Youth; Topaz; Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment]]> Sekerak, Eleanor Gerard (photographer)]]> Topaz Museum]]> Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah]]> Youth; Topaz; Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment]]> Sekerak, Eleanor Gerard (photographer)]]> Topaz Museum]]> Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah]]> Youth; Topaz; Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment]]> Sekerak, Eleanor Gerard (photographer)]]> Topaz Museum]]> Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah]]> Youth; Topaz; Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment]]> Sekerak, Eleanor Gerard (photographer)]]> Topaz Museum]]> Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah]]> Youth; Topaz; Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment]]> Sekerak, Eleanor Gerard (photographer)]]> Topaz Museum]]> Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah]]> London, Jack, 1876-1916--Correspondence; Authors, American--20th century--Correspondence; Sellars, William H.--Correspondence;]]> Sellars, William H.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> http://uda-db.orbiscascade.org/findaid/ark:/80444/xv27206]]> image/jpeg;]]> eng;]]> Text;]]> http://digital.lib.usu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/jacklondon/id/157]]> Washington (D.C.); United States;]]> Eritrea; Eritreans; Families; Refugees; Ethiopia; Logan, UT; Culture; Tigrinya; English; Education; International Refugee Commission; Refugee Camps; Work; Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsal-- Interviews]]> Seltene Gebrelasie Gebretinsa, 1975-;]]> Olsen, Magen, 1986-;]]> Berhane Debesai Abraha, 1980-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Warner-Evans, Hilary, 1994-;]]> Gross, Susan;]]> oral histories (document genre)]]> audio/mp3;]]> 61953052 Bytes]]> tir; eng;]]> Sound;]]> Segeneiti, Eritrea; Sudan; Libya; Malta; England; New York, New York; Las Vegas, Nevada;]]> Eritrea; Eritreans; Families; Refugees; Immigration; Immigrants; Malta; Logan, UT; Culture; Tigrinya; English; Education; International Refugee Commission; Refugee Camps; Work; Holidays; Eritrea-- Food; Seltene Gebrelasie Gebretinsa-- Interviews]]> Valley
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CACHE VALLEY REFUGEE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
TRANSCRIPTION COVER SHEET
Interviewee(s): Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa
Present: Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa, Hilary Warner-Evans, Berhane Debesai
Abraha, Heidi Williams, Megan Olsan
Place of Interview: Logan Public Library, Logan, Utah
Date of Interview: May 16, 2015
Language(s): Tigrinya
Translation:
Interviewer: Hilary Warner-Evans
Interpreter: Berhane Debesai Abraha
Recordist: Heidi Williams
Photographer: Magen Olsen
Recording Equipment: Tascam DR-100mk11 linear PCM recorder; Senal ENG-18RL
broadcast-quality omnidirectional dynamic microphone
Transcription Equipment: Express Scribe with PowerPlayer foot pedal.
Transcribed by: Susan Gross, May 22, 2015
Transcript Proofed by: Hilary Warner-Evans, May 24, 2015
Brief Description of Contents: Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa tells about his birthplace in Eritrea, a little bit about
his family and his religion. He talks about his 11 year service in the army as an impetus to flee his country and
become a refugee. He discusses his journey as a refugee, first in Malta, and the process to eventually come to the
United States. He talks about adjusting to living in the United States, from taking classes to learn English and
working to support himself. He talks about his wife and children he left behind, and his hopes of being able to have
them join him in the United States.
Reference: HW = Hilary Warner-Evans
HWI = Hilary Warner-Evans’ words interpreted by translator
SG = Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa
SGGI: = Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa’s words interpreted by translator
NOTE: The interview was conducted with the assistance of a live translator, Berhane Debesai
Abraha. The interpreter was there for the whole period. False starts, pauses, or transitions in
dialogue such as “uh” and starts and stops in conversations are not included in transcript. All
additions and added information to transcript are noted with brackets.
TAPE TRANSCRIPTION
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[00:01]
HWE: Okay, it is May 16th, 2015. This is Hilary Warner-Evans interviewing Seltene
Gebreselasie Gebretinsa.
SGG: Yeah.
HWE: And he is a member of the Eritrean community here, in Logan, Utah. We are at the Logan
Public Library, in the Temple Fork Room. And Berhane Debesai Abraha is translating
into Tigrinya. And also present are Heidi Williams, recording, and Magen Olsen, doing
photography.
Can you – we’ve actually already gone over part of this – but can you give me your full
name and your birth year?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: His birthday is January 1, 1975.
[Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: And his name is Seltene Gebreselasie.
HWE: Okay. And can you tell me about your family?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Okay, no problem; I can tell you about my family: I was born in east Africa, in Eritrea,
and my father is Gebreselasie Gebretinsa. Okay.
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: And I was born in southern zone, it’s called Zoba Debub in Tigrinya, and the place he
was born in Segeneiti – it’s a small village.
[Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: It’s around 70 kilometers south of the capital city Asmara.
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SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: I was born and raised in Segeneiti, and when my age reached 18, I went for National
Service.
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: And I have been in the army for around 11 years, and life was not comfortable for me.
And I just left the country and moved some other place.
HWE: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yes.
[Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he has one sister, and there are four boys. Aand there was another brother –
[Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he died in the war with Ethiopia before 1994 – the War of Liberation with
Ethiopian’s army; he died in the struggle.
HWE: And are you the only member of your family here, in the United States?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he’s the only one.
HWE: What languages do you speak?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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SGGI: He speaks Tigrinya.
HWE: And what ethnic or religious community do you consider yourself to be a part of?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He is a Christian; he is a follower of Eritrean Orthodox Church.
HWE: Can you tell me a little bit about Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[06:31]
SGGI: Eritrea is a beautiful and comfortable country to live, but at this time because of the
situation of the war and the political system, it’s not becoming favorable for the people to
live in it.
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, at this time Eritrea is kind of in a war, so everybody is in the army for ten years or
more; so people cannot live their life, cannot support their family – so everybody is
leaving to help themself and to improve their life and the life of their family. So that’s
why I move out of the country: in search of a good life, and better life.
HWE: How long did you live in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was living in Eritrea starting the date of his birth, 1975, up to 2008.
HWE: Can you tell me about the experience of leaving?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I am married and I have two children; since I was in the army I cannot support
them, I cannot do anything. And it was for a long time. So I want to improve my life and
my family’s lives. And I leave Eritrea to the Sudan’s border; then from Sudan he went to
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Libya, through the desert there. He crosses the Mediterranean to Malta; and from Malta
he came to the United States.
HWE: Did you spend any time in a camp while you were coming over?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was in Malta from 2008, up to 2012, under the Refugee Commission.
HWE: What was it like being with the Refugee Commission in Malta?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: So Malta’s refugee camp was kind of good, because you are free to move out. So he was
not in the camp, he was working in Malta –
[Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya]
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was working with some farmers on the farm. So while he was a refugee, until he
comes to the United States, he was working earning money, and he was supporting his
family and himself. So they didn’t have anything to worry in Malta, because they could
work and they were working.
[10:57]
HWE: So how did you – when you were working on a farm back in Eritrea.
HWEI: Eritrea.
HWE: Right?
HWEI: [Repeating statement in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I was born in a farming family, so I was raised with them – so I was working on a
farm.
[Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
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HWE: Can you talk about the food or the medical care that you received when you were in the
refugee camp in Malta?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Okay, in the refugee camp in Malta, for the first seven months we were under the
Refugee Commission until they finish all our registration and until they check and
double-check our information. So they were providing us food, the house was clean; they
give us shelter, clothes and bed. But after seven months, when they finish the registration
stuff, we were allowed to leave the camp and to work. So after that I was working and
earning money myself, and I was living by myself.
HWE: What kind of work did you do?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was working with the local farmers.
HWE: Okay.
SGGI: So they got a big farm. He was working with them.
HWE: How did you celebrate, like, holidays when you were living in the camp?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[14:06]
SGGI: Okay, he say it was okay; Maltans, they have a lot of holidays – and we celebrate all
holidays with them. And their biggest holiday is Christmas, and we were celebrating it
with the people.
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: And their second holiday was Easter, and we are celebrating it with them.
HWE: What kinds of things did you do for Christmas and Easter?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
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SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he is saying he was so close with the family he was working with; they were kind
of parents for me. And for the purpose of work he was rented in front, close to them; so
most of the time, 25% of the time, he was celebrating the holiday with them.
HWE: And how did that differ from how you celebrated it back in your home country?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: It’s kind of the same – they didn’t have any difference.
HWE: Okay. So did you eat like any particular foods, or do anything particular?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said in Malta they kind of live in extended family, so most of the time on holidays
they don’t cook – they just go out all together. So since he was working with them, they
always take him with them, and they go out and order food and get it; they don’t cook at
all.
HWE: Okay. And did you do anything else besides go out to eat? Did you go to church or
anything like that?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[17:51]
SGGI: Okay. In Malta they always go to church Saturday evening and Sunday morning. So the
church was close to my apartment, and I kind of know their language at that time – so I
used to go to their church.
HWE: Now was it like an Orthodox church?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: No, Catholic.
HWE: Okay.
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SGGI: It was a Catholic church.
HWE: So was that very different for you to go to a Catholic church, instead of Orthodox?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said for him it doesn’t make any difference because in his home town, tthe place he
grow up, the majority of the people are Catholics, and few are Orthodox; so he knows
what Catholic is, and their culture.
HWE: And in the camp – were there other people from Eritrea there?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: A lot.
HWE: Was that the majority of the people there?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: The majority of the refugees were Somalians and people from West Africa.
HWE: So did you end up celebrating at all with other people from your home country? Or did
you mostly just go with the people you were working for?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he was saying the refugee’s holidays – they are always the same, so he was
celebrating it with the family he was working; but the public holidays – he was
celebrating them with the people from Eritrea.
HWE: What kinds of public holidays did you celebrate?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[21:39]
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SGGI: He said the religious holidays are the same, so he would sometime celebrate them with
the family he was working, but holidays like May 24th (that means it’s Eritrean
Independence Day) and June 20 (it’s kind of Memorial Day – we call it the Martyrs’
Day) – he was celebrating it with the Eritreans.
HWE: And how did you celebrate those holidays?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Most of the people – after they were allowed to leave the camp in war, they rented their
own apartment, so they would celebrate the whole island. So when there is holidays they
rent a big hall, and they prepare food and drinks, and they celebrate it together.
HWE: And what kinds of food and drinks did you have?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: For the foods they buy meat and some of them they prepare ingera, and they just make
food just like the way we do at home. And for the drink they just buy beer.
HWE: So for the meat would you get like a whole animal?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: So they were buying beef from groceries.
HWE: Okay. And did you get the beer from the grocery too?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [Laughs]
SGGI: Yeah, that is the only way – you can buy it from groceries [laughs].
HWE: [Laughs]
So how did Malta feel about the refugees coming in from Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
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SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[25:06]
SGGI: Malta is a small island, its population is around half million, 500,000. So at first, when
the refugees come to their area, they didn’t like it because it’s a small country, and there
are a lot of refugees; but some time they get used to them, so they were friendly. Then
after they get their refugee status, American Immigration System, they came to them and
they give them asylum to the United States.
HWE: So did you feel safe when you were there?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He says the country is so nice – it’s a free country, nobody talks to you, nobody even
asks, nobody stops you. But when they first arrived in Malta, the people they don’t like
them; sometimes even if they see another Eritrean or another refugee on the bus they just
leave the whole bus. But after some time they get used to them Then they didn’t care
anymore.
HWE: And how did you learn about the U.S. refugee program?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: There was a refugee office over there, a refugee commission office, so he go over there to
the office, and there are a lot of refugee places to go: Europe, Canada, America (or
United States of America), and Australia. You choose which area you want to go, you
just go and you settle with them and they take care of your process.
HWE: Okay, so you can choose which country you want to go to?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[28:42]
SGGI: They ask you question and if you want to go to Germany, France, Holland (or the
Netherlands), Slovakia, and Hungary. I don’t want to go that places, so I tell them that I
am not going to these places and they give me opportunity to go to the United States.
HWE: And how did you apply to do that?
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HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, at that time, the United States were taking a lot of Eritrean refugees, so as soon as I
know the United States taking refugees, I went there and applied. And it took me around
seven years to process everything. And I did my interview and they gave me the
congratulation paper. That means they accepted him. And after that he came to the United
States.
HWE: So did someone in the office help you do that process, with all the paperwork and stuff?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, in their office they have a translator, a paid translator, so I go through the process.
In Malta at the Immigration Office you cannot do it the way we do it in Africa, because
in Africa you can bribe stuff like that, but in Malta you cannot do that; you have to go
through all the process. They provide you translator, and they check everything, your
background and other stuff. And when you pass everything they tell you when you come.
When you finish your immigration process, then when they approve you, you just come
to the United States.
[31:34]
HWE: And can you tell me a little bit about the journey to the United States?
HWEI: You mean the airplane journey?
HWE: Yeah, or how you go from Malta to the U.S.?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Okay. So when all their process is done, when their flight is scheduled to show up in
Malta, the Refugee Commission – they took them to the airport; they put them in the
airplanes and they showed them their chair and they told them, “Good luck, have a nice
trip.” And from Malta, they fly to England for a transit. And in England some people
were waiting for them – and the same thing: these people, they took them to the next
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airplane, and they put them on the airplane (they same the thing), “Good luck, nice trip.”
And after that, from England they landed in New York.
HWE: And were there other Eritrean refugees going on the plane with you?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: There were four Eritreans and three Somalians on the plane.
HWE: So you came to New York first. Did you fly, then, directly from New York to Salt Lake?
Or did you spend time in another place in the U.S.?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[34:51]
SGGI: Okay, when they come from Malta, their destination was not New York – it was Las
Vegas, Nevada; but they stayed two days in New York because the weather was bad.
Planes could not fly that day; so they stayed two days. Then after the weather got normal,
they flew to Las Vegas, Nevada, for their final destination. And he stayed three months in
Las Vegas.
[Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWE: What time of year was it when you were flying?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: It was December 7, 2012.
HWE: What were the first months like in Las Vegas?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
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SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said, Las Vegas is okay, but I didn’t like it – it’s too hot. But I stayed there for three
months because he was going to English classes. After he finished the first three months
of the class, then he moved to – [speaking Tigrinya to interviewee]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He moved to Logan.
HWE: Where were you taking English classes in Las Vegas?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was going to the Catholic school church, because this Catholic school – the Catholics,
they got an organization for the refugees (they help with their flight and other stuff). So
he was going there – it was for free. The first couple of months when you show up here,
you need to get your social security, you have to get your ID (that is a kind of work
permit). So I was waiting for the papers, but I decided to go to school instead of just
sitting and wait for the papers.
HWE: Were you there with other members of the Eritrean community?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[38:21]
SGGI: When he come from Malta, he was with three other Eritreans (that means four of them),
so they were all assigned to Las Vegas. So four of them, they give them one house with
three bedrooms; so they were staying together for the first three months. And after three
months he moved to Logan.
HWE: And the others stayed in Las Vegas?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: They stayed there; they are still there.
HWE: What else was Las Vegas like, besides too hot?
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HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said Las Vegas has a lot of big building, beautiful places: hotels, houses and other
stuff – but it’s not like Utah; I didn’t like it. He can’t see a lot of stuff there.
HWE: So you were in like a more rural area when you were in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he was more in a rural area. Then he moved to a small town.
HWE: How could your situation, when you first came to the United States, have been improved?
I mean, in terms of like the help you received.
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[41:28]
SGGI: When they first showed up – the United States government helps us a lot: they do
whatever we need necessary. When we first show up they give us 1100 dollars each in
our hand, but we don’t know anybody in this country, so they ask the Refugee
Commission to rent house for them. So they help them to rent a house or apartment with
their money. And everyone, they were given – [speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: They were giving them 350 dollars every month. They were assigned to take 350 for
eight months, but as soon as he moved in the third month he get 350 dollars every month
for the first three months. And he came to Logan, so they cut the money they were giving
him.
HWE: Oh. So when you decided to move to another place they stopped giving you the money?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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SGGI: He said you can take it – they don’t stop it, but most of the time if you got a job, I don’t
need any assistance. So thanks God when I moved here, I got a job, so I don’t want to
take money anymore.
HWE: Did you not have a job in Las Vegas?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: No.
HWE: Okay. How long have you lived in Logan?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Two years.
HWE: And where do you work?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: JBS Beef Company.
SGGI: JBS Beef Company in Hyrum.
HWE: What is like here?
HWEI: You mean work, or?
HWE: Work and just life in general in this area.
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[44:05]
SGGI: He likes Utah – it’s a good place to live; I didn’t see any bad things here, so it’s a nice
place to live here.
HWE: Do you feel like you’re included in the Logan community?
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HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: This is a good place to live. Most of the time we spend our time at work, so he cannot say
anything about any other people; they cannot say they include me, they didn’t include
me, but every time we are at work and at home.
HWE: Do you live with other people here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
HWE: Oh, you live on your own, right? You said that already.
HWEI: [Repeating the statement in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he got two roommates.
HWE: Oh, okay. Okay, is there anything that you think would make you feel more at home
here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said now I want to stay in America, so I am improving my life and I am looking for a
better opportunities. We are waiting for this country to grow up and for us to get more
opportunities.
HWE: How is living here different than living back home?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[47:44]
SGGI: Life in America is so expensive, rent is expensive; you cannot live if you don’t have
work. And even though you are not going to live with anybody, everybody wants money.
Back home, life is not expensive; so, for example, if you don’t have any apartment to
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live, you can live with families, you can live with other people for some time; you can
share with everybody. But here you have to work hard and pay a lot of money for life.
HWE: How has it been renting an apartment or house?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said when I compare with Malta – In Malta I used to have my own one bedroom
apartment and that one bedroom includes everything: furniture, bed, kitchen utensils,
refrigerator, and everything – and he was paying only 150 dollar for it (150 Euros for it).
But here, rent is so expensive it’s just – cannot compare; it’s too expensive.
HWE: And what is your landlord like?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[50:29]
SGGI: Yeah, he is sole renter of the apartment they live in now – the landlord, we never sees
him. There was a time when we used to go over their place, but now they got a drop box;
we just write a money order or check, you just drop it. They don’t say anything; they
don’t even come to the apartment.
HWE: What would you like people in Logan to know about you and other members of your
community here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He is saying I would like to thank for, not only for Logan, but for the government of the
United States, because they know we got in trouble, so they are helping us: they are
bringing us over here, and they tried to find jobs and apartments for us. So I came to the
United States in Las Vegas when I came here, and they’re still helping me. But the state
of Utah, they accept a lot of refugees from Eritrea, and they try to help them with work,
school, housing and other stuffs. So I appreciate the United States government for
helping the Eritrean communities, and I want them to keep helping because there are still
more people who needs extra help.
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HWE: Would you go back to Eritrea if you were able to do that?
HWEI: You mean to visit, or just go back entirely?
HWE: Both, I guess.
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[54:07]
SGGI: He is saying as long as the political situation is the same in Eritrea and the government
stays there, I don’t want to go there and I cannot go there because this government is not
treating us well. I have been in the army for 11 years. How can a person stay in the army
for 11 years without payment. But if administration changed, I would like to go visit my
families and see Eritrea; all the people of Eritrea are friendly and nice people. So I want
to go there and see them; it has been too long since the time I was out of Eritrea.
HWE: So you said earlier you had a wife and two kids in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I have a wife and two kids.
HWE: Are you still in communication with them?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I call them.
HWE: Do you send them money?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah.
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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SGGI: Yeah, I am the sole helper of the [???] community.
HWE: Do they have any plans to come join you here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I applied for them to join me here, and the immigration system (or the Visa center),
they approved my application – they even called them for interview, but my children,
they are so small so I cannot take them out safely, so I don’t want to expose them in
danger because they are too young. So they are entirely dependent, so when they grow up
or when there is a possibility to take them out they will come and join him.
HWE: How old are your children?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: The boy is ten and the girl is eight.
HWE: What are you most proud of, in terms of having come here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[57:42]
SGGI: He said I am proud to be here because this country is a big country, and there is a lot of
opportunities if you think hard and work hard you can do whatever you want to do: you
can go to school – you can work and go to school. So the only thing you need to do here
is just work hard and think hard, and you just do whatever you want to do; you can reach
your dreams.
HWE: What are your dreams for the future?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [High pitched feedback noise begins 58:29]
SGGI: He saying when we come here I need to learn – so he was going to school [??] for four
months; and now he is going to the English school. So he his plans now is to work in the
daytime and go to school in the evening in order to improve his life.
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HWE: What, specifically, would you like to have change in your life after you learn English?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [High pitched feedback ends 59:45]
[60:00]
SGGI: Yeah, I never went to school when I was back home, so I didn’t have education
background. So the reason I am going to school now is I don’t want to be illiterate,
because I will try to read and do his stuff on his own. And when his children show up (or
when they come to the United States) he just wants to help them [high pitched feedback
noise begins 60:20 when they are in school and other stuff, because he needs to learn the
language. If he don’t know the language, he cannot help his own.
HWE: I think that might be about it; do you guys have anything you want to ask? [To other
fieldworkers] No? Okay. Is there anything that we haven’t asked you that you think we
should know? [to interviewee]
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [end feedback noise 61:34, begins again at 61:47 and
continues to end]
[End part 1 of 2 – 62:05]
[Part 2 of 2 – 00:01]
[high pitched feedback noise from beginning]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He saying when they come to the United States when they are in Malta, they gave them
three days course how the United States government works and everything. And they told
them, “If you guys are married, your family will follow you here between six to eight
months. If you are not married, [end feedback noise at 00:37] and if you plan to come
back some countries can get married and take them to the United States, if better if you
become a citizenship, then it will be easier.” But his wife is in Ethiopia now, his children
are in Eritrea, but his wife is in Ethiopia; she did an interview a year ago, but she is still
waiting for the flight in Ethiopia. It has been more than two years since he has been here
and it has been more than a year since she did the interview; she is just waiting for the
flight. So there was some kind of misunderstanding. The way they tell them in Malta, and
the way things are going here – they are not the same.
HWE: Okay. I think this concludes our interview. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me. And we
do have like a release form to put the interview into the Archives at USU, and also, I
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think, [high pitched feedback noise begins 01:40 and continues to end] for it to be used in
our online exhibit, and also for– like we are going to have a community event on
Thursday that I will tell you more about.
HWEI: [Repeating the statement in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, no problem; he will sign your paper.
[End part 2 of 2 – 02:25]]]> Seltene Gebrelasie Gebretinsa, 1975-;]]> Olsen, Magen, 1986-;]]> Berhane Debesai Abraha, 1980-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Warner-Evans, Hilary, 1994-;]]> Gross, Susan;]]> transcripts;]]> application/pdf;]]> 160911 Bytes]]> tir; eng;]]> Text;]]> Segeneiti, Eritrea; Sudan; Libya; Malta; England; New York, New York; Las Vegas, Nevada;]]> veterinarian; dog]]> Senior Airman Christopher Stoltz]]> United States Air Force]]> Entrevista Audio con Sergio Aguillon-Mata]]> Sergio Aguillon-Mata]]> Foto de Sergio Aguillón-Mata]]> Sergio Aguillón-Mata]]> La obra "Dafeng" por el autor Sergio Aguillón-Mata]]> Sergio Aguillón-Mata]]> Old Ephraim; sheepherding; Frank Clark; Cache Valley]]> Sharp, Dallas Lore (author)]]> Nature Magazine]]> Digital Initiatives Unit, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Utah--Fish and Game Commissioner--Periodicals; Fisheries--Utah ; Game and game-birds--Utah;]]> Sharpe, John;]]> Deseret News;]]> image/jpeg;]]> eng;]]> Text;]]> SCA979p2-Ut1p-1903-1904.pdf]]> Utah; United States;]]> 20th century; 1900-1909;]]> Utah--Fish and Game Commissioner--Periodicals; Fisheries--Utah ; Game and game-birds--Utah;]]> Sharpe, John;]]> Deseret News;]]> image/jpeg;]]> eng;]]> Text;]]> SCA979p2-Ut1p-1899-1900.pdf]]> Utah; United States;]]> 19th century; 20th century; 1890-1899; 1900-1909;]]> Utah--Fish and Game Commissioner--Periodicals; Fisheries--Utah ; Game and game-birds--Utah;]]> Sharpe, John;]]> Deseret News;]]> image/jpeg;]]> eng;]]> Text;]]> SCA979p2-Ut1p-1897-1898.pdf]]> Utah; United States;]]> 19th century; 1890-1899;]]> Utah--Fish and Game Commissioner--Periodicals; Fisheries--Utah ; Game and game-birds--Utah;]]> Sharpe, John;]]> Deseret News;]]> image/jpeg;]]> eng;]]> Text;]]> SCA979p2-Ut1p-1901-1902.pdf]]> Utah; United States;]]> 20th century; 1900-1909;]]> woodfired; usu; design; art; concatenation; exhibit]]> Shasta Krueger]]> Logan, Utah]]> ]]> Shaw, Melanie]]> image/jpeg]]> eng]]> StillImage]]> ]]> Shaw, Melanie]]> image/jpeg]]> eng]]> StillImage]]> ]]> ]]> Shaw, Melanie]]> image/jpeg]]> eng]]> StillImage]]> ]]> ]]> Shaw, Melanie]]> image/jpeg]]> eng]]> StillImage]]> Legends;]]> legend-tripping;]]> Sandra L. Shaw
Utah State University
Fife Folklore Archives
Logan, Utah
English 423
Instructor: Wilson
Summer 1984
•
LEGENDS OF ST. ANNE"S RETREAT
•
•
Sandra L. Shaw
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
American Folklore
Summer, 1984
T ABLE OF CONT ENTS
Cover Essay • • • • . . . . . . . i • Autobiographical Sketch . . . . . . . . . •• vi
Item if Informant Title
I. Hekeda at St. Anne's Retreat
1 Rich, R. The Deer Lady
2 Richardson, D. The Jealous Nun
3 Ferrin, R. Drowning Babies
4 Ferrin, R. Disappearing Keys
5 Alder, E. Freezing Nuns
6 Hardman, L. Hedeka and Her Dogs
7 Neeley, A. S. Hook Lady
8 Jensen, S. The Lynching Mob
II. Modern Day Experiences at St. Anne's Retreat • 9 Jensen, S. Scratched Paint Job
10 Hardman, L. Barking Dogs
11 Hoth, J. Clean and Dirty Swinuning Pool
III. Other Hauntings of St. Anne's Retreat
12 Allred, J. Mass Murderer
13 Nelson, J. Haunted Retreat
14 Budge, L. Pregnant Nun
15 Sinunons, P. Fighting Nuns
•
1
2
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4
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
13
14
15
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Cover Essay
I have grown up in Log~ and because I know so many people from the area
I decided to focus on something that I could collect from my friends. I
thought of things that were common to most Logan High School graduates
and St. Anne's retreat immediately came to mind. It has always intrigued
me because I had never heard a story before that explained in detail why
it was such a scary place. I had heard rumors that nuns had been killed
at the retreat, but I had always wondered about the details. I thought
it was amazing that such a thing could happen in Logan Canyon because it
was so out of the ordinary for a place like Cache Valley to have a murder
take place.
I have ~een up to St. Anne's a couple of times when I was in high
school, and I knew that other people had often gone up there too. I had
been scared each time I had gon~ and I was also very curious about where
and why the stories had originated. I thought that there must have been
some incident that had started the telling of the legends, and I was
very curious to know if there was any truth to them. I had always thought
that nuns were interesting and mysterious, and this added to my. desire to
find out more about the legend of St. Anne's.
As I learned about folklore, I began to notice that legends like the
one about St. Anne's were not just found in Cache Valley, but allover the
country. I realized that being scared was a favorite pastime of many
people, and even such small towns as Mink Creek had someplace that was
considered haunted. I found that people, especially high school kids, .~
would tell scary stories about a certain place, and then go there to
get scared or carry out some tradition to bring a ghost out. The stories
i
•
•
•
usually dealt with some kind of restless ghost haunting the place because
of a sudde~ violent death.
After I had chosen my topic, I began collecting by asking people if
they knew any stories about St. Anne's Retreat. The easiest place to
collect, although it was somewhat ironic, was at church on sunday. I attend
a young adult L.D.S. ward, whose members are mostly people who have graduated
from Logan High School. I would ask as many people as possible if they
knew anything about St. Anne's, and then I would wtite their name down and
call them later to get the full details. This was an easy way to go through
a large number of people without much effort.
I later collected by calling informants on the telephone, and then
writing down what they were saying as quickly and as accurately as I could.
I tried to use the words that the informant had used, but I edited the un­necessaJY
words. I put down the idea of what the person told me, and used
the more original words in their narration. Some of the informants had
a hard time remembering the stories, and would tell me a few circumstances
out of order. For these items (#2,11,15) I put the circumstances in a
story form, however most of the items were told in story form.
I classified all of the items as legends, and then I ~anged them
according to theme. From each informant I collected their place of birth,
age, education, religion, and ancestry. I asked each informant a variety
of questions about the circustances in which they heard the story, and I
also asked them what they thought of the story. These questions included
such things as: whether or not they believed the story, if it scared them,
if they had been to the retreat, why they thought that people told the
legends, did they like the story, and why were nuns used in the stories •
ii
•
•
•
The answers to these questions enabled me to better evaluate the
p~Tpose of the legends and the reasons why people tell them. Most of
the informants thought that reasons for telling the storieses were for
fun, excitement, and thrills. While I was doing this project, I realized
that people love the excitement that goes along with being scared, and
they tell these stories in order to get that excitement. Some people
believed that the legends originated because something really did happen
at St. Anne's Retreat which spa'DkEid the telling of these stories. I do not
know if a murder took place at St. Anne's, but I think that something
mysterious might have happened at the retreat. Another reason for the
stories could be the intriguing qualities that nuns have to an L.D.S.
community like Logan. Few mormons understand nuns, and because of this,
people might have begun to tell stories about them to express their fears
of the unknown. They could have begun as warning stories to young people
to keep them from going up the canyon late at night. This theory is
ironic because telling such legend causes young people to become curious,
and they desire to go to the retreat to find out if it realily is haunted.
Most of the people I interviewed had been to the retreat.
I felt the , comment made by informant if 8, "people tell stories about
St. Anne's because it adds excitement to an otherwise normal place," was
an ,',insightful comment about St. Anne's. It is an ordinary retreat, but
because pe0ple have built up such a significant tradition of legends about
it, it has become an infamous landmark to a large number of Cache Valley
residents. I asked many people if they could tell me a story about St.
Anne's, and most of them could not give me a detailed story about it, but
they had heard of it, and they' knew that legends did exist about it. It
iii
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•
•
is amazing that so many people know that St. Anne's even exists. Because
they do know, I think that a conclusion about human nature can be drawn.
People like to talk about the infamous, tragic, mysterious, and sensational,
otherwise the legend of St. Anne's would have died out long ag~ along with
many of the other legend that exist allover the world.
Many of the informants had heard the story at girl's camp where it
is traditional to sit aroung the campfire telling ghost stories. Most of
the other informants heard the story at a party where there was a large
group of people. This shows that people like to talk about the supernatural.
They like to think about those things that are out of the ordinary because
they may feel that their own lives are very normal and relatively unexciting.
Because they do not know what the lifestyle of a nun is like, they may thi nk
that a nun has a more exciting life than they do, especially if she has
a big black dog or a haunted swimming pool nearby.
I think that people receive a superioTity; by talking about these kinds
of things. First, they are eager to pity someone else other than themselves,
and they are also relieved that such a terrible thing didn't happen to
them. They can vicariously experience the fear that the legendary characters
have felt when they visit the retreat, but they feel the security of having
a group of friends with them. They also have the security of knowing that
other people have gone up to the retreat before them and made it back altve.
This gives the person a chance to feel superior to the figures in the
legends, and may enable the person to feel better about themselves.
The variations on the legend are so numerous that it is almost
impossible to come up with an all inclusive story. The nuns are usually
a significant part of the legends, and the black dogs, and empty swimming
pool are often mentioned. These three it~s allow the storyteller to add
iv
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•
•
unusual details to their story that will make it more interesting. The
purpose of these stories is significant because they do offer a c~~ce for
the listener to escape from an ordinary life and think about the extraordinary.
Because they are somewhat believable, the stories are exciting and fun to
hear. They are an interesting and exciting way of entertaing people.
v
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•
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Autobiographical Sketch
I was born on July 25, 1964, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I grew up in
Logan, Utah. Both of my parents were raised in Ogden, Utah. I have one
older brother, and one older sister. Both -:of them are married, and I
have been the only child living at home with my parents for about seven
years.
For many years my dad worked for Grand Teton National Park during the
summer months as a naturalist. Our family enjoys hiking and camping together.
We enjoy mountains and wilderness because we spent so much time togetether
in the Tetons. We often sat around a campfire and talked until late at
night. I don't remember hearing any ghost stories, but I do remember
hearing jokes and bear stories. During the rest of the year my father
teaches botany at USU.
I have lived in Logan all of my life. I went to Hillcrest Elementary
School, Logan Junior High School, and Logan Senior High School. I am now
attending USU where I have changed my major from computer science to nursing.
I was recently accepted into the WSC/USU nursing program. I will graduate
in 1986 with an associate degree in nursing, and I hope to go on to get
my bachelor's degree •
I am an active member of the L.D.S. Church. My hobbies include
sewing, crosstitch, photography, playing the piano, hiking, and skiing.
I work for the USDA Poisonous Plant Lab in the Plant Industry Building
at USU analyzing poisonous plants •
vi
•
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•
Item if 1
"The Deer Lady"
Informant Data:
Robert Rich
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Robert Rich, 22, was born and raised in Logan, Utah. He is an active
member of the L.D.S. Church, and he served a mission to Japan. His
ancestry is English. He is a sophomore at U.S.U. majoring in civeil
engineering. He likes skiing, phoography, and sports.
Contextual Data:
Robert heard this story at a high school party at St. Anne's. He
didn't believe the story, and it didn't scare him. He liked the story
because it scared everybody else. He thinks that people tell the St.
Anne's story because it is scary to alot of people, and it brings about
a scary atomosphere. Robert thinks it is fun to be scared, and he likes
to tell scary stories.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Julian was the most beautiful lady in all of Logan. She was working
at a bottling plant to get enough money to get married. One day as she
was working, her beautiful long hair got caught in a machine and pulled
her in, scarring and mangling her face. Her hand was cut off, and a hook
was put in its' place. Her fiancee refused to marry her, and the towns-people
made fun of her ugly features. Angered and discouraged, she changed
her name to Hekeda and moved up the canyon to live. As she watched young,
pretty couples corne up the canyon, she got a wonderful idea of revenge.
She attacked the couples and scarred and mangled the girls. She couldn't
be caught because she could run as fast as a deer, and she knew trails
and shortcuts in the woods that no one else knew of. Sometimes, even
today, you can still see her running in her white nightgown with her hook
hand glistening in the moonlight.
1
•
•
•
Item # 2
"The Jealous Nun"
Informant Datal
Darci Richardson
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Darci Richardson, 19, was born in Wisconsin and raised in Logan, Utah.
She is a sophomore in elementary education at U.S.U., and she enjoys
playing the piano, bicycling, and talking. She is an active memeber of
the L.D.S. Church.
Contextual Data:
Darci heard this story at girl's camp. She was very scared when she
heard the story, and she believes that nuns did get killed at St. Anne's,
but she doesn't believe the rest of the story. She has been to the retreat,
and she was scared when she went. She thinks that everyone wants to tell
their own story about St. Anne's because it is fun and entertaining. She
believes it was a Catholic Retreat, and she is curious to know if any of
the story is true. She thinks that people go up to the retreat to showoff
and to satisfy tpeir curiosity.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The pregnant nuns were sent up to St. Annes. One of the nuns, named
Hekeda was having an affair with the male caretaker. She became jealous
when the other nuns talked to hi~ so she killed all of the nuns. The dogs
barked when she murdered the nuns, and when you go up there now you can
hear them barking and see their green eyes shining •
2
•
•
•
Item II 3 & 4
"Drowning Babies" & "Disappearing Keys"
Informant Data:
Rosalie Ferrin
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Rosalie Ferrin, 18, was born and raised in Logan, Utah, She is a
freshman at U.S.U. majoring in communications. She recently graduated
from Logan High, where she was the validictorian of her class. She was
also honored as "Miss Logan." She is an active member of the L.D.S. Church,
and she enjoys dancing, sleeping, and just "hanging out.-
Contextual Data:
She heard both of these stories at girl's camp when they were sitting
around a campfire telling ghost stories. She does not believe the stories
are true, and she thinks that they are told to keep up the tradition of
telling stories. She believes that everyone changes the legends about
St. Anne's, and tells them the best that they can remember them.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The nuns used to go up there when they got pregnant, and they would
have their babies. Then they would drown them in the swimming pool and
bury them. He~eda was a nun who got caught drowning her baby, and she
got in trouble with her priest. She stays at the retreat to haunt other
nuns who try to drown their babies.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
This is supposed to have happened to someone when they went up to
St. Anne's. They drove their car up there, parked it, and turned off
the lights. They put t}h::>lirr car keys on the top of the car to bring Witch
Hekeda down. A light shone on the car and the car keys disappered. They
couldn't leave St. Anne's without their keys, and they never retruned home •
3
•
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•
Item IF 5
"Freezing Nuns"
Informant Data:
Elise Alder
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Elise Alder, 19, was born and raised in Logan, Utah. She is of Swiss
and Welch ancestry and active in the L.D.S. Church. She is a sophomore
in elementary education at U.S.U •• She likes to play with children, do
handwork, sew and care for plants. She works at Carousel Square as a food
worker.
Contextual Data:
Elise thinks she heard this story at a slumber party with all of her
girlfriends. She said they would tell scary stories and stay up all night
because they were so scared. They liked to talk about the supernatural.
She thought that if they talked about evil things long enough, something
evil would happen to them. She believed that nuns were used in the story
because they were mysterious, and nobody knew what the lifestyle of a nun
was like. She didn't think it was to put down Catholics, but to play up
the devil. She doesn't belive the storiesi but she and her girlfriends
were very scared by them because they thought something evil could happen
to them.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
St. Anne's was a place where nuns could go on a vacation, usually
in the summer or winter. One winter a long time ago; some nuns' went up-,
there to stay. It was a very s1!V~e winter with lots of snow so a man had
to bring their supplies to them every week. He would take their fuel and
food to them because it was the only way they could get it. One week the
man couldn't get his wagon through, and he had to wait about two weeks
before he could go up there again. He finally made it up to the retreat,
and he found all the nuns had starved and frozen to death. He noticed
that their bodies had been chewed by dogs. He was very wo~ried about this,
and was just leaving when he saw one of the nuns, whose name was Hekeda.
She began chasing him with her two dogs. He got away and told the towns-people
what had happened. Hekeda still haunts the retreat with her dogs,
and you can see her chasing you in your rearview mirror as you are leaving •
It is believed she is of the devil.
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Item fI 6
"Hekeda and Her Dogs"
Informant Data:
Larry Hardman
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Larry Hardman, 22, was born and raised in Logan, Utah. He is of
Anglo-saxon and Danish ancestry. He is active in the L.D.S. Church, and
he served a mission in London. He is a sophomore majoring in business
at U.S.U. He likes sports, writing, and exercising.
Contextual Data:
His friend told him this story one evening when they were bored and
trying to think of something to do. His friend wanted to take some girls
up to St. Anne's and scare them. Larry hadn't heard of St. Anne's before
so he was told this story. He thinks the story is a good one because he
believes it to be partially true. He said that he read in the local news­paper
th~t there actually were some nuns who were killed up there. He
also likes the name Hekeda because it is a good, scary name. He used b
go up to the retreat often when he was in high school. He liked to go
up there to get scared, and showoff how brave he was. He would take girls
there to scare them and protect them.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
All the nuns and mother superior lived at St. Anne's. One of the
nun's name was Hekeda, and she took care of seven afghan hounds. In the
early 1920's a guy went up there and killed and raped them all. All of
the bodies were found except Hekeda's and the dog's. Every time someone
goes up to St. Anne's to fix it up, they always hear dogs barking, and
then see a lantern'on the mountain. You can see the figure of a woman
walking her dogs up there at night. If you yell the name Hekeda three
time~ a blue fog will cover your car, and you won't be able to come down
out of the canyon •
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Item # 7
"Hook Lady"
Informant Datal
Angela Sue Neeley
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Angela Sue Neeley, 20, was born and raised in Logan, Utah. She is
of English ancestry and active in the LDS Church. She is a senior at
U.S.U. majoring in elementary education. She enjoys skiing, writing
letters, reading, and crosstitch.
Contextual Data:
She was at girl's camp in Logan Canyon sitting around a fire telling
scary stories when one of the girls told about St. Anne's. She said that
everyone got scared, especially since they were so close to the retreat.
She was very scared, but she still wanted to go to the retreat for the
adventure of it. She thinks being scared when you are in a big group is
fun because you can all hold hands and scream. She thinks the stories
are told for fun, for a reaction, and for scaring people. She has gone
up there a couple of times with friends, and she kept watching for Hekeda
all the way home. She was so scared one time, that she wet her pants.
She doesn't believe the story is true, but it does scare her. She says
she wants to believe the story for fun.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The most beautiful woman in logan was in an accident while she was
working, and she got caught in some machinery. Her hand was cut off and
her face was marred. She had to we-ar a hook on her hand, and she lives up
at St. Annes. She gets revenge on beautiful girls. Some girls were
found floating the the swimming pool, and they had scraped necks from
Hekeda's hook. If you go up to the retreat . and bother Hekeda, she will
follow you home at night and scratch on your window •
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Item /I 8
''The Lynching Mob"
Informant Data:
Steve Jensen
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Steve Jensen, 21, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and .lraised in Logan.
He is majoring in Pre-med at U.S.U. where he is currently a junior. His
ancestry is Finnish and English, and he is an active member of the L.D.S.
Church. His hobbies include sports, and horseback riding.
Contextual Datal
Steve heard the first item from a friend, who told him the story,
when they went up to St. Anne's Retreat one day. He later asked his
parents if the story was true, and they told him it was, but they were
on vacation when it happened. He didn't think the story was scary, but
he thought it was amusing in a gory sort of way. He doesn't believe the
story is true, but he thinks it sounds possible, however it is hard for
him to beleive that something like that would happen in Utah without
everybody knowing about it.
The second item was told to him by his brother when they were taking
dates up there. The dates had heard about St. Anne's, but they had never
seen it. The dates wanted to see the place and hear about it. This story
scared Steve because it was more modern, but he didn't believe it.
Steve thinks that people tell stories about St. Anne's because it
adds excitement to an otherwise normal place. He believes that nuns are
used because the retreat was owned by the Catholic Curch. He doesn't
like to get scared, but he does like adventure.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
This actually happened sometime in the early sixties. St. Anne's
was a vacation area, and there were about twelve or thirteen nuns up there
when one of them went bezerk. She just went bonkers. She had been training
these four Black Labs, which she had gotten from Hekeda, to kill. She
kept them in a woodshed on the mountainside, and one night she let the
dogs loose. She got a lantern and a hatchet, and she and her dogs slaughtered
all of the nuns. Time passed and nothing was discovered until someone
made a delivery to the retreat. The person who found the dead nuns went
back to Logan and got a bunch of people together. This mob of people
went up to St. Anne'~ and they found the crazy nnn, and they decided to
hang her. They gave her the chance to speak her last words, and she said,
"I will forever haunt this place." She still haunts St. Anne's today.
7
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Item it 9
"Scratched Raint Job"
Steve Jensen
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
About eight years ago, four high school guys drove up to St. Anne's.
They were just goofing around, and they thought all of the stories about
St. Anne's were just a joke. -They had a ouija board with them, and they
started saying stuff like, "St. Anne, come and get us. Come here St. Anne."
All of a sudden they heard dogs barking, but they couldn't see them. This
scared the~ so they got in their car and locked the doors. They were
just sitting in the car when the heard scratching noises allover their
car, but they couldn't see anything. They started to drive away, and they
looked out their back window. They saw a woman standing there with four
Black Labrador dogs, and she had a lantern in one hand and a hatchet in
her other hand. When they got down out of the canyon, they found that
the car was all scratched up, and the guy who owned it had to pay $200.00
to get a new paint job.
*Notes Informant and contextual data are found on the previous page.
8
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Item if 10
"Barking Dogs"
Informant Datal
Lucy Hardman
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Lucy Hardman, 24, was born and raised in Logan, Utah. She is a
senior at U.S.U. majoring in art. She is active in the L.D.S. Church,
and she served a mission to Kansas. She does volunteer work at a preschool
for handicapped children, and she enjoys sports, ceramics, and sewing.
She likes to tease people, and she has a fun sense of humor.
Contextual Datal
Lucy told me this story as a personal experience which happened to
her when she was in high school. She believes the legend of St. Anne's,
and she believes that there really were dogs chasing her and her friends.
I don't know if she was teasing me when she told me that she believed the
story or not. She loves to be scared,and she thinks that is why people
tell scary stories. She doesn't believe that nun stories are told only
in Cache Valley, but allover the world.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Lucy and her friend were driving around the canyon one fall night
when it was really nice and warm, and they decided to go to St. Anne's.
There were three guys who wanted to go, and three girls who didn't want
to go. Since the boys were driving, they went. They parked the car by
the highway, and began walking up the dirt road. On the way, one of the
guys said "Do you know what happened up here?", and he proceeded to tell
story of the nuns. '~he nuns used to come up here in the wintertime and
stay. One spring the nuns didn't come back. The townspeople went up to
investigate, and they found the bodies of the nuns floating in the swimming
pool, because they had been raped and murdered. They also found mother
superior's black dogs chained up and starved to death in a shack." The
guy telling the story suggested that they go look in the swimming pool.
l"'hile they were looking at it, one of the guys yelled, "I'm scared," and
ran to the car as fast as he could. Everyone else followed him, but the
girls were slower. As they were running down the mountain, they heard
9
•
•
•
dogs barking and chains dragging on the ground, and they thought the dogs
were chasing them. The dogs were howling and looking for the nuns. The
girls were crying because they were so scared •
10
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•
Item it 11
"Clean and Dirty Swimming Pool"
Jana Hoth
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
--------------------
Informant Data: Jana Hoth, 20 was born and raised in Logan, Utah. She
is of German ancestry and active in the L.D.S. Church. She is a sophomore
at U.S.U. majoring in business. She likes sports, sewing, and watching
T.V •• She works at Schriber's Cheese.
Contextual Data:
Jana can It remember where or why she heard this story, but her friend
told her the story as if it had happened to her brother. She didn't know
if it was true or not, but she believes that stories are told about St.
Anne's because something did happen at the retreat, and people add on to
and change the real story. She had never been to St. Anne's or heard the
legend about the nuns.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Some guys went up toS:t:o,Anne's once, and while they were drivinB'-up
the road a tree fell down in front of their car, and they thought they
might have seen a lady jump out of the trees too. They saw the swimming
pool and half of it was dirty and half of it was clean, but they didn't
know why. Some girls also claimed that they saw ghosts or something there.
• 11
•
•
•
Item if 12
"Hasa{Murderer"
Informant Data:
Jeff Allred
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Jeff Allred, 21, was born and raised in Log~, Utah. He is of English
ancestry, and he is active in the L.D.S. Church for which he served a
mission to Oklahoma. He likes footbal~ softball, motorcycles, and women.
He is attending U.S.U ••
Contextual Data:
Jeff heard this story when he was in high school. He was talking
with his friends at lunch time and sitting on the jock bench--this is a
bench at Logan High where all of the "jocks" sit--when the subject of St.
Anne's came up. The legend was told to entertain, and to scare the guys.
He went up to St. Anne's often in high school. He liked to take girls up
there, and scare them. He doesn't believe the story is true, but he does
like it.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
On a dark and dreary night, a fugitive from the law murdered his
wife . and his neighbors on both sides of his house. They were left in
pools of blood. The cops came to get him, and he cut their throats :with
a knife he had hidden in his left shoe. He drove the cop car up fourth
north, and on the way he saw a group of preschool children, which he picked
up and drove to St. Anne's, where he butchered them and put them in the
swimming pool. The nuns living there came out to see what was going on,
and he slaughtered them too. He threw them into swimming pool, .and it
had become a pool of blood. The police came up to the retreat to find
him, but they never did. The cops took all the bodies down to the dump
in garbage trucks, and they came back to go swimming in the bloody pool •
12
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•
Item IF 13
"Haunted Retreat"
Informant Data:
Jenny Nelson
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Jenny Nelson, 20, was born in Colorado Springs, Colo., and reaised
in Logan, Utah. She is of Swedish ancestry and active in the L.D.S.
Church. She enjoys reading, playing the cello, and skiing. She works
as a secretary, and sh is a junior at U.S.U. majoring in English.
Contextual Data:
Jenny was at a high school party in Logan Canyon when she heard this
story. Guys and girls were sitting around telling scary stories when they
began talking about St. Anne's Retreat, and they decided to go up there
and look around. Jenny didn't believe all of the story, but she did believe
that someone had been killed at the retreat. She was scared when they
were at the retreat, and she felt like something might happen, but she
didn't know what. She thinks that people tell the stories because ito: is
fun to be scared, and she does not feel that the stories are told to
demean Catholics. She felt that the experience she had at the retreat
enhanced the associations between the guys and girls, and she thought that
some boys would take girls up to the retreat so that they could act as a
protector and show off their courage.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
There was a murderer hanging around the canyon who visciously
slaughtered one or two of the nuns, and their ghosts haunt the area
now. When they were murdered the dogs barked at the murderer, and you
can still hear them barking and the nuns screaming when you go up there
at night. The dogs will bark until you fall into the swimming pool.
They closed the nunnery because of what happened there. The hauntings
have caused more deaths, and someone dived off the diving board into an
empty pool. Other people have gotten killed there.
13
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•
•
Item if 14
"Pregnant Nun"
Informant Data:
Lanice Budge
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Lanice Budge, 19, was born and raised in Logan, Utah. She is an
active member of the L.D.S. Church, and she is of German and English
ancestry. She likes to swim and ride horses. She is a sophomore at U.S.U
majoring in math education.
Contextual Data:
She can't remember where she heard this story or who told it to her
because she has heard so many stories about St. Anne's at different times.
She thinks that she probably heard it at a party in the canyon with a group
of her friends. She tried to go up to the retreat onc~ but a man told
her to leave. She doesn't like the story, and she dOGS not believe any
of it is true. She thinks it is a sick story, and whoever made it up
had a morbid imagination. She was not at all scared by the story. She
thought people told the story to get scared and excited.
* * * * * * * * * ~ ~ *
One of the nuns that was living up at the retreat got pregnant, so
she killed all of the other nuns because she didn't want anyone to know
that she was pregnant. She had the baby, and it reminded her that she had
killed everyone else, so she killed it toq by drowning it in the swimming
pool. She haunts the area today.
14
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Item If 15
"l1ighti ng Nuns"
Informant Data,
Patricia Simmons
Logan, Utah
July, 1984
Patricia Simmons, 19, was born and raised in Logan, Utah. She is
a sophomore at U.S.U. majoring in economics. She is of English ancestry,
and she is active in the L.D.S. Church. She enjoys playing the piano,
reading, playing tennis, and music.
Contextual Data,
Patricia was at a party in the canyon with her high school friends
when she heard this story. They went up to the retreat to look around,
but she was truo scared to go all the way to the swimming pool. She doesn't
enjoy getting scared, and she didn't like the story or believe it. She
was scared because of the spirit of telling ghost stories, and she did
have a little belLef in the story. She thinks that people tell the stories
about St. Anne's because they like to get attentnion, get scared, and show
off. She believes that the story is told about nuns because it was once
a nunnery.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Two nuns were fighting by the swimming pool at St. Anne's retreat.
One of the nuns was knocked into the swimming pool where she hit her
hea~ and went unconcious and drowned. She haunts the swimming pool today.
15]]> Shaw, Sandra L.]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> Digitized by: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library.]]> legends (folk tales);]]> application/pdf;]]> 7959861 Bytes]]> eng]]> Text;]]> Logan Canyon (Utah); Cache County (Utah); United States;]]> 1970-1979; 1980-1989; 1990-1999; 20th century; 2000-2001; 2000-2009; 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Barbershop, Photo]]> Shawn #1]]> Barbershop, Photo]]> Shawn #2]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Cody Patton]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larsen]]> Shay Larson]]> Tiana Godfrey]]> Shay Larson]]> Cache Valley Food Hunger Statistics]]> Shaylee Ewing]]> "Map the Meal Gap." Feeding America. 2016. Web. 23 Mar. 2016. <http://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2013/overall/utah/county/cache>.
Perkins, Manda. "Students Going Hungry." The Utah Statesman. 5 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Mar. 2016. <http://usustatesman.com/students-going-hungry/>.
]]> U.S. Food Hunger Statistics]]> Shaylee Ewing]]> Coleman-Jensen, A., Gregory, C., & Singh, A. "Household Food Security in the United States in 2013." USDA Economic Research Service, 2014. Web Accessed July 19, 2014.
2 Feeding America. "Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity 2011." Feeding America, 2011. Web Accessed July 22, 2014.
Gunder, Dana. "Wasted Food: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill." National Resources Defense Council, 2012. Web Accessed March 23, 2016.
]]> US Food Waste Infographic]]> Shaylee Ewing]]> http://www.sustainableamerica.org/blog/a-new-nrdc-study-shows-that-america-wastes-40-of-its-food/]]> Utah Food Hunger Statistics]]> Shaylee Ewing]]> -"Map the Meal Gap." Feeding America. 2016. Web. 23 Mar. 2016. <http://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2013/overall/utah>.]]> World-Wide Hunger Statistics]]> Shaylee Ewing]]> "Hunger Statistics." World Food Programme. 2016. Web. 23 Mar. 2016. <https://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats>.]]>