reproduced without written permission. This publication is purchased
with the understanding that information is presented from many sources for which
there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to accuracy, originality,
or completeness. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in
rendering product endorsements or providing instruction as a substitute for appropriate
training by qualified sources. All content provided is accurate at the time of publishing.
Editorial Submissions [email protected] Photo Submissions [email protected] Subscriptions [email protected] Advertising [email protected] Feedback [email protected]
GOLD SILVER BRONZE
The Youth Category includes all of the above categories and is open to youths under 21 years of age.(as of October 31, 2013)
ICONSof Asia
PEOPLEof Asia
WILDLIFEof Asia
Deadline for submissions
October 31, 2013
YOUTHCategory
AsiaWithoutBorders.com facebook.com/AsiaWithoutBorders
2012 Finalists and Winners
All ASIAN Geographic subscribers join for FREE.** Entries are limited to 3 photos per subscriber. * To enter more photos, normal fees apply.
LIVE JUDGING!Nov 13, 2013 | 59pm | Screening Room, 12 Ann Siang Rd, Singapore 069692
Limited space available! Register your entry now online!This is a pre-register only eventwith no walk-in accepted.Free entry for AWB contestants who registerS$15 registration fee for non-contestantsComplimentary food and soft drinks will be served during the event.
Lucky Draw for attendees!Win a 2N/3D weekend gateway to Bintan Spa Villa Beach Resort in a Seaview Deluxe Room with Breakfast for 2 persons
OFFICIAL VENUE SPONSOR LUCKY DRAW SPONSORPRIZE SPONSORS
Brought to you by
OUR EXPLORATION AND CONSERVATION PARTNERS
MAP MAGNETISMThank you for your Treasures of Asia Edition (Issue 3/2013 No 96). The cover was strange, so I picked it up. The old map was very interesting and I wish I had a high-resolution version to hang on my wall. I also really liked some of the stories, like the one on Jiuzhaigou [Valley National Park]. I am now planning to go there this year. You really do a good job of getting readers interested in visiting the places you talk about. They are treasures I hope to discover sooner or later on my travels. Thank you.
Shanthi Mitra, Singapore
INFORMATIVE AND SURPRISINGThank you for your Disease & Decay Edition (Issue 2/2013 No 95). I recently became a fan of ASIAN Geographic after seeing your Life & Death Edition, and the Disease & Decay Edition has only reinforced the unique messages ASIAN Geographic always puts across. I was touched by the breast cancer story and the data were really informative. I had no idea that cancer was so rampant in Israel and that mortality was so high in Lebanon. Its a captivating fact, which makes me wonder why this is so. And the photos, my goodness, what an inspiration! Anguish and elegance at the same time. How do you do it?
Rita Kong, Singapore
EYE-OPENING IMAGESI recently bought a copy of ASIAN Geographics Disease & Decay Edition (Issue 2/2013 No 95). I saw it on the newsstands by chance and the cover was truly intriguing. I loved the photos by Dr Glenn Losack. They both repelled and attracted me at the same time. I have never seen anything like it. There is so much we dont see and dont know about our Asian neighbours. For me, these photos were such an eye-opener.
Andrew Cheam, KL, Malaysia
AsianGeo.com
GOLD SILVERBRONZE
AUSTRALIA AUD8 (with GST) BRUNEI BND8.80 CHINA CNY40 INDIA INR250 INDONESIA IDR70,000 MALAYSIA MYR15 PHILIPPINES PHP220 SINGAPORE SGD7.50 (with GST) TAIWAN TWD160 THAILAND THB220
PPS 1367/04/2013 (022956)
ASIA WITHOUT BORDERS
No. 96 Issue 3/2013
OVERALL MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR (MPAS MAGAZINE AWARDS 2012)
TANTALISING TREASURES THE LURE OF RUBY LANDr(0-%*/5)&4,:r&-*9*30'5)&(0%4
Write us at [email protected]!** Letters may be edited for clarity and length
AsianGeo.com
GOLD SILVERBRONZE
AUSTRALIA AUD8 (with GST) BRUNEI BND8.80 CHINA CNY40 INDIA INR250 INDONESIA IDR70,000 MALAYSIA MYR15 PHILIPPINES PHP220 SINGAPORE SGD7.50 (with GST) TAIWAN TWD160 THAILAND THB220
PPS 1367/04/2013 (022956)
No. 95 Issue 2/2013
ASIA WITHOUT BORDERSASIA WITHOUT BORDERS
No. 95 No 9. 95No. 95No. 95No. 9o. 95No. 95 5 NoNo. 95 No. 9No. 959 IssueIssueIssueIssueIssuesuessuesussussuess 222 2 2 222/////////20120132013201320132013201322012013201313No. 95 Issue 2/2013
ASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WSIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WASIA WSIAASIA WASIA WWWAAS AASIA WWITHOUTITHOUTITHOUTTHOUTITHOUTITHOUITHOUTHOUTITHOUTITHOUTITHOUTITHOUTTHOUTTHOUTITHOUTHITHOUTITHOUTTTHOUTTHOUTTHTHO BORDEBORDEBORDEBORDEBORDEORDEBORDEEBORDEBORDEBORDBORDEBORDEBORDEORDEBORDEBORDEBORDEBORDEEBORDEORDRRR RSRSRSRSRSRRSRSRSRSRSRSRSSRSRSRSRSSRSSSSASIA WITHOUT BORDERS
DEEPLY SCARREDFESTERING LIFEBEAUTY IN DECAYDETERIORATION
DISEASE & DECAY
OVERALL MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR (MPAS MAGAZINE AWARDS 2012)
TERIORATIONSURVIVING
09 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
10
THE MACABREChannelling the darkness within
ITS EASY to overlook things that are less than comfortable to gaze upon, to ignore things that go bump in the night and to settle into your happy place. But what if that happy place is full of terror, morbid entities and thoughts that keep you from sleeping at night?
At that point, you must nd the beauty that can be found in the grotesque. The macabre is my escape; its where I can release my nightmares and negativity, where I create images that some love, while others might call them creepy or strange.
When it comes down to it, the macabre found me and oered an outstretched arm into an entire world of darkness.I just choose where to shine a light. AG
PICTURESQUE THE MORBID AND THE MACABREtext & photos ASH SIVILS
Muted
Room 27
PICTURESQUE THE MORBID AND THE MACABRE
15 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
Ash Sivils is a mixed media artist working from Nashville, Tennessee, USA. She began her career as a traditional scenic artist, eventually finding herself immersed in digital worlds of dark, yet beautiful subjects pulled from nightmarish dreams. She is an artist that has become synonymous with dark, surreal, grotesque and odd forms of art while still portraying the beauty that can be found in the macabre. Her work has been seen all around the globe, in many different mediums ranging from exhibit walls, clothing, album art and book covers.
Gone Batty
Prey
Not One Word
16
PHOTOGRAPHINGGODS AND GHOSTS
An attraction to faith
PHOTOGRAPHICA PHOTOGRAPHING GODS AND GHOSTStext & photos JOANIE FAN HUI LING
A huge pile of spiritual paper money is stacked up to set the stage for the burning of the royal ship
PHOTOGRAPHICA PHOTOGRAPHING GODS AND GHOSTS
18
I HAVE APPRECIATED Taiwanese folklore culture since I was young. After I took up photography in 2006, I tried using the medium to preserve this rich heritage for posterity. The vibrant performances at such religious ceremonies certainly provide challenges for photographers.
In Taiwan, religious ceremonies are held around the island on dierent months of the year. These events are connected to folklore beliefs of gods and ghosts. They involve oerings of food, ritual dances and music, chanting by monks and priests, ceremonial processions and the burning of spiritual paper money.
The ceremony centres around religious figures called the Eight Infernal Generals, who help the deities rid the population of plagues. In Taiwan, there are many troupes dedicated to playing the Eight Infernal Generals
19 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
Once the make-up has been applied, the performers playing the Infernal Generals must maintain a solemn demeanor and are not allowed to talk to anyone
IIn TTaiiwan, relliiggiious ceremoniies are hheelldd aarroouunndd tthhee iissllaanndd oonn ddiiffffeerreenntt mmoonntthhss ooff tthhee yyeeaarr. TThheessee eevveennttss are connecttedd tto ffollkkllore bbelliieffs off ggooddss aanndd gghhoossttss.
PHOTOGRAPHICA PHOTOGRAPHING GODS AND GHOSTS
20
TThhe 11,000000-year-olldd ttraddiittiion off bbooaatt bbuurrnniinngg iiss ccoonnnneecctteedd wwiitthh aa ggrroouupp ooff ddeeiittiieess ccaalllleedd tthhee WWaanngg YYe,, or royyall llordds,, whhiichh were oonnccee wwoorrsshhiippppeedd ffoorr tthheeiirr aabbiilliittyy ttoo preventt pesttiillence andd ddiisease.
Helpers dressed like palace guards distribute spiritual paper money to devotees, who rush to gather the money as a sign of good fortune
The royal ship is set ablaze at the end of the ceremonies at a park near the beach
21 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
One of Taiwans signicant religious ceremonies that have attracted a lot of foreign visitors is the boat-burning festival. The ceremony, which lasts for a few days, oers fabulous opportunities for travel stories and pictures.
The 1,000-year-old tradition of boat burning is connected with a group of deities called the Wang Ye, or royal lords, which were once worshipped for their ability to prevent pestilence and disease. The burning of the royal ship is one of the folk rituals of the seafaring people in southwestern Taiwan. While its original purpose was to send the plague gods out to sea and
disease along with them today, it is designed to bring peace and good fortune.
The ceremonies at the Donglong Temple in Donggang include large-scale temple activities, climaxing in the burning of the royal ship on the last day of the ceremonies during the early hours of the morning. AG
Taiwanese photographer Fan Hui-ling () was named Best Author at the 6th Emirates Photography Competition held in the United Arab Emirates in 2011. Besides this honour, Fan has also been presented with two silver medals and two honourable mentions.
22
CYPRUSLEBANON
ISRAEL
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
JORDAN
SYRIA
TURKEY
EGYPT
IRAQ
ARMENIA AZERBAIJAN
GEORGIA
KAZAKHSTAN
KYRGYZSTAN
TAJIKISTANTURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
SAUDI ARABIA
BAHRAIN
QATAR
U.A.E.
OMAN
YEMEN
KUWAIT
INDIA
SRI LANKA
MALDIVES
NEPAL
IRANAFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
We have a vocabulary and image of ghosts and ghostliness that stems from a European concept that has travelled around the world and adopted new global, cultural meanings. The Old Germanic word gast has become our modern word ghost, but its original meaning was a berserk fury. Ghosts of the European vocabulary are, therefore, inherently malevolent, as opposed to the divine spark of the soul. What other cultures, and what other words, have dealt with the spirits of the dead?
Allah Zyn
AA
Allah Albarste
AA Allah Otakhon
AAAA
Allah Gulyabani
AA
God Spirits of Greek Cypriots
G
Allah Meshe Adam or Aac Kii
AA
Allah Momo
AAAAAAAA
AA Allah Pari
TUTUTUTUTU
AAA
Allah Gidim
NNNNNNN
AA
Allah Djinn
AA
God Devi
GGG
Jesus Christ Ogi
JJJJ
Allah Pharaoh Akhenaten
AA
Jahwe Lilith
JJJ Allah Shaitan
AA
Ishvara Bhut pret
II
Ishvara Churel
II
Buddha Kola Sani Yaka
B
Allah Maali
AA
SPEAKING OF GHOSTS
GODS AND GHOSTS OF ASIA SPEAKING OF GHOSTS
lllaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy aaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnddddddddddddddddd iiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggggggg ss ttttttttttt sssssssssssssttttttttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeemmmmmmmmmmmmsssssssssssssssss ssssssssss emmmmmmmmmmmmWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa vvvvvvvvvvvvvvooooooooooooooocccccccccccccaaaaaaaaaaaaaabbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbuuuuuuuuuuuulllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaa gggggggggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ooooooooooooofffffffffffffffff gggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooossssssssssssssttttttttttttttttssssssssssssssssss aaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnddddddddddddddd ggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooosssssssssssssstttttttttttlllllllllliiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss tttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttt sssssssssscccccccccooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnccccccccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppppppppppppppppttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttt dddddddd aaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnddddddddddddddd tttthhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattffffffffffffffffffrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooopppppppppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnn ccccccccccccoooooooooonnn tttttttttttttt hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssss tttttttttttttttttrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddd aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddddd tttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrlllllllllllldddddddddddddddd
l cccccccccccccuuuuuuuuuuuuulllllllltttttttttttttttuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllll mmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeee TTTTTTT wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrdddddddddddddddd gggggggggggggggggggggaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssttttttttttttttt hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddoooooooooooopppppppppppppppppttttttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddd nnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ggggggggggggggggggggllllllllllllooooooooooooobbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllll,,,,,,,,, ccccccccc eeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnniiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggggggssssssssssssssssss..... TTTTTTTTTTTTThhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee OOOOOOOOOOOOOllllllllllldddddddddddddddd GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnniiiiiiiiiiicccccccccccc wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooo aaaaaaa ssssss aaaaaassssssss wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrdddddddddddddd ggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooooooossssssssssssssttttttt ,,,,,,,,, bbbbbbbbbuuuuuuuuu iiiittttttttttttttsssssssssssssssss oooooooooooooo nnnnngggggggggggggggggggg wwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaa bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkggggggggggggggbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeecccccccccccccccoooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrr mmmmmmmmmmmmmooooooooooooooodddddddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrnnnnnnnnnnnnnn wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooo sssssssssssssstttttttttttttt, bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbuuuuuuuuuuutttttttttttttt iiiiiiiiittttttttttt ooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggggggggggiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllll mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnniiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggg wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssss aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa bbbbbbbbbeeeeeeeerrrrrsssssssseeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
fffffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy..... GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGhhhhh sttsssssssss ppppppppppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnn vvvvvvvvvvvvvooooooooooooocccccccccccccaaaaaaaaaaaaaabbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbuuuuuuuuuuuulllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,,,,,,,, tttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeefffffffoooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeGGGGGGGGGGGhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooosssssssssssssssttttttttttttttssssssssssssssss oooooooooooooofffffffffffffffff ttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooppppppppppppppppeeeeee hhhhh rrrreeeeeeeeeeefffffffffffffffoooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeee,,,,,,,,, iiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnttttttttttttttllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy mmmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvooooooooooooollllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnntttttttttttttt,,,,,,,, aaaaaaaa ttttttttttttttooooooooooooooo ttttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ddddddddddddddddddiiiiiiiiiiiiivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeee sssssssssssssssppppppppppppppppaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk ooooooooooooffffffffffffffff ttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee sssssssssssssoooooooooooommmm tttt,,,,, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssss ooooooooooooooopppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppooooooooooooooosssssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddd tttttttttoooooooooooooo ooooooooofffffffffff ttttttttt eeee sssssssssooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuullllllllll..... WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttt ooooooooooootttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr eeeeeeeeeeeeevvvooooooollllllllleeeeeeeeeennnnnn ssseee lleeeeeeeccccccccccuuuuuuuuuuuullllllllltttttttttttttttuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssss,,,,,,,, aaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddddd wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhhhhh orrrrrrrrrdddddddddddddddddssssssssssssssss,,,,,,,,, hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeee ddddddddddddddddeeeeeeeeee lcccccccccuuuuu tttuuuuu ddddddddddddd wwwwwhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttt ooooooooooooootttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrr wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrddddddddsss hhhhhaaaaaavvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeee dddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllltttttttttttttttt wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ttttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeee sssssssssssssspppppppppppppppppiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiitttttttttttttttssssssssssssssss ooooooooooooffffffffffffffff ttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee dddddddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddddd??????????????hhhhhh
We have a vocabulary and image of ghosts and ghostliness that stems from a European concept that has travelled around the world and adopted new global, cultural meanings. The Old Germanic word gast has become our modern word ghost, but its original meaning was a berserk fury. Ghosts of the European vocabulary are, therefore, inherently malevolent, as opposed to the divine spark of the soul. What other cultures, and what other words, have dealt with the spirits of the dead?
23 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
GUAM
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PORT MORESBY)
PALAU
MICRONESIA (KOSRAE)
MARSHALL ISLANDS
NAURU
AUSTRALIA
NORFOLK ISLAND
NEW CALEDONIA
VANUATU
NEW ZEALAND
FRENCH POLYNESIA
PITCAIRN ISLANDS
KIRIBATI (SOUTH TARAWA)
WALLIS AND FUTUNA
NIUE
COOK ISLANDS
TONGAFIJI
AMERICAN SAMOA
SAMOA (APIA)
TOKELAUSOLOMON ISLANDS
TUVALU
CHINA
MONGOLIA
TAIWAN
JAPANSOUTH KOREA
NORTH KOREA
RUSSIA
BHUTAN
BANGLADESH
MYANMAR LAOS
VIETNAMCAMBODIA
THAILAND
MALAYSIA BRUNEI
PHILIPPINES
INDONESIA
EAST TIMOR
SINGAPOREOR
MACAU
HONG KONG
Mazu Hungry ghosts
MM
The Jade Emperor Hungry ghosts
ThTh
Amaterasu Yrei
AAAA
AA
God Kun manura
GGG
Tengri Merchant ghosts
TT
God Stalins ghost
SSS
GG
Buddha Delog
BB
Allah Bhoot
AA
Buddha Nats
BBB Buddha Phi
OSOSOS
BBB God Manananggal
GG (Atheism) Cuyn ma
Allah Hantu
NUNUNUNUNNNNN
AAAA
Buddha Tai Hong Klom
B
Buddha Ghosts of Khmer Rouge
BB
Multi religious with a variety of ghosts
God Devil mask ghost
GG
God Eiyaiwo
GG
God Vaka-Atua
GG
God Aitu
GG
God Fehulini
GG
God Atua
GG
God Ghostly canoe of Niutao
GG
God Funeral ghosts
G
God Ancestral spirits
GG
God Sukwe
GG
God Ghost of Barney Duffy
GG
God Patupaiarehe
WWWWW
GGG
God Taakura
GG
God Tupuqa
EENNNNNNNN
GG
God Spirits of the newly dead
GG
God Four ghosts of Marakei
GG
God Demon Sisters of Ujae
GG
Allah Pontianak
AAA God Klamar Mate
SSSSTTTTT
GG
God Savis
G
God Idedeleb
GGG
God Taotamona
G
God Aniti
G
Baiame Bunyip
SSSTTT
BB
Tutelary gods Pyolsang
TT
24
SSPPPPEEEEEAAAAAKKKKKIIIINNNNGGGGG OOOOOFF GGGGHHHHOOOOOSSSSTTSSSS
GODS AND GHOSTS OF ASIA SPEAKING OF GHOSTStext YD BAR-NESS
t The HAWAIIANS speak of aumakuas, the benevolent ancestral ghosts. The word aumakua means many ancestors and can serve as a reminder of how many generations of parents lead to an individual. After death, the aumakua would exit from the eyes of the corpse and travel to other places. The living might enter their recently deceased in the ocean or in the lava craters of the Hawaiian volcanoes, perhaps to be reincarnated as an underwater spirit or fiery deity. Besides the aumakuas, there were dangerous demon kupuas, spirit helpers menehune and the weak but friendly eepa.
t The MAORI of New Zealand believe that the spirits of their ancestors left this mortal world via the branches of an ancient Pohutakawa tree (Metrosideros excelsa) at the northernmost point of the North Island. Their journey from life must be accompanied by the appropriate prayers and rituals performed by their surviving family. There are also malicious ghosts, such as the insanity-inducing kikokiko or forest-dwelling maero spirits.
t To the cultures of the INDIAN SUBCONTINENT, the restless, malevolent spirits of the deceased are known as bhoot and can be recognised by their twisted ankles and their avoidance of the sacred earth. While they are attracted to milk, they are wary of iron or water. The Sanskritic etymological origin of the word bhoot is related to that of the English word being.
t In EGYPT, the multiple aspects of the living persons soul fused after death to form a sacred spirit, the akh. Sometimes, this akh would remain in and around the tomb and could become involved with the living world by helping their descendants, or haunting others with dreams and disease.
t To the Navajo people of the NORTH AMERICAN SOUTHWEST, the remnant evil of a person haunts the house in which they died and are summoned when their living name is spoken. They can be sometimes seen as small whirlwinds of dust and sand.
t To the Aztecs of MEXICO, the manner of ones death determined ones fate. For women who died in childbirth, their spirit would return to the world, seeking the child they were never granted. In modern-day Mexico, ancient Aztec beliefs have fused with Roman Catholicism in unique ways. On the day after All Hallows Eve (Halloween), the dearly departed are respected and remembered; throughout Mexico people visit their family graves and celebrate their memory.
t To CHINESE BUDDHISTS, the ancestral e-kuei ghosts are associated with frustration, as they can never successfully assuage their thirst or hunger. Prayers and rituals may help to release these poor spirits from their torture.
t TIBETAN BUDDHISTS believe that between reincarnations, a soul remains in the bardo state of afterlife as a preta, eternally hungry and unsatisfied. A yearly festival is held in midwinter, where ceremonies are performed to ritually exorcise ghosts.
t In ancient JAPANESE culture, the reikon spirit of a deceased human becomes a guardian ancestor spirit. However, it can be trapped as a yrei in this world by violent, unjust or improper death. There are many different classifications of yrei for those lost in childbirth, those needing vengeance, those lost at sea, and more. Japanese Buddhists also believe in hungering ghosts, as well as jikininki, who are the self-hating spirits of the dead with a longing for human flesh.
t In WESTERN AFRICA and the CARIBBEAN ISLANDS, the duppy is the half of a deceaseds soul that stays on Earth the other half goes upwards to divinity. Stories are told of their fiery eyes and teeth.
t The MALAYSIAN word for ghost is hantu, and has been combined with the Muslim concept of djinn. Traditionally, the anitu spirit is present at the burial site for seven nights and may cause grief to the living until exorcised or pacified. There are varieties of hantu associated with stillborn children, women lost in childbirth, and sorcery exercises.
GHOST
Spectre
Apparition
Wraith Messenger
Shade
Poltergeist
Spirit
Speculation
Funnel ghostPhantom
Shadow people
Presence
Ectoplasm
Dark entity
Some English synonyms for ghost:
(Cont)
25 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
EAST ASIA
CHINA, HONG KONG, MACAUGOD
Mazu: A folk goddess of the sea that protects sailors and fishermen. She started out as a local folk goddess but has entered the Taoist and Buddhist pantheon. Also known as Tianhou or Tinhau in Hong Kong.SOURCE: NAT IONAL PUBLIC RADIO
CHINA, HONG KONG, MACAU, TAIWANGHOST
Hungry ghosts: The spirits of persons who have committed the sin of greed while they were alive. It is also believed that they can emerge from neglect or desertion of ancestors.SOURCE: TAOISM: ORIGINS, BEL IEFS, PRACTICES, HOLY TEXTS, SACRED PLACES BY J . OLDSTONE-MOORE
TAIWANGOD
The Jade Emperor: The ruler of Heaven, Earth and Hell. He was proclaimed supreme sovereign of all by immortals, gods and men by defeating a great and powerful demon too powerful to be stopped by the other gods.SOURCE: GODS OF TAOISM
JAPANGOD
Amaterasu: Goddess of the sun and the universe. The meaning of her whole name, Amaterasu-mikami, is the great august kami (Gama or God) who shines in the heaven. The Emperor of Japan is said to be her direct descendant.SOURCE: JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY A TO Z
GHOST
Yrei: Analogous to Chinese and Western ghosts, spirits kept from a peaceful afterlife. They usually appear dressed in white, with long, black and dishevelled hair. They lack hands and feet.SOURCE: TAOISM: ORIGINS, BEL IEFS, PRACTICES, HOLY TEXTS, SACRED PLACES BY J . OLDSTONE-MOORE
MONGOLIAGOD
Tengri: One of the names of the primary chief deity of the early Turkic peoples. He is the creator of all things, and father to the sun and the moon.SOURCE: ANIMAL AND SHAMAN: ANCIENT RELIGIONS OF CENTRAL ASIA BY J . BALDICK
GHOST
Merchant ghosts: Long-bearded old men dressed in silken clothes, ghosts of merchants who come back to reclaim goods they could not take with them in the beyond.SOURCE: PARASIT IC CHINESE, VENGEFUL RUSSIANS: GHOSTS, STRANGERS, AND RECIPROCITY IN MONGOLIA BY G. DELAPLACE
SOUTH KOREAGHOST
Kun manura: Spiteful, jealous or dissatisfied spiritual apparitions of first wives frequently manifest in shaman rituals. Also known as big wife or major wife, their emotional experiences persist in restless ancestors.SOURCE: WIVES, LESSER WIVES, AND GHOSTS: SUPERNATURAL CONFLICT IN A KOREAN V ILLAGE BY L . KENDALL
NORTH KOREAGOD
Tutelary gods: An unorganised pantheon of gods that inhabit trees, sacred caves, piles of stones, and oversee households and villages. They can be summoned during shamanic rituals, where they possess the shaman.SOURCE: KOREAN SHAMANISM MUISM BY T-G KIM
GHOST
Pyolsang: Ghosts of deceased individuals who met with violent or tragic ends. They cause illnesses and bad fortune to their victims. They can be exorcised by shamans.SOURCE: FOLK-RELIGION: THE CUSTOMS IN KOREA BY C-S CHLOE
NORTH ASIA
RUSSIAGOD
God: An incorporeal, omnipresent spirit a Trinity of the Father (God), the Son (Christ), and the Holy Spirit that comprises one God Almighty.SOURCE: BEL IEFNET
GHOST
Ghost of Joseph Stalin: The countrys former leader is said to be the Kremlins most frequently seen ghost. He often appears in times of national crisis with witnesses claiming that the ghost wants to establish order.SOURCE: ASTROLOGYGUIDE.COM
WEST ASIA
ARMENIAGOD
Jesus Christ: Members of the Armenian Apostolic Church believe that Jesus Christ is God, that he is one being with dual natures, human and divine.SOURCE: SYRIAN ORTHODOX RESOURCES
GHOST
Ogi: Synonymous with Armenian words for breath (shunch) and soul (hogi). An evil spirit in Armenian folklore exits a dead body from the mouth, and can do harm by entering another person and causing diseases.SOURCE: ARMENIAN FOLK BELIEFS
AZERBAIJAN, BAHRAIN, IRAQ, KUWAIT, JORDAN, LEBANON, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, OMAN, SYRIA, TURKEY, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, YEMENGOD
Allah: The supreme deity, creator of the earth and giver of water, interpreted by the Prophet Muhammad as the one true God to which men should submit.SOURCE: THE ROUTLEDGE DICT IONARY OF GODS AND GODDESS, DEVILS AND DEMONS
CYPRUS, GEORGIA GOD
God: An incorporeal, omnipresent spirit - a Trinity of the Father (God), the Son (Christ), and the Holy Spirit that comprises one God Almighty.SOURCE: BEL IEFNET
AZERBAIJANGHOST
Meshe Adam/Aac Kii: A spirit that lives in mountainous forests, it looks like a hairy creature of both sexes and possesses intermediate facial features between an ape and a humans.SOURCE: (SOVIET ENCYCLOPEDIA)
BAHRAIN, IRAQ, KUWAIT, JORDAN, LEBANON, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, OMAN, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, YEMENGHOST
Djinn: Central to the Muslim worldview, djinns belong to a class of demonic beings or nature spirits that goes back to pre-Islamic times. Many Iraqis believed that seven djinns protected Saddam Hussein from harm, and that he spoke daily with the king and queen of the djinns on how to run the country and maintain power.SOURCE: IRAQ: SUPERST I T IONS AND FOLKLORE AND THE ROUTLEDGE D ICT IONARY OF GODS AND GODDESS, DEV ILS AND DEMONS
CYPRUSGHOST
Spirits of Greek Cypriots: These are the sprits of men killed at the time of the Turkish invasion in 1974. These ghostly figures, whose killers have never been punished, have a symbolic and political potency.SOURCE: NEWS.BBC.CO.UK
GEORGIAGHOST
Devi: These have horns and multiple heads that regenerate if severed. They live in the underworld or remote mountains and hoard treasures.SOURCE: FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGY
ISRAELGOD
Jahwe (Jahve): The name of the God of Israel. Jewish adherents believe they are commanded by Him to love one another as He does humankind.SOURCE: THE ROUTLEDGE DICT IONARY OF GODS AND GODDESS, DEVILS AND DEMONS
GHOST
Lilith: Jewish legend has it that Adam had another partner, Lilith, before Eve. She turned down Adams sexual advances and was cursed. She takes vengeance by kidnapping children.SOURCE: THALIATOOK.COM
SYRIAGHOST
Ekimmu: The spirit of one who died a violent death or was denied entry into the underworld. Ekimmu walk the earth to haunt the living.SOURCE: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GHOSTS & SPIRITS
TURKEYGHOST
Gulyabani: In Turkish mythology, the gulyabani roams the desert by night tormenting those brave enough to travel in the dark and is said to take on the hairy appearance of a werewolf by moonlight.SOURCE: CAUCASIAN MYTHOLOGY, AZERBAIJANI MYTHOLOGY
SOUTH ASIA
AFGHANISTAN, BANGLADESH, IRAN, MALDIVES, PAKISTANGOD
Allah: The supreme deity, creator of the earth and giver of water, interpreted by the Prophet Muhammad as the one true God to which men should submit.SOURCE: THE ROUTLEDGE DICT IONARY OF GODS AND GODDESS, DEVILS AND DEMONS
26
BHUTAN, SRI LANKAENLIGHTENED BEING
Buddha: Buddhists reject the concept of a supreme Creator God or at least consider it irrelevant. Buddha, a fully enlightened being, is revered instead.SOURCE: BEL IEFNET
INDIA, NEPALGOD
Ishvara: Also worshipped as Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva, or Shakti, depending on the Hindu sect. Interpretations of this supreme being vary, partly because the fundamental idea of the Hinduism is metamorphoses or transformations.SOURCE: THE RELIGION OF THE HINDUS
AFGHANISTANGHOST
Djinn: Central to the Muslim worldview, djinns belong to a class of demonic beings or nature spirits that goes back to pre-Islamic times.SOURCE: THE ROUTLEDGE DICT IONARY OF GODS AND GODDESS, DEVILS AND DEMONS
BANGLADESHGHOST
Bhut (bhoot): These ghosts are believed to be the spirits of those who died in unnatural or abnormal circumstances (e.g., murder).SOURCE: STUDENTS BRITANNICA, INDIA
BHUTANGHOST
Delog: They are women (occasionally men) who have passed on, travelled to the other world and witness the judgment of the dead.SOURCE: LONELY PLANET: BHUTAN
INDIAGHOST
Churel: Women who die in childbirth or pregnancy due to the negligence of her relatives are often described as turning into churels, who return to seek vengeance and suck the blood of their male relatives.SOURCE: CHILD-BEARING AND CULTURE: WOMEN CENTERED REVISIONING OF THE TRADIT IONAL MIDWIFE: THE DAI AS A RITUAL PRACTIT IONER BY J . CHAWLA
IRANGHOST
Gidim: The gidim takes on the memories and character of a dead person. In the netherworld, they lead an existence similar to that of the living.SOURCE: GODS, DEMONS, AND SYMBOLS OF ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA: AN ILLUSTRATED DICT IONARY
MALDIVESGHOST
Maali: These evil spirits are thought to be associated with epidemics in the island community. To ward off these spirits, the elders of the island perform a dance, the Kadhaa Maali.SOURCE: BRITANNICA
NEPALGHOST
Bhut pret: These are restless spirits of people who have died violent deaths and were not given proper funeral rites.SOURCE: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO NEPAL
PAKISTANGHOST
Shaitan: InPakistan,mental illnessesare considered to arise from an encounter withShaitan(Satan) orevildjinnswho have taken control of ones body and mind.SOURCE: BELIEVING IN MAGIC: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUPERSTITION
SRI LANKAGHOST
Kola Sani Yaka: These creatures were born to human parents but later became demons. Under the rule of a king, demons are forbidden to kill humans. Instead, they afflict diseases upon them.SOURCE: ON DEMONOLOGY AND WITCHCRAFT IN CEYLON
SOUTHEAST ASIA
BRUNEI, INDONESIA, MALAYSIAGOD
Allah: The supreme deity, creator of the earth and giver of water, interpreted by the Prophet Muhammad as the one true God to which men should submit.SOURCE: THE ROUTLEDGE DICT IONARY OF GODS AND GODDESS, DEVILS AND DEMONS
MYANMAR, CAMBODIA, LAOS, THAILANDENLIGHTENED BEING
Buddha: Buddhists reject the concept of a supreme Creator God or at least consider it irrelevant. Buddha, a fully enlightened being, is revered instead.SOURCE: BEL IEFNET
PHILIPPINES, EAST TIMORGOD
God: An incorporeal, omnipresent spirit a Trinity of the Father (God), the Son (Christ), and the Holy Spirit that comprises one God Almighty.SOURCE: BEL IEFNET
BRUNEIGHOST
Hantu: An old Malay belief is that a persons hantu (ghost) returns to haunt his or her grave for seven days before departing. These ghosts are believed to be active only at night, especially when there is a full moon.SOURCE: ENCYCLOPEDIA.PARANORMAL-CIRCLE.COM
MYANMARGHOST
Nats: Spirits worshipped in conjunction with Buddhism in Myanmar, they include forest guardian spirits and mountain guardian spirits. After a failed ban on nat-worship, King Anawrahta of Bagan designated an official pantheon of 37 nats.SOURCE: NAT BELIEF AND BUDDHISM
CAMBODIAGHOST
Ghosts of Khmer Rouge: Many Cambodians believe victims of the genocide during the Khmer Rouge regime linger on as haunting spirits and poltergeists.SOURCE: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
EAST TIMORGHOST
Klamar mate: Malevolent souls of the recently deceased. Through rituals, they may prohibit remarriage within a specified period.SOURCE: ENCYCLOPEDIA.COM
INDONESIA, MALAYSIAGHOST
Pontianak: A vampiric ghost in Malay and Indonesian mythology. It is said to be the spirit of a woman who died while pregnant. It resides in banana trees during the day, and appears at night, often as beautiful women, to prey on men.SOURCE: THE ALMOST COMPLETE COLLECTION OF TRUE SINGAPORE GHOST STORIES
LAOSGHOST
Phi: Belief in phi (spirits) is blended with Buddhism. Some phi are associated with the elements earth, heaven, fire, water and some, called khwan (32 spirits), are believed to be connected to wellbeing. Illness occurs when one or more of these spirits leave the body.SOURCE: EVERYCULTURE
PHILIPPINESGHOST
Manananggal: A vampire that can separate her upper torso from her lower body. With its huge bat-like wings, it flies off into the night, with trailing entrails, seeking pregnant women in their homes, and preys on their unborn foetuses.SOURCE: THE BALETE BOOK: A COLLECTION OF DEMONS, MONSTERS AND DWARFS FROM THE PHILIPPINE LOWER MYTHOLOGY
SINGAPOREMulti religious with a variety of ghostsTHAILANDGHOST
Tai Hong Klom: One of the most feared ghosts in Thailand. A wrathful spirit of a woman impregnated and abandoned by her lover.SOURCE: GHOSTS IN THAI CULTURE
VIETNAMAtheism: Officially an atheist country, Vietnam has seen a rise in religious practice in the last few decades. As well as a large proportion adhering to the major faiths (especially Buddhism), Vietnamese also worship local spirits and gods.SOURCE: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO V IETNAM
GHOST
Cuyn ma: There are many ways that ghosts haunt the Vietnamese. For example, places where road accidents frequently occur are believed to be plagued with ghosts who pop out in front of cars.SOURCE: ROMANCE, GENDER, AND RELIGION IN A V IETNAMESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITY : TALES OF GOD AND BEAUTIFUL WOMEN
CENTRAL ASIA
KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTANGOD
Allah: The supreme deity, creator of the earth and giver of water, interpreted by the Prophet Muhammad as the one true God to which men should submit.SOURCE: THE ROUTLEDGE DICT IONARY OF GODS AND GODDESS, DEVILS AND DEMONS
KAZAKHSTANGHOST
Zyn: An evil spirit that inflicts harm on people. To protect newborn babies from harm, Kazakhs believe zyn can be deceived by hanging sheeps vertebrae at the door.SOURCE: KAZAKHSTAN: COMING OF AGE
KYRGYZSTANGHOST
Albarste: This demoness with misshapen feet is believed to be the cause of difficult childbirth. Barking dogs, firing guns, and holding a Quran over the mother are thought to ward off the demoness.SOURCE: PEOPLES ON THE MOVE: INTRODUCING THE NOMADS OF THE WORLD
GODS AND GHOSTS OF ASIA SPEAKING OF GHOSTS
TAJIKISTANGHOST
Momo: The spirit helpers of shamans, they assist in rituals and fortune telling and are considered to be compassionate.SOURCE: AGENTS AND AUDIENCES
TURKMENISTANGHOST
Pari: This evil female spirit, which is invisible to humans, is said to reside in hilly areas. The jingling of their anklets can be heard in the jungle.SOURCE: CULTURE, ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
UZBEKISTANGHOST
Otakhon: In Uzbekistan, the otakhon are benevolent ancestor spirits sent by God to work with spiritual healers.SOURCE: ART ICULAT ING ISLAM: ANTHROPOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO MUSLIM WORLDS EDITED BY M. MARSDEN AND K. RETSIKAS
OCEANIA AND THE PACIFIC
AUSTRALIAGOD
Baiame: In Australian Aboriginal mythology, Baiame was the Creator God and Sky Father. This All-father was responsible for the conjuring of rivers, mountains and forests.SOURCE: AUSTRALIAN INST ITUTE OF PARAPSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH, INC
GHOST
Bunyip: Conceived as an evil spirit who dwells in murky swamps and billabongs, this Aboriginal name translates as devil. In their mythology, the destructive bunyip is pictured to devour life men whole.SOURCE: AUSTRALIAN INST ITUTE OF PARAPSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH, INC
NEW CALEDONIA, NORFOLK ISLAND, FIJI, NEW ZEALAND, MICRONESIA, PALAU, GUAM, NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS, NAURU, PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PORT MORESBY), MARSHALL ISLANDS, KIRIBATI (SOUTH TARAWA), TUVALU, SOLOMON ISLANDS, WALLIS AND FUTUNA, VANUATU, AMERICAN SAMOA, SAMOA, NIUE, TONGA, COOK ISLANDS, FRENCH POLYNESIAGOD
God: An incorporeal, omnipresent spirit a Trinity of the Father (God), the Son (Christ), and the Holy Spirit that comprises one God Almighty.SOURCE: BEL IEFNET
NEW CALEDONIAGHOST
Ancestral spirits: These are the spirits of humans receiving power after death. They are considered sacred to the Kanak people and the flche fatire (rooftop spire) that adorns their houses is the home of these spirits.SOURCE: LONELY PLANET: NEW CALEDONIA
NORFOLK ISLANDGHOST
Ghost of Barney Duffy: A giant of an Irishman, Barney Duffy was imprisoned on Norfolk Island and stayed hidden for seven years in a hollow pine. He was known to curse and foretell the death of the soldiers. His ghost is still feared today.SOURCE: THE SUPERNATURAL: FAMOUS GHOSTS AND HAUNTED PLACES BY G. J . LYNCH, D. CANWELL AND J . SUTHERLAND
FIJIGHOST
Atua: Gods and ghosts of the Polynesian peoples. Fijians believe the atua is responsible for causing sleep paralysis kana tevoro, being eaten by a demon.SOURCE: PATHS TO THE DIV INE: ANCIENT AND INDIAN
NEW ZEALANDGHOST
Patupaiarehe: Pale spirit beings that are believed to live in deep forests and mountaintops. They are sometimes hostile to human beings.SOURCE: PATUPAIAREHE AND PONATURI
MICRONESIAGHOST
Devil Mask Ghost: It is believed that a very notorious ghost haunted Micronesias island of Tol. The inhabitants carved masks in its image, fooling it into believing the region was surrounded by other ghosts. It retreated, never to return.SOURCE: V IS IT-MICRONESIA.FM
PALAUGHOST
Idedeleb: A ghost spirit that was captured by seven spirits known as Tekiimelab, who injected Idedeleb into a drowned woman, Miladeldel, reviving her.SOURCE: BELAUNATIONALMUSEUM.ORG
GUAMGHOST
Taotamona: Headless, deformed and ugly spirits who sometimes take the form of humans. Many in Guam believe that the Taotamona can be seen if the steam of cooked rice is closely observed.SOURCE: GUAM.NET
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDSGHOST
Aniti: The Chamoru people of the Mariana Islands believe that roaming and inhabiting their caves are these ancestral spirits who have unresolved wishes.SOURCE: GUAM.ORG.GU
NAURUGHOST
Eiyaiwo: A woman with long, black hair, and in a clean, white dress is often reported to be seen at Naurus main hotel, the Menen. She is said to be the ghost of a woman raped by the Japanese during World War II.SOURCE: SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PORT MORESBY)GHOST
Savis: These supernatural beings are some of the most powerful spirits in Papua New Guinea. During festivals, people wear savi masks, complete with protruding tongues and large eyes, to prevent evil spirits from causing chaos.SOURCE: BEST COUNTRY REPORTS
MARSHALL ISLANDSGHOST
Demon Sisters of Ujae: Two demon sisters from the island of Ujae once stole flowers from a chiefs tree. Instead of punishing them, he married them. But forgetting his promise to their father to keep them close, the chief drowned in a huge storm.SOURCE: SPIRITOFTREES.ORG
KIRIBATI (SOUTH TARAWA)GHOST
Four ghosts of Marakei: These are spiritual female guardians of the island, namely Nei Reei, Nei Rotebenua, Nei Tangangau and Nei Nantekimam. Te Katabwanin is a tradition where first time visitors are required to pay their respects to the ghosts by being escorted anticlockwise around the island.SOURCE: MANEIKOTRAVEL.CO.NZ
TUVALUGHOST
Ghostly canoe of Niutao: This is a carrier of paranormal entities in Tuvaluan folklore. According to legend, the men of Niutao encountered it and deemed it a vehicle of the gods that threatened them with disaster.SOURCE: SONGS OF TUVALU BY G. KOCH (TRANS. G. SLATTER)
SOLOMON ISLANDSGHOST
Funeral ghosts: The people of the Solomon Islands have elaborate and complex funeral processions. It is believed this prevents the dead from returning to haunt the living.SOURCE: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GHOSTS & SPIRITS
WALLIS AND FUTUNAGHOST
Aitu: Most Nieuans of Alofi Island still embrace older religious ideas, believing in a supernatural world inhabited by aitu, who are spirits of dead ancestors. Aitu keep a close eye on behaviour and punish individuals with misfortune, illness or even death who transgress social norms or flout cultural conventions.SOURCE: EVERYCULTURE.COM
VANUATUGHOST
Sukwe: This ghost, alongside other non-Polynesian type beings, are commonly associated with the underground, caves, mazes, snakes, spiders, rats, acts of a devouring or destructive kind, and the failure to attain a satisfactory afterlife.SOURCE: VANUATU RELIGIONS (ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION, SECOND EDIT ION)
AMERICAN SAMOA, SAMOA, NIUEGHOST
Aitu: Often malevolent, these spirits take the form of plants and animals. They are believed to have originated from Samoa.SOURCE: A DICTIONARY OF THE MAORI LANGUAGE OF RAROTONGA
TONGAGHOST
Fehulini: An identity-switching spirit believed to appear as a man to women, and a woman to men. As a woman, she combs her decapitated heads hair.SOURCE: TONGATAPU.NET
COOK ISLANDSGHOST
Taakura: A beautiful red-haired girl who promised to kill her unfaithful lover and every Rarotonga male before committing suicide. Her ghost is believed to roam Cook Islands, tricking men into falling to their deaths.SOURCE: WEBCENTRAL
FRENCH POLYNESIAGHOST
Tupuqa: In traditional Polynesian and Tahitian culture, the tupuqa embodies all supernatural beings that have exceeded the boundaries of physical mortality.SOURCE: GHOSTS IN POLYNESIAN CULTURE EDITED BY F.D. MILLER, A .F. VANDOME AND J . MCBREWSTER
28
REVEALED
AAAA WWWOOMAANNN SSSCCOOORRRNNEEDDThe mainly yin of Chinese ghosts
text DR GERRY GROOT
is a senior lecturer in Chinese Studies,Centre for Asian Studies (University of Adelaide). Althoughhis main research area is Chinese politics, especially united front work, he is also interested in Chinese folkreligion, superstitions, ghosts and Zhong Kui. He also hasa collection of hundreds of Chinese cook books, but never uses them for cooking.
AMONG THE MANY DIFFERENCES between Chinese and Western cultures are the beliefs in ghosts. Although many Westerners, especially colonial period ones, believed that they had the edge over Orientals in rationality, where ghost beliefs are concerned, Chinese beliefs exhibit much more internal consistency and predictability. Among the features of these beliefs is the high preponderance of female ghosts such as fox spirits.
Unlike Western beliefs, which lack a central organising principle, Chinese beliefs in the ideas of qi, harmony, yin and yang and the nature of the body, and how these relate to the soul can combine to give rise to numerous sorts of spirits, good and bad (usually seen as ghosts). While Christian beliefs posit the possession of only one soul per person, ancient Chinese beliefs, while setting no specific limit, generally agree on the existence of a two-part soul, one divided into yin-yang parts. The yin half, known as po (), has yin features feminine, dark, moist, etc. and it is these features that are consigned to the earth upon burial to await the reunification with their yang other half.
Anything which prevents the souls reunification or which upsets the harmony of the qi underlying both yin and yang elements, can turn benign spirits into more malevolent ones and
be seen as dangerous ghosts. In the famous Chinese ghost story movies, originally directed by Tsui Hark, the reason a beautiful girl becomes a hunter of men is because she has been murdered and her remains are far from their proper ancestral graveyard, where harmony would reign and her soul would be at rest.
Preventing such ethereal disruption is a key reason for a common Chinese insistence on being buried in the right location. Should the geomancer get the feng shui wrong and choose a poor location, more such ghosts might arise and the family and others might pay a very high price. Feng shui, it should be remembered, was, not so long ago, much more about preventing such bad things from happening than about long life, prosperity and fecundity.
While the yin nature of ghosts is one reason many Chinese ghosts are female, another relates directly to the powerlessness of women in a traditionally usually fiercely patriarchal Chinese society, where wives were not only subject to the whims of their husbands, they also often suffered terribly at the hands of their mothers-in-law with whom they were forced to live.
One of the few ways such bullied women could exercise power was to commit suicide and, by performing such outrage against harmony, could return to the world as a ghost to punish the mothers-in-law and bring disaster to the family as revenge. Similarly, women who were murdered or raped could also return as ghosts to seek retribution among the living. In these sorts of circumstances, it is not surprising that one of the consistent themes is that of men scared that ghosts would turn up some day to suck out their very virility. Freud would have had something to say about that, if only he had known about it. AG
29 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
The female ghost may be symbolic of women gaining an equal footing in the reprepressivesocieties foundun in mam ny parts of Asiaa
THE WORSHIP OF GAJANtext & photos BORIS JOSEPH
THE WORSHIP OFGAJAN
Pleasing the gods for a better year ahead
This sanyasi paints a red dot on the forehead of a skull before starting the skull dance, a procession in honour of Lord Shiva
32
WE LEAVE BEHIND the bustle of Kolkata to go inland to the countryside of the state of West Bengal. In this remote corner of India, the modernity of the cities has not impacted ancestral customs in the rural areas, and village life still follows the rhythm of the seasons and the religious calendar. In this part of the country, the most enigmatic and most spectacular practice is undoubtedly that of Gajan.
Each year, at the end of winter, hundreds of farmers leave their daily life for a month to become ascetics. Engaged in a series of ancestral rituals, they submit their bodies to physical tests as they honour the sun. These rituals, depending on the region, take dierent forms, yet retain the same meaning and the same goal: to celebrate the marriage of the Sun and the Earth and satisfy the divinities, so that after the hot season, rain will fall and harvests will be good.
The origins of Gajan are tribal. Predating Hinduism, the concept behind the rituals is that of fertility and reproduction, which also symbolically bring the dead back to life. It relates to how rain can breathe new life into elds dried out by heat or ll ponds that eventually bring
sh. It also concerns the life women are able to breathe back into the world.
The festival is very much associated with the village folk, who, each spring, anxiously wait the arrival of the rainy season. It takes place at a time of year when the land is bloodless, emptied of water, cracked, consumed by the sun. Only the liberating monsoon is able to fertilise the elds and allow farmers to survive. Placing their gratitude in the hands of this divine grace by way of Gajan is the only mode of respect these village folks have come to know.
It is these rural roots that make this celebration unique. Compared to all the other Hindu rites, which are led by Brahmins, Gajan is organised, managed and provided for by farmers from the lower castes. As well, unlike the Brahmins, who simply serve as intermediaries between the divinities and the living by
The face of this sanyasi has been painted to imitate the god Shiva
Sanyasis parade in the village of Kurmun. They go from house to house with an earthen cup in one hand and ask the villagers for offerings
THE WORSHIP OF GAJAN
praying and making offerings, the sanyasis (disciples of Lord Shiva) of Gajan offer their bodies through mutilation, over time becoming the main focus of the festival. Indeed, Gajan was banned by the British Empire in 1864, which considered it too barbarous. Yet, 150 years later, far from the tumult and changes in major Indian cities, Gajan has endured.
THE SKULL DANCEOur rst destination is the village of Kurmun in the district of Bardhaman. In this small locality, the villagers are following one of Gajans strangest rituals, the skull dance. As we arrive, the sanyasis are all grouped together in the village centre and are painting their faces. They adorn themselves with the colours of Shiva and their costume features some of his distinct appendages, such as the sword. After several hours of makeup, tempers are. Musicians begin to pound out a rhythm on their drums. The sanyasis then embark on a wild dance around the village, going from house to house. The sanyasis oer the villagers waiting outside their doors small cups of soil, and in return, they hope to receive a few coins as oerings. The handful of rupees collected will enable them to
feed themselves and break the fast typically observed by sanyasis for several days before Gajan.
During the procession, the villagers show reverence to the sanyasis as if they were deities. Women spray them with buckets of water and throw themselves at their feet. The children are expected to lie on the ground in the hope that the sanyasis will walk on their bodies and bless them with their swords. While the younger children wait anxiously for their blessings, the more adventurous teenagers do not hesitate to throw themselves under the feet of the sanyasis, believing that this act will aord them protection.
The dance lasts several hours, under the scorching heat of the day til nightfall. In the darkness, the processions separate. And then, for a few hours, the villagers, dressed in their Sunday best, forsake the gods to partake in a decidedly more modern celebration, dancing to the ear-blasting Bollywood-beat of Indian music. Gajan, it seems clear, is also an opportunity for everyone to come together and have fun, a parenthesis in a life devoted to work.
Meanwhile, far from the cacophony, on the dark roads nearby, small groups of sanyasis leave the surrounding
34
villages to converge in Kurmun. Overnight, in total secrecy, the sanyasis go to look for the bodies that they will use to perform the death dance they need to accomplish in the following hours. From these corpses, the sanyasis will only keep the head.
But where do all these bodies come from? There are many rumours about their origin. Some suggest that the sanyasis go to Muslim cemeteries to nd the bodies; others say they get a supply from hospitals near the cemeteries. The latter hypothesis is probably the most likely, but this secret is well kept.
At 5am the next day, I wait under a large banyan tree with a few villagers. As dawn breaks, the sanyasis arrive and climb the big tree under which we are waiting, bringing down small packages. They put them on the ground and carefully unravel the enveloping fabric to extract skulls. One still has its long hair; chances are that its the skull of a woman. The pungent smell is overpowering. These bodies have not been buried for very long. Emerging from the darkness, other sanyasis arrive, loaded with small white bundles.
Everyone carefully unravels their bundles. The skulls are then cleaned. Amid the crowd, a man burns incense in a clay jar to override the stench of decomposition. Some sanyasis undertake the task of decorating the skulls, ending with painting a red dot on the forehead. By daybreak, the crowd has swelled.
While the sound of drums echo, the sanyasis gather in procession and begin their dance. In one hand, they hold a sword, in the other, the skull, raised high so everyone can see. They cross the streets of the village, where more crowds have gathered. The dance then accelerates and alternately, they rush towards the crowd, hypnotised, aunting their skulls up close. Some are frightened and retreat; the children are paralysed with fear. Others are clearly entertained by the unfolding drama. The beat pounds faster and the sanyasis turn towards one another, brandishing their trophies higher and higher.
After arriving at the village square near the temple of Shiva, the drums stop abruptly. The sanyasis prostrate themselves on the oor in front of the small building, and then rush into the temple to oer the corpses they exhumed and submit prayers in a way only sanyasis are allowed to perform. In the Gajan of Kurmun, the sanyasis not only symbolically evoke life from death, but also physically depict this resurrection by bringing back to life the bodies they dig up, through dance. For their part, the villagers hope that the gods are appeased by the oerings and that clemency will be shown by the gods over the coming year.
THE SELF-SACRIFICE That same day, we leave Kurmun to go to Panchal, in another district about 160 kilometres away. The moment we arrive, I encounter a procession of men and women. On their heads, they are carrying wooden boards topped with spiked nails. I learn later that these patas, pieces of wood from a sacred tree, whose shape is reminiscent of a human, refer to an episode of the lore of the God Dharma. In this ancient legend, Queen Ranjavati, unable to get pregnant, impales herself on a spiked plank as a form of self-sacrice. Dharma, seeing her devotion, decides to revive her and gives her a son, Lausen, who becomes the main hero of the Kingdom of Dharma on Earth. The sanyasis, by performing in front of the patas, re-enact
This priest is about to pierce the tongue of this young sanyasi
A sanyasi puts his foot on the body of a child lying on the ground and brandishes his sword to bless him
5
36
the sacrice of Ranjavati, with the hope that this similar oering will evoke kindness from the God Dharma, as it once did for Ranjavati.
The ritual takes place at the end of the day around a sacred pool of water, where the sanyasis perform ablutions and dip the patas to purify them. It is a rather curious site to see men and women treat these pieces of wood as if they were fragile babies. They then return to the banks, place the patas on the ground and begin a puja. As they sing, they honour the patas with owers, sprinkle rice and worship the sacred pieces of wood.
Night falls on Panchal. Like in Kurmun, festivities have begun in the village, and villagers from the surrounding communities are making their way there. The young people are dancing frenetically to the music. I walk through the village and come to the sacred pool, the same one where the last ritual of the day occurred. On its banks, a hundred sanyasis have gathered. Around a lamp powered by a generator, two men sit opposite each other and greet the devotees one by one.
As I approach, I see a priest examining the tongue of a young man. He touches it, pulls it, kneads it and suddenly, without hesitation, pierces it with a metal rod. Some sanyasis are very young and are pierced with small rods. Other older sanyasis are pierced with much longer rods, sometimes
almost two metres in length. In front of the priest, another man supports each of the sanyasis on his chest so that he does not move as the priest pierces his tongue.
The same ritual is repeated for hours. The sanyasis spend the night with rods in their tongues. Some stay prostrate in a corner; others will dance through the night with the villagers to the rhythms of the drums. Among these people, I observe a young child, whose head is covered with dollar notes oered by villagers. Earlier, he paraded in the streets with a large metal rod in his tongue. It was so long, it had to be supported by two assistants one at each end accompanying the child. The child is now surrounded by drummers, as he dances, stopping regularly to sit down. Men, surely a parent among them, cool him with a fan. He seems to be suering: blood oozing from his mouth has to be constantly wiped away with a large white cloth. In the early morning, the sanyasis return, in
...aa pppprriieesstt eexxaammiinniinngggg tthhee ttoonngggguuee ooff aa yyyoouunnggg mmaann. HHee ttoouucchheess iitt,, ppppuuullllllsss iiittt,, kkknnneeeaaadddsss iiittt aaannnddd sssuuuddddddeeennnlllyyyy,, wwiitthhoouutt hheessiittaattiioonn,, pppiieerrcceess iitt wwiiittthhh aa mmeetttaalll rrooddd.
THE WORSHIP OF GAJAN
37 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
Boris Joseph studied architecture and fine arts. Based in China since 2005, he has produced many stories, particularly on the Tibetan Plateau and on the Chinese cities that maintain a traditional lifestyle, such as Langzhong. His work has been published in numerous magazines, including GEO, Le Monde 2, Corriere della Serra, and Aftenposten. Many of his photographs on China have been purchased by the National Library of France.
procession, to the Shiva temple. There, hidden from view, they remove the metal rods and oer them to the deities.
THE WORSHIP OF THE WHEELIt is the last day of Gajan. Dawn is breaking. After a tiring night without sleep, the sanyasis take a few hours of respite. They gather around the Shiva temple and listen to the prayers coming from inside the building. They are exhausted, but they know they must still pass one nal test: to honour the sun by undertaking the worship of the wheel, known as the Charak Puja. Several metres away in a clearing, the men are working to install a large wooden pole about 15 metres high. The complex, time-consuming operation will take several hours and as many as 10 men. At 4pm, when the sun begins to dip, a priest appears to bless the ceremony.
With this done, the sanyasis gather around the vertical piece of wood to embrace it and kiss it. At the same time, near the Shiva temple, men prepare the rst sanyasi that will execute this worship of the wheel by inserting two large hooks into the esh of his back. He is then carried to the clearing, where he is greeted as a hero by the assembled crowd. The other sanyasis circle the pole, holding up their sticks and shouting with joy. The chosen one is then carefully hung by the hooks to ropes connected to one of the two pendulums mounted on the pole. On the opposite pendulum, several men provide counterbalance to hoist up the sanyasi, who begins to rotate in the air. The
man ies like a bird, suspended high in the air by iron hooks thrust into his muscles. He spins faster and faster over the screaming crowd.
The movement symbolises the arrival of the spring and the revival of life after the dead of winter. It emulates that of the sun, nishing the years journey and starting towards the next. The ritual is also a reference to the story of Lausen, who self-sacrices in an eort to make the sun rise in the west and to create a long day. The sanyasi rotates in the air for several minutes. In his ecstasy, he hurls owers and dried fruit at the crowd.
The sanyasi is then slowly let down, and back on the ground, he is carried through the village like a hero. Others follow suit, taking turns on the wheel until the sun has totally set and the sky is totally black. For the sanyasis, after a month of penance, the worship of Gajan is over for the year. It is time to return to their daily lives as farmers in the hope that the gods have heard their prayers and will be lenient in the coming year. AG
A sanyasi is swung in circles high above the heads of the crowd, suspended in the air by iron hooks thrust through the muscles in his back. The practice, called Charak Puja, was made illegal by the British in 1894, but it has persisted in remote localities of West Bengal until today
On the day of Gajan, these sanyasis parade in the village of Kurmun, dancing with their recently procured skulls. The ritual honours the god Shiva
38
ARTS WHATS THAT IN THE PHOTO?
IN THE PHOTO?When ghosts reveal themselves By
Mar
k So
ng
39 NO. 99 ISSUE 6/2013
PPhhoottooggrraapphhyy hhaass lloonngg bbeeeenn uusseedd ttttttoooo aaaatttttttttttteeeemmmmppppptttttt ttttttoooo ppppprrrroooovvvveeee tttttthhhhhhaaaatttttt ggggghhhhhhoooossssttttttssss aannddd ssppiiirriiitttss eexxiiissttt..
The famous picture of the Brown Lady, thought to be the ghost of Lady Dorothy Townshend: It became one of the most famous hauntings in Great Britain, the first recorded by Lucia C. Stone at Raynham Hall at Christmas 1835
Spirit photography pioneer William Hope (18631933) claimed he could communicate with the dead spirits would appear in front of his camera
AT FIRST GLANCE, all it looks like is a patch of light shining upon a staircase. However, upon closer inspection, one begins to discern minor details in the light shadows, folds in linen, a human-like silhouette. A trick of the mind? Matrixing, perhaps? Not if you ask experts of the paranormal. The photograph you are looking at is that of the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall.
As the legend goes, the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall is the apparition of Lady Dorothy Walpole, the sister of Robert Walpole, who is considered the rst Prime Minister of Britain. Apparently caught by her husband, Lord Wharton, for having committed adultery, she was then locked up in a room for the rest of her earthly life.
Experts have tried to disprove the validity of the photograph for years. The methods and equipment of the photographer, Captain Hubert Provand, and his assistant Indre Shira were investigated and scrutinised; even the photographers themselves were put under the microscope. But no matter how hard they tried, no one could nd any evidence of tampering or trickery. Thus, the only conclusion left is that the image captured in 1936 must then be that of a real life spirit.
Photography has long been used to attempt to prove that ghosts and spirits exist. Spirit photography may have existed as early as 1853, but it only gained notoriety in 1861 when jeweller William Mumler took a self-portrait and discovered another being lurking in the photograph. After showing it to his friend and jokingly saying he did not know how he had captured the other gure, he was persuaded into publishing the photo with a written description alongside it. The photograph garnered widespread attent
