Julie C.

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

I really enjoyed visiting the places in Bryant's Cove where the paranormal activity occurred and learning about the events that had taken place. What was most interesting was that even though the stories came from different people they still had similarities and elements that were common among them. This gave these stories more credibility. For example, Billy Blackbird was believed to be half man and half bird. If St. Andrews church hall was built on a First Nations burial ground, then perhaps Billy Blackbird was a spirit dressed in a ceremonial headpiece.

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

Even though I learned a lot about the haunted history of Bryant's Cove, I would like to acknowledge the importance of storytelling to keep our heritage alive. I had a lot of fun doing this project and it is largely due to the quality time spent with my older relatives. It doesn't matter if these stories are true, what matters is spending time with family and learning about their childhood experiences to ensure that these stories keep getting passed down from one generation to another.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

Today we are very skeptical when it comes to believing things that cannot be explained scientifically, but when my parents and grandparents were younger, they accepted the fact that there were things in life that could not be explained. They lived their lives truly believing that they weren't the only ones sharing it with them. Unlike our older relatives, whose knowledge was passed down through storytelling, today's technology is so advanced that we look for scientific evidence before we believe something to be true.