This CNN article about Indonesians dressed like ghosts to encourage self-isolation is a nice opportunity to educate twitter about Indonesian ghosts, which are SO MUCH scarier and more interesting than lame American ghosts.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/13/asia/indonesia-ghost-volunteers-pocong-intl/index.html

A thread/

1) Pocong (aka kain kaftan). Dead body wearing a burial shroud tied at the neck and ankles. Can’t walk, so it hops like a rabbit. Can also fly.

My wife dressed as a pocong for Halloween one year. Our neighbors literally screamed and ran away in terror. Best costume ever.

The 2006 movie *Pocong* was banned in multiple European countries. but was followed by Pocong 2, Pocong vs Kuntilanak (see below) and Pocong the Origin. It's basically a franchise.

2) Pontianak (Kuntilanak). Female vampire ghost of a woman who died in pregnancy. Term is a portmanteau of perempuan mati beranak (woman who died in childbirth). Pale-skinned women with long black hair, red eyes, and white dresses smeared in blood. Usually arises at full moon.

Presence can be detected by a floral smell. Pontianak kills victims by digging into their body with sharp fingernails and devouring their organs.

City by the same name in Kalimantan was named after a sultan killed by a pontianak bc he built his city next to a swamp (see below).

3) Hantu Air. Spirit of the water. Lives in rivers, lakers, streams, swamps. Very powerful. Java is especially crowded with these, so you have to be careful around bridges and streams at night. Will drown humans.

In a 2012 movie of the same name, the ghost is defeated by chanting allahu akbar, a form of takbir (Islamic recitation) common to traditionalist Islam in Java.

4) Langsuyar. Beautiful vampire woman who died while pregnant. Has long black hair, long nails, hands extending to her feet, and wears green robes. Drinks the blood of newborn female children from a hole in her neck.

Honestly, too terrifying to write about.

5) Penanggalan. Origin in the word tanggal (to remove) because it's a flying disembodied woman's head w organs attached. During the day, the penanggalan is mortal but then detaches from its body by soaking in vinegar. Drinks blood of pregnant women & young children, who die.

Hellboy battled a penanggalan in a March 2004 comic book. The penanggalan traps him in her organs. https://kakuchopurei.com/2019/04/08/hellboy-visited-malaysia-fought-penanggalan/

There are many more ghosts from Indonesia and throughout Southeast Asia, but I think you get my point. American ghosts--slimer, really?--are lame.

Indonesia raya.

Okay one more h/t @gayatriveda

6 ) Genderuwo. Muscular hairy giant human-like figure with reddish black skin and bulging eyes. Lives in Java. Seduces women by transforming into their husbands and impregnating them.

Presence can be detected by smell of baked cassava. Can be summoned by grilling sate with crow meat. https://en.brilio.net/scary/indonesian-pervert-genie-genderuwo-like-to-tease-women-and-kids-160825w.html#