Eerie Whispers

Why are Canadians afraid of ghosts?Canada’s paranormal roots run deep. We share ghost stories told around flickering campfires and confess encounters with the unexplained to family and friends — but our polite, risk-averse nation mostly buries these experiences, seldom promoting them in the places we live or in our arts and entertainment. We are afraid of stigma, uneasy with the unknown, and our cultural discomfort with death only deepens the feeling of unease. We push our ghostly heritage into the shadows, allowing ourselves the thrill of flirting with ghosts, ghouls, and goblins only at Halloween.Delving into tales of Canada’s haunted history and the accounts of spirits and mysterious beings found in the diverse folklore of its immigrant communities and the traditional stories of Indigenous Peoples, Eerie Whispers asks why Canadians, unlike Americans and the British, are reluctant to celebrate this part of our culture. Brian Baker encourages us to embrace the uncanny and find the bold artistic energy necessary to amplify the country’s supernatural voice.