Telling the Bees: The Folklore of Bees and Beekeeping
Mark Norman explores the folklore of bees and beekeeping in his new book, ‘Telling the Bees and Other Customs: The Folklore of Rural Crafts’.
The Polish Tradition of Holy Sepulchre Guardians
A traditional festival is held annually in South Eastern Poland where locals re-enact what may be an historical event, yet is certainly a local legend. Legend tells then when Polish soldiers returned to their village on Good Friday in the 17th century, wanting to go straight to the church but being without uniforms, they donned the outfits of the Turkish army […]
Winter Folklore: The Creatures of Christmas
From the animals that witnessed the Nativity, to the robins on our greetings cards and Santa’s reindeer, the creatures of Christmas truly animate the magic of the festive season.
Madagascar Superstitions & Taboos: Fighting the Aye-Aye Fady
In some regions of Madagascar, it is considered fady to eat certain lemurs, meaning local taboos can actually act as a shield to protect specific species. However, aye-ayes appear to be the only lemur associated with fady leading to their persecution. How did the aye-aye end up drawing the short straw when it comes to local folklore?
Purgatory in Spanish Folklore: The Night of the Ánimas
In rural Spain, the night still belongs to the ánimas, the spirits of the dead who didn’t go straight to Heaven or Hell.