A well-researched and engaging exploration of Canada’s ghostly folklore, covering Indigenous, French, newcomer, and traditional Anglo stories. Through thoughtful journalism and personal insights, Brian Baker explores why Canadians are both fascinated by and cautious of their paranormal tales. This inclusive and thoughtful book demonstrates how supernatural stories shape our sense of identity at regional and national levels. ― Mike Browne, host of Dark Poutine
Eerie Whispers is a captivating journey into the heart of the unknown ― an exploration that both chills and enlightens. With an approach grounded in genuine curiosity and respect for the mysteries that surround us, Baker dares to ask questions of the genre that echo with authenticity and wonder. ― Morgan Knudsen, host of Supernatural Circumstances
Baker captures the essence of the Canadian paranormal experience in a way that’s deeply satisfying, intuitively educational, and surprisingly fun. ―
Ian Gibbs, author of the Most Haunted series
Brian Baker has crafted a smart, immersive, and emotional journey through Canada’s haunted psyche. Baker’s work is a testament to the fact that ghost stories aren’t just entertainment, they’re cultural reflections, holding up a mirror to who we are and what we choose to forget. This book lingers like a cold chill rising from the ground long after you put it down.
― Rouzbeh Heydari, filmmaker (A Hundred Lies, Astraea, Neon Lights)
Brian Baker has been a journalist for over fifteen years, which means the University of Toronto alum is plenty curious. He is intrigued by what Canadians believe when it comes to the paranormal. So much so that he founded the Superstitious Times ― a website dedicated to exploring Canada’s paranormal lore. He lives in Toronto.
J.J. Dupuis is the author of the Creature X Mystery series. When not in front of a computer, he can be found haunting the river valleys of Toronto, where he lives and works.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter 11: Indigenous Canada
There is no paranormal. The spirit world is just part of our world.
It just is.
I first spoke with spirit investigator Erin Goodpipe for the Superstitious Timesin October 2021. I had just finished writing a lengthy feature about the lack of diversity in the paranormal community and had sought out Indigenous sources. With only one source tracked, I wrote the feature. A few weeks later, I fortuitously connected with both Goodpipe and Mi’kmaq Paranormal’s Tee Sock for separate articles and later returned to them to talk about the impact of both residential schools and the Sixties Scoop on Indigenous spiritual beliefs for a Haunted Magazine article.
That’s the reason I spoke with Goodpipe again about this book. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about social-political issues and is in tune with the spirit world. The thirty-six-year-old is Dakȟóta and Anishinaabe and has appeared on APTN’s The Other Side and T+E’s Paranormal Revenge.
I spoke with her in October 2023, hoping to get a little more perspective on the spiritual beliefs of Indigenous people. Keep in mind, according to the Government of Canada, there are over 630 First Nations communities in Canada. They represent more than fifty nations and fifty Indigenous languages. And they have been living here since long before the Europeans decided to show up like unwanted guests. Archaeologists like Jacques Cinq-Mars estimate the Bluefish Caves in the Yukon Territory had inhabitants living in them twenty-four thousand years ago.
I wanted to know more about Indigenous beliefs on spirits and the afterlife
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