Messages In This Digest (2 Messages)

1.: Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Fol From: Caroline Tully

2.: LECTURES: Circular Architecture in Prehistoric Europe From: Caroline Tully

Messages

1.: Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Fol

Posted by: "Caroline Tully" heliade@bigpond.com willowitch2001

Wed Sep 28, 2011 4:25 pm (PDT)

Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore
(Radford, Benjamin)

Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and
Folklore. By Benjamin Radford. 2011. Albuquerque: University of New
Mexico Press. 288 pages. ISBN: 978-0-8263-5015-2 (hard cover).

Reviewed by Virginia S. Fugarino, Memorial University of Newfoundland
(virginiaf@mun.ca).

[Word count: 1027 words]

Benjamin Radford's work, Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast
in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore, sets out to present an in-depth
analysis of the elusive "goat sucker" in order to determine the
plausibility of its existence. To date, few books have been dedicated
to taking a serious look at this creature, and Radford puts forth a
well-researched and approachable study that seeks to fill this gap.
Radford's research spans five years and includes a variety of
approaches, such as an analysis of news media surrounding chupacabra
reports, a survey of popular culture items either influenced by or
potentially influencing chupacabra stories, discussions of interview
material, and Radford's own travels to Nicaragua to search for the
creature.

The book is split into four parts that explore different aspects of
his study. Part I provides a concise historical overview of
chupacabra reports, ranging from Puerto Rico (the location of the
original report) to Mexico, Chile, Brazil, and the United States.
This section also includes some of the theories about the creature's
origins, ranging from the belief that the chupacabra is the result of
governmental conspiracies to the belief that chupacabras are simply
familiar predators. At the core of Radford's chupacabra mystery,
however, is the aspect of the reports that state that the animal
sucks the blood out of its victims. To Radford, it is the vampiric
element of the chupacabra that is key to investigating its existence.

Radford continues with an examination of vampirism and the chupacabra
into Part II of the book, which explores how the chupacabra fits into
both vampire tradition and into popular culture. The first chapter of
Part II provides a brief overview of vampire tradition across various
cultures, focusing specifically on the characteristics that vampires
"[drain] blood, energy, or other bodily substance though physical
contact" and that they are "blamed for unexpected deaths or
unexplained misfortune" (24). Radford goes on to argue that the
chupacabra is a uniquely Hispanic vampire arising from the particular
social and cultural environment of the region. He particularly
explores how the chupacabra and other Latin American vampiric
creatures can be seen to represent metaphorically postcolonial
concerns and resentment of intrusion from outside political forces,
specifically the U.S. government.

The second chapter of Part II deals with the variety of ways the
chupacabra has made its way into popular culture. Radford begins with
an analysis of tabloid and news media coverage of the creature,
coverage that aided in the spread of chupacabra stories. He also
discusses how the chupacabra has surfaced in other popular media,
including film, literature, and exhibitions at fairs and museums.
This chapter is particularly interesting in that it provides an array
of examples of how the chupacabra, a relatively recent monster, has
become internationally known.

Part III details Radford's investigation of physical evidence and
witness reports for the chupacabra's existence, beginning with his
own expedition to Nicaragua to search for evidence of the creature.
In this chapter, Radford explores the jungles for tracks and speaks
to locals about their perspectives on the monster. Written almost
like a travel log, this chapter describes Radford's search in an
engaging way, even though the expedition turns up no positive
evidence for the creature. The next two chapters focus on the
best-known chupacabra incidents. As Radford states, "[since] the vast
majority of chupacabra reports leave little or no physical trace,
these cases represent the best hard evidence for the mysterious
creatures" (75). By investigating these reports closely, Radford
discusses how the reports tend not to follow a consistent pattern
and, in the cases in which the body of the alleged creature has been
recovered, it has been shown to be a much more familiar animal, such
as a dog or coyote. Additionally, Radford looks at how the reports of
animals being drained of blood frequently are not fully investigated
and that other plausible explanations exist for animals appearing to
be sucked dry.

The final part of the book contains a reexamination of the "original
sighting" of the chupacabra by Madelyne Tolentino of Puerto Rico to
seek the origin of the chupacabra mystery. By examining Tolentino's
statements and other eyewitness reports, Radford proposes a link
between these reports and the popular movie, Species, which ran in
theatres prior to Tolentino's sighting. He explores the similarities
between her report and the alien creature central to the film,
proposing that the film, which she did see before her sighting,
influenced what she believes she saw of the chupacabra. Radford also
includes in the chapter a discussion of other sightings and reports
to cast doubt upon the existence of the creature.

Radford's final chapter takes a closer look at the vampirism claims
of chupacabra reports. He looks at the injuries inflicted upon the
prey and the biological structures that would need to be in place for
the alleged chupacabras to suck blood from their victims. He goes
into further detail about how animals can appear to be drained of
blood, and uses the insights of wildlife experts to propose
explanations for the predation blamed on chupacabras. Radford finds
nothing in his research to support the plausibility of the chupacabra
claims. Instead, he notes that "[perhaps] one of the most remarkable
aspects of the chupacabra is the notoriety it gained during the last
fifteen years despite a lack of good evidence" (170).

Overall, Radford's book is an engaging study. Although at times he
takes a dismissive tone toward individuals who believe in the
creature, his prose is clear and well presented. The use of pictures
and diagrams throughout the book enriches the discussion and helps to
clarify some of his points, especially when he is examining the
attacks on the livestock. This book offers a serious study of the
phenomenon of the chupacabra, and it will be interesting to see if
other researchers follow in his path. Researchers interested in
issues of belief may find avenues of study to follow from Radford's
research. Radford states near the close of his book: "There is
nothing left to explain, no place left for any mystery to hide. The
beast is gone -- in fact never was -- but the myth will continue"
(177). One wonders whether believers may attempt to counter his
claims.

---------

Read this review on-line at:

http://www.indiana.edu/~jofr/review.php?id=1241

(All JFR Reviews are permanently stored on-line at

http://www.indiana.edu/~jofr/reviews.php)

*********

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2.: LECTURES: Circular Architecture in Prehistoric Europe

Posted by: "Caroline Tully" heliade@bigpond.com willowitch2001

Wed Sep 28, 2011 4:26 pm (PDT)

This sounds interesting (if one were in Britain to hear it of course...)

LECTURES: Circular Architecture in Prehistoric Europe

From the British Academy <britishacademy@email.britac.ac.uk>:
===============================================

BRITISH ACADEMY ALBERT RECKITT ARCHAEOLOGICAL LECTURE

The Idea of Order: Circular Architecture in Prehistoric Europe
Professor Richard Bradley FBA
University of Reading

Wednesday, 9 November 2011
6.00pm - 7.15pm, followed by a drinks reception
The British Academy, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH

This lecture is not about a period or a place; it is about an idea.
Why did so many people in prehistoric Europe build circular monuments?
Why did they choose to live in circular houses, when other communities
rejected them? Why was it that those who preferred to inhabit a world
of rectangular dwellings so often buried their dead in round barrows
and worshipped their gods in circular temples?

The Idea of Order considers the significance of circular dwellings as
well as circular mounds from the origins of agriculture to the Early
Medieval period and from Central Europe and the Mediterranean at one
extreme to Britain and Ireland at the other. It investigates why this
architectural form remained important for such a long period of time
and contrasts its distribution with that of rectilinear architecture
in ancient Europe. It also considers the circumstances in which
roundhouses and circular monuments finally went out of use.

About the Speaker:
Richard Bradley has been Professor in Archaeology at Reading
University since 1987. His recent publications include a new analysis
of ancient art in Europe, a book on the prehistory of Britain and
Ireland, a study of ritual and domestic life in Neolithic to Iron Age
Europe and three volumes analysing traditions of Bronze Age monumental
architecture in Scotland.

Registration is not required for this event. Attendance is free and
seats will be allocated upon arrival.

A poster for your notice board can be downloaded here:

Albert Reckitt Archaeological Lecture
The Reckitt Archaeological Trust, which was established by the late Mr
Albert L Reckitt for the furtherance of archaeological research, was
transferred in 1950 to the British Academy. It was decided amongst
other things to establish a lecture series in memory of the founder,
and the lecture was first delivered in 1951.

The British Academy, 10 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AH Tel:
020 7969 5200, Fax: 020 7969 5300, Web: www.britac.ac.uk

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