Tag Archives: Death

Artist and Chief James Swan: on funerary rites, putting spirits to rest and the thunderbird (Part 3/3)

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Shanon Sinn

(Safe Journey. James UuKwaqum Swan*) James, you were talking about letting the spirit of a person go after they’ve died by practicing what you called “dealing with things the right way…” In our culture, we have a song called the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bestiary, First Nations, Ghosts, Vancouver Island, Voices & Visionaries | Tagged Ahousaht, Art, Black Magic, Circle Sentencing, Death, First Nations, Funerary Rites, Ghost, Grave, Grief, Hishuk ish tsawalk, James Francis Swan sr, Luke Swan, Manhousaht, Mrs Rosie Swan, Nootka, Nuu-chah-nulth, Prayer, Sea Serpent, Spirit, Thunderbird, Vancouver Island, Whale | 1 Comment

Artist and Chief James Swan: on First Nations ghosts, prayer and black magic (Part 2/3)

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Shanon Sinn

(Take Back Our Children mural detail. James UuKwaqum Swan) James, do the Nuu-chah-nulth people believe in wandering spirits, or are there First Nations ghosts? Whether I believe in it or not, there are ghosts. In our culture ghosts are stuck. They … Continue reading →

Posted in First Nations, Ghosts, Vancouver Island, Voices & Visionaries | Tagged Addiction, Ahousaht, Art, Black Magic, Death, Deja Vu, Fasting, First Nations, Flores Island, Forerunner, Ghosts, Greif, Hishuk ish tsawalk, James UuKwaqum Swan, Manhousaht, Nootka, Nuu-chah-nulth, Possession, Prayer, Spirits, Vancouver Island, Witch | Leave a comment

The Bat in Celtic Folklore

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Shanon Sinn

In the land of the Celts – from lonely moors to haunted castles –the bat has long been associated with witches, ghosts, and other tragic beings of the night… In the 1949 Encyclopedia of Superstitions by Edwin and Mona Radford … Continue reading →

Posted in Bestiary | Tagged Bat, bats, Celtic, Celts, Cyhiraeth, Death, enchantress, Fairy, Folklore, Halloween, Ireland, lore, Moon, night, Phooka, Possession, Samhain, Witch, Witches | 4 Comments

The Banshee: Ghost of the Celts

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Shanon Sinn

The Banshee’s arguably the most famous ghost of them all, and probably the least understood. “When the Banshee calls she sings the spirit home. In some houses still a soft low music is heard at death.” – George Henderson 1911 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ghosts | Tagged Apparition, Banshee, Banshee Howl, Banshee Meaning, Banshee Wail, Canada, Death, Eleanor Hull, Fairy, Fairytale, Folklore, Ghost, Ghost Servant, Haunting, Irish, James MacKillop, Katherine Briggs, Lady Wilde, Myth, Omen, Poltergeist, Scottish, spell, United States, W.Y. Evans-Wentz, Watcher at Ford | 16 Comments

Owl of the Celts: Ancient Bride of the Dead

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Shanon Sinn

The Owl in Celtic lore is a creature of shadows and the Otherworld. It’s rarely mentioned in myth, legend, or folklore, but when it is it’s usually spoken of in hushed whispers – accompanied by a warning. In Lady Charlotte Guest’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Bestiary, Ghosts | Tagged Blodeuedd, Blodeuwedd, Cailleach, Death, Gwydion, oldest animal, Omen, Owl | 18 Comments

The Raven and Crow of the Celts – Part II: Fairytales and Folklore

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Shanon Sinn

“The Raven is equally a bird of omen, Raven-knowledge, or wisdom being proverbial” – George Henderson. (Survival in Belief Amongst Celts. 1911) Many Celtic Fairytales contain remnants of the old stories of Gods and Goddesses [part I]. In Donald Mackenzie’s 1917 Wonder … Continue reading →