Encounter Atlas
Orang bunian means roughly 'hidden people' or 'whistling people' in Malay. In Malaysian, Indonesian, Bruneian and Singaporean tradition they are beings almost identical to humans, often beautiful and dressed in old-fashioned Southeast Asian clothing, who are invisible to most people. Only those with 'spiritual sight' can see them. Some accounts say they have no groove above the upper lip.
They are said to live in deep forests and on high mountains in Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, in communities with families, clans and royalty much like human society. They are generally regarded as kindly and may help healers and shamans, but people entering their places should show respect and observe the right customs first.
Many stories tell of people who go missing in the forest and are said to have been taken in by the bunian, or of men who married bunian women and returned home to find that many years had passed. These tales are compared to Rip Van Winkle and the Japanese Urashima Tarō.
What witnesses report
- Faint music or voices deep in the forest
- Someone lost for days who says they were looked after
- Time passing strangely
- Whistling with no source
Famous cases
Seen the Orang Bunian?
Tell us what happened. Every report is read by a person before it goes on the map, and you can stay anonymous.
