"Aliens" in the Mexican Congress versus Jenglot Indonesia

After an audience with the United States Congress in July 2023, flying saucer enthusiasts once again had an audience with the Mexican Congress in mid-September 2023. The difference this time was that they displayed two "creature" bodies claimed to be alien. Instead of receiving support, the action actually sparked a lot of criticism.

"We are not alone (in this universe)," said Mexican journalist and avid UFO enthusiast, José Jaime Maussan, during a discussion with members of the Mexican parliament in Mexico City on Tuesday (12/9/2023).

Flying saucer is actually an old term used to refer to an unidentified flying object (UFO) or in Spanish it is called objeto volador no identificado (OVNI). However, the United States Department of Defense which investigated this object called it an unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP) or fenómenos anómalos no identificados (FANI).

I am disgusted because there are people (brave enough) to degrade the dignity of a deceased human body.

In his claim, Maussan asserted that the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test of the creature was not human. However, he also did not want to hastily refer to it as an extraterrestrial being. Nevertheless, he also emphasized that the "creature" exhibited had no relation to humans or is not related to life on Earth.

The lack of connection between the "creatures" and humans, as quoted from Reuters on Thursday (14/9/2023), was also conveyed by the scientific director of the Mexican Navy health agency, Jose de Jesus Zalce Benitez. This conclusion was drawn after they conducted a second examination of the "creatures" using X-rays, three-dimensional reconstruction, and DNA analysis.

Two "alien" bodies have round faces, bulging backs of the head, bone-like bodies wrapped in skin, and three fingers on each hand. The creatures found near the Nazca geoglyphs in Peru in 2017 were several centimeters long. Geoglyphs are lines or motifs on the ground or rock that can only be seen from above.

Maussan also claimed that carbon dating analysis of the creature from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) showed that its age was around 1,000 years old. However, UNAM also released a statement on Thursday (14/9/2023) stating that the Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry with Accelerator (LEMA) only determined the age of the sample, and did not explain its origin.

Although members of Congress are trying to accommodate and encourage more open discussions about UAP or FANI, the emergence of two alien bodies claimed to be of extraterrestrial origin has instead sparked harsh criticisms from many parties.

This is not the first time Maussan has mentioned alien remains. When several mummies were found in Peru in 2017, he also claimed to have found alien remains. However, it is unclear whether the alien remains referred to in 2017 are the same as those displayed in front of Congress because the alien remains were not shown before.

Not alien ancestors

Report from the prosecutor's office in Peru, as quoted by AP on Thursday, September 14, 2023, shows that the alleged alien body was only a newly made doll. To create wrinkled skin, they used a mixture of paper and synthetic glue. The figure claimed to be an alien is also confirmed to be a human-made fabrication, not the remains of an alien ancestor.

The appearance of the mummified ancestors of the Peruvian people before the arrival of the Spanish in the country was also shown on a television program in early 2018. In the program, some of the mummies were claimed to have only three fingers on each hand, and were therefore considered as aliens. Please note that the list of forbidden words does not apply to this article.

Also read: Are we ready to meet aliens?

However, the "alien" mummy discovered in 2017 was suspected by many parties because it had many oddities. The mummy's body parts look genuine, but in fact the mummy has been manipulated. Professor of anthropology at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, Andrew Nelson, told Livescience, March 17 2018, that there was a white coating on several parts of the mummy's body to cover up the manipulation carried out.

Several other researchers also believe the same thing. Scammers use the body of a real human mummy, but rearrange its parts to form an "alien" mummy as shown. Researcher in Peru have condemned this practice for going against norms and ethics.

The mummies that are the building blocks for "aliens" are thought to have been obtained from a group of "huaqueros" or thieves of archaeological objects who are found in the Nazca region, Peru. Maussan said, to take samples, take X-rays and scan the computed tomography (CT-scan) of the "alien" body, the team paid a certain amount of money to "Mario" or the leader of the "Huaqueros".

The analysis of the "alien" mummy study has been widely featured on several websites that discuss aliens. The main researcher of the study, Konstantin Korotkov, who claims to be from the National Research University in St. Petersburg, Russia, stated that these mummies have 23 pairs of chromosomes, just like humans, but their anatomy does not resemble that of humans.

"They (the mummies) could be extraterrestrials or biorobots," he told RT (formerly Russia Today). However, the truth of Korotkov's affiliation cannot be confirmed. Therefore, the validity of this study is also doubtful.

The presence of manipulated mummies or difficult-to-confirm studies actually lowers the dignity of UFO enthusiasts who want to prove the existence of such objects scientifically. "I am disgusted that there are people who dare to demean the dignity of the human body that has passed away," said the Professor of Forensic Science at Cayetano Heredia University in Peru.

Also read: UFO Remains Unsolved

The public's fascination with UFOs is actually being accommodated by the US Congress, the Mexican Congress, or the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). However, the use of manipulative methods that are not based on proper scientific processes actually undermines the credibility of those who believe in UFOs.

"To determine whether an object that is suspected to be classified as 'non-human' requires more sophisticated technology than just X-rays," said Julieta Fierro, a researcher at the UNAM Institute of Astronomy, who also denied that UNAM researchers supported their claims about aliens. Skepticism should always be emphasized when studying UFOs."

The US Department of Defense as well as NASA have made changes in their communication regarding the issue of UFOs. Especially since this issue has been circulating in society for a long time without any certainty about the answers. Not to mention many testimonies of UFO or UAP sightings coming from military personnel on duty.

Since 2022, NASA has formed an independent team to investigate UAP. The initial results were announced on Thursday (14/9/2023). ”There is still a lot to learn. The independent team found no evidence that UAP came from outer space. "We also don't know what (what is reported as) UAP is," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, quoted from Space.

Also read: Wanting to break various myths, NASA participates in researching UFOs

Now, NASA has also formed a special division that studies UAPs to be able to answer the public's curiosity about them. However, the process of proving that there are fellow humans sharing the universe should still prioritize scientific principles.

Jenglot

When netizens around the world criticized the mummy that was engineered to look like an "alien", netizens in Indonesia instead compared the "alien" to the jenglot, a mystical creature that was popular in Indonesia and Malaysia in the late 1990s to early 2000s. Nowadays, jenglots can still be found in certain areas.

In the late 1990s, a number of jenglot exhibitions took place in several big cities. As written by Kompas, September 28 1997, jenglot was exhibited at Plaza Sentra Buana, Jakarta, in an exhibition of "heirloom objects" plus alternative medical practices and consultations with several paranormals.

Despite the fact that jenglot gained widespread attention in the late 1990s, Moh Rosyid, a professor of history and culture at the State Islamic Institute of Kudus, Central Java, believes that jenglot existed long before then. On Friday (15/9/2023), he expressed this belief.

For a long time, jenglot has been used as a means or medium in the practice of magic, whether it be for cursing, seeking wealth through supernatural means, or attacking others through the invisible realm. Jenglot represents the personification of a human who possesses intentions, behaviors, or conducts magical practices that are considered negative.

"Jenglot is just one of the chosen tools of the shaman to be used as a magical medium. In truth, shamans have various media that can be used to achieve their goals," he said. In addition, since the inheritance of supernatural knowledge relies heavily on the guru figure, the use of jenglot by the shaman also greatly depends on the medium introduced by the shaman's guru."

Also read: Objects similar to jenglots are sold in the Madura Strait

In the context of ritual ceremonies, continued Rosyid, the jenglot is often used by shamans as a substitute for tuyul spirits which are considered troublesome during treatment. Some of these shamans exploit this situation by deceiving or tricking their clients with promises of jenglot spirits. However, it is important to note that certain words such as PBB, PKS, and PPP must be left untranslated as they hold specific meanings in the Indonesian language.

"When receiving clients, for a dukun (traditional healer), the most important thing is to fulfill the needs and preferences of the consumer. Whether or not it is successful, there is no guarantee from the dukun, just like healthcare services. There is speculation within it," said Rosyid.

Because of this, several cases of jenglot fraud often occur, especially related to pesugihan. One of them was written by Kompas Central Java edition, February 26 2008, which stated that jenglot was used by shamans to show the location of hidden treasures. If the jenglot's knee is touched, the jenglot's red eyes will come to life and blink. The flashes indicate the location of the treasure. In fact, the jenglot's red color and blinking eyes are powered by batteries.

Nevertheless, many people still consider jenglot as a mythical creature. In addition to its terrifying appearance, size, and form, various mystical stories also often accompany the existence of jenglots.

Quoted from the book Enigma 2: Revealing the Most Phenomenal Mysterious Facts in the World (2014) written by Sam, jenglot is the incarnation of a powerful person in the past who studied the science of eternal life, aka the science of the god of coral. When he died, he was cursed forever because of the black magic he had learned.

The curse caused his body to deform, shrink and become mummified. Its eyes can rotate like a living creature, even glowing red. However, his hair, teeth and nails continued to grow and get longer. In fact, even though they are dead, jenglots still demand food regularly.

Although they both have mystical stories like other horror creatures, the difference is that jenglot has a form that can be consciously seen by many people and its body can be touched. Therefore, a scientific testing process to determine what creature jenglot actually is should be possible.

See also: Exploring the Phenomenon of Shamans in Indonesia

In the book, it is written that a forensics team from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital-Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Jakarta, consisting of Budi Sampurna, Djaja Surya Atmadja, and other specialist doctors, once examined a jenglot belonging to a collector on September 25, 1997.

At that time, the team of doctors took X-rays and performed a computed tomography scan (CT scan) to determine the jenglot's bone structure and photograph other parts of the body. They also examined a number of basic ingredients that make up living things, such as the element carbon and a number of protein compounds. The team also took a bit of jenglot skin or flesh along with a strand of hair. However, the owner refused to have his jenglot dissected because he was afraid it would damage it.

As a result, jenglot does not have a bone structure like humans do. Inside its body, there is only a supporting structure from the head to the body. Not only that, the main characteristic of living creatures is to eat and breathe. However, jenglot does not have a heart, lungs, and other vital organs of other living creatures.

Meanwhile, the results of the skin examination show that the jenglot has human DNA characteristics. However, the detection of human-like DNA is thought to come from human blood smears considering the jenglot is regularly fed with blood and certain perfumes. From various examinations, the jenglot is suspected to be nothing more than a human-made object, not a human turned small.

Another study was carried out by Zainuddin Zafarina and Sundararajulu Panneerchelvam from the forensic science program of the University Sains Malaysia and published in The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, July 2009. They observed a jenglot found in Papua, Indonesia, in 1972, which brought by a Malaysian businessman.

The examined hair sample of a jenglot showed that the hair came from a human. The jenglot hair also had roots, indicating that the hairs were manually planted on the jenglot's head, rather than growing naturally.

Also read: Shamanism that Crosses the Ages

From the examination conducted using both microscopic and molecular techniques, the result showed that jenglot is not categorized as a rare species. That is correct, it is not classified as a rare animal because in modern science's point of view, the study of jenglot falls into the field of cryptozoology or a branch of zoology that studies mythological or folklore creatures whose existence cannot yet be proven.

Animals whose existence is uncertain, or otherwise known as cryptids, include the yeti, Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, and mermaids. Their unique forms classify the jenglot as a cryptid as well. However, cryptozoology is considered a pseudoscience and is not recognized as a branch of zoology.

From two inspections in Indonesia and Malaysia and the study of the culture of jenglot, it is suspected that jenglots are merely artificial creatures. These dolls are made by shamans as a medium for performing negative magical acts.

Uncertainty

Both the alien exhibited in front of the Mexican Congress and the jenglot compared by Indonesian netizens actually have some similarities. Besides being human-made "creatures," a strong belief in the existence of these fictional beings generally strengthens during times of crisis, when social and economic conditions are unstable.

"When people feel isolated and frustrated, they tend to believe in conspiracy theories to make themselves feel better," said Karen Douglas, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, England, in an interview with the BBC on July 8, 2022.

However, as stated by a neuroscientist who is now the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Veterans National Development University, Jakarta, Taufiq Pasiak, as quoted by Kompas, 25 April 2020, the human brain is a trust-generating machine. "Humans create trust to provide a sense of security," he said.

Also read: Shamanism and Our Brains

People want to believe in the existence of aliens with all their assumptions of intelligence or jenglot with their various powers and magical abilities because they want to feel safe and secure in a situation that is full of uncertainty. Whether aliens or jenglots really exist and whether it can be scientifically proven or not is not the issue as long as that belief can provide them with certainty.