In her debut novel The Shaman’s Circle, SW Jaafar highlights Southeast Asia’s rich tapestry of folklore by bridging legends, the occult realm, power and human desire through her characters
Living in Malaysia is akin to a vibrant mosaic — a vast and eclectic heritage inclusive of attributes that are distinctly Malaysian. For instance, it is rarer to come across someone who has not had a personal encounter with the unseen as opposed to one who has. The Southeast Asian region, in particular, is inherently “spookier” when compared to other corners of the globe. Here, belief in spirits is very much ingrained in cultural consciousness. This could be due to a myriad of reasons — remnants of animist beliefs and religious influences, just to name a couple.
Even if you have not chanced upon the other-worldly, it is hard to deny a good ghost story. Novelist SW Jaafar remarks that the demand for horror in Malaysia is incredibly high. “I feel that in our society, although we are practising Muslims, Buddhists or Christians, we still sort of want to know about the supernatural. We search, some even dabble in it,” she says.
A familiar figure within the local horrorscape, Sariah Wan Jaafar gained prominence with her breakthrough film Aku Haus Darah Mu (I Thirst for Your Blood) starring local thespians Deanna Yusoff, Nad Zainal, Sweet Qismina and Zoey Rahman. With more than 20 years in the media industry, SW has built a reputation around the type. “My production company does a lot of thrillers because there is such a demand for [the genre] here, and whenever we pitch it, it almost always gets greenlit.”
Despite not actually being a fan of the genre, the author felt inclined to craft a narrative within the scope, fascinated with its effect on the population and having faced a disturbance herself during her school days. “I was drawn to it because I feel it is something that is close to people. Almost everyone I know has had a supernatural encounter. So, it’s something that feels familiar and raises awareness.”
SW’s profession as a TV and film producer has taken her to various destinations, with work for a travel show bringing her to spectral sites across Nusantara. In 2016, her team visited Tana Toraja in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where they met a real-life bomoh (witch doctor) who could “wake the dead”. SW recounts the significance and scale of funerals in Tana Toraja, and how the bomoh successfully made the leg of the corpse move. Though she was not present at the scene herself, the crew along with her husband had caught it on camera. SW stresses that gifts from the spirit world always come with a price — “when you do something, it takes something from you”. This theme, sparked by the unique incident, was what inspired the idea for The Shaman’s Circle.
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The paperback can be found in all major bookstores, with its cover art designed by Roshfaizal Ariffin
Set between the late 19th and 20th centuries, the tale follows Minah, an orphaned shaman from Tana Toraja. In exchange for power, she makes a pact with a djinn named Siblis, promising to sacrifice someone she loves. She meets and marries Pong Marno, but in a tragic turn of events, he is murdered by a rival shaman in order to fulfil Minah’s bargain.
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Years later, a Malaysian woman named Julia who is desperate to conceive seeks Minah’s assistance. She is granted the gift of motherhood through a ritual act. As Julia gets entangled in ancient conflicts and dark sorcery, what began as a blessing develops into something sinister.
“My intention was to weave together various threads of Southeast Asian mysticism and folklore — not just to introduce these legends to foreigners but also to remind local audiences of their rich, often-overlooked mythology that exists in their own backyard,” states SW.
Minah is from Indonesia, while other shamans hail from different parts of the region. SW introduces entities such as the gluttonous krasue from Thailand infamous for having a severed, floating head; the shape-shifting aswang from the Philippines; and the vengeful wewe gombel from Indonesia who is said to kidnap children. Not forgetting the notorious local hantu — the insect-like spirit pelesit, the mischievous thieving goblin named toyol and the unrested pocong wrapped in white burial shroud.
SW admits that the lack of documentation and information, especially on beings outside Malaysia, made the research process challenging. Most of her sources came from oral lore, scholarships and discourses she engaged in during her excursions. She explains that many apparitions are misunderstood and dispelling myths through her story is another aim she wishes to achieve. To illustrate, many think that meeting a pocong means that you will die, but it is actually a portentous sign.
Published on July 30 by Penguin Random House SEA, SW had originally intended for the story to be a drama series, but plans fell through due to budgeting issues. Unfazed by the temporary setback, passion for the craft only strengthened SW’s resolve to put it out, regardless of form. “There was just something about this idea. Usually, I don’t have this nagging doubt with other ideas. Even if they get rejected, sometimes I think I could alter them a little bit, or rehash and turn them into something else. But with this one, I didn’t want to change it to appease stations.”
In comparison to TV, penning literature feels more personal for the new writer. “I don’t know what my readers or audience think because the ratings are not like shows. Whether you like the book or not, I wouldn’t really know unless told directly, like meeting someone who has read it.”
SW still hopes for the title to be adapted into a screenplay and is striving to turn the vision into reality. Recently, she attended the International Market of Communications Programmes (Mipcom) 2025 held at Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. The event acts as a marketplace for TV industry stakeholders and professionals, where programmes and formats can be bought and sold for international distribution. This year, Mipcom saw 10,600 delegates from 107 countries with most buyers hailing from the US, the UK, Germany, France and Spain.
To her readers, SW has these words of advice — to not dabble in black magic under any circumstances. “Ultimately, who do you believe in? Do you believe in your creator, or do you believe a man or woman can give you what you want? No matter how desperate you are, if something is not given to you, then it is not meant to be yours.”
