Traditional Spirit Folklore

The idea of spirit can cover everything from ghosts to angels and even fairies. Spirits are an ethereal form that can be found in almost every corner of the world taking a plethora of shapes and forms with just as many personalities. The concepts of spirits often overlap with the concept of soul and can be given priority over body or be used to contrast it. Religiously the Spirit denotes to the Holy Spirit which takes on a whole other level of spirit stories. Authors, such as M.R. James, have used tales passed from childhood to craft ghost stories while relying on the foundations of other folklorists to tell a really good tale (Simpson 1997).

American Indian culture, much like Japanese culture, is well versed in dealing with spirits being up to no good. Many cultures around the globe share the commonality of the spirit world disrupting the earthly plane. Folk groups, such as these, are brought together through traditions, rituals and stories (Sims and Stephens 2011) – and the spirit folklore group primarily focuses on these stories and traditions being passed down. 

“Indian poison, that is, the work of some harmful spirit or of some evil person using such a spirit. She [our grandmother] was raised around the old people on the reservation. She is, as she puts it, 'well-versed' in Indian ways. 'I've heard and I've seen; I've seen and I've heard,' she says” (Sarris 1993, 170).

Spirits and lore carried from many lands cover stories ranging from guiding ancestors to malevolent creatures who wish to teach lessons or just have fun at the livings' expense. Below is a list of ghost and spirit tales from all over the globe, demonstrating how far-reaching spirit folklore is: