The Chupacabra

by Tess Mattox

A Representation of a possible Chupacabra 

The world is full of myths, legends, and tall tales. An example of a myth is the Chupacabra, but this myth is believed by many people in Latin America and across the globe. The Chupacabra means “goat-sucker” in Spanish and resembles a coyote or an alien like thing. Around the 90s, there were sightings of the Chupacabra and reports of dead cattle (Katherine Neer). The animal’s necks would be mutilated with nothing left behind. The Chupacabra has a description of an alien-like creature with red eyes, long, feathery like spine, and a sulfur-type odor (Katherine Neer). There had been a few sightings of the Chupacabra and they discussed the looks of the creature, but most of these sightings ended up being coyotes with a skin disease. The only proof of the Chupacabra is eye witness reports, but they’re all different. Some say they saw a frog colored, lizard-like, alien-eyed animal or that had kangaroo like qualities, and ran like a dog, and just walked on its hind legs.

Another possible image of the Chupacabra

The first story of the Chupacabra began in Puerto Rico and spread throughout North and South America. The animal was labeled a cryptid, meaning undefined animal. With the world being so huge, there must be animals still undiscovered today. The Chupacabra is an animal with a few witnesses, different descriptions, and no true evidence. One witness discussed the Chupacabra and how this isn’t just another mythical creature like Moth man, Bigfoot, or Lochness monster, but this creature sucks blood. The thought of witnessing or seeing an animal suck the blood of livestock is terrifying, unbelievable, and weird.

One of the most impressing sightings was in Santee, South Carolina. This is interesting because it was on the news and all over Twitter. The person saw the so called Chupacabra was sighted on golf course. After close examining, the animal was officially declared a coyote or a fox with a bad disease called manage. The animal was observed South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

This is the image on Twitter from the witness.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161109-the-truth-about-a-strange-blood-sucking-monster
http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/lost-tapes/creatures/chupacabra-history/

Yonaguni Monument, Japan

by Briana Scarborough

Diver swimming over the Yonaguni Monument

 In 1985, Kihachiro Artake, a young diver searching for dive sites, discovered an underwater mystery. This mystery was the Yonaguni Monument which could also be called the Yonaguni Pyramid. The Yonaguni Monument is located off Ryukyu Islands in Japan. A few years after the discovery, Professor Masaaki Kimura became interested and went to explore this Monument.

The monument is made of sandstone and mudstone which dates back 20 million years ago. The Yonaguni Monument stretches close to 4,000 kilometers. This monument is a diving location for people interested in swimming with hammerhead sharks. It has a staircase with flat sides.

Yonaguni Monument’s Stairs

There have been arguments that this monument could have been man made by Masaaki Kimura. As stated on http://www.yonaguni.ws/ “The flat parallel faces, sharp edges, the right and precise obtuse angles of the formation would indicate that the monolith was carved by a man.” Many researchers consider the discovery of the Yonaguni Monument to be similar the lost continent of Atlantis. Atlantis was “destroyed” around 9500-9600 B.C. Many believe that the Yonaguni Monument resembles a lost civilization. Although this hasn’t been proven, many still believe that Yonaguni could be a discovery of Atlantis. Masaaki Kimura is more convinced after each dive he takes that this monument is the remains of Atlantis.

Dr. Robert Schoch believes that the Yonaguni Monument is in fact naturally made. He says, “I’m not convinced that any of the major features or structured are man-made steps or terraces, but they’re all natural.”. He continues to argue that earthquakes or anything caused by mother nature could result in the Monument’s change in features. Robert Schoch believes that there is no evidence that could prove that this monument is man made.

In the video “Yonaguni Underwater Monument” divers show the monument. They talk about the surroundings and size of the monument. A diver states, “I want divers around the world to see this great view”. People who have dived and saw this monument are very astounded by the view.

Yonaguni Underwater Monument from REISEbazaar on Vimeo.


Works Cited:
Christie, Ben. “ Marine Geologist discovers A Supposed 10,000 Year Old Yonaguni Monument, Dubbed Japanese Atlantis” Collective Evolution 13 June 2014 https://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/06/13/marine-geologist-unearths-a-supposed-10000-year-old-yonaguni-monument-dubbed-japanese-atlantis/ 15 October 2018

Faiia, Santha. Yonaguni: The Main Monument and its Surroundings. 1999, Graham Hancock http://grahamhancock.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1-5.jpg

Smith-Dickson, Deborah.  “The Yonaguni Monument: Is it the Lost City of Atlantis?” Scuba Diver Life. 14 December 2017 https://scubadiverlife.com/yonaguni-monument-lost-city-atlantis/ 15 October 2018

Links for further research:
Yonaguni
http://www.yonaguni.ws/
Information based on the Yonaguni Monument

National Geographic
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/yonaguni-jima-japan-underwater-city/
Gives information and pictures about the Yonaguni Monument.

A Hot Cup of Joe
https://ahotcupofjoe.net/2009/03/the-ancient-underwater-ruins-of-yonaguni-japan/
Information describing the monuments features.

Voodoo Queen

by Calvin Windless Jr.

If you haven’t heard of her, she is known as the “Voodoo Queen of New Orleans”, according to many eyewitness accounts. Her title as Marie Laveau was earned due to the hard work she did while she was alive but, the thing about it is that she still holds on to that name to this day because of how powerful she was as a mortal. 2 Still to this day the crypt where she's buried, which is St. Louis Cemetery #1 is said to be the most haunted cemetery in America. If you ask some of the visitors, they claim to have seen the ghost of the Voodoo Queen herself. According to road trippers they have said to see the voodoo queen inside the cemetery, walking around tombs, in her trademark turban, while whispering a Santeria Voodoo curse to disrespectful gawkers. If you visit her grave, you'll notice that people still leave offerings, candles, flowers, Voodoo dolls, all in the hopes that Laveau will bestow her supernatural blessings. When people make a wish at her tomb, they return if their wish comes true and leave three X marks as a sign of their gratitude.

Some background information about this amazing and mysterious woman is that she was introduced to multiple religions and was well acquainted with all of the leaders in the “French Quarter” and so they taught this older teenager at the time what they knew. She had multiple tutors, some taught her religion like Catholicism, which was Pere Antoine who was the high priest of her time. On the other hand, the voodoo side of her teaching came from a man by the name of Bayou John, he taught her things like how to prepare spells and charm bags which were called a “Gris-Gris” which was used for prosperity and protection if used right. She was a person who didn’t just do things out the goodness of her heart, which is something most people do. For instance, she used her influence on her client to get a brand new house equipped with anything she would ever need and want. She used the man to get her a house, in exchange for an acquittal for their son in court. Her legacy followed her mostly by word of mouth. It was told by her having abilities to sway a justice system an determine a verdict amongst many other things that she was infamous about.

Works cited 
“St. Louis Cemetery.” Road trippers, https://maps.roadtrippers.com/trips/19417349. Accessed 29 October 2018.

Hehe, Joshua. The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Medium.com. 3 February

Links for Further Research
www.womemhistoryblog.com.
http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2012/07/marie-laveau.html.
This article entails information on her story and how she became known as the “Voodoo Queen.”

www.allthatsinteresting.com.
https://allthatsinteresting.com/marie-laveau.
This is to explain how she worked up to be the leader and advice giver from when she was young.

www.atlasobscura.com.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/marie-laveaus-tomb.
Tells about the story of her tomb and its history.

Stories of Kidney Heist

by  Ariyah Edwards

There are two main types of stories about kidney thefts. One story involves a businessman who sees a beautiful woman at a bar which wakes up drugged and wakes up with a missing organ. The other story involves poor people from third world countries that is forced to give up their organs. Kidney heist is an example of a interesting horror story that people would love to read.

For one example, there was a story about a doctor named Amit Kumar from India that was arrested because he was accused of being the leader of a “Kidney Theft Ring” which took up five hundred kidneys from donors over the past nine years. Many rumors were told to other people saying that many children and adults were forced to give up their organs at gunpoint. A victim named Mohammed Salim Khan in India had the experience of his kidney getting stolen. He woke up in an unfamiliar house with a man with a surgical mask ang gloves looking down at him. Mohammed couldn’t move so he asked the man what happened to him and he answered, “Your kidney has been removed”. From that point on Mohammad was wondering how he would live. The purpose of this story is to persuade readers that this story is true. I chose this source because it has a lot of information and details in the story. This story makes you want to learn more about kidney heist. This source is helpful because it shows that kidney heist is not just a myth, it happens in real life.

There was another story that was talking about a traveling businessman going to a bar and seeing a beautiful lady there which poisoned him that night and stole his kidney. A man named Jonathan was sitting at the lounge, he saw very attractive girl that offered to buy him a drink. Not knowing it was a potion, Jonathan drunk the drink and passed out. When he woke up he was in a tub filled with ice. He the noticed there was a tube in his back and his kidneys were gone. The purpose of this source is to entertain a certain audience. I chose this source because it gave me many details in just one paragraph. This source is different because it’s a fiction story. This source reveals that kidney heist is just another fiction horror story.

Works Cited:
 Humes, Lindsey.Magazine spread ideas for the Urban Legend "The Kidney Heist.” Cartoon. N.d. Behance.net. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

“The National Kidney Foundation Dispels Rumors About Illegally Harvested Kidneys.” Kidney.org.

National Kidney Foundation. 2 Apr. 2000. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. “Sonata for Solo Organ.” Law and Order.Dir. Fred Gerber. NBC. 2 Apr. 2001. Television.

“You’ve Got to Be Kidneying.” Snopes.com.N.p., 12 Mar, 2008. Web. 9 Oct. 2013.

Links for further Research:
Urban Legend
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Urban_legend.html
This web source, from Princeton University, gives you information on how Urban Legends have played a role in shaping into what it is today.

Debunking the Kidney Heist Hoax http://www.transplantliving.org/community/newsroom/1997/02/debunking-the-kidney-heist-hoax/ This web source provides information on the origin of the rumor.
The Washington post ran a story about The Kidney Heist in 1991. A rejected movie script inspired the story written by The Washington Press.

Kidney Heist -- And Other Urban Myths It`s Really The Truth, We Swear It:
Another Urban Legend Is Born.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-04-08/features/9101170939_1_story-legend-kidney-heist
This web source provides insight from Jan Brunvand, a folklore professor at the University of Utah.
Brunvand feels the story is an American version of cases where kids in 3rd world countries were kidnapped and killed for their organs.

Ghostly Athens (Athens, Ohio)

by Blake Shephard

In Athens, Ohio there are many different places that make Athens one of the top scariest and haunted places in the world. There are many stories about different things that have happened to people and things people have given Athens, Ohio the name it has to this day.

The Ridges is one of the top places to visit when you are in Athens. This was a old and abounded mental institution. The Ridges staff took in mostly insane patients ordered by court. Later, the place got overcrowded and then the staff ended up treating the patients horribly. There were multiple different ways that the staff took horrible care of the patients. Margaret Schilling went missing. Her remains were later found with a outline of her clothes. Some say her body was decomposed and made a outline. And since then there has been crazy and suspicious activities going on. There is also a graveyard where all the patients that died were buried. This place has been recorded to have been haunted as well.

The truth behind the stain is that Margaret was deaf and that she could not call for any help. They say that her and friend were playing hide-and-go-seek. She has wanted to always just die. She was a long-term patient she was not expected to leave the institution. She went to hide and seen that the attic was open, and she went up there. These doors are usually closed but they were doing maintenance on the building and one of the workers left it open. 1 She closed the door behind her and the door locked. She remained up there till someone me came and her remains left a blood stain in the attic and there are still mysteries about the stain.

The University of Ohio is on the top scariest campus in the world. Wilson Hall  is the most haunted place on the campus. The building lies in the middle of five graveyards that used to be there. Wilson Hall is said to be the home of a ghost that died in 1970. He died in his dorm room, people that have lived in that room years after the death they claim to hear strange noises. The campus officials have shut down and have sealed the university since these reports were given out.

Stine, Alison.  “The Mystery of the Ghostly Stain in the Attic of the Athens Lunatic Asylum .” Pictorial, Pictorial, 7 Mar. 2016, pictorial.jezebel.com/the-mystery-of-the-ghostly-stain-in-the-attic-of-the-at-1762714504.

“HAUNTED ATHENS OHIO.” Haunted Athens Ohio, hauntedathensohio.com/wilson-hall/.

HAUNTED ATHENS: Athens County, Ohio, www.prairieghosts.com/oh-athen.html.

Sedlec Ossuary

by Amanda Fisher

The Sedlec Ossuary is a chapel in a Catholic Church in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic that is called the
Cemetery Church of All Saints. This chapel is very unique in the fact that it is completely decorated in bones. The Ossuary became famous after a monk came from Jerusalem and sprinkled holy soil. As a result, many wealthy people from around Central Europe desired to be buried in this cemetery. After the black plague struck whipped out most of the population, demanding many proper burial sites became important. The bones of the deceased began to overload the graveyard and many people did not know what to do with them. When the church and chapel were built in the 1400s, many of the bones were moved to the chapel beneath the church. After a noble family purchased the
church in 1870, they hired a woodcarver, Frantisek Rint, to create a masterpiece with the extra bones. He then used the 40,000 bones in the chapel to create the masterpiece of the Sedlec Ossuary that still exists to this day and allows visitors to come view.The ossuarie is one of the most visited place in the Czech Republic.

The Church of Bones has many of the dectivorite pieces of art made from the human bones. 4 There is a chandelier located in the center of the church that contains at least one of every bone in the human body (Lawson and Rufus). There are also pyramids of bones located in each corner of the chapel, made of leg bones and skulls, and there is a Schwarzenberg coat of arms that is made of pelvises, finger bones, skulls, and arm bones.

Ossuaries are found all over Europe and are a common practice for both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox communities. There are chapels and crypts in churches and monasteries that house the bones of thousands of individuals. Caves, catacombs and underground tunnels also make for ideal ossuaries. Many of the ossuaries display their bones in different ways and the Sedlec ossuary is one of the few that uses the bones are decorations. Many of them vary in their display methods. Most just use singular parts of the body and Sedlec is one of the few to use all the bones. The Beinhaus, Hallstatt, Austria  just displays the skulls as a way to honor the dead. Each skull has a was preserved by decorative paintings and inscriptions.

Works Cited:
Dowson, Thomas. “Ten Peculiar, Poignant & Popular Ossuaries Around Europe.” Archaeology Travel , 30 Aug. 2018.Web.

Dunford, Lisa, Brett Atkinson and Neil Wilson. 2 “Sedlec Ossuary.” Czech & Slovak Republics. Lonely Planet, 1 Apr. 2007. Web.

Lawson, Kristan and Anneli Rufus. “Sedlec.” Weird Europe: A Guide to Bizarre, Macabre, and Just
Plain Weird Sights. 2 Macmillan, 12 Jun. 1999. Web.

Page, Kacey M., "The Significance of Human Remains in Museum Collections: Implications for
Collections Management" (2011). History Theses. Paper 1

Praguetours. “Kutna Hora and Cesky Sternberk with Lenka - Explore the Czech Republic.”
Praguetoursbylenka.com , 28 July 2018, praguetoursbylenka.com/kutna-hora-and-cesky-sternberk/.

Rubin, Gail. “The Difference Between Ossuaries and Columbaria.” A Good Goodbye ~ Funeral Planning for Those Who Don't Plan to Die , 5 Aug. 2015,

“The Cemetery Church of All Saints with the Ossuary.” Kutna Hora Sedlec. 2012.

For further research:

A Walk in the Ossuary in Sedlec
http://wn.com/a_walk_in_the_ossuary_in_sedlec
Contains videos and photos involving the Sedlec Ossuary.

Ten Peculiar, Poignant & Popular Ossuaries Around Europe.
https://archaeology-travel.com/top-ten/10-popular-ossuaries-in-europe/
This article explains what an ossuarie is and the top ten most popular ones across europe.

The Difference Between Ossuaries and Columbaria.
https://agoodgoodbye.com/tools-of-the-trade/the-difference-between-ossuaries-and-columbaria/
This article explains the difference between Ossuaries and Columbrarias.