Indian Folklore: In Memory of My Lala Who is No More Now
Here Nalin Verma recalls memories of his uncle, from his childhood growing up in Bihar.
The Bunyip: Australia’s Mysterious Man-eating Swamp Beast
Folklore is filled with tales of man-eating beasties and Australia is no exception, home to the dreaded Bunyip.
The Lessons of Monsters: As Learned from Cultural Demons Krampus and Namahage
Chris Kullstroem delves into the world of monsters, their cultural festivals and scare tourism…
Folklore of the Welsh Lakes: The Legend of the Bride from the Red Lake
A Welsh legend from the Red Lake tells the story of a doomed marriage between a mortal farmer and a beautiful Otherworld maiden who emerged from the lake.
The changing faces of ghosts in the Wild West … or what I learned from #FolkloreThursday
Let us begin with a ghost story. In 1872, fourteen-year-old Agnes McDonough announced that she was communicating with the spirit of her deceased father. She was part of a community of Irish Americans who settled in Virginia City, Nevada, home to the fabulous Comstock Lode and the Big Bonanza (giving its name to a famous television show). Crediting her father’s ghost, the young girl revealed insights about the afterworld, all scrutinized by a local priest who hoped to control the sensational aspects of the incident.