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    Kapre - Wikipedia

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    Peter Amster
    The Kapre is a creature from Philippine mythology described as a tall, hairy, muscular tree giant that dwells in large trees and is known to play tricks on people. It originated from descriptions of indigenous Negrito tribes by Spanish colonizers and is generally depicted as sitting in trees and smoking although it may befriend humans under certain circumstances.

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    Kapre - Wikipedia

    Uploaded by

    Peter Amster
    6 views3 pages
    The Kapre is a creature from Philippine mythology described as a tall, hairy, muscular tree giant that dwells in large trees and is known to play tricks on people. It originated from descriptions of indigenous Negrito tribes by Spanish colonizers and is generally depicted as sitting in trees and smoking although it may befriend humans under certain circumstances.

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    The Kapre is a creature from Philippine mythology described as a tall, hairy, muscular tree giant that dwells in large trees and is known to play tricks on people. It originated from descriptions of indigenous Negrito tribes by Spanish colonizers and is generally depicted as sitting in trees and smoking although it may befriend humans under certain circumstances.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    6 views3 pages

    Kapre - Wikipedia

    Uploaded by

    Peter Amster
    The Kapre is a creature from Philippine mythology described as a tall, hairy, muscular tree giant that dwells in large trees and is known to play tricks on people. It originated from descriptions of indigenous Negrito tribes by Spanish colonizers and is generally depicted as sitting in trees and smoking although it may befriend humans under certain circumstances.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Kapre

    In Philippine mythology, the kapre is a creature that may be described


    Kapre
    as a tree giant, being a tall (7–9 ft (2.1–2.7 m)), dark-coloured, hairy,[1]
    and muscular creature. Kapres are also said to have a very strong body Grouping Tree creature
    odour and to sit in tree branches to smoke.[2] Similar entities Agta
    Region Philippines
    Origins
    The term kapre comes from the Arabic kafir (Spanish cafre),[3] meaning
    a non-believer in Arabic (usually referring to atheists/idolists). The term
    was later brought to the Philippines by the Spanish who had previous
    contact with the Moors, they used it to describe the indigenous Negrito
    ethnic groups with dark skin and features similar to Black Africans. This
    is also evident in the fact that a synonym for kapre is agtà, another name
    for the Aeta people. The modern mythical characterizations of the kapre
    evolved from formerly racially prejudiced portrayals of Negrito tribes by
    the lowland Christianized ethnic groups of the Philippines during the
    Detail of Carta Hydrographica y
    Spanish period.[3] Chorographica de la Yslas Filipinas
    (1734) by Pedro Murillo Velarde
    The first attestation of the use of the term was caphri, by Antonio showing the slaves brought from
    Pigafetta of the Magellan expedition. They were described by the people of East Africa, usually by the
    Suluan to the Magellan crew as dark-skinned, tattooed, and wore Portuguese, sold in Manila as
    barkcloth (except for chieftains who wore a cloth headdress of silk), and "Cafres"
    had weapons ornamented with gold and large shields.[4]: 150

    The term cafre was also used for Papuan slaves brought to the Philippines by the Portuguese before slavery
    was abolished by Spain.[5]

    Natural habitat and attire


    Kapres are said to dwell in big trees like acacias, mangoes, bamboo, and banyan (known in the Philippines as
    balete). It is also mostly seen sitting under those trees. The Kapre is said to wear the indigenous Northern
    Philippine loincloth known as bahag, and according to some, often wears a belt which gives the kapre the
    ability to be invisible to humans. In some versions, the kapre is supposed to hold a magical white stone, a
    little smaller in size than a quail egg. Should any person happen to obtain this stone, the kapre can grant
    wishes.

    Behavior
    Kapres are believed to be nocturnal and omnivorous. They are not necessarily considered to be evil. However,
    they may turn vengeful when the tree that they are inhabiting is cut down.[6]

    A Kapre may make contact with people to offer friendship, or if it is attracted to a woman. If a Kapre
    befriends a human, especially because of love, the Kapre will consistently follow its "love interest" throughout
    life. Also, if one is a friend of the Kapre, then that person will have the ability to see it and if they were to sit
    on it then any other person would be able to see the huge entity.
    Kapres, also called agtà,[7] are said to play pranks on people,[8] frequently making travelers become
    disoriented and lose their way in the mountains or in the woods. They are also believed to have the ability to
    confuse people even in their own familiar surroundings; for instance, someone who forgets that they are in
    their own garden or home is said to have been tricked by a Kapre. Reports of experiencing Kapre
    enchantment include that of witnessing rustling tree branches, even if the wind is not strong. Some more
    examples would be hearing loud laughter coming from an unseen being, witnessing much smoke from the top
    of a tree, seeing big red glaring eyes during night time from a tree, as well as actually seeing a Kapre walking
    in forested areas. It is also believed that abundant fireflies in woody areas are the embers from the Kapre's lit
    cigars or tobacco pipe.

    Documentary
    In the 2015 documentary series The Creatures of Philippine Mythology, the origin, history and evolution of
    the Kapre is examined. It starts in the pre-Spanish Philippines where animist beliefs created a huge black
    spirit that watched people from the trees, follows the etymology of the term "kapre", and discovers why the
    creature is always smoking cigars.

    See also
    Aswang
    Manananggal
    Ghosts in Filipino culture
    Tikbalang
    Nephilim
    Troll

    Further reading
    Cruz, Neal (October 31, 2008), "As I See It: Philippine mythological monsters" (http://opinion.inquirer.net/i
    nquireropinion/columns/view/20081031-169390/Philippine-mythological-monsters), Philippine Daily
    Inquirer

    References
    1. Jocano, F. Landa (1983). The Hiligaynon: An Ethnography of Family and Community Life in Western
    Bisayas Region (https://books.google.com/books?id=DZEbAAAAIAAJ). Asian Center, University of the
    Philippines. p. 254. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
    2. "Kapre (The Tree Giant)" (http://www.philippine-tales.com/7/post/2013/08/kapre.html). PHILIPPINE
    TALES | Anthology of Philippine Mythology and Folklore. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
    3. Michael L. Tan (2008). Revisiting Usog, Pasma, Kulam (https://books.google.com/books?id=EktzHrfup1U
    C). UP Press. p. 66. ISBN 9789715425704.
    4. Nowell, C. E. (1962). "Antonio Pigafetta's account". Magellan's Voyage Around the World. Evanston:
    Northwestern University Press. hdl:2027/mdp.39015008001532 (https://hdl.handle.net/2027%2Fmdp.390
    15008001532). OCLC 347382 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/347382).
    5. Blumentritt, Ferdinand (1890). List of the native tribes of the Philippines and of the languages spoken by
    them. By Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt (https://quod.lib.umich.edu/p/philamer/AJZ8102.0001.001?rgn=mai
    n;view=toc).
    6. Vicerra, PM; Javier, JR. "TABI-TABI PO: SITUATING THE NARRATIVE OF SUPERNATURAL IN THE
    CONTEXT OF THE PHILIPPINES COMMUNITY" (http://www.manusya.journals.chula.ac.th/files/essay/Ta
    bi-Tabi_1-13.pdf) (PDF). MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
    7. Wolff, John U. (1972). "kapri" (http://seapdatapapers.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=seap&
    cc=seap&idno=seap085a&node=seap085a%3A11&view=image&seq=466&size=200). A Dictionary of
    Cebuano Visayan. Vol. 1. p. 442.
    8. Wolff, John U. (1972). "agtà" (http://seapdatapapers.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=seap&
    cc=seap&idno=seap085a&node=seap085a%3A11&view=image&seq=39&size=200). A Dictionary of
    Cebuano Visayan. Vol. 1. p. 15.

    External links
    Media related to Kapre at Wikimedia Commons
    Filipino Folklore: Kapre (http://www.mangkukulam.com/folklore/347/Kapre:)

    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kapre&oldid=1204147821"

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