Category: Funny

Aswang Ka Daw

I thought I’d share a funny story from October, 2003:

It was a Sunday morning, and I was in Intramuros.  I stopped by an ATM machine before going to church.  A couple of small children kept watching me as I punched numbers and made my withdrawal. They were clearly fascinated with the pale stranger before them.

One of them approached me for a short conversation:

Kid: “Sabi ng tatay ko, aswang ka daw.” (my father says you are an aswang)
Kevin: “Ano?” (what)

Kid:  “Sabi ng tatay ko, aswang ka daw.”

I was pretty good in Tagalog at this point, but I did not recognize that word (aswang). It didn’t sound too flattering. I later asked a friend at church about my mystery title.

Kevin:  “Johnette, some kid just said I’m an aswang.  What is that?”
Johnette: “It’s a monster–kind of like a vampire.”

Turns out that the aswang is the most feared creature in Filipino folklore.  It is a mythical, vampire-like creature that has wings but only half of a body (though descriptions vary greatly).

The kid didn’t seem the least bit afraid of me.  Maybe he didn’t believe his father, or maybe I didn’t look hungry.