Mysteries of the Woods: The Kapre
The Philippine culture is ripe with an abundance of urban myths and legends that have been passed down from the earliest Filipinos to the present generation. Philippine mythology is composed of superstitions and tales of more than a hundred different ethnic groups, most of them originate from beliefs held during the pre-Hispanic era of the country. One of the most infamous stories is the legend of the Kapre.
“He is as tall as the tree beside which he stands,
His skin is rough, dark, and hairy.
He appears under a new moon and a soft shower.
He smokes a big cigar that doesn’t grow shorter.”
— The Creatures of Midnight, Maximo Ramos and Dani Reyes
If you find yourself wandering the Philippine jungle and you smell the scent of tobacco lingering in the air, see glowing embers by giant trees, or feel the eyes of an unseen entity trained on you at night, it may just be the Kapre or tree dweller.
The Kapre is believed to look like a hairy male giant that smokes a never-ending cigar. It is said that fireflies surrounding big trees are the glowing embers of its cigar. People report that they mostly reside in Balete and Acacia trees, both are indigenous to the Philippines and were considered sacred trees in ancient times. They are also said to be invisible to the naked eye because of an enchanted belt attached to the loincloth or bahag they wear.
It has long been debated whether the Kapre is a friendly beast or an evil entity. While some believe that they just play tricks on people and are harmless, according to Philippine mythology, they are lustful creatures that do whatever it takes to get a woman to like them. This is why there are accounts that report these creatures sexually abusing women when they are unconscious.
Many skeptics consider the legend of the Kapre as another figment of the Filipino imagination. However, over the years, there has been an increasing amount of civilian reports that claim to have encountered the infamous beast. One particular encounter that has been talked about for a number of years is the case of Mr. Brown. Brown is said to reside in the Balete tree at the Malacañang Palace, the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines, where it is believed that Brown has been since the American occupation in the country. Miguel Rubio, the Malacañang’s Chief of Protocol, Mr. Brown is known for playing harmless tricks on people, unless they send out greetings like “Good Morning, Mr. Brown” to avoid his teasing. The century-old tree has been declared by the Department of Natural Resources as a Heritage Tree and is still standing today.
