Monster Anthropology by Geir Henning Presterudstuen;Yasmine Musharbash;

Author:Geir Henning Presterudstuen;Yasmine Musharbash;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury UK

2) Have you heard the saying: “What dwells in the mist?”

If yes, what does this saying mean to you?

If no, what comes to your mind?

The number of replies was of course not sufficient as a basis from which one can generalize about Icelanders’ beliefs in ghosts. Rather, the main purpose of this exercise was to gain a snapshot insight into the reality of ghosts in Iceland today from the point of view of a handful of Icelanders, which could then be analyzed and contextualized through the experiences and knowledge which both researchers can draw on. The comments we received ranged from “I find it difficult to use the term draugar … I find the term [personally] negative” to stating: “I see draugar as something paranormal/metaphysical … something which is here and is not here” to claiming that “when people die they do not become draugar … I believe we go somewhere when we die … and someone watches [over] us … but I would not personally call these draugar.” These accounts by three of the participants demonstrate the fact that in a small, homogenous culture where people share a considerable knowledge of monsters (devils, ghosts, and other creatures of the dark), personal beliefs do still vary and the conceptualization and engagement with such creatures differ, depending on spiritual and ideological orientations. Some of the accounts described “personal encounters” with other dimensions, for example, they claimed to know people who “see” and communicate with people who have passed away—spiritualism remains popular in Iceland—as well as with hidden people (huldufolk).8 Still, nine out of the seventeen participants stated “no” when asked about “belief in ghosts,” while seven stated “yes” (one stated “yes” and “no”). Generally, the explanation for a “no” was that the respondent had never seen or encountered a ghost. The yes/no answer was one of interest, perhaps an indication that “strange things” still live with people in Iceland. Fifteen out the seventeen participants had heard the saying “Many strange things dwell in the mist” and provided the following explanations for its meanings:

What you cannot see with naked eyes are the things which live in the mist … that what is hidden from us … the first thing that came to my mind was this was a saying which the grown-ups used to use when we were children.

Mist/mystical … you cannot see through the mist, which is useful for ghosts you can and cannot see.

We do know or see all that exists.

The dead live in the mist … even if I have not experienced it myself.

The mist hides what is in it.

There are ghosts in the darkness.

One of the most interesting findings was that most of those who stated disbelief in ghost provided us with the accounts above. The oldest participant, an 81-year-old male, simply answered “nonsense” when asked if he believed in ghosts. However, the person who spoke with him (his daughter) added her comments: “This man has in the past told me all kinds of stories about his early

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