The hanitu is one of three domains of Bunun spiritual thought, another being isang, which equates more to the soul, breath, and heart.
In contrast to other religions and belief systems, multiple spirits can exist in one object/creature, as in the case of humans.
[4] [1] The land contained spirits before human habitation, and governed hunting, agriculture, and inhabitation.
The Bunun believed that each person had two spirits, one good/amicable/communal (masial) one bad/irritable/self-serving (makuang), but the ultimate arbiter was the isang/soul, which grew stronger with maturity and taboo observance.
Hanitu with no set abode were malevolent spirits that have specific forms, and could produce objects such as bamboo needles to stab people and cause disease, or scare out the soul (isang) from a person, who would then die if the soul was gone too long.
[1] Hanitu were believed to dwell in a homeland to the west, named Lamungan or Mai-asang, to which they returned upon the death of an animate being.