Folklore and earthquakes: Native American oral traditions from Cascadia compared with written traditions from Japan

Abstract

This article examines local myth and folklore related to earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis in oral traditions from Cascadia (part of the northern Pacific coast of North America) and in written traditions from Japan, particularly in the Edo (present-day Tokyo) region. Local folklore corresponds closely to geological evidence and geological events in at least some cases, and the symbolic language of myth and folklore can be a useful supplement to conventional geological evidence for constructing an accurate historical record of geological activity. At a deep, archetypical level, Japan, Cascadia, and many of the world's cultures appear to share similar themes in their conception of earthquakes. Although folklore from Cascadia is fragmentary, and the written record short, the evolution of Japanese earthquake folklore has been well documented over a long period of history and illustrates the interaction of folklore with dynamic social conditions.

Human resilience and resettlement among the Islands of Four Mountains, Aleutians, Alaska

“…The archaeological record of the IFM reveals the sustainability and resilience of the Unangax̂ people to environmental change during the four millennia prior to the arrival of Russians into the Aleutian chain. Tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions are known to affect other archaeological sites (see VanderHoek and Myron, 2004; Losey, 2005; Ludwin et al, 2005, 2007; Barton et al, 2018). We find no evidence that paleotsunamis affected either the Tana Aguna or the Ulyagan village in prehistory, and perhaps their location atop a cliff of unconsolidated sediment buffered villages from unusual waves.…”

Ancient and Medieval Earthquakes in the Area of L'Aquila (Northwestern Abruzzo, Central Italy), A.D. 1-1500: A Critical Revision of the Historical and Archaeological Data

“…To assess periods of recurrent destructive earthquakes (> VIII, MCS) in the L'Aquila area, as in other Italian regions, we feel that the restricted time span currently used for hazard evaluation should be extended. This also applies to information on the diffusion of ancient cults and local traditions regarding seismicity that are provided by ethnography and cultural anthropology; from the considerable literature on such approaches see, for example, the case of the Cascadia, which runs from northern California to British Columbia, western Canada (McMillan and Hutchinson, 2002;Ludwin, et al 2005;Ludwin and Smits, 2007; concerning the oral sources in historical seismology see also Guidoboni and Ebel, 2009, pp. 217-220).…”

The Dragon, the Knight and the Princess: Folklore in Early Childhood Disaster Education

“…Nevertheless, this indigenous knowledge is often shunned by practitioners who say that indigenous knowledge lacks evidence, contextualized to particular populations and that knowledge cannot be confirmed scientifically. Ludwin et al (2007) examined local myths and folklore related to earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis in Cascadian oral traditions (part of North America's northern Pacific coast) and Japanese written traditions, especially in the Edo area (now Tokyo). The study revealed the visual vocabulary of folklore and mythology could be a valuable addition to modern geological evidence to create a reliable historical record of volcanic development.…”