Pontianak is a female vampiric creature appearing in Malaysian and Indonesian mythology. Sometimes she is also called matianak or kuntilanak, or simply kunti. Pontianak also appears in legends from India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh, but under other names. It is said that pontianak are the ghosts of women who died while pregnant, and in Malaysia, there is even a city with this name (Pontianak). Here, it is said, a group of such vampires had made their home, later destroyed by the sultan at that time, named Syarif Abdurrahman Alkadrie.
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Pontianak are described as the apparitions of women with white, pale skin, long hair, and red eyes. They are dressed in blood-stained white dresses, but can take the form of attractive women when they wish to lure men, or bloodthirsty creatures when attacking a helpless person. It is said that the pontianak appears during a full moon, and her arrival is preceded by the cries of a child. If the sound is softer, then the vampire is near, and if it is loud, it means she is far away. Others believe that at night, when dogs howl, it means the pontianak is nearby, and when they whimper, she is very close. The appearance of this creature is preceded by a strong smell of plumeria flowers, followed immediately by the stench of a decaying corpse. In Indian folklore, she twists her feet backwards when she transforms into a vampire.
The beast chooses its victims by the smell of laundry left to dry outside, which she sniffs. This is why many Malaysians are careful not to leave any clothes out to dry at night. Once the victim is chosen, the pontianak attacks by ripping open their belly and devouring their internal organs. If the victim looks her in the face, the vampire will suck the eyes out of their head.
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Pontianak are associated with banana trees, as it is believed that during the day their spirit hides in the trunk of the trees.
To defend oneself from this creature, the victim—if they manage to do so—must drive a nail into the back of her neck. The pontianak will transform into an attractive woman and will even be a devoted and faithful wife to the one who drives the nail in, as long as the nail remains there; so it is said in Malaysian mythology. In Indonesian mythology, the nail must be driven into the crown of the head. Also in Indonesia, it is said that the pontianak can take the form of a black bird that feeds on the blood of virgins and young girls. Using black magic, Indonesian shamans can cast spells with the help of these birds, usually to afflict women with vaginal diseases, most often bleeding.
