FolkloreSomething Told · IndonesiaObscurity 1 of 7
Genderuwo
A spirit of Indonesian belief, described as having a jet-black body and large fangs. Its name traces back to the Sanskrit gandharva, and Kompas has reported the 2021 death of a child in Temanggung, suspected killed by parents who believed a genderuwo possessed the child, and a 2025 case in Banyumas where a man sexually abused a 14-year-old under the pretext of a ritual to drive out a genderuwo.
Before you read on. The belief has harmed children. In 2021 a child in Temanggung died, suspected killed by both parents, who believed a genderuwo possessed the child after an adviser urged a cleansing ritual (Kompas); in 2025 a man in Banyumas sexually abused a 14-year-old under the pretext of a ritual to drive out a genderuwo (Kompas).
19 May 20219 routes out →