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Baron Samedi
In Haitian Vodou Samedi, not to be confused with Papa Ghede (good counterpart), is one of the loa (spirit) of the dead. He is the loa of resurrection, and is often called upon for healing by those near or approaching death, and is the only one who can accept an individual into the realm of the dead. He is usually depicted with a top hat, black tail coat, dark glasses, and cotton plugs in the nostrils, as if to resemble a corpse dressed and prepared for burial in the Haitian style. He has a white, frequently skull-like face (or actually has a skull for a face). Samedi spends most of…
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Ancient Ghost Stories- Eastern Style
We have discussed the similarities of how the afterlife and ghosts are viewed in the Western World in our previous post. There are also similarities that run through how these subjects are addressed in Eastern cultures, however, there are a few twists that mark them out as different. As in the West, the ghosts of ancestors could appear to their descendants to give warnings or advice. However, in China this was taken to another level as ancestor worship was widely practiced. The Chinese afterlife was a journey for the soul to cross a bridge over an abyss. There the soul was judged and if it was found worthy, it drank…
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Ghosts of the White House
The stresses and pressures of the presidency are so huge, it is not surprising that an emotional mark has been left on the executive mansion. A variety of ghost stories exist about the White House, and not all of them are the spirits of past presidents. Let’s take a look at some of the supernatural stories that surround this famous address. Before the White House was the the executive mansion, the land belong to David Burns. His ghost is reported to be in the Yellow Oval Room. He has been seen by both a valet to Franklin D Roosevelt and a guard of Harry S. Truman. Both times, he is…
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Witch Superstitions
Since the beginning of time, humanity has feared what is different. Certain people were called out as having “powers”. Some of these were “cunning folk” who used herbs to heal the ailments of people against the advice of learned doctors. Some were people who just didn’t fit the mold of normalcy- eyes too bright, too outspoken, too bright. These were all labeled as “witch” and in the hysteria of the medieval times were sacrificed for the supposed good of the community. However, what exactly labeled one as a witch? And no Virginia, it is not someone who is made of wood and weighs the same as a duck (if you…
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Ancient Ghost Stories
Anyone familiar with Greek myth knows that any hero worth his salt had to make a visit to the underworld. However, the afterlife was not an unfamiliar concept to any of the cultures of the ancient world. In fact, ancient peoples were probably more sure that the soul survived bodily death than some in the modern world. The details of the afterlife differed from culture to culture, but there are consistent themes. The afterlife was a place ruled by specific laws and souls could only roam the earth if given specific permission from the gods for special circumstances. These usually included murder, where the murderer went unpunished, improper funeral rites…
