American Indian Ghost Stories of the West

Antonio Sr. Garcez

Description

The FIRST book written of ghost encounters of American Indians written by an American Indian! These are not second hand accounts, but are personal experiences told to the author by present day individuals who have witnessed spirits, and horrific hauntings throughout the southwest states of Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Each page will offer the reader a journey of personal exploration into the spiritually sacred and privileged world known only to Native Americans.

AMERICAN INDIAN GHOST STORIES OF THE WEST is unlike any other book. Make no mistake, this first of its kind book is definitely unlike no other!

Sujets

• Histoire
• Southwest
• State
• United States
• History
• Local

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 21 février 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780974098876
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

American Indian Ghost Stories of the West
 
Antonio R. Garcez
 
 
Published in eBook format by Red Rabbit Press
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
 


Praises for the author’s best selling books
 
 
Arizona Ghost Stories
 
“Gives a hauntingly accurate overview of the many reports of haunted sites all over the state. It not only lists the places from north to south, but also quotes the interviews of eyewitnesses, giving a remarkable feeling of being there with them as they encounter the unknown. Such sites as the Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee to the Jerome Inn come to life in Mr. Garcez’s investigations. His chapter on the reports of ghosts at Tombstone is perhaps one of the best accounts I have seen on this subject.”
— Richard Senate, “Hollywood’s Ghosts”
 
“Arizona could not have asked for a better chronicler of its supernatural landscape that Antonio R. Garcez. From Arivaca to Yuma, Arizona’s most haunted places are all here! These stories will send shivers up your spine, and rightly so—they all really took place! If you have ever wanted to experience something paranormal, let this book be your guide.”
— Dennis William Hauck, “Haunted Places—The National Directory”
 
 
Colorado Ghost Stories
 
“Mr. Garcez is an authority on the paranormal!”
— Patrick Powell, Producer “TAPS” (The Atlantic Paranormal Society)
 
“Good Stuff. Some of the best books ever written!”
— Fortean Times Magazine, London, UK
 
“Get ready for some scary nights!”
— Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, October 2009
 
 
New Mexico Ghost Stories
 
“This collection of personal encounters with the ‘spiritual,’ or ‘supernatural,’ certainly supported some of my own experiences. These stories are made more frightening by their very proximity.”
— Stephanie Gonzales, former NM Secretary of State
 
“I highly recommend that both local citizens and visitors to Santa Fe read this book!”
— Sam Pick, former Mayor-Santa Fe, NM
 
“Fascinating to read...offers the reader insight into our town’s unique traditions, folklore and history; don’t miss it!”
— Frederick A. Peralta, former Mayor-Town of Taos
 
 
American Indian Ghost Stories of the Southwest
 
“The accounts range from sweetly sentimental to truly terrifying, but all share the benefit of Antonio’s sensitivity and attention to detail. He shows respect for the tales, and those who tell them, and understands that history and culture are inextricably bound to all folklore.”
— Jo-Anne Christensen, “Haunted Hotels”
 
“These are not long-ago cowboy yarns, but very real, very current ghost stories from a rich and chilling mix of voices. Antonio has a rare talent for telling detail; he paints unforgettably creepy images that linger long after the book is done.”
— Chris Woodyard, “Ghost Stories of Canada”
 
 
Ghost Stories of California’s Gold Rush Country and Yosemite National Park
 
“If you’re a lover of the supernatural, get cozy in an easy chair and prepare your self for the inevitable. Eyewitness accounts told in a straightforward manner!”
— Tim Palmieri, Western Outlaw-Lawman History Association
 
“As a subject where many of the books written simply regurgitate previously produced material, Author Antonio R. Garcez does an excellent job of locating and interviewing primary resources to provide fresh stories of ghost folklore. Each chapter contains a brief introduction that supplies some of the background of the town and sites in question, followed by transcriptions of the witnesses’ stories. Garcez’s style is simple and easy to follow; the stories he has found are quickly engrossing. The fact that he put the time into his field research is impressive. Garcez can always be relied on to provide fresh stories of the supernatural and this book is no exception. He does his field research to find first-hand accounts from the people who witnessed them. When so many other writers concentrate more on information other paranormal researchers produce, Garcez deserves a great deal of credit.”
— Adrienne Foster, Book Reviewer — www.Epinions.com
 


©2011 by ANTONIO R. GARCEZ
1st edition—2010
 
ISBN-13: 978-0-9740-9887-6
 
All rights reserved
 
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Some of the places that appear in these stories may have changed ownership or names since the printing of this book. Also some of the individuals who appear in this book have, since printing, might have moved on, either within this world or into the next. Their stories appear here as they were directly bestowed to the author at the time they were interviewed.
 
All photos by the author unless otherwise noted.
 
 
The author may be contacted at the following:
www.ghostbooks.biz
 


Dedication
To my grandparents;
 
My father’s ‘Otomi’ mother, my grandmother, Maria Camargo Garcez Rios, who spoke to me as a child saying, “Never forget that your umbilical cord is attached to this land, so you will always be.”

My mother’s ‘Mescalero Apache’ father, my grandfather Juan Ramirez, who sang and played Apache songs on his harmonica to my younger brother and I.

 


About the Author
Antonio R. Garcez graduated with a B.A. from California State University at Northridge, and then attended Graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. He began writing in 1989 and states, “Recording the stories of personal encounters of those who have been communicated with by the spiritual is a great responsibility. I can only say that as it is, the work will never be fully completed to my satisfaction. It is a process and a challenge on several levels. I also remain well aware of the benevolence and at times hazards inherent in it.” Antonio resides and continues to write from his ranch on the plains of New Mexico’s land of enchantment.
Acknowledgments
My deepest appreciation to the following:
 
Hank Estrada, my partner who continues to dream with me.
 
Thanks to :
 
Arizona Department of Commerce—Arivaca Community Profile.
 
Holbrook Chamber of Commerce/Historical Society of Navajo County (original documents held at Arizona State Archives, Department of Library Archives and Public Records)—Invitations to hanging of George Smiley and Deposition of T.J. McSweeny.
 
Taos Chamber of Commerce—City of Taos and Taos Pueblo
 
History of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument-National Park Service—History of the Salinas Pueblo.
 
Ellen Bigrope, Curator, Mescalero Cultural Center, The Mescalero Apache Tribe-History of the Mescalero Apache.
 
Betty L. Cornelius, Museum Director-Colorado River Indian Tribes—History of the Colorado Indians.
 
The Colorado River Indian Tribes, Former Internees of Poston, Veterans and Friends of the Fiftieth Year Observance of the Evacuation and Internment—Historic Content and Memorial Tribute, Poston Arizona.
 
Author’s Note
Some of the names associated with the storytellers mentioned in this book have been changed. This was done for the sole purpose of not identifying those individuals because of their cultural beliefs, or their personal need to disguise their identity. Thus, any name used in the book which might be associated with anyone known to the reader is simply coincidental.
 



 
Introduction
This book of ghost stories is a revision of my previous work, “American Indian Ghost Stories of the Southwest.” With this latest expanded work, I’ve reached a broader selection of American Indian experiences with spirits. I’ve included not simply the two states of Arizona and New Mexico, but added California and Colorado. As with my original book, the stories contained within these pages, are not traditional stories. They are real and told to me in an interview format. Almost all of the individuals I interviewed for this book are American Indians who have had first-hand encounters with ghosts. These individuals have seen, and in some cases have been spoken to, even physically touched by spirit(s). A few of these individuals are not American Indian, but have an American Indian connection to their stories. I believe the inclusion of Hispanic, Anglo, African American and Japanese imparts a certain interesting quality.
My interviews required a considerable amount of editing. As anyone knows who has conducted interviews by transcribing from tape to the written page, the process is not as simple as it might first appear. Careful attention must be paid in order to keep the right “feeling” of the interview. Staying true to the emphasis presented by the interviewee, keeping the subject matter in context, and attempting to represent in words facial expressions and hand gestures can be challenging, but is not impossible. I also attempted to keep the narrative flow and the patois of the interviewee as close to genuine as possible, arranging sentences in an orderly manner for the story to proceed smoothly and be understood clearly. While this editing was necessary, it does not detract from the story’s principal subject matter.
The stories speak for themselves. Undoubtedly, some of them will arouse curiosity, speculation, fear, and even cause a few of you to probe further into the subject of the paranormal. I am content to leave you with more questions than answers. In future books I intend to survey other regions and sub-topics of the United States, compiling a collection of similar stories. I never have an idea where all this research of eyewitness accounts will lead. Frankly, like you, I am just along for the ride, and thus far it has been a ride of extraordinary wonder and unexpected amazement. Ghost stories engage me.
I am aware that it is simplistic to overemphasize the negative aspects of ghosts as evil or scary. However, focusing on these points alone promotes neither a positive nor hopeful view of our own end re