Tag: Folklore

When Ghost Month is in Full Swing in 2023, How Can We Identify the Types of Spirits Said to be Visiting?

Sometimes, the best known spirits that linger around during Ghost Month are those from folklore and time honoured tradtions! Are you ready to face them?

Singapore Orchard Grave Veneration during Ghost MonthGhosts from South Asia come in different shapes and forms, and some are feared whereas others are revered. And it’s terrific they get loved in entertainment. In the past, I’ve explored the best of what cinema and literature have offered. However, when new releases are few and far between every year to recognise Ghost Month, I’ll have to look elsewhere to get my scares in.

As a result, the only book I’ve come across to bring various tales together, ranging from folklore to original works, is Asian Ghost Short Stories! This covers areas east of India. Although it’s not the perfect collection due to glaring errors with the folklore, and being mostly stories rather than recounting alleged encounters, it’s still a good primer to introduce paranormal enthusiasts to the lore from this region.

To honour this occasion, which started two days ago (Aug 16 to Sept 14), I’m going in a different direction this time. Through my research, I’ve learned nine types of spirits can roam the land! The book, Śūraṅgama Sūtra (PDF link) gives a great outline, and furthermore, the Hungry Ghost type (which gets its own festival Aug 30th) are sub-categorized! On the list are:

Continue reading “When Ghost Month is in Full Swing in 2023, How Can We Identify the Types of Spirits Said to be Visiting?”

Mami Wata at Fantasia 2023. It’s All About Absolute Faith.

Students of folklore and the humanities will adore Mami Wata, a goddess whom not everyone is aware of.

Playing July 20 and 21st at Fantasia Film Festival 2023
For tickets, please visit this link.

Beliefs in the goddess Mami Wata stretch from Senegal to as far as Zambia and in what C.J. “Fiery” Obasi’s crafts in his movie about her is not only mesmerising but also modern. She’s more than just another mermaid / patron deity to those cities that still venerate her to this day. Her ability to cure ailments isn’t the only reason. The enormous snake that accompanies her is a symbol of her divine authority.

In the isolated village of Iyi, what the people are facing is multifold. Mama Efe (Rita Edochie)’s role as ruler is challenged. That’s because some people are dying from an unknown disease, and she can’t cure this ailment. One child has crossed over already. While some want her to step down, others are asking if their goddess has forsaken them.

Continue reading “Mami Wata at Fantasia 2023. It’s All About Absolute Faith.”

When Texas is Home to the Dogman Triangle, Should Ranchers be Afraid?

Some Small Town Monsters are scary big, and as for what lurks in Texas, The Dogman Triangle offers up plenty of stories to ponder at.

The Dogman Triangle Werewolves in the Lone Star State Poster1091 Pictures
Available to stream on iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, and FandangoNOW.

Like many other cryptozoology documentaries, Small Town Monsters can only offer so much about these creatures said to be roaming the fringes of civilization. The latest, The Dogman Triangle, considers the history of reported werewolf (wild canines in this case) sightings in Texas. Like other known areas of mystery, whether their reach extends beyond a certain geographical region needs to be explored.

The background music helps shape the narrative and as a fan of the Weird West, I had to check this latest by Seth Breedlove out. The sound design helped to get me inspired, and as for whether the stories are true or not, it doesn’t really matter. After watching this work, I had to investigate other series about the oddities from other locations, often identified with that geometric shape too.

Although Alaska is many geographic states and a province away, it has a lot more mysterious cryptids roaming about. The series The Alaskan Triangle (available on Discovery+) is comfort food for my imagination as it delves into more, like the attempts to find The Black Pyramid and reveals how this area is home to lots of UAPs and Bigfoot! The fact this filmmaker spent time there to make his duology, Alaskan Coastal Sasquatch, shows just how deeply invested he is in the topic! Continue reading “When Texas is Home to the Dogman Triangle, Should Ranchers be Afraid?”

Kitsune Zero and Tails Release Schedule!

Kitsune Tails on Steam
Kitsune Tails developer Kitsune Games, in collaboration with MidBoss™, today announces Kitsune Zero, a prequel to the platformer styled after beloved classics which features diverse relationships and is steeped in Japanese mythology. Kitsune Zero will release as paid DLC that fully transforms Super Bernie World, the electoral activism platformer downloaded by more than 300,000 voters at the ballot box.
Additionally, Kitsune Games today reveal Kitsune Tails’ story of lesbian romance and giant jumping boots will leap to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in 2023 alongside the previously announced Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Steam and itch.io versions for PC and Linux.

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Salt & Sacrifice Lives On “To Hunt Mages” in this expansion

Salt and Sacrifice Coming Soon - Epic Games StoreSalt and Sacrifice, the next installment in the million-plus selling soulslike platformer Salt and Sanctuary series from Ska Studios and Devoured Studios, launches on PC via the Epic Games Store in Early 2022 alongside PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions.

In the decaying Altarstone Kingdom, twisted Mages spread corruption through the land. As chaos descends, only the Marked Inquisitors – doomed warriors condemned to fight – can hope to halt the Mages and their wicked Magic. March through the Western boundary of Altarstone, hunting and destroying Mages before turning remains into powerful weapons and armor. Cast runic arts upon each weapon, manipulating energy to channel abilities like shockwaves towards foes.

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