INFANT SPIRITS IN SOUTHEAST ASIAN BELIEFS: A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF KUMANTHONG AND BAYI BAJANG

Abstract

This study examines the cultural meanings of infant spirits in Thai and Indonesian belief systems through the figures of Kumanthong and Bayi Bajang. Using a cross-cultural perspective, the research explores how both societies construct supernatural infant spirits within their respective religious, social, and mythological contexts. This study employs a qualitative descriptive method based on library research, drawing on anthropological studies, journal articles, and folklore documentation from Thailand and Indonesia. The findings reveal that infant spirits function not merely as mystical entities, but also as symbolic representations of human fear, hope, trauma, and the desire to control uncertainty. However, significant differences appear in terms of ritual practices, religious legitimacy, social acceptance, and moral interpretation. In Thailand, Kumanthong is culturally accepted as a protective and beneficial spirit within the framework of folk Buddhism, whereas Bayi Bajang in Indonesia is associated with moral transgression, pesugihan practices, and spiritual imbalance. This study demonstrates that mystical beliefs continue to survive in modern society because they fulfill emotional, psychological, and social needs that are not always addressed through rational systems.