Tell me about your unique local traditions or folklore

Back in the day, when I was growing up, before things like the internet and social media were invented, towns and communities were a lot more isolated. Because of this different regions tended to have their own unique feel to them. Well ... many still do ... but back then it just seemed more tangible than it does today. Especially as the region where I lived had a lot of small isolated communities that were separated by geography such as hills and rivers. You could have two communities that were only a couple of miles apart, but because you had to go a long way out of your way to find a road or a bridge people didn't tend to travel between them much.

You could have two towns where people spoke different dialects, or where there were words that existed in one but not in the other. Or where there were traditions or festivals that were unique to that town.

We also had a lot of folklore that was unique to a particular region, or which was shared by two or more regions but where the traditions had changed over time so dramatically that you'd have to go deep into them to realize that they were the same.

There were figures in one region who were considered to be real life historical characters, such as a tribal chief, but who in another region were considered to be a mythical figure, like a fairy king.

With the advent of the internet and easy communications, a lot of these unique stories have faded into the background or have been all but forgotten. We now have a much more unified culture and more unified traditions. And I'm a little saddened by this as much of what makes communities unique is being lost.

So, to counter this, I'd like some of you out there to share some stories that are unique to your local community. Do you have any ghost stories, or mythicalhistoric figures that are unique to where you live or to where you grew up?

Are there any famous haunted locations that you'd like to share with us?

Do you come from a community that has a festival that only they celebrate?

Are their fairies in your woods, do unicorns scavenge your garbage at night, are there stone circles or ritual sites on the edge of your town where ancient ceremonies used to be conducted, what is there that makes that location unique?

a reply to: AaarghZombies

One thing Rhode Island is famous for is the haunted house in Burrillville in which the movie The Conjuring was based on.

There are many haunted areas throughout my State.

I got to do a paranormal investigation with Thomas D'Agostino at Tavern On Main. It was one of those fun nights where there was dinner served, a history of the place...then we got to use some instruments. I had something that checked the temperature. A great group of people attended. FUN!

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Even in my childhood these types of stories , traditions and folklore had mostly fizzled out like a candles flame and all that is left is the wispy smoke floating softly away.

As a child things like Bloody Mary and Light as a Feather Stiff as a Board were considered and played. & neither of these are localized to my area, so its something that had been passed long ago and its origins I'd honestly have to research. It was quite a surprise the day my kids came to me talking about Bloody Mary though and I hadn't been the one to teach or discuss it with them. So even though you feel your traditions and folklore to your area are lost... it more likely has migrated and spread further as you suggested.

The only thing that I can remember that might relate but not completely, but what I think you are searching for... was this house I'd see as a kid that was said to be haunted. There was a group of us kids that would play around on a property that our parents would meet up at to play volleyball. It was a recreation center and we had full rein to the indoor and outdoor areas all around the property. We would play a-lot on the outside around the property. Across the street from this property was a house and it was said to be haunted. I do not remember what the story or origin behind it being haunted was. Was it just a group of children and our imagination ? I don't recall if it was one of the kids that made the story up or if it was a local that told us. Oddly the house is now part of a huge Catholic church that has built other buildings on the property through the years and it is now a side structure that is attached to and part of the large church complex now.
So like I said I don't remember the backstory to the property or why it was considered haunted. It did have this eerie Ametyville House feel to the structure. This was back in the 70's and 80's time frame.

Another story was in a neighborhood that some family friends lived in. They had this patch of woods near by their house that we would play in all the time. Back in the day people would dump stuff in patches of woods so the woods were always kinda of mysterious in nature and of course us kids would have hours of fun exploring and tromping through them. There was a story of these dogs that would come after you in the woods. So I remember always being a tad worried and watchful of these dogs which never manifested or appeared in all the years we'd be playing out there. Now again there was no backstory to the dogs that I can remember. So it is likely that it was just some kids playing out there when some dogs appeared and they might of been a bit aggressive so the kids got scared or bit and a story developed. I do remember when playing in the woods a kid might yell that the dogs were coming and we'd all take off running in a frantic and panicked escape to avoid being torn apart by the savage beasts but I don't remember ever seeing these dogs for real. Today there is some type of Veterinary practice on the property that I believe still has part of the land from back in the day on it. I think I remember a small horse farm being set off the way after you cleared the patch of woods so it must of evolved through the years into a veterinary business. I haven't been back there to really see what in all is back there but I see it from the roadway, its tucked down a long driveway from the main road and there is still a patch of woods surrounding the road so there isn't a good view point from the roadway of this Vet business. I would actually have to travel down the road to get a peek at the property now.

Sorry I really can't add the juicy little folklore type of story you are looking for, I really just wanted to add anything I could think of that might relate in any way...

leolady

Very local. We are celebrating Winter Solstice with a big meal today and nothing for x-mas in our home [of course we will go to visit family and everything for the 'general' festivities].
I'm already drinking wine and the large chicken and roast potatoes are in the oven. We are celebrating today as it will be the longest night and after that we are heading for spring. That's something I can get behind, none of that other arbitrary stuff.

So to all of you:

Happy Winter Solstice day! or Yule.

We have the well known nursery rhyme Ride a Cock Horse (to Banbury Cross), with the Fine Lady being a topic of debate as to just who she was. It ties in with pagan white horse mythology.

Then we have the ancient stone circle of Rollright with it’s own legend of a witch turning a King and his troops into stone with a curse. This possibly ties in with a ley line that runs through many places in our area of Banburyshire.

My own neighbourhood has a legend of stone masons building three local churches before one of the masons slips creating a hill called Crouch Hill. He’s unveiled as the devil before disappearing in a cloud of sulphur... possibly alchemical transformation.

Our towns St. Mary’s Church which has been described as temple-like (the architect worked with Benjamin Henry Latrobe who designed the Capitol’s dome). Benjamin Franklin’s grandad is said to be buried there but the headstone is lost - Franklin himself visited to try and find it. It also has the graves of the Gullivers from which Gullivers Travels was named.

Oh yeah, George Washington’s family was from here too.

On top of that there’s a templar church north of the town which was built by returning knights from the holy land. There’s speculation that they brought the Ark of the Covenant with them and had it hidden in the area. A man known as Jacob Cove-Jones much later learned about the secret and designed a stained glass window which gives hint’s about it’s whereabouts.

Pretty interesting place. Happy solstice!
banburyshire.co.uk...

a reply to: firesnake

The figure is believed to be that of a stylised running horse although a review of the original head structure and curvature of the legs has caused some researchers to suggest that it actually a represents a large cat from the lion or leopard family.

britainexplorer.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Nothing other then old country superstitions about being a good boy, or God will be coming for that ass if you dont...just not in those words.

We have this little jewel here in North Carolina. en.wikipedia.org...
I have asked around here since I arrived 15 years ago. Asked the locals, the friends I made and even strangers of the possibilities of any mysteries, hauntings or goings on's........ but I have not been successful to date. Frankly I'm not inclined to believe all the lore.

I grew up in Southwest Nova Scotia, Canada. We had many ghost stories. Everyone either believed in ghosts or went along with it. This was a fishing community where many people had died at sea. I had several of my own experiences, from obvious ghosts to weird 'people' who may have been. I went on many solitary nature walks and hikes. I occassionally encountered lone people I did not recognize. They would avoid eye contact and not talk (which would make them odd in a rural community, where you tend to recognize people.) They would then walk through the woods and disappear, sonetimes through deep muddy water (while only wearing sneakers or shoes!) I don't recall them ever making a sound when they did this.

Kids would also do the Bloody Mary ritual in the mirror, which really unnerved me, as a spirirtual kid.

My parents bought a house on a hill which older locals called Mount Pisgah (a biblical reference.) Sadly, we never found out why. A lack of curiocity? It had a history of bizarre paranormal occurances, several of which we experienced: like foreign accents and conversations we could not discern coming from the nearby woods on our property, as if just out of sight. When we'd investigate, we'd find no sign of anyone. Sometimes, late at night, we'd hear foreign voices celebrating (Natives or Gyptsies.) There would be a light show over the trees, as if either by unseen fireworks or a strange lightning effect. I encountered many bizarre things there which I've written threads about. It gets real disturbing.

Can't think of much else original which folks talked about, outside ghosts and UFO sightings. I once saw a 'bigfoot' and I believe others saw them too, but this was kept more quiet than a UFO sighting. But in hindsight, the one I saw acted exactly like the weird loners I mentioned above. Perhaps it was all illusions, but cast by who, or what? It's fascenating to be sure.

I think all of America fears the windowless white Vans and white trucks, both associated with a crazed kidnapper. sometimes the color changes from white to red, but its everywhere in America.

originally posted by: MConnalley
I think all of America fears the windowless white Vans and white trucks, both associated with a crazed kidnapper. sometimes the color changes from white to red, but its everywhere in America.

?

We have those two, but rather than kidnapping people the make amazon packages magically disappear. They get loaded up with a hundred packages in the morning, but only 99 of them are ever delivered. The 100th package mysteriously vanishes off of the face of the earth.

originally posted by: LoneCloudHopper2
I grew up in Southwest Nova Scotia, Canada. We had many ghost stories. Everyone either believed in ghosts or went along with it. This was a fishing community where many people had died at sea. I had several of my own experiences, from obvious ghosts to weird 'people' who may have been. I went on many solitary nature walks and hikes. I occassionally encountered lone people I did not recognize. They would avoid eye contact and not talk (which would make them odd in a rural community, where you tend to recognize people.) They would then walk through the woods and disappear, sonetimes through deep muddy water (while only wearing sneakers or shoes!) I don't recall them ever making a sound when they did this.

Kids would also do the Bloody Mary ritual in the mirror, which really unnerved me, as a spirirtual kid.

My parents bought a house on a hill which older locals called Mount Pisgah (a biblical reference.) Sadly, we never found out why. A lack of curiocity? It had a history of bizarre paranormal occurances, several of which we experienced: like foreign accents and conversations we could not discern coming from the nearby woods on our property, as if just out of sight. When we'd investigate, we'd find no sign of anyone. Sometimes, late at night, we'd hear foreign voices celebrating (Natives or Gyptsies.) There would be a light show over the trees, as if either by unseen fireworks or a strange lightning effect. I encountered many bizarre things there which I've written threads about. It gets real disturbing.

Can't think of much else original which folks talked about, outside ghosts and UFO sightings. I once saw a 'bigfoot' and I believe others saw them too, but this was kept more quiet than a UFO sighting. But in hindsight, the one I saw acted exactly like the weird loners I mentioned above. Perhaps it was all illusions, but cast by who, or what? It's fascenating to be sure.

That sounds really cool.

Swamp Monster in nearby Selbyville DE

shorebread.com...

Since the early 1960’s legend has it that a grotesque creature know as the “Selbyville Swamp Monster” lurks in the murky terrain of the Great Cypress Swamp in Selbyville, Delaware. Whether you believe in the legends or not, there may be a more obvious explanation to the fabled tale. Over 40 years ago Ralph Grapperhaus, the appreciated editor of the Delmarva News willingly admitted to creating the hoax, producing the story of a monster that inhabited the Great Cypress Swamp. He even went so far as to have a friend dress up and play the role of the yeti-like creature. The costume was made by the actor, Fred Stevens, using his Aunt Dorothy’s old raccoon hat, a scary mask, and club. Stevens would hide in the shallows of the woods then jump out at passing cars on Route 54. A local legend soon unfolded...


"Oddly residents continued to report sightings of a monster even after Stevens ceased the charade. Even stranger is the fact that Stevens hasn’t played the “Selbyville Swamp Monster” since 1964, lending many to still believe that a creature rambles the woods of the “Great Cypress Swamp.”

every community deserves a Swamp Monster!!!

I have nothing much to contribute but since you asked i am happy to reply.

I live in a city called Turku. In southwest Finland.

Turku, as a town, was never founded. The Pope first mentioned the town Aboa in his Bulla in 1229 and the year is now used as the foundation year of the city.

This is our coat of arms:



I always thought it looks like the letter "M" then someone told me that it looks like the letter "A" and i saw that then. Even the teachers at schools don't know. The common consensus is that it is both, "A" and "M" and it comes from "Ave Maria" But the issue is up for debate even today.

Secondly. This is important.

When you are in a forest here, you absolutely can not say "a bear" and you absolutely can not say "a wolf" because we believe that then they will show up. We have plenty of other words for those animals, they are okay. But if you say "a bear" or "a wolf" in a forest here, then you are about to get seriously frowned upon by everyone.

a reply to: Kester

Yes the White Horse of Uffington is another place of interest in Oxfordshire, much more south of me but it's a stunning place which I've visited once. The hill under the carving is Dragon Hill. My own take on the carving is that it looks like a snake which has been added to, most likely to remove it's heretical meaning. Protruding from its mouth there's a forked tongue for some reason - that doesn't get mentioned much.

a reply to: firesnake
It's the cat's whiskers.