Siyokoy (Philippine mythology)

In Philippine mythology, a siyokoy (also shokoy, syokoy or siokoy) is an aquatic humanoid creature often described as having scales, webbed limbs, and fins. Most legends characterise siyokoy as hostile to humans, and are said to drown individuals.^[1][2]

Siyokoy

Creature information
Similar entities	Kataw, Merman
Origin
Region	Philippines

While siyokoy are often likened to the Western mermaid due to the Philippines' colonial history, its name suggests a Chinese origin. This is highly plausible given Chinese records of indigenous polities in what is now the Philippines dates to at least 982 AD,^[2][3][4] several centuries before Europe’s Age of Discovery.

Etymology

The term siyokoy came from the Hokkien shui gui.^[5] In Chinese folklore, shui gui are the restless spirits of drowned people, who drag unsuspecting victims underwater and drown them in order to possess their bodies.

Defining characteristics

Compared to sirena and kataw that have more human features, siyokoys are animalistic in form and structure.^[6]

The Syokoy is a creature from Filipino mythology that looks like a scary version of a merman. Unlike mermaids that have fish tails, the Syokoy has legs like a human, so it can move both in water and on land. Its body is usually shown as strong and green, covered in slimy scales to match its life underwater. It has a grotesque and creepy face with big, bulging eyes and sharp teeth, making it look like a predator. Its hands and feet are webbed, which helps it swim fast, and it might have gills on its neck to breathe underwater.^[7] People believe the Syokoy lives deep in the ocean or lakes, and it’s known for being dangerous and strong, and is often seen as a symbol of the hidden threats in deep water.^[2][6][7]

In popular culture

The Siyokoy has appeared in various forms of Filipino media and television. An episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho a Philippine television news magazine show, featured a creature referred to as a Shokoy by locals in Surigao del Sur. The being was sighted in a river and was locally nicknamed Bantay Tubig ("Water Guardian").^[8][9]

The Siyokoy also appeared in the fantasy anthology series Wansapanataym, in an episode titled "Cocoy Shokoy" featuring actor Paolo Avelino portraying the creature.^[10][11][12]