Category Archives: general

Cursed Objects on an Arizona Reservation

Text:

Interviewee: “When I was on the reservation, one of the days instead of helping out on the farm and like with the water and everything, they took us to this canyon that was like two hours away.

That’s where we saw those drawings on the mountainsides from the Hopi and earlier groups, and there were also a bunch of houses that were like hundreds of years old.

They also had this thing where a lot of the objects there were kind of like cursed, but only if certain conditions were met. Like, we found some arrowheads in the ground, and we were allowed to pick them up and look at them. But they said if you took them out of the canyon or away from where they were found, you’d basically be cursed and could even die.

It reminded me of how in Hawaii they say if you take rocks from volcanoes you get bad luck. It was kind of like that, on the reservation they said if you tried to take anything off of the reservation, you’d be cursed.

They also had a lot of rules that mainly applied depending on whether you were Native or not. Like, they said there were certain things you can’t do if you’re not Native. There was one example where some of the objects we could hold as non-Native people, but they wouldn’t touch them because they said they would get extremely bad luck. Like one of the arrowheads, none of the Native people were allowed to touch it because it had some kind of history with them, but since we had no relation to it, we were fine.

But then there were other things where we weren’t allowed to touch them or take them home at all, because we as non-Natives don’t really understand the significance.”

Context:

The interviewee was on a service trip to Arizona with school peers. He is a white man aged 18.

During this service trip, he went on a visit to a reservation where the interviewee was spending time with a local community in Arizona and learning about the land, its history, and its cultural practices. The canyon visit included exposure to ancient sites connected to groups like the Hopi, as well as interaction with physical artifacts such as arrowheads. The beliefs about curses and rules around touching objects were explained directly by community members, especially in relation to whether someone was Native or not.

Analysis:

This is an example of material folklore. The idea that objects become dangerous or “cursed” only when removed reflects a magic superstition, where specific actions (like taking an object off the land) trigger consequences. These beliefs discourage people from removing artifacts and help protect culturally and historically significant sites.

The distinction between what Native and non-Native people can or cannot touch shows that meaning and rules depend on identity, relationship to the object, and cultural knowledge. The belief that some objects carry history that affects certain groups differently highlights how folklore is tied to ancestry and cultural connection. Folklore in this story regulates behavior, preserves respect for the land, and reinforces boundaries around cultural understanding and ownership.

The Haunted New Sheridan Hotel (Telluride, Colorado)

Text:

“What is the New Sheridan?”

Interviewee: “It’s a hotel and bar.”

“Why is The New Sheridan Hotel considered haunted?”

Interviewee: “Why? Because Telluride used to be an old mining town, and the miners would work in a small town called Tomboy up above Telluride. They would come down to the new Sheridan and get drinks and, like, get with prostitutes, and there would be fights. Like, people would die and stuff.

“Why would they die?’

Interviewee: “I mean, it was just, like, an old Western town. Like, there were no laws, people would just shoot each other. Like, if you lost a poker game and couldn’t pay your money, you would just be killed.”

“So, the ghosts who died are apparently the ghosts of people who would kill for, like getting with the prostitutes or losing poker?”

Interviewee: “Yeah, and also just, like, minors who died. Like, I think their ghosts supposedly hang out at the New Sheridan, because that’s where all the minors hung out.

Context:

The interviewee lives and grew up in Telluride, CO.

The New Sheridan Hotel is a historic hotel in Telluride, an old mining town. The interviewee explains that the hotel is considered haunted because of its history during the mining era, when miners traveled from nearby towns like Tomboy to socialize, gamble, and visit prostitutes. Violence, accidental deaths, and shootings were common in this lawless period, which contributed to the hotel’s reputation as a haunted site.

Analysis:

This is an example of a legend tied to historical events. The tales of miners dying from gambling disputes, fights, or other misadventures function as a way to connect visitors to the town’s dangerous and lawless past.

The ghosts’ presence is tied specifically to the New Sheridan Hotel, where the miners congregated. The narrative blends real historical practices (gambling, prostitution, and violence) with supernatural belief, showing how folklore can preserve memory and transform past events into entertaining ghost stories.

Golden Cicadas and Good Luck

“So basically, there were cicadas, especially, like, golden cicadas.

In Chinese culture they are, like, a symbol of good luck, because cicadas, I think are silent for, like, 100 years, or something crazy.

Like, they’re silent for their entire life basically, but then during one, one specific year, they’ll chirp, but it’ll be really loud.

So it’s kind of, like, you’re biding your time, but then, when it’s your time, you can, flourish. That is the kind of vibe.

And so, I’m not sure if this is just something that, like, my parents do, but they always, like, have these little cicada statues, and they are golden.

And I have everything at college, and basically, anytime I have, like, a big test or, like, big, important, decisions or, like, things that I’m, like, waiting for, I’ll just, like, rub the top of its head for good luck.

So I remember when it was college decision time. During that time, we would, me and my sister both, like, sit with it in our lap, basically. But, yeah, we basically just rubbed its head for good luck, and, like, before I take a test, I always do that as well.

I just think that the cicadas represent good luck and, like, prosperity. I think rubbing the statue is just something that’s kind of like a physical thing that you can do to make yourself feel better.

Um, so, yeah. I don’t know if that’s like a real thing, though. She’s something that, like, we’ve always done.”

Context: The informant is a Chinese-Vietnamese-American female USC student whose mother is Buddhist. Although she grew up in the U.S., her family maintains cultural traditions, including keeping small golden cicada statues that symbolize luck and prosperity. Now she has brought a golden cicada to college to continue the tradition.

Analysis: This is an example of folk belief combined with a personal ritual and material culture. The cicada statue itself is a physical object that carries symbolic meaning, representing patience and eventual success in Chinese tradition. The act of rubbing the statue becomes a small, repeated behavior for good luck. Even though she’s unsure if it’s a formal tradition, it still holds meaning for her, showing how folklore can be adapted and maintained across generations.

Sedona, Arizona “Vortex’s”

Text:

Informant : “So in Arizona theres this place called Sedona, and its wehre like, the Red Rock Mountains are. Its like near Flagstaff.

And growing up, my parents got married there, so we went there, like, a lot. And there was, like, there’s, like, this ledge and this story that there are vortexes in Sedona.

And I never understood what there are, but you can literally buy a map where it’s, like, the vortexes and Sedona, and I never understood what it was. I thought it was, like, people were teleporting from different places, but apparently, it was, like, people believe it’s, like, these energy of the Earth, like, are concentrated there, and you could have, like, spiritual awakenings or just, like, healing. So a lot of people go there to meditate or stuff.

And there’s, like, a lot of indigenous population stuff that went on there.

And I do know when I was there, like, you can see water lines of when it was underwater, like, millions of years ago. So it is, like, very magical feeling when you’re there, but that’s just, like, because it looks so upworldly.

But, like, one of the main sites is called, like, Bell Rock, and it’s one of these you can hike. I’ve hiked it before, and it was really fun. And maybe I felt, like, inspired and invigorated, but I don’t know. But apparently, that’s what it is, like, before Texas and Sedona.”

Context: The informant is an Italian American USC student whose parents were married in Sedona, so she’s visited many times. She’s familiar with local ideas about “vortexes” and has seen things like maps marking these sites, and has hiked places like Bell Rock. Her understanding comes more from tourism and repeated visits than from cultural knowledge.

Analysis: This is a folk belief about certain places having spiritual energy. In Sedona, people believe vortexes can bring healing or inspiration, which is why visitors go there to meditate. Even though she’s not fully sure what they are, the landscape itself feels “magical,” which helps reinforce the belief. It shows how environment, tourism, and word-of-mouth all work together to keep these ideas going and evolving.

Navajo folklore

Text:

Interviewee: “The family I was with (on a service trip to Arizona) owned around 8,000 acres of land. They told me that about 200 years ago, their ancestor, who was Navajo, helped the U.S. government locate other tribes. In return, the government gave their family that land, and they’ve been living on it ever since.

When I was on the mountain with them, they told me about this snake god that protects the land. The mountain we were on in Arizona had many small gemstones on it. They said that if you try to take anything from the mountain, you’ll be cursed for generations.

They also talked about Wendigos in the wooded areas of their property. From what I understood, they described them as people who were cursed or did something terrible, and after death, they transform into these beings that hunt or harm others.

They also explained that the land had been occupied by different tribes over time, including the Anasazi and the Hopi, before their Navajo lineage. There were stories about caves in the mountains that had been used by earlier groups.

On the reservation, there was also a lot of talk about aliens. We visited a national park with ancient drawings on the walls, which were said to represent a creation myth from the Anasazi, but many people today interpret those images as aliens.”

Context:

The interviewee is a white male aged 18. He was on a school service trip to Arizona, where he spent time with families residing in the area.

This narrative comes from an experience of visiting a reservation. The interviewee is recounting stories, beliefs, and historical explanations shared directly by the people living on the land. These include spiritual beliefs (snake god, Wendigos), historical memory (land ownership and tribal succession), and interpretations of ancient sites (cave dwellings and rock art).

Analysis:

The snake god and curse function as a protective legend tied to the land, discouraging people from taking from it. The Wendigo represents a moral warning figure, reflecting fears of greed, violence, and transformation, which reinforces social norms.

The references to different tribes, such as the Hopi, as well as stories about caves and past inhabitants, show how folklore is tied to the historical landscape. The interpretation of ancient rock art as aliens reflects a modern reinterpretation of traditional symbols.