Haunted Australia: A Survey of Australian Ghost-Like Lore

Abstract

In this the second of the Legends and Lore papers, Prof. Ryan examines the way folklorists may set up a motif to classify particular folk-life/folk culture subjects. On this occasion he describes how ghost stories (the example) stem from a variety of regular origins ie. tabus, magic, death, marvels, wisdom, rescue etc. The purpose here is to comprehend the narrative type rather than to offer psychological explanations. Much insight will be given for other motif-clusters (ie, subjects) for Australian "folklore". ... The justification for including ghost-stories in folklore is obvious since they fit peculiarly well the notion of stories that: have been told by ordinary people, have persisted from earlier periods and have continued to exist outside the accepted pattern of contemporary knowledge and religion. The vitality of such stories means that they reappear in a new guise, as the ancient form of thought attaches itself to such modern objects as railways or aeroplanes, motor-ways or supermarkets, and urban settings prove valid locations for notions that were once rural. The changes in the implements and accessories of folk-life have not necessarily modified the traditions and ancient patterns of thought. Thus the 19th century tales of Ghost Cattle, as at Yallourn (Cusack, pp. 141, ff.; Wannan, pp. 241-42) are paralleled by the notion of ghost cattle in the sky after the 1964-66 drought in the eastern states of Australia.