Trick or Treat!It’s spooky time again. It’s the time of the year where you get experience the horror and thrill of Halloween. All the scary stories, whether it’s real or made up, people want it to hear. Especially here in the Philippines, myths and superstitious beliefs is always a part of our daily life.
During my early childhood, I usually watch scary movies and hear strange stories. Most of them are folk lore of supernatural creature endemic to the Philippines, like aswang, kapre, tikbalang, manananggal, tiyanak and many more. And for naughty kids who don’t want to sleep early, parents have this handy-dandy mumu. Mumu is a fictional entity used by Filipino parents to discipline their child. No kid has ever seen this creature; but from the gravity and tone of their mother, its sure is horrifying.
Although these are fictitious entity engineered to scare the lame Filipino kids, it’s a good way also of not excreting too much effort disciplining them. During this time of year, kids tend to go home earlier, just before it gets dark. Because they believed that the mumu is lurking somewhere and might eat them. And isn’t it funny, we all share these childhood memories, “Takot ako sa mumu!”
