Being Kidnapped by an Engkanto

Engkantos, more commonly known as fairies in other parts of the world, are known by Filipinos to be whimsical and mischievous. When in a bad mood, they are said to inflict diseases and madness upon a human target and are held by some folks to be the cause of an unknown sickness being suffered by an otherwise healthy individual.

However, the most unsettling stories about engkantos are their penchant for kidnapping a human they are smitten with and then bringing their abductee into their realm. Accounts of being abducted by an engkanto are numerous across the archipelago and persists even in urban areas.

Although the belief in engkantos may have originated with our ancestors, a Jesuit named Francisco Demetrio also theorized that the fair-skinned engkantos actually were metaphors for Spanish friars who abducted and abused Filipina women.