Black Horse

The Headless Spirit of Pulau

In short: On Pitcairn, people heading home after dark are warned about a headless spirit behind banana leaves.

The Headless Spirit of Pulau · Hanging banana leaves FAIRY TALE ATLAS · № 272 The Headless Spirit of Pulau On Pitcairn, people heading home after dark are warned about a headless spirit behind banana leaves. Origin Pitcairn · Pulau area, approximate location Atlas record 1999 First appearance Exact date unknown SIGNATURE MOTIF Hanging banana leaves Reach¹ 1/10 Suggested age² 8+ Member rating No votes yet 1 records · 1 countries or regions blackhorsestories.com

¹ Based on the number of Atlas countries, capped at 10. ² Editorial suggestion for reading this page. Discover Black Horse’s question

Origin and tradition

Pitcairn · Pulau area, approximate location

Martin Gibbs and David Roe heard the warning while leaving a gathering near Pulau in 1999. An islander later distinguished the headless spirit from ghosts of the dead. In her account, this being had never been human. The warning is rooted in an ordinary landscape. A descent into a valley and hanging banana leaves tell listeners where to imagine it.

Dated records and sources

  1. 1999 · Pitcairn · Pulau area, approximate location
    Martin Gibbs / David Roe · Australian Folklore 31 (2016), p. 187 · 1999 fieldwork · Field documentation

Country pages

Fairy Tale Glossary

Origin
Black Horse. The Headless Spirit of Pulau. https://blackhorsestories.com/en/atlas-tale-pitcairn-no-head/