Puaka (Puwaka/Puaki)

The Puaka is a fearsome demon from Dusun folklore, taking the form of a monstrous wild boar. Towering and broad, its body cloaked in bristles and jagged fur. Its pale, gleaming eyes cut through the jungle’s shadows like moonlight through mist.

Its most terrifying weapon is its tongue, razor sharp and swift. With a flick, it can peel bark from trees or skin from bone, leaving its victims' skeletons white and clean, like seashells scattered on the forest floor.

To flee is folly. The Puaka is not only fast and powerful, but also a skilled climber and strong swimmer. One misstep is all it needs to reach you before you are torn apart. So fast, you won’t even feel the pain, only a blur of red and then silence.

If its eyes meet yours, do not run. Stay still. It may lose interest, mistaking you for stone or tree. But if its curiosity stirs, your only hope is the river. Though it can swim, the Puaka despises filth on its fur and may pause to groom. Buying you precious seconds to escape..

The Puaka holds guardianship over its inhabitant water bodies, rivers, streams or lakes. Fiercely territorial, disturbing such places without proper respect or ritual can provoke its wrath.

My personal take is that the Puaka may be drawing inspiration from the two species of boar. Either the endemic 'Bornean bearded pig' (Sus barbatus) or the 'Wild Boar' (Sus scrofa), a non-native animal known as "wild boar" or "babi hutan" in Borneo.

However, whether the species is native is not always a reliable indicator that one specific species was employed as the primary source material. Given that both species are described as excellent swimmers, competent climbers, and root eaters, as well as having characteristically robust and bristly characteristics. I'm more inclined to assume that the 'Bornean bearded pig' is the primary source of inspiration, due to its much bigger size, which may certainly produce a threatening air. Especially since male Bornean bearded pigs are believed to be more territorial than Wild Boars.

Mirroring the traits of the genuine species on which they are based, such as wild boars being territorial to the bodies of water they visit and being quite violent if provoked. The folklore warns against disrupting these areas, such as clearing land or cutting trees near sacred sites, because doing so may enrage the Puaka and bring misfortune or harm to the offender and their community. This provides more insight into how spiritually respectful the community is, as well as a broader lesson about living in balance with nature and respecting the spiritual essence said to inhabit the environment.

The Puaka serves as a wonderful reflection on the community, warning to respect natural spaces and strive for harmony.

References

• Donald A., M. (1931) Myths from Melanesia and Indonesia. Gresham Pub. Co (2456). Page 253

• Vins, M. (2025) Scariest Pig on the Planet! (Bearded Pig of Borneo), YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mls7qIPppAs (Accessed: 11 July 2025).

• Rogers, A. (2016) Bearded pigs and wild boar, Borneo Post Online. Available at: https://www.theborneopost.com/2016/05/22/bearded-pigs-and-wild-boar/ (Accessed: 11 July 2025).

Stories passed down aren’t necessarily untrue.

Rather they are woven tales or warnings meant as teaching tools. Passing down cultural values, morality, or attempts at explaining phenomena to future generations. Reflecting the individuals who told the tale.

Tales are passed through fragments of a story. These collections are a compilation of an attempt to combine parts in order to present the most comprehensive story. Some descriptors may take minor creative liberties to highlight or emphasize what has already been said.