Canadian Folklore

My grandmother was the greatest storyteller I have known. In her soft voice, she spoke of heroes and giants, of evil deeds and of mysterious spirits. Sometimes her stories were short, others epic, but she always managed to hold my brother and me completely under her spell. She seemed to have an infinite supply, at times telling a tale of the West Coast peoples and then a story from the prairies, the East, or lands in the north.

It’s not true that dead men tell no tales. You can hear their haunting stories on the fog-shrouded banks of Newfoundland, in the aging brick manses of Upper and Lower Canada, on the wind-beaten flatlands of the prairies and among the misty mountains of the far west. This entertaining collection features tales of ghosts and other unexplained phenomena that have found their way into Canadian folklore.

Champion of a people or traitorous rabble-rouser? Political visionary or religious lunatic? Louis Riel is one of the most ambiguous figures in Canadian history, a man who stood and fell for the Métis nation. Hear about the fascinating western icon in this well-paced biography. The doomed struggle of Louis Riel and his Métis people against the new Canadian government is a story rich in drama and cultural change.

A creature of myth and magic emerging from the mist-shrouded forests of the Northwest, Coyote appears as a creator, messenger, hero, trickster, fool, or shapeshifter. Always on the lookout for fun, mischief, or the opportunity to help humans, Coyote’s encounters with gods, demons and the supernatural bring to life the rich cultural traditions of the Northwest peoples.

Below the mist-shrouded mountains of the West Coast lie the stories of how we came to be. It is through the myths of the people who have lived with this spirit of place for thousands of years that we uncover the mystery of our homeland. The mythical creatures Raven, Thunderbird, Bear, and the Great Spirit become a path to rediscovering the spiritual landscape of culture. These are the stories of the Pacific Coast that tell of gods and demons, good and evil; things unimaginable brought to life.

Have you ever seen the Thunderbird? You probably wouldn’t have because it’s discussed only in myths. According to legends, the Thunderbird are large birds that produce thunder and lighting. They were so huge, they hunt whales! How do Canadians ancestor come up with such wild stories? Blame imagination and a desire to explain natural phenomena, too.

Canada is the second largest country in the world—a land of seemingly endless coastlines, vast prairies, jagged mountains, and deep boreal forests. Despite the vastness of its territory, 90% of Canadians live within 150 miles of the US border leaving room for all manner of strange beings to exist undisturbed. Canadian Monsters and Mysteries will take the listener deep into the mysterious north where mammoths may still roam the frozen tundra while the Manwolf, loup-garou, and Waheela stalk the dense woodland and mysterious valleys.

There are many stories of sea serpents all around the world, so what makes the Caddy different? The Cadborosaurus is a supernatural being. There have been reported carcasses, but they turned out to be small whales or sharks. So, caddies have never been proven, but Canadians still believe in them. Learn more about the caddies. Begin today.

Did you know that based on a Canadian myth, you can turn into a werewolf if you fail your Easter duty? This educational book features the story of the Loup-Garou, which can also be in the form of a calf, a pig, a small ox, a cat, and an owl. Study the historical, cultural, and traditional contexts of the myth of Loup-Garou. Get a copy today.

In Canadian history, there was a hero who could breathe life. That hero is known as Nanabozo, also called the Trickster. Nanobozo is neither male nor female. Its appearance is changing, each representing the many phases and conditions of life. Listen about Nanabozo, and examine its hidden lessons. Begin today.

The Adlets have a curious origin. They are said to have been born from the union of a woman and a big red dog. The Alonquin tribes believed in the Adlets, and the myth has been passed from generation to the next using oral traditions. What about you? Do you believe in the Adlets?

Did you know that of all the sea monsters, it’s the Ogopogo that is best documented? This means you could be learning more about it in one go than you would with the Loch Ness monster. Remember that these monsters are myths, and proof of their existence is yet to be found. But wouldn’t it be fun to extend your knowledge beyond what you can see?

According to legends, there’s a monster living in Muskrat Lake. The monster is a cryptid, which means that its existence has been claimed but never proven. Canada, as you would notice, is home to a lot of myths. The origin of each of these mythical creatures date back to historical times. Listen about them today.

How scary it would be to see the gigantic wolves of the Canadian North! The reputation of these wolves precede them that’s why a valley, where they are said to hang out, has been named The Valley of the Headless Men. Listen about the meaning these gigantic wolves bring into Canadian culture and tradition.

Imagine this: the Sasquatch is a huge monster with blonde hair. With that distinguishing feature, the Sasquatch should be easy to spot, right? But like all other myths, there has never been any concrete proof to make the Sasquatch an undeniable truth.

The Wendigo is one scary monster that kills and eats its victims. Stories of the Wendigo haunt Canadians until today. The older people must have used the myth to teach the young not to be greedy and weak. That’s the beauty of myths. They are creative means to tell lessons, of course, with a side serving of fear, too.

There’s a silvery scaled, sharp clawed humanoid swimming in the depths of Thetis Lake in Vancouver Island. Have you seen it? The Thetis Lake Monster is said to come out from the lake every once in a while to breathe in air. There have been accounts of sightings but with no concrete proof. What do you think about the Thetis Lake Monster?