When Indonesian Ghosts Enter Public Life

Introduction

Indonesia’s best-known ghost stories do more than frighten audiences. Figures such as the pocong and the kuntilanak have become part of everyday public life, appearing not only in folklore and horror films but also in public-health campaigns, neighbourhood humour and discussions about social behaviour. Their importance lies less in whether anyone believes they literally exist than in the way familiar supernatural imagery can shape real-world decisions.

This blending of folklore with practical life is unusual even within Southeast Asia. A ghost wrapped in a burial shroud has been used to encourage people to obey pandemic restrictions, while the image of a ghostly woman has evolved from local river and village legends into one of Indonesian cinema’s defining horror icons. These examples show how traditional ghost stories remain adaptable, carrying messages about danger, morality and community responsibility into the modern age.

Pocong patrols during COVID

Perhaps the clearest example of folklore becoming a public intervention came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In Kepuh village, Central Java, youth volunteers dressed as pocong—ghosts traditionally depicted as corpses wrapped in white burial shrouds—and patrolled the streets after dark. Their goal was simple: frighten residents into staying indoors and discourage evening gatherings while the coronavirus spread.[Reuters]reuters.comGhosts' scare Indonesians indoors and away fromReuters'Ghosts' scare Indonesians indoors and away from…April 13, 2020 — 12 Apr 2020 — The village on Java island has deployed a cast…Published: April 13, 2020

The approach reflected a practical understanding of local culture. Rather than relying solely on official instructions, village leaders and youth organisations used a figure already embedded in popular imagination. According to organisers interviewed by Reuters, the idea was to create a stronger psychological deterrent because almost everyone recognised the character immediately. Early patrols actually attracted curious spectators, but organisers adapted by making surprise appearances instead, after which local residents reported quieter streets and fewer people lingering outside after evening prayers.[Reuters]reuters.comGhosts' scare Indonesians indoors and away fromReuters'Ghosts' scare Indonesians indoors and away from…April 13, 2020 — 12 Apr 2020 — The village on Java island has deployed a cast…Published: April 13, 2020

The episode attracted worldwide attention because it illustrated an important point about folklore. Ghost imagery was not replacing science or medical advice; instead, it became an informal communication tool supporting public-health measures at community level. It was a striking example of cultural symbolism being deployed alongside modern policy rather than against it.[Reuters]reuters.comGhosts' scare Indonesians indoors and away fromReuters'Ghosts' scare Indonesians indoors and away from…April 13, 2020 — 12 Apr 2020 — The village on Java island has deployed a cast…Published: April 13, 2020

Kuntilanak from river legend to horror icon

If the pocong represents death made visible, the kuntilanak has become Indonesia’s defining supernatural woman. Traditionally portrayed as a pale woman in white with long black hair, the ghost appears in many regional legends associated with lonely roads, rivers, trees and abandoned places. Different traditions explain her origins differently, but almost all present her as a tragic or vengeful spirit whose appearance warns of danger rather than offering simple entertainment.[Wikipedia]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org.

Modern Indonesian cinema transformed this traditional figure into a cultural superstar. Beginning with earlier films in the 1960s and 1970s and accelerating after the revival of Indonesian horror in the 2000s, the kuntilanak became a recurring screen villain whose appearance was instantly recognisable. Entire film series were built around the character, while later productions reinterpreted the legend for new audiences without abandoning its folkloric roots.[Wikipedia]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org.

The transition from oral legend to commercial entertainment also changed the ghost’s meaning. On screen, the kuntilanak often combines fear with themes of injustice, revenge and unresolved trauma. Film scholars have argued that Indonesian horror after the fall of the New Order government increasingly used supernatural stories to explore broader social anxieties rather than merely delivering scares. In that sense, familiar ghosts became symbols through which filmmakers could discuss violence, family tensions and historical memory.[Wikipedia]WikipediaIndonesian horrorIndonesian horror

Why ghost imagery still changes behaviour

The continuing influence of Indonesian ghost imagery is not simply about belief in the supernatural. These stories work because they provide familiar cultural shortcuts for communicating risk.

Several features help explain their persistence:

This flexibility allows the same characters to appear in children’s stories, blockbuster horror films, Halloween-style attractions, internet jokes and serious public messaging without losing their recognisable identity.

Between folklore and belief

It would be misleading to suggest that Indonesians share a single view of these ghosts. Beliefs vary widely by region, religion, generation and personal experience. For some people, the pocong and kuntilanak remain genuine supernatural possibilities. Others see them as inherited folklore, psychological stories or simply popular fictional characters.

Researchers studying folklore generally approach these figures as cultural traditions rather than evidence for paranormal phenomena. Their historical importance lies in how communities use supernatural narratives to express fears about death, childbirth, isolation, disease and social order. Horror filmmakers then reinterpret those same traditions for commercial audiences, often amplifying familiar visual motifs while adapting them to contemporary concerns.[Wikipedia]WikipediaIndonesian horrorIndonesian horror

The COVID-19 patrols demonstrated that these traditions remain socially powerful even when nobody involved claims that ghosts are real. Volunteers deliberately performed as fictional apparitions because they understood that the image itself carried emotional weight. The effectiveness of the tactic depended not on proving the supernatural but on the enduring cultural life of Indonesian ghost stories.[Reuters]reuters.comGhosts' scare Indonesians indoors and away fromReuters'Ghosts' scare Indonesians indoors and away from…April 13, 2020 — 12 Apr 2020 — The village on Java island has deployed a cast…Published: April 13, 2020

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Endnotes

1. Source: reuters.com
Title: ‘Ghosts’ scare Indonesians indoors and away from
Link:https://www.reuters.com/article/world/ghosts-scare-indonesians-indoors-and-away-from-coronavirus-idUSKCN21V0EC/

Published: April 13, 2020

2. Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuntilanak

3. Source: Wikipedia
Title: Ghosts in Malay culture
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghosts_in_Malay_culture

4. Source: Wikipedia
Title: Indonesian horror
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_horror

5. Source: reutersconnect.com
Title: d GFn On Jld XRlcn Mu Y29t LDIw Mj A6bm V3c21s X1ZBQzl CT1VPNw
Link:https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/ghost-volunteers-scare-indonesians-into-staying-home/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjA6bmV3c21sX1ZBQzlCT1VPNw

Additional References

6. Source: english.alarabiya.net
Title: Coronavirus Ghosts patrol streets in Indonesia to keep people indoors
Link:https://english.alarabiya.net/coronavirus/2020/04/13/Coronavirus-Ghosts-patrol-streets-in-Indonesia-to-keep-people-indoors

7. Source: facebook.com
Title: Indonesia’s latest viral scare: Fake ghosts!
Link:https://www.facebook.com/abcnews.au/posts/indonesias-latest-viral-scare-fake-ghosts-people-dressed-as-pocong-a-corpse-wrap/1594706165343981/

8. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/QatarDay/posts/a-village-in-indonesia-has-deployed-ghosts-to-patrol-the-streets-and-scare-peopl/900227623752764/

9. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/DreadCentral/posts/safety-measures-got-some-supernatural-enforcement-in-indonesia-where-volunteers-/10158509307919170/

10. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/kuwait.upto.date/posts/indonesian-village-uses-ghosts-to-scare-people-into-staying-home/2978694462186994/

11. Source: youtube.com
Title: ‘Ghosts’ Haunt the Streets to Scare People Into Quarantine
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc37TOw3DAA

12. Source: youtube.com
Title: ‘Ghosts’ scare Indonesians indoors and away from Covid-19
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKtS7nIQ9jM

13. Source: youtube.com
Title: Indonesian village uses “ghosts” to scare people into staying home
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7NaxvAmpzA

14. Source: youtube.com
Title: Indonesians Dress As Ghosts To ‘Scare’ Residents Into Staying Home
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAXxnFHXzvY

15. Source: youtube.com
Title: The Complete Legend of Pocong Indonesia’s Most Terrifying Ghost Explained
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o01ARNb65HI