EXPLAINER: A chick placed on a coffin is believed to torment a killer until justice is served

A tiny yellow chick walks across a glass coffin, pecking at scattered grains while mourners pray for the dead. To an unfamiliar visitor, the sight may seem strange. But in certain Filipino communities, it carries a disturbing message: someone may have been murdered, and the family is demanding justice.

This funeral pamahiin involves placing a live chick, or sisiw, on the coffin of someone believed to have died through murder or foul play.

Pecking at the killer’s conscience

According to folklore, every peck of the chick symbolizes an attack on the murderer’s conscience. Its persistent chirping is believed to haunt the perpetrator, denying them peace until they confess or face punishment.

Some also believe the chick’s movements keep the victim’s spirit restless, symbolically demanding justice.

Rooted in ancient beliefs

The custom is sometimes associated with older Filipino animistic traditions involving spirits, animals, and rituals for the dead.

However, its precise origin remains undocumented, and claims linking the practice directly to pre-colonial rituals have not been conclusively established.

The superstition has been reported in different communities, including parts of Luzon and the Visayas.

A symbol of unresolved injustice

Beyond its supernatural meaning, the chick represents a grieving family’s refusal to let a violent death go unanswered.

There is no scientific evidence that the ritual influences a perpetrator’s conscience or helps solve crimes.

But for families seeking accountability, the tiny creature becomes a powerful symbol of grief, anger, and the enduring demand for justice.