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| Manananggal, 2017, ink on paper |
The Manananggal is a vampire-like creature of the Philippines, a scary, malevolent monster usually depicted as female. It is capable of separating its upper torso from the body, and sprouting large wings to fly in search of victims. Their victims of choice are sleeping, pregnant women, and the manananggal uses its long, proboscis-like tongue to penetrate through the victim's bellybutton and feed on the fetus.
To kill a manananggal, one must find the lower part of its body, the legs, and sprinkle salt, garlic, or ash on it, and by sunrise the monster will perish. In some parts of the Visayan region, to defend against the manananggal, you can can create a whip out of the tails of sting rays and use it against the monster.
