{"id":4539,"date":"2023-05-12T09:41:49","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T13:41:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/?p=4539"},"modified":"2023-09-18T01:06:48","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T05:06:48","slug":"canadian-urban-legends-newfoundlanders-can-tell-you-all-about-the-old-hag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/2023\/05\/12\/canadian-urban-legends-newfoundlanders-can-tell-you-all-about-the-old-hag\/","title":{"rendered":"Canadian Urban Legends: Newfoundlanders Can Tell You All About the Old Hag"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Allie Turner : NUVO<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Writing about urban legends<\/a> can be a tricky business because there is no way to guarantee the facts. By nature, the stories operate in the shadows, feeding off misinformation, rumours, and furtive glances. Therefore, it\u2019s a rare thing to find an urban legend that is so thoroughly examined and explained by science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newfoundlanders call her the Old Hag, but scientists call it sleep paralysis<\/a>. One name is a lot spookier than the other, but neither can compare to the feeling of terror<\/a> that comes from waking up to find her crouched on your chest and leering over you in the darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newfoundland is home to many legends and fairy stories that connect it to the Celtic vein that runs through the rock. But while many of its traditions are whimsical and beautiful like will-o\u2019-the-wisps, this one is sinister and spoken of only in hushed tones<\/a> even by people who don\u2019t believe in ghost stories. Because, despite what science may call it, it\u2019s undeniably strange that so many people in one geographic region report identical experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting in the 1890s, when a small piece mentioning the Hag in Newfoundland appeared in the Journal of American Folklore<\/em>, the world became aware that a strong belief and superstition had taken root in the province. Over the years, the Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA) has collected people\u2019s accounts of their experiences with the Hag and the ways they rid themselves of her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s undeniably strange that so many people in one geographic region report identical experiences.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

David J. Hufford, an employee of MUNFLA from 1971 to 1974, wrote a book dedicated to his research around the Hag<\/a>. She is described as a witch-like, wrinkled, and withered old woman with long hair. She can appear in doorways, be next to the bed, or even crawl on top of people and sit on them or pin them down. The legend is so pervasive that locals have turned to using her name as a verb to describe their experience: \u201cI was hagged last night,\u201d \u201cthe hagging happened two nights ago,\u201d or \u201cI got hag-ridden.\u201d Hufford reports that people thought they could summon the hag by reciting the Lord\u2019s Prayer backwards and kill her by sleeping on their backs with knifes or boards with upright nails against their chests designed to stab her when she sits on them. One victim of the Hag even accused another person in the community of \u201chagging him\u201d (summoning the Hag to haunt a third party) out of jealousy.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Contemporary Newfoundland folklorist Dale Jarvis confirms that people still believe in the Old Hag today<\/a>, and they approach the legend differently than others. He is a big fan of ghost stories (having written a few books on the subject) and asks locals about their encounters or if they believe in ghosts. Most say no. He always counters with, Have you heard of the Old Hag? People who scoffed at the idea of the supernatural reply, \u201cOh yes, my son had an experience,\u201d and proceed to tell him a very creepy story. For the people of Newfoundland, the Hag exists outside the realm of fairies and goblins; it is a real and present danger that people experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Have you heard of the Old Hag? People who scoffed at the idea of the supernatural reply, \u201cOh yes, my son had an experience,\u201d and proceed to tell him a very creepy story.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This may be due to the fact that it is a scientifically acknowledged problem that affects 8 per cent of the general population. Sleep paralysis is a horrible combination of hallucination and lack of muscle control caused by entering REM sleep too quickly. When we are asleep, we have limited control over our muscle groups and we dream. During sleep paralysis, the body and muscles are in REM sleep, but the mind is partially conscious, which can cause waking nightmare. Scientists believe it is the fear response and the brain trying to make sense of the immobilization that conjures the images of witches or a presence in the room. They cannot explain why everyone sees the same thing, though. Their solution to getting rid of the Hag? Get more sleep. Sleep paralysis is more likely to occur when you\u2019re sleep deprived\u2014sort of a vicious circle when you\u2019re too scared to nod off for fear of a visit from the Hag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part of a series on Canadian Urban Legends<\/a>. Read more HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Allie Turner : NUVO Writing about urban legends can be a tricky business because there is no way to guarantee the facts. By nature, the stories operate in the shadows, feeding off misinformation, rumours, and furtive glances. Therefore, it\u2019s a rare thing … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-newfoundland"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7qEar-1bd","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2285,"url":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/2018\/06\/30\/why-july-1st-means-something-very-different-for-newfoundlanders\/","url_meta":{"origin":4539,"position":0},"title":"Why July 1st Means Something Very Different for Newfoundlanders","author":"cPaul","date":"30 June 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"July 1, Memorial\u00a0Day On July 1, 1916 soldiers of the Newfoundland Regiment were ordered to attack the German lines at the village of Beaumont-Hamel near the Somme River. Of the regiment's 798 soldiers, 310 were killed and 374 wounded. While Canadians celebrate nationhood July 1, the date means something very\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Newfoundland"","block_context":{"text":"Newfoundland","link":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/category\/newfoundland\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2189,"url":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/2019\/06\/29\/battle-of-the-somme-at-beaumont-hamel-1916\/","url_meta":{"origin":4539,"position":1},"title":"Battle of the Somme at Beaumont Hamel, 1916","author":"cPaul","date":"29 June 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The casualties sustained on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme totalled 57,470, of which 19,240 were fatal. The Newfoundland Regiment Battalion ration strength on June 30, 1916, was 1044 all ranks, including administrative staff and attached personnel. Actual fighting strength was about 929 all ranks, of whom\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mileposts"","block_context":{"text":"Mileposts","link":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/category\/mileposts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/65462340_10161868512400655_3974361198673002496_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/65462340_10161868512400655_3974361198673002496_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/65462340_10161868512400655_3974361198673002496_n.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/65462340_10161868512400655_3974361198673002496_n.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1389,"url":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/2005\/01\/26\/urban-legends\/","url_meta":{"origin":4539,"position":2},"title":"Urban Legends","author":"cPaul","date":"26 January 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a true story... A friend of a friend and his daughter were driving along a lonely country road at night and happened upon a female hitchhiker. The woman asked for a ride to her home just a few miles up the road. The travelers obliged and continued on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cpaulcarter.com\/blog\/images\/tvh-lg.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":810,"url":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/2005\/10\/13\/nfld-tricolour-dont-push-us-flag-gains-popularity\/","url_meta":{"origin":4539,"position":3},"title":"Nfld Tricolour “don’t-push-us” flag gains popularity","author":"cPaul","date":"13 October 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"By MARK QUINN | Globe and Mail St. John's \u2014 What started as a lark has grown into a full-fledged movement to replace Newfoundland and Labrador's provincial flag with a traditional, more rebellious one. The idea gained momentum recently when Premier Danny Williams endorsed it. Newfoundland nationalists have flown the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cpaulcarter.com\/blog\/images\/200px-Nfldflag_tri.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1213,"url":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/2005\/04\/09\/save-the-cod-eat-a-seal\/","url_meta":{"origin":4539,"position":4},"title":"Save the Cod, Eat a Seal","author":"cPaul","date":"9 April 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"It's that time of year, when most good Newfoundlanders get a hankering for a feed of fresh seal. The years I spent in St. John's while my Grandfather was alive would include at least one obligatory trip to the harbourfront to buy some flipper or seal backs off the boats\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Culture War"","block_context":{"text":"Culture War","link":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/category\/culture-war\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"products_meat","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/products_meat-300x113.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":997,"url":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/2005\/07\/31\/google-maps-hack-shows-effects-of-high-yield-explosive-detonations\/","url_meta":{"origin":4539,"position":5},"title":"Google Maps hack shows effects of high-yield explosive detonations \u00a0","author":"cPaul","date":"31 July 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Here's a haunting Gmaps hack: \"The High Yield Detonation Effects simulator maps overpressure radii generated by a ground-level detonation; these radii are an indicator of structural damage to buildings. No other effects, such as thermal damage or fallout levels, are included in this tool. Note that the displayed rings are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/category\/technology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cpaulcarter.com\/blog\/images\/hydesim.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4539","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4539"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4539\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4541,"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4539\/revisions\/4541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpaulcarter.com\/newfish\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}