The Banaspati is a mysterious entity sighted in many villages across Indonesia since ancient times. This entity is described as a humanoid with red skin and sharp horns - quite similar to Satan in Western culture. In many stories it was also described as a skull with fireballs hovering around it - this type is also called a kemamang. They can also appear as floating fire.
It is known to appear in dark places (forests or fields), where it scares away passing people, and it is believed that the Banaspati feeds on the anger and emotions of its victims. The Banaspati is believed to live in a tree and appear unexpectedly in front of passing travelers or locals. In some Indonesian villages it is not uncommon for the local farmers to work all night and return to their homes when the dark starts to fade. At this time a lot of Banaspati sightings are reported.
The Banaspati is a dangerous entity because it can spout fireballs and burns everything surrounding it. People who meet the Banaspati must run away to the closest mushalla (small mosque) and pray while still running. There are also people who believe Banaspati sightings are a result of santet (harmful magic) sent by a human to harm other people.
Banaspati sightings were never reported to the mass media, but through word of mouth stories or personal experiences. Until nowadays sightings of the dangerous Banaspati are still reported.
Sightings[]
Below are some Banaspati sightings on Youtube. Most of them were live-streamed.