Folklore

Winter Folklore

Take a moment to investigate some of wintertime’s most feared creatures from cultural folklore from around the world

By Juan Diaz & Alexis Duley

Every culture from around the world has a story related to a monster that comes in during the winter months. Stories like Santa Claus and Bigfoot help tie a community together and reflect on their cultural beliefs. You can learn a lot about how certain cultures used these stories. A story about a hero would reflect on their morals while a story of a monster would be the antithesis or serve as a warning to the community. Learning about cultures from all over helps us better understand our own culture. ¨We are all mutts in this country, from different cultural backgrounds, and these stories are part of our families as well,¨ said French teacher Susan Steska. Stories like these help people connect with one another from even outside their community by sharing them together. Throughout centuries people have exchanged stories in a form of cultural exchange.

It’s part of a collection of shared history for a com-munity- Librarian Lisha Payne

Name: Yeti Cultural origin: Nepal Description: Large Primate Behavior: Solitary & Elusive Witness Record: One of the most infamous cryptids, the Yeti is one of the most iconic monsters of all time. According to Live Science’s website, the Yeti, similar to Bigfoot, is a large primate that is elusive and grew popular during the exploration of the Himalayas. People often find large footprints in the snow thought to belong to the Abominable Snowman. Photo From: Flickr

Name: Yule Cat Cultural origin: Iceland Description: A Giant Cat behavior: A cat with a taste for humans

Witness Record: A large and ferocious cat that feasts on humans rather than on mice. The Yule Cat’s primary victims are those who do not receive new clothing for Christmas. Witnesses from the Great Cat Organization’s website found that the Yule Cat hunts down it’s victims in a merciless manner. Hearing it’s meow in the wild signals bad luck to the unfortunate person who has heard it. Photo by: Flickr