Supernatural - Is it real?

Mantiw

On a night in the year 1999, at the tender age of six, I remember a peculiar experience in our countryside, the home of memories that still envelop me to this day, an experience filled with mystery and wonder.

During rice harvesting season, our countryside became our sanctuary. There were no other houses nearby, as the land owned by my mother stretched over five hectares. This place was filled with ancient trees, casting shadows even in the early hours of the morning.

My father was a jeepney (1) driver, and we always awaited his return at 6 in the evening. On the days we needed to harvest rice, we had to wait for him to get back home from his work before we go to the fields.

On that night, as we made our way to the fields, darkness stubbornly blocked our path. I rode on the back of a carabao (2) with my siblings, while my parents walked ahead. Our only source of light was a small lantern, and though we had a flashlight, my father refused to use it to conserve the battery.

Despite the deepening darkness, I wasn't afraid. Whenever my father was there, I felt safe.

But as we approached a large balete tree (3), we suddenly heard a faint "Tiw, Tiw" sound. Accompanied by a strong gust of wind, it seemed like something was passing in front of us.

In fear, we stopped. We already knew the stories about creatures called "Mantiw."(4) But my father said they weren't necessarily bad beings, as long as we didn't mimic their whistling.

In the midst of our fear, we continued walking. And in a wide cornfield, we saw the shadow of an incredibly tall figure. It didn't look back at us, and suddenly disappeared among the trees.

We hurriedly left the place where we saw the shadow of the Mantiw, afraid that we might see it again.

We reached our farm without encountering any more supernatural occurrences.

After that day, we told our friends and neighbors in our barangay (5) about the Mantiw so they could be aware and avoid offending these beings who live among us in this world.

Other villagers shared their own experiences with the Mantiw. Though no one else had seen it, many had heard its wails, especially in the deeper parts of the forests.

During our childhood, we often heard the Mantiw, but as our barangay's population grew, we no longer heard it. Still, I believe they are merely hiding in the densest parts of the forests, away from people who might disturb their way of life.

1. A jeepney ( or simply a jeep. It is a type of public utility vehicle (PUV) that serves as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines.

2. domesticated water buffalo

3. Balete trees or weeping figs

4. The Mantiw are thirty foot spirits, often spotted whistling while roaming the wide open fields, or leaning against coconut and buri palm trees. Witnesses describe them as having a fair complexion, broad shoulders, and hooked noses. Despite being commonly reserved and peaceful in nature, the Mantiw are easily offended when a human attempts to whistle along with them. As a result, it will grab the whistling human it finds a nuisance, carry them off to the tallest coconut tree and abandon them on the very top without means of climbing back down.

5. It is a unit of administration in Philippine society consisting of from 50 to 100 families under a headman.