Pocong is a Javanese ghost that is said to be the soul of a dead person trapped in their shroud. Known in Indonesian as kain kafan, the shroud is the prescribed length of cloth used in Muslim burials to wrap the body of the dead person. The dead body is covered in white fabric tied over the head, under the feet, and on the neck.
According to traditional beliefs, the soul of a dead person will stay on the Earth for 40 days after the death. If the ties over the shroud are not released after 40 days, the body is said to jump out from the grave to warn people that the soul needs to be released. Once the ties are released, the soul will leave the Earth permanently.
Physical appearance[]
Pocongs come in all shapes and sizes, depending on not only the physical appearance of the deceased at the time of death, but also on the state of the corpse's decomposition as well. The pocong of a person who has been dead for years would be more skeletal in appearance, whereas the pocong of a recently deceased person would retain a fair resemblance to his or her former self, save for some minor decomposition. Typically, a 'fresh' pocong is described as having a pale face and wide open eyes. Multiple sources mentioned a pocong with dark face and glowing red eyes, a decayed pocong with white featureless eye, and a flat-faced pocong with empty eye sockets. Although popular culture often depicts pocongs hopping like rabbits due to the tie under their feet rendering the ghosts unable to walk, genuine pocongs are said to move around by floating above the ground. This is the distinction that people tend to look out for when they encounter a 'pocong' in the wild.
Behavior[]
Since not all pocongs are the same, it is difficult to pinpoint a specific trait of all pocong's. Some pocongs may show themselves in front of people to relay messages or ask for prayers with no intention to cause harm whatsoever. At the same time, others may not be so docile, actively taking pleasure in frightening people with their grotesque looks. Still, in the main, their behaviors are mostly unpredictable, and people are encouraged not think of them as allies, but rather as supernatural dangers to be treated with caution.
Pocong's may form colonies, which could number from a few dozens to a few thousands ghosts for each colony. Despite of this, judging from anecdotal records, most sightings of pocong indicate a "lone wolf" style attack, meaning they tend to act independently. It is rare for pocongs to work in pairs or in groups to harass humans.
As pocong's are not bound to the physical world like humans are, they can move freely through solid objects. They have also been observed to teleport almost instantly from one place to another. They are found practically anywhere, from their final resting places to their former homes. However, banana trees seem to be their preferred spot, it is not uncommon for someone to find a small colony of pocongs happily gathering near or around banana trees.