Join the Departments of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies (AMNE) and Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies (CENES) for an evening of frights and delights! We will be hosting our first-ever joint Halloween party on Tuesday, Oct. 31st, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm, on the 9th floor of Buchanan Tower.
CENES and AMNE will be joining forces (of good) to bring you an afternoon of activities, including:
- A series of ‘Spooky Tales’ by CENES and AMNE faculty | In BuTo 999, 4-5pm — See below for more details on each ‘tale’!
- Tarot and Angel Card Readings | In BuTo 997, 4-5pm
- A Costume Fashion Show | In BuTo 9th Floor Hallway, 5-5:30pm
- A screening of Hocus Pocus | In BuTo 997, 4-6pm
At this pick your poison event, you can mingle and attend the activities of your choice. There will be pizza, a photo booth, and lots of goodies at the candy bar.
Costumes are not required, but if you’re interested in participating in the Fashion Show component of this event (PRIZES for the best costume!), please sign up here (https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cTRo8dby1GscV8y).
No RSVP required! Faculty, Grads, and Undergrads all welcome.
A Series of ‘Spooky Tales’
How to Kill a Vampire and Why?
Presented by AMNE’s Jelena Todorovic, PhD Candidate in Classics (History) | 4:00 to 4:15pm
“In the shadowy corners of the 18th-century Balkans, the legend of Petar Blagojevic, one of the earliest documented vampire cases, comes to life. In this mesmerizing tale, the origin of vampires unfolds against the backdrop of Southeastern European superstitions and folklore. As the vampire myth takes shape, it resonates with echoes from diverse mythologies. Embark on a journey through the enigmatic crossroads of history and folklore, unveiling the age-old question: what compels us to fear and seek to conquer the immortal?”
“Around the Catafalque She Ran”: The Nature of Horror in Breton and Welsh Legend
Presented by AMNE’s Professor Antone Minard | 4:20 to 4:35pm
“The folklorist Fañch An Uhel, known in French as François Luzel, published a reasonably scary folktale which he called “Le linceul des morts, conte breton”—“The Shroud of the Dead, Breton Folktale”—in 1892. The tale has nudity, the undead, a car(riage) chase, a cemetery at midnight… everything you could want for Halloween, and comes with a side of folkloristic analysis.”
Remnants and Revenants in the Archive
Presented by CENES’ Steve Commichau, PhD Candidate in Germanic Studies | 4:40 to 4:55pm
“Archives are inherently spooky. You are surrounded by the correspondence of long dead people. You can trace their personal handwriting and see where they pushed the quill too hard on the paper and splattered some ink over the page. Sometimes they leave behind little secrets: a mysterious key tied to a stick, a piece of root, or even organic matter that might be a piece of a human placenta (yes, I handled potential human placenta. Yes, it was a bit gross).
I will talk a bit about the things left behind that I found in archives, but also about some of the files themselves. It is always interesting to see how long-gone generations thought about death, and their ideas about ghosts and un-death are a great window into their minds. Some people report inexplicable entities unsettling the comfort and safety of their own home. Some use ghosts as an excuse for political gains. Sometimes, people just wanted to dunk their neighbors.”