Archetypes of Evil: Illustrations of Society’s Collective Behavior

Abstract

This study ventures into the mysterious domain of Filipino folklore that shows the potency of oral traditions to project archetypes of evil that persist to mold the collective behavior of a group of people. This study investigated the oral tales of ?ungu? in rural Bohol, specifically in the towns of Inabanga, Calape, Loon, Maribojoc, and Cortes. This employed ethnographic fieldwork by interviewing mature native residents to recount these tales. Using the Jungian archetypal lens, six oral tales of ?ungu? were retrieved and analyzed for the hidden ethnic archetypes of evil, which reveal the ungu in different forms: bird, wild boar or pig, and wakwak. These archetypes reveal the following signified antecedents, including dependence on folk medicine, repulsion towards blood and deviant behavior, and protective instincts towards family and community members. These signified antecedents shape the Boholano psyche: the Boholano places importance on preserving and protecting life and the continuity of the Boholano society. This study provides an interpretive framework that sheds light on how oral narratives about a local monster may function as mechanisms for psychological and social stability within ethnic identities