Eastern Folklore

Kapre

카프레

Also: Agta

Kapre is a giant of Philippine mythology — tall (seven to nine feet), dark-skinned, hairy, and muscular — said to inhabit large trees such as acacias, mangoes, and banyans.

It is best known for smoking tobacco or a cigar while perched on a branch, wearing a bahag loincloth, giving off a strong body odor, and disorienting travelers. Its modern image evolved from prejudiced colonial-era portrayals of the Negrito peoples.

Wikipedia: Kapre.

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