October 31, 2023: To Haunt and to Hold

Happy last day of October everyone! This is a time both for things unseen, and for those unseen things to be respected. In the realm of discovery for this the last of the spooky days, we turn to folklorist and author Jeff Belanger. He’s the host of New England Legends, which is both an award winning tv show and a podcast, and the author of over a dozen books. Looking into the stories of New England every week means that he’s definitely got some about western Massachusetts, and we pick his brain for terrifying tales of the four counties. And tomorrow, Nov 1st, is Dia de los Muertos. Ofrendas in commemoration of the day are being erected throughout the region, and we speak with Iohann Rashi Vega and Jason Montgomery about expanding the number of ofrendas they are building from just one at the Wistariahurst Museum, to three monuments across Holyoke and Easthampton. The meaning of this day means many things to many people, and we venture into some of those connections, and how more community can be built by honoring those we’ve lost.