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Macan Gadungan
Macan Gadungans are creature from the folklore of Java, Indonesia. They are Therianthropes( humans that turn into animals) that can turn into a tiger. Their name means “false tiger” or “disguised tiger.” It is a crazed or rabid tiger with the soul of a sleeping human inside of it. People who lack a philtrum (the depression in skin between your nose and your upper lip) could activate this transformation with a ritual called Ngelu Gadungan.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Machi
Machi are shamans from Mapuche myth. Machi are differentiated from Kalku by their benevolent nature and roles in society. The Machi and Kalku balance each other representing good and evil respectively. Machi are most commonly women, though this refers to gender and its presentations rather than biological sex. Gender is relatively fluid among Machi and is judged on different standards, being anatomy, positioning in sexual contexts, and ritual presentation. Machi are often stigmatized as witches or sexual deviants in modern society and are frequently subject to bigoted beliefs. They are known to use familiars and will become possessed by these familiars to navigate the spirit world. Their job is to mediate the spirit world and physical world and communicate with the gods. Sometimes they are called to negotiate with spirits on the behalf of others. Machi are often thought to have a seductive nature towards the spirits they communicate with. It’s thought they can navigate the spirit world with spirits called a Machi Püllü, a specific spirit for a Machi, or a Filew, an ancestral spirit. They have the ability to divine, assist spirits of various forms, and gain power from Ngünechen. Sometimes to be initiated, a Machi must mount and ride spiritual horses in their dreams. They ride these spirit horses during visions to go heal others, though they may ride atop pillar-like structures called Rewe or Rehue. They act as warriors in spiritual worlds, using a variety of weapon, and often use objects called Chueca sticks to assist them. They are capable of transforming their familiars into snakes or predatory birds to fight Wekufe, and this is thought to be the only way to kill Chonchon. They can also enchant weapons to this end as well. They dedicate their lives to training to fight evil and heal people. They have powers over good and evil which allows them to heal the sick and dying. Along with their powers, they also practice holistic medicine. Machi can marry their Machi Püllü or a Filew and be exclusively committed to them. Jealous spirit spouses may cause sickness to their Machi partner. Filew spouses are sometimes known to possess their Machi partner.
Citations:
Bacigalupo, Ana Mariella. Shamans of the Foye Tree: Gender, Power, and Healing Among Chilean Mapuche. N.p., University of Texas Press, 2010.
Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
Porterfield, Jason, and Brezina, Corona. Chile: A Primary Source Cultural Guide. United States, Rosen Publishing Group, 2004.
Mahaha
The Mahaha is a demonic creature from Inuit myth. It has sharp nails and is known to tickle people to death. It makes people laugh and cuts open their insides. It is similar to the Aagjuk, specifically to ones living on the moon.
Citations:
Aupilaarjuk, Mariano. Perspectives on Traditional Law. United Kingdom, Language and Culture Program of Nunavut Arctic College, 1999.
Gogerty, Clare. Sacred Places: Where to Find Wonder in the World. United Kingdom, Octopus, 2020.
Hulan, Renée. Northern Experience and the Myths of Canadian Culture. United Kingdom, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2002.
Jenness, Diamond, and McGrath, Robin. Canadian Inuit literature: the development of a tradition. Ottawa, National Museums of Canada, 1984.
Professor, Baby. The Importance of Storytellers in Inuit Society | Inuit Children’s Book Grade 3 | Children’s Geography & Cultures Books. N.p., Speedy Publishing LLC, 2019.
Mahwot/Karnabo
The Mahwot, later called the Karnabo, is a monster thought to live in the Lower Meuse Ardennes in France. It is described as an amphibious creature as large as a calf and shaped like a lizard. It rarely leaves the Meuse, and it foretells disaster and destruction. It is thought to come when mothers call for it to attack disobedient children. It is known to make a nasal sound that paralyzes and suffocates people who get too close, and it kills cattle. Later iterations had a human face, eyes like a basilisk, and a trunk-like nose. It is often thought to be locked away in an abandoned slate quarry.
Citations:
Meyrac, A. (1890) Traditions, coutumes, légendes et contes des Ardennes. Petit Ardennais, Charleville.
Manananggal
The Manananggal come from the myths of the Bicol people of the Philippines. Their name is from the word “Tanggal” which means “to separate.” They look like women with bat wings who can split their bodies at the waist. Their intestines trail behind as they fly. They use their long thin tongues to drain the blood of pregnant women and also eat the hearts of their fetuses. Some stories claim they prey on men because they are ladies that were left at the altar. Sometimes the curse is from a black chick (a baby chicken, c’mon people) given to the future Manananggal which eats her internal organs but keeps her alive. Their attacks don’t always kill their victims but actually turned them into Mananggals. They fly at night and die if sunlight touches their detached bodies. They can be killed by putting trash, ash or salt on their lower halves. They transform from six or seven o’clock at night to dawn. Children may be targets if they misbehave, making the Manananggal a bogeyman figure. They eat the liver of bad children. They cannot enter houses and can only attack children who stay out after dark. Travelers at night can keep them away with a thorny branch.
Citations:
Collected Tales And Legends From The Philippines. N.p., Ukiyoto Publishing, 2020.
Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
Ramos, Maximo D.. Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Philippines, Phoenix Publishing House, 1990.
Mandurugo
The Mandurugo is a creature from the Capiz people of the Philippines. Its name means “bloodsucker.” It commonly takes the form of an attractive woman to lure people in, though their true form is a rotting corpse with sharp teeth. Sometimes they are thought to be a form of undead, but sometimes is thought to be a form of living vampire. This living form of Madurugo will lead a normal human life but will go to their window at night when others are asleep, transform into a flying monster, and hunt for blood. They can be hurt with weapons, but not killed. They are vulnerable to fire and little else.
Citations:
Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
Maneden
The Maneden is a mythical creature from the Chewong people of Malaysia. They are arboreal and aren’t dangerous if left alone. They don’t attack if someone approaches but will attack if they try to settle in the area. They are seen as spirits that live in pandan trees and violently attack anyone who would hurt the tree they reside in. They’re small creatures that attach themselves to the victims and drain their blood. With men, they attach to the forehead or elbow, and with women, they may attach to the nipple. They can be appeased with offerings of tubers and nuts and they are known to attack proboscis monkeys. After giving an offering, the person must leave immediately and the victim will die if the Maneden rejects the offering. They can be convinced to detach themselves before killing someone if they are offered a nut.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
Mantis People
The Mantis People are cryptids sighted in various circumstances. This creature is described as being the size of a man, dark in color, and distinctly insect-like. It may have strange-looking hands or mandibles and may be covered with armored plates. It is bipedal and has long animalistic hind legs. One estimate suggested it is 500 pounds. While not frequently sighted, it has been encountered multiple times.
– In one instance it was sighted by a man named John clinging to the wall of a building. The creature looked at John and walked up a wall backward.
– It was also reported by a man named Troy, him and a friend were going to investigate a haunted house. It jumped on the back of his raised truck and managed to cause it to dip. It crawled over the truck and went to crouch on the hood facing inward. Troy tried to get a better look at it, and then it jumped 30 feet to the side. It seemed to run between 30 and 60 mph. Troy tried to follow in his car but lost it when the road ended.
Citations:
Gerhard, Ken. A Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts: Encounters with Cryptid Creatures. United States, Llewellyn Publications, 2016.
Mare
The Mare is another term for an Alp from German myth. When an Alp attacks a horse, it is referred to as a Mare. It mounts the horse and rides it until it dies of exhaustion.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017.
Mashan/Chudel
The Mashan is a demonic vampire from Nepal and India. Mashan are rare and have unnaturally long lives. They feed on blood and then flesh, cause madness, control the dead, and kill randomly. They live in an alternate dimension meant for demons, and they cross between worlds where the border is thinnest. Mashan rarely finds a weak point to use and cross over and often requires a magic user to pull them through in an attempt to control them. Magic users can hold Mashan, but lose control if they make even a small mistake. They can be stopped with prayers to the god Shiva, who tells them to return to their home and closes the opening behind them.
Citations:
Dube, Saurabh, and Dube, Professor of History Center for Asian and African Studies Saurabh. Untouchable pasts: religion, identity, and power among a central Indian community, 1780-1950. United States, State University of New York Press, 1998.
Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
Mbojo
The Mbojo is a shapeshifter from the beliefs of the Turu people from Tanzania. They are thought to be witch doctors that could become lions, and are blamed for various unexplained deaths. Sometimes however these deaths are thought be done by normal lions controlled by a witch-doctor. Often it would be believed that Mbojo would be hired basically as assassins to kill one’s enemies. Some however believe it is simply people who learned to kill in a way that imitates a mauling from a lion, or were convinced they were lions through drugs and other such means. Sometimes the Mbojo is used as a bogeyman figure of sorts. Some real life trials had accusations of Mbojo assassins.
Citations:
Pratten, David. The Man-leopard Murders: History and Society in Colonial Nigeria. United Kingdom, Edinburgh University Press, 2007.
Mederios Alien Hominid(Alien Large Foot)
This was an alien creature sighted near Portland, Oregon in May of 1971. It was described as an ape-like creature standing ten feet tall, gray in color, with low hanging arms. It was sighted initially by a man named Joe Mederios, and then separately sighted by three businessmen, despite Joe intentionally telling no one due to fear of ridicule. It was seen many times around a trailer park by a number of people. In these incidents, it often stood in place for extended periods of time, simply staring. Eventually it disappeared from the area.
Citations:
Steiger, Brad, and Steiger, Sherry Hansen. Real Aliens, Space Beings, and Creatures from Other Worlds. United Kingdom, Visible Ink Press, 2011.
Steiger, Brad. Real Monsters, Gruesome Critters, and Beasts from the Darkside. United Kingdom, Visible Ink Press, 2010.
Truebrother, Sunbôw. Hairy Humanoids from the Wild – Encyclopedia of All Things Sasquatch. N.p., Lulu.com, 2019.
Mejenkwaad
The Mejenkwaad is a form of ghost or demon from the Marshall Islands. They are formed when the husbands of pregnant women leave, and do not return before the birth. After transforming, they devour their husbands as soon as they return. It was believed this was the fate of any lonely pregnant woman. There is a story of the island of Airok which had an incredibly high pregnancy death rate and was filled with Mejenkwaad. There were two women who never gave birth and lived to be old. They treated these Mejenkwaad as their daughters. They lived on the oceanside of Airok and none passed through that area because of them. One day a pregnant woman went to that side of the island, believing herself condemned to die. She showed no fear of the Mejenkwaad and told them of her situation. The Mejenkwaad helped her and taught her how to give birth without dying. The woman had a son, and they both returned to their village and told the others the secret of safe childbirth.
Citations:
Marshall Islands Legends and Stories. United States, Bess Press, 2003.
Melon Heads
The Melon Heads are mythical creatures from Connecticut, New England, Ohio, and Michigan. They’re described as hideous mutants with giant bald and bulbous heads. They’re small in stature and have long spindly arms and fingers. They have crooked, blocky, and discolored teeth. Sometimes they have red eyes and they are considered extremely dangerous. Wearing dark, tattered clothes makes it harder for them to see and can prevent an attack and often attack during full moons. Some accounts say they can move incredibly fast, in one account one kept up with a car going 45 to 50 mph. They often make high-pitched screams before attacking. They live in shadows and on the outskirts of towns and various towns claim to have groups of Melon Heads who shun society. People moving through the woods in areas where the Melon Heads live are likely to disappear with only their things being found later. Sometimes they just live off animals and only attack humans when threatened. People have found slaughtered animals in trees and blame the Melon Heads. Often the story of these creatures includes a “Melon Head Road” where they are thought to appear. These roads tend to be isolated and wooded, and children often dare each other to investigate them. Some examples include Zion Hill Road in Milford Connecticut, Velvet Street in Trumbull Connecticut, Edmunds Road in Oxford Connecticut, and Saw Mill City Road in Shelton Connecticut. Many are sighted near the Chagrin River.
Some stories claim they are escaped mental patients while others believe they are a group of mountain-dwelling people subject to inbreeding, with the lineage going back to colonial times.
-A story from around 1860 says there was an asylum for the criminally insane that burnt down in 1960. All the staff perished in the fire and ten to twenty inmates went unfound, with some theorizing this fire was a deliberate means of escape. They survived the winter but eventually turned to cannibalism. This cannibalism as well as inbreeding resulted in their swollen heads.
-Another story from colonial times says that a family from Connecticut was accused of witchcraft and banished. The family was so large they survived and inbred. They eat whatever meat they can, and they love the taste of human flesh.
-There is a story of a man called Dr. Crow who was responsible for the creation of these Melon Heads. The story goes that he was meant to treat children suffering from hydrocephalus, which causes large pockets of water on the brain, or that he kidnapped children or worked with children who had mental disabilities. He instead performed cruel experiments on them putting more water in them, abusing them, and subjecting them to radiation. The abuse destroyed their minds and made them into animalistic creatures. They attacked the doctor, ripped him apart, and consumed him. Their escape resulted in a fire that consumed the lab. They roam in packs in the woods surrounding this area. Sometimes they are thought to inhabit cave systems made in the 60s.
Modern sightings of these creatures do exist.
-There is an account from Megan O’Connell where Melon Heads stole her car, and some still claim to see these Melon Heads driving along in a baby blue Granada.
-One story has Mr. and Mrs. Crow taking care of many children afflicted by hydrocephalus. They like her more than him. One day Mrs. Crow fell and hit her head, and the children attacked and killed Mr. Crow, thinking that he killed her.
-One story from Michigan said that a child with a swollen head was bullied, so his family moved with him into the woods. Here they inbred and came to that society.
Citations:
Campbell, Susan, et al. Connecticut Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbe. United States, Globe Pequot, 2010.
Citro, Joseph A.. Weird New England (Weird). United States, Sterling Publishing Company, 2005.
Moran, Mark, and Sceurman, Mark. Weird U.S.: Your Travel Guide to America’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. United States, Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated, 2009. United States, History Press, 2022.
Soucek, Gayle. The Lake Michigan Triangle: Mysterious Disappearances and Haunting Tales.
Meminiteu
The Meminiteu are from the Inuit Native Americans. They are people who became cannibals and began hunting others of their people. They have shamanistic abilities, strength, and intelligence. They were always defeated by a hero with great spiritual power. Stories of these creatures are considered myth rather than history.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Giants and Humanoids in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Miga/Migas
The Migas are large aquatic cryptids from the Congo. They are described as huge flat creatures with long tentacle-like protrusions. Sometimes it’s thought to have a head comparable to a gorgon. They’re thought to live in the upper waterways of the Congo River. Anything that gets too close to them is grabbed and pulled down to their lair. They are known to hide among rocks. They drain victims of blood and eat brains from infants. Some theorized identities of these creatures are freshwater octopus, drastically warped stories of manatees, or giant catfish.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Rose, Carol. Giants Monsters and Dragons: An Encyclopedia Of Folklore Legend And Myth. United Kingdom, WW Norton, 2001.
Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002.
Milosnice/Merciful
The Milosnice is a creature of Slavic belief specifically from Serbia. They are thought to be invisible beings that bring disease. Though often invisible, they sometimes take the form of women dressed all in black. They may work alone but have also been known to work in groups to cause even worse disease. In some places it was believed they possessed people to cause illness while other times they spread disease by poisoning food or the air. It was often believed that every Milosnice carried one specific disease that they spread. If an outbreak began, the Milosnice responsible could be stopped by lighting fires at crossroads and the entrances to the village. Often times offering gifts to the Milosnice was said to appease them.
Citations:
Zlatic, Vladimir. Slavic Mythology: Demons in Serbian Folklore. N.p., Amazon Digital Services LLC – KDP Print US, 2021.
Mjertovjec
The Mjertovjec is an undead creature from the myths of Belarus. They have the features of vampires, werewolves, and witches, and are created when a werewolf or a witch dies. They may be the ghost of someone who cursed their father during church service. They are described as having purple faces. One could also become a Mjertovjec if they committed heresy, abandoned their faith, or committed crimes against God. They feed on human flesh and blood, hunting only at night. Mjertovjec can be destroyed by sprinkling poppy seeds on the road between their grave and their former house. They could also be killed by driving a nail into their coffin.
Citations:
Bennett, Adelaide. Global Legends and Lore: Vampires and Werewolves Around the World. United States, Mason Crest, 2015.
Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
Mlokowy Smij
The Mlokowy Smij is a form of dragon from Lithuanian myth. They are good-natured and give milk to those they like, often women of high status.
Citations:
Grimm, Jacob. Teutonic Mythology. United Kingdom, George Bell, 1883.
MacKenzie, Shawn. Dragons for Beginners: Ancient Creatures in a Modern World. United States, Llewellyn Worldwide, Limited, 2012.
Mòkìlà/Mòkèlàkèlà
The Mòkìlà is a strange creature that comes from the Baka people of Cameroon. They are a sort of therianthropic creature being a person capable of turning into an elephant. When in their animal form, they are indistinguishable from normal elephants to the untrained eye. Their face and body odor however is often still distinctly human. They could also be recognized by the fact they have shallower footprints than regular elephants, and that they aren’t with other elephants. Killing a Mòkìlà elephant is considered murder since they are people. Some think when a Mòkìlà dies, it leaves behind a single human corpse. Some however believed that when a Mòkìlà dies it leaves two corpses, one human and one elephant. With this interpretation, the human corpse simply flies out of the elephant corpse, and sometimes runs to tell others where it died and where to find its body. People killed by Mòkìlà have wounds similar to knife wounds, and they only kill hunters who had wrongly killed Mòkìlà before. Women and children would sometimes be taken from villages and taught the secrets of Mòkìlà shapeshifting and would then remain willingly.
Citations:
Natural Enemies: People-Wildlife Conflicts in Anthropological Perspective. N.p., Taylor & Francis, 2013.
Moorundi Water Spirit
The Moorundi Water Spirit is an unnamed creature from the myths of the Moorundi people of Australia by the Murray River. This bizarre creature is sometimes related to stories of the Bunyip. The creature is dreaded by the local people and appears frequently. Despite the frequency of its appearances, it was supposedly difficult to describe, with the closest comparison being to a giant starfish. The story of this creature was documented by a naturalist named George French Angas in 1847.
Citations:
Angas, George French. Savage Life and Scenes in Australia and New Zealand: Being an Artist’s Impressions of Countries and People at the Antipodes. United Kingdom, Reed, 1847.
Journal of Religious Psychology. United States, L.N. Wilson, 1912.
Redfern, Nick. The Monster Book: Creatures, Beasts and Fiends of Nature. United Kingdom, Visible Ink Press, 2016.
Redfern, Nick. Monsters of the Deep. United States, Visible Ink Press, 2020.
Wood, John George. The Uncivilized Races, Or, Natural History of Man: With the Addition of a … Descriptio of the Races of Alaska and Siberia. United States, n.p, 1870.
Mu Pitz/Piamupits
Mu Pitz is a cannibalistic monster, possibly fitting the category of Cannibal Giant. It comes from the Comanche people, largely from Texas. Sometimes it is seen as a cave dwelling ogre, but other times it is believed to be a giant owl person. It liked to prey on humans and mostly children, and was often seen as an evil spirit who served as a bogeyman figure. It stood twelve feet tall, and was covered in hair and wasn’t actually fully an evil force but rather a big dangerous creature that in a way represented the balance of nature.
Citations:
Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002.
Mayor, Adrienne. Fossil Legends of the First Americans. United States, Princeton University Press, 2013.
Mugharribun
The Mugharribun are a form of being from Islamic belief. They are though to be children born as hybrids of humans and Djinn. They were defined by the Prophet Muhammad as “those in whom is the strain of the Djinn.”
Citations:
Ansari, Moiz. Islam and the Paranormal. IUniverse, 2006.
Grandy, David, et al. Magic, Mystery, and Science: The Occult in Western Civilization. United States, Indiana University Press, 2004.
Murung River Bear
The Murung River Bear is a cryptid reported from the Murung River in Borneo, Indonesia. They are described as bear-like creatures that gather along the river once a year to feed on berries, while otherwise they live in the jungle. They can swim and have been known to attack boats and claw humans to death.
Citations:
Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002.
Mutated Martian Ants
The Mutated Martian Antas are creatures that supposedly live on the surface of Mars and in rocky caves. They walk semi-erect on back feet, stand at four feet tall, and have less than human intelligence. They were initially regular ants but became mutated by an atomic experiment. They were recounted by Ernest Norman who said he visited Mars. The Martians went to war with them due to their being too many of them that were really big.
Citations:
Callahan, Timothy D., a nd Prothero, Donald R.. UFOs, Chemtrails, and Aliens: What Science Says. United States, Indiana University Press, 2017.