By Katie Manuel
While the dwende could be considered the counterpart to the Western world's dwarves, they are hardly similar to the creatures from the German tale of Snow White. Much like humans, some dwendes are more personable than others -- though tales of the dwende report them being an amicable, helpful supernatural force, just as many also report them as mischievous and dangerous. In both cases, they are known to be extremely territorial of their homes in the Philippines' natural landscapes, and capable of inflicting mysterious curses on humans that disrespect their property.
Similarly to their Western equivalents, they are characterized by their short stature, though descriptions of their perceived age vary -- some tales depict them as looking like elderly men, while others may depict them as younger.
According to some sources, dwendes come in different colors that may correspond to their personal alignments. For example, the black dwende, or itim na dwende, is known for its evil nature, while the white dwende, or putting dwende, is famously kind towards humans. Dwende of any color (including red, purple, blue, and the like) may be anywhere between these two extreme forms of good and evil. To the Ifugao tribe specifically, the duwende is seen as a helpful force allowing more bountiful yields to farmers who present offerings.
These powerful beings are notorious throughout the islands for their potentially dangerous magical abilities, encouraging the Filipino people to properly care for nature and be conscious of where they step. As such, regardless of their alignment, it's important to treat these creatures with respect.
Read more about Rook the dwende and other Filipino folklore creatures in Stone by Whilce Portacio and Brian Haberlin on the HALO HALO app.