The Top 3 Japanese Ghosts
19th century Japan was obsessed with ghost stories. These stories are so influential that they serve as direct inspiration for today’s horror films.
Folk-Ore: The Magical Power of Blacksmiths and Their Enduring Stories
The folklore of iron and smithing has been common since prehistory, and one of the oldest folktales tells of a blacksmith forging a deal with the devil.
Orishas and the Balance Between Life and Death
Orishas are deities who mainly represent the powers of nature. They also have specific responsibilities and work to balance the universe and its energies. Orishas are predominantly praised among the Iorubá people in West Africa. However, when Africans were brought to Brazil and other countries in the Americas, they also brought their spirituality which flourished […]
Trolls, Hulders and Nisses: The Preternatural Creatures of Norwegian Folklore
Despite a great many people knowing that Norway is awash with folklore, many would be hard-pressed to name a Norwegian folk narrative beyond the folk tales “The Three Billy-goats Gruff” and perhaps “East of the Sun and West of the Moon.”
The Soul that Swam: Yet More Stories My Parents Tell Me
My parents tell me a few last family legends, and I contemplate on how these stories might change in the telling. “This happened to your lolo [my paternal grandfather] as a young man, before he got married,” Dad said. “It was when he was in Cagayan de Oro.” My grandfather was a priest with the […]