1979 00 00 Indiana folklore - UFO legends - Lowe

Magazine Overview

Title: INDIANA FOLKLORE
Issue: VOLUME XII NUMBER 1
Date: 1979
Publisher: Indiana University Publications/Printing
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of Indiana Folklore, published by the Hoosier Folklore Society, presents an in-depth exploration of legend types, with a particular focus on UFO sightings and the phenomenon of 'foreign matter in food' legends. The editorial note emphasizes the cyclical nature of legends and the value of historical sources in understanding contemporary narratives. The issue features articles that analyze the structure and common elements of these legend types, drawing from extensive collections housed at the Indiana University Folklore Archives.

Editorial Note: Two Legend Types: An Introduction

The editorial note highlights that legends, including popular contemporary ones, follow patterns of dissemination and timing, often resurfacing after periods of dormancy. It stresses the importance of examining older sources to understand the social relationships reflected in current narratives. The issue focuses on two widespread legend types in the industrial world: UFO sightings and the discovery of inappropriate animal parts in prepared foods. Collections of these legends, gathered by folklore students in the 1950s and 1960s, are now housed in the Indiana University Folklore Archives. The articles in this issue represent initial studies of these twenty- and thirty-year-old narratives, examining their cores and structures. The note clarifies that the analyses are not based on legends currently in circulation, though research on current versions is in progress. It also provides a bibliography of recent articles and scholarly works on UFOs and related topics, including contributions from Michael Carroll, Linda Dégh, David Hufford, J.A. Keel, Philip J. Klass, James Oberg, R. Westrum, Donald H. Munzel, Ernest M. Taves, Hayden Hughes, Brad Steiger, Frank B. Salisbury, and Renato Vesco. Additionally, it lists scholarly notes on the 'foreign matter in food' phenomenon by E.C. Cawte, B.S. Donaghey, William Kirwin, Graham Shorrocks, and Paul and Georgina Smith. A paper by Bengt Af Klintberg discussing migratory legends is also mentioned, along with mass media presentations of a 'Wormburger Scare' and 'McDonald's Beef with the Rumormongers'.

A Brief Look at Some UFO Legends by Virginia A.P. Lowe

Virginia A.P. Lowe's article delves into the analysis of UFO legends, referencing Linda Dégh's work on 'Belief Legend' in Modern Society. The Indiana University Folklore Archives contain over twenty-one narratives about encounters with Unidentified Flying Objects. Despite appearing as individual reports, these narratives share remarkable similarities, suggesting they form part of a legend complex with common recurrent elements derived from a legend core. Lowe explains that content analysis can identify these core elements. The article notes that two specific stories (#1 and #2) deviate from the typical format and will not be the primary focus.

Each narrative generally begins with orientation features: location, time, and the observer's identity. Most accounts involve personal experiences (memortes), with varying degrees of specificity regarding the observer's identity. Locations are often specific to the narrator's town, sometimes including street names, or are described as being in a country road, backyard, between cities, or in another state or country. The time of the event is detailed in thirteen narratives, with months and years provided in nine instances, ranging from 1965 to 1967, with one exception in 1940. The hour is specified in three accounts, while others indicate day or night based on the activity.

The activities described fall into five categories, with many involving cars (driving or parking) and home-based activities like watching television or preparing for sleep. The stage is set for a disruptive occurrence where ordinary people in mundane settings encounter the extraordinary. The familiarity of the world, even down to television shows, is emphasized to highlight the contrast with the unusual event. The tales aim to present actual incidents, situated in time and space with known participants, serving as a form of verification.

The inversion of the normal world is made more comfortable by group witnessing; eleven of the main witnesses were already in company. Those who were alone sometimes feared being thought crazy or had other means of verification. The object itself is described in most variants, often as a ball of light or a large, round thing. Lights are frequently mentioned, sometimes blinking or revolving, with various colors. Some UFOs made noise, which alerted witnesses. The location of the UFO is consistently mentioned, often in conjunction with its behavior and effects on observers or surroundings. Open fields and cars/roads are common settings. Some UFOs are described as affecting vehicles or paralyzing people.

Special needs, such as proximity to power lines for recharging, are suggested. One farmer reported a UFO taking cows. The movement of the objects is often described as hovering, with some instances of rapid speed changes or continuous movement. The speed of disappearance is noted as fantastic, with one UFO clocked at 120 mph. The length of appearance varied from minutes to over two hours, with recurring appearances noted over several days. Proof of veracity can include physical evidence like scorched bushes or missing animals, and multiple witnesses. Some individuals sought verification by contacting authorities like the Air Force or newspapers.

Observers generally played a passive role, exhibiting curiosity rather than fear, though some expressed a definite feeling of fear or a positive belief in UFOs. The article concludes that the nineteen narratives share a distinct pattern: orientation segments establish a calm, sane world, followed by a complication where an unusual object appears and behaves bizarrely, often affecting its surroundings. The observers can only watch or hide, with no part in resolving the event. The resolution often involves evaluative commentary, a statement of wonder, or affirmation of the phenomenon's reality.

UFO Legends by Virginia A. P. Lowe (Continued)

Virginia A.P. Lowe's article further explores the relationship between orientation and complication components in UFO legends, highlighting a shared frame of reference among legend tellers. This shared knowledge, as described by Linda Dégh, is not identical to objective truth but is based on a conception of the extraterrestrial derived from science fiction rather than scientific facts. The abnormal event is expected to be spectacular, with ample color and light, disrupting the normal routine and leaving physical evidence. Scientific plausibility is deemed irrelevant.

A shared understanding of UFO appearances and actions allows narrators to make brief statements without extensive elaboration. The interest lies in the 'fact' of the legend, with participation in technological progress and future potential being accessible even to those outside scientific fields. The experience of confrontation with the unusual becomes a privilege, imbuing the ordinary with the extraordinary. The UFO legend, in its fragmentary forms, asserts the existence of extraterrestrial visitors and exemplifies a dialectic of belief where the content departs from standard social reality, questioning certainty and provoking uncertainty. The listener is left to provide the final interpretation and decide whether to be a skeptic or a believer.

UFO Legend Variants

This section presents several collected UFO legend variants, documented with the teller's name, age, location, and the collector's name and file number. These variants illustrate the common themes and structures discussed in the preceding articles:

1. X-15 Pilot Story: A pilot on a test run with limited fuel disappears for three hours, explaining he was pulled into a 'mother ship' by aliens and returned. The Air Force could not dismiss this report due to the pilot's extended absence on minimal fuel.
* Told by: Dave Medsker, age 15, Kokomo, In.
* Collected by: William Masters, FA/1687
2. Nevada Explosion: A brother recounts a flying saucer explosion over Nevada in 1962, described as an atomic blast, tracked by radar at high speed, baffling the Air Force.
* Told by: Dave Medsker, age 15, Kokomo, In.
* Collected by: William Masters, FA/1688
3. Orange Disks: The narrator saw three orange disks flying in a V-pattern one evening, hovering and darting. They were later joined by family members to observe.
* Told by: Dave Medsker, age 15, Kokomo, In.
* Collected by: William Masters, FA/1690
4. Summer 1965 Disturbance: In the summer of 1965, several unidentifiable objects caused a disturbance in a field near houses. The narrator's mother was awakened by weird sounds and noises, and saw large, iridescent objects with red and green lights.
* Told by: Kathy Goldsmith, Kokomo, In.
* Collected by: Carol Rhinebarger, 1965, FA/1404
5. Silver Object with Lights: In the summer of 1965, a silver object with red, blue, green, and white blinking lights was observed slowly coming up over a hill. It hovered for about forty minutes each night for ten consecutive nights.
* Told by: Herman Sprinkle, Kokomo, In.
* Collected by: Richard G. Snyder, 1967, FA/1142
6. Metallic Object in Field: The sister-in-law of a teacher saw a metallic object, the size of an automobile, hovering over a field near her home. It made a vacuum cleaner-like noise and had red, white, and green blinking lights. The object was observed for about ten minutes from a car and then for two hours with binoculars from the house. When headlights were aimed at it, the object's lights blinked back. The object left when the husband arrived. The witnesses contacted Wright Patterson Airbase. A week later, at a wedding in Kokomo, the groom's father asked if they had been contacted, indicating a broader awareness of the event. The sister-in-law witnessed more objects in the following weeks.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the nature of folklore, specifically the study of legends and their transmission in society. The editorial stance, as articulated by Linda Dégh and Virginia A.P. Lowe, is analytical and scholarly, emphasizing the importance of documenting, analyzing, and understanding the cultural significance of these narratives. There is a clear interest in how stories, particularly those concerning the extraordinary like UFOs, are constructed, shared, and interpreted within communities. The issue advocates for a folkloristic approach to phenomena that often blur the lines between belief, rumor, and reported experience, suggesting that these legends reveal much about societal anxieties, beliefs, and the human need to make sense of the unknown. The inclusion of numerous documented variants of UFO legends underscores the magazine's commitment to providing empirical data for folkloric research.

This document, titled "UFO LEGENDS," appears to be a collection of eyewitness accounts of unidentified flying objects and related phenomena, compiled and presented as part of a larger publication, possibly a magazine or journal, with page numbers ranging from 74 to 83. The content is attributed to "Virginia A. P. Lowe" and includes reports collected between 1966 and 1970, with specific dates for some incidents ranging from 1940 to 1967. The publisher is identified as Indiana University, and the document was digitized by Google.

Eyewitness Accounts

The core of this document consists of numbered eyewitness testimonies detailing various UFO sightings. These accounts are presented with the name of the witness, their age, location, and the collector of the report, along with a collection reference number (e.g., FA/1141).

Incident 6: A witness reported that while watching "The Virginian" on screen, the screen went blank and their name flashed across it. This account was told by Richard Snyder, as heard from his father, collected in Kokomo, Indiana, in 1967.

Incident 7: Mrs. Ada Taylor of Kokomo, Indiana, reported that while cleaning her house, she and her daughter Libby heard screaming and saw five misty, circular-shaped lights zipping back and forth across the sky for about fifteen minutes. The lights were described as being see-through.

Incident 8: James Smith of Gary, Indiana, reported that a friend told him to rush outside to view a large red object that slowly grew dimmer until it disappeared. The object had reportedly been following them for some time.

Incident 9: A "white female" (relative) aged 23 from Frankfort, Indiana, reported seeing a huge orange ball coming right toward her car while parking with her boyfriend. The object hovered over a field before disappearing into the clouds. This experience led her to believe in flying saucers.

Incident 10: Ike Lowe, age 65, from Rochester, Indiana, recounted a story about a man who saw a round saucer with white and red blinking lights land in his field near Argos, Indiana. The man was too afraid to approach it. The next day, two cows were missing from the herd. The man also spoke to other locals who saw the lights.

Incident 11: Jerry Brown, age 20, from Germany (in a letter to Kokomo), reported seeing a flying saucer-like object, described as round and flat with windows, hovering over the Dairy Queen on S. Washington Street. The object then took off very fast.

Incident 12: Robert Coyner, age 43, from Kokomo, Indiana, reported seeing a large light object in the sky while driving on Boulevard. The object hovered very close to power lines, and witnesses believe it may have been drawing electrical power. It then shot upward at high speed.

Incident 13: Stanley Moore, age 20, from Frankfort, Indiana, reported seeing a UFO with revolving lights hovering over a valley in California at night. The experience caused a sense of paralysis.

Incident 14: Geof Burns, age 20, from Kokomo, Indiana, reported that Byron Miller and his girlfriend saw a bright light appear over their car on a country road. The light radiated tremendous heat, and it hovered for about ten minutes before disappearing.

Incident 15: Charles Snyder, age 52, from Frankfort, Indiana, reported seeing a ball of fire-like object in the sky during a steak fry. The object moved like a comet or meteorite, then sped up and slowed down before disappearing. Later that evening, UFO reports were heard on the radio from Chicago and Indianapolis, and their information was submitted to a newspaper.

Incident 16: This story concerns the Dean family of Frankfort, Indiana, who were fishing on Sugar Creek. They experienced a bright light overhead that caused a sense of paralysis, preventing them from moving or looking up. The light stayed for about three minutes.

Incident 17: Sam Grove, age 26, from Frankfort, Indiana, recounted a story about his aunt driving in Arkansas at night. She saw a disc-shaped object with lights. When she stopped, the saucer moved towards her. Her car became inoperable while the object hovered overhead, but started working again after the object vanished at high speed.

Incident 18: Sandra Compton, age 29, from Tipton, Indiana, reported seeing a ball of light about the size of a tree hovering in a field near her house for about twenty minutes. The object moved back and forth around a tree before moving away toward a factory.

Incident 19: Sandra Compton also reported an incident involving her aunt in Canada who heard a loud, whispy noise like a whirlwind with a loud engine. Small lights were seen disappearing over treetops. The next morning, bushes and boards near the bedroom window were found to be burnt.

Incident 20: Katie Myers, age 22, from Tipton, Indiana, reported seeing three cigar-shaped objects that seemed motionless above a drive-in screen near Frankfort, Indiana. As they approached, they heard a loud roaring noise, and the objects then sped away incredibly fast.

Incident 21: Kathy Midkiff reported that her husband and his fraternity brothers saw a lighted, saucer-shaped object flying behind their car on a trip to Florida. The object stayed with them as they sped up to 120 mph, before finally disappearing.

Content Analysis Tables

The document includes several tables labeled "Content Analysis" which break down elements of various UFO reports. These tables compare details such as location, time, observer's identity and activity, description of the object, lights, noise, motion, speed, and official involvement across different incidents (numbered 1 through 14).

For example, Table 1 (pages 79-80) analyzes incidents involving locations like Nevada and timeframes like 1962 and August 6 PM. Table 2 (page 81) analyzes incidents from Tipton, Rossburg, OH, and a summer 1965 timeframe. Table 3 (page 82) analyzes incidents in Argus, IN, on a single night. Table 4 (page 83) analyzes incidents on S. Washington St., Boulevard, California, and a country road, with dates like last year and April 1967.

Notes and References

A "NOTES" section on page 79 provides academic references related to folklore, belief legends, and the study of stories and storytelling. These references suggest that the collection of UFO accounts is being framed within the context of folklore studies, examining their form, function, and societal relevance.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this document is the collection and presentation of firsthand accounts of UFO sightings. The editorial stance appears to be one of documentation and cataloging of these phenomena, treating them as a form of modern folklore. The inclusion of detailed content analysis tables suggests a systematic approach to studying these reports. The overall impression is that the publication aims to preserve and analyze these accounts, possibly to understand their cultural significance or to explore the nature of belief in unexplained phenomena.

This issue of UFO LEGENDS, identified by page number 84 and associated with Indiana University, focuses on documented UFO sightings and the analysis of urban legends. The content appears to be a compilation of reports and folklore, primarily from the mid-20th century.

UFO Sightings and Descriptions

The issue presents a table detailing several UFO sightings with elements such as location, time, observer's name, activity, description of the object, and other effects. Notable sightings include:

• Summer 1966, backyard in Frankfort, IN: Pat Dean observed a 'ball of fire' moving like a comet/meteorite, speeding up and slowing down, visible for 20-30 minutes.
• One night, backyard in Frankfort, IN: Sam Grove's aunt witnessed a 'disc with lights' hovering above a car, which then wouldn't move.
• 1940 night, Little Rock, Arkansas: A driver saw 'something giving off light' above their car while on a back road.
• One evening, Canada: An observer reported a hovering, almost motionless object.
• One afternoon, five miles from Frankfort: Multiple observers saw 'three cigar shaped objects' over a drive-in.
• Spring Vacation (approx. 3 years ago), between Muncie & Ft. Lauderdale: A husband reported seeing an object directly behind his car.

These accounts provide descriptions of the objects' shapes (ball of fire, disc with lights, cigar-shaped), behavior (hovering, speeding up, slowing down, vanishing), and estimated speeds and altitudes.

Urban Legends: Foreign Matter in Food

A significant portion of the issue, authored by Susan Domowitz, is dedicated to exploring urban legends, particularly those involving 'foreign matter' found in food. The article draws on folklore studies by Jacob Grimm and Linda Dégh, who emphasized the down-to-earth and belief-attached nature of legends.

The core legend type discussed involves someone purchasing packaged food or dining at a restaurant, and subsequently discovering something horrifying and disgusting in the food, often a part of a human being or an animal.

Several variants of these legends are presented:

1. Human Thumb in Tomatoes: A story collected in Lansing, Michigan, 1954, where a thumb was found in canned tomatoes. The speaker heard it from her aunt.
2. Human Finger in Chop Suey: A legend from Lansing, Michigan, 1955, about a finger found in chop suey at the China Inn restaurant. An anecdote about cat bones in Chinese restaurants is also mentioned.
3. Human Finger in Spaghetti: A story from Flint, Michigan, 1951, where a woman bit into something hard in spaghetti, later identified as a finger. The investigation traced it to a Detroit pre-cooking facility.
4. Human Body in Pickles: A legend from Durand, Michigan, 1955, concerning Aunt Jane's Pickles, where a sliced-up Mexical field worker was found at the bottom of a pickle vat.
5. Human Body in Pickle Vat: Another variant from Goodrich, Michigan, 1953, where a murdered Mexican was found in a pickle vat, not sliced but whole.
6. Rats in Pickles: A story from Lansing, Michigan, 1955, where rats were seen floating in open vats of Aunt Jane's Pickles.
7. Human Ashes in Flour: A legend from Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1955, involving a German family during WWI. Human ashes, intended for a German relative, were mistakenly sent in a package of goods and later baked into a cake, with the recipients unaware.
8. Human Ashes in Food Package: A similar story from Rockford, Illinois, 1955, also involving human ashes sent to relatives in Germany during WWII, which were mistaken for flour and used in a cake.
9. Mouse in Coca-Cola: Legends about finding mice, cigarette butts, or flies in soft drinks, particularly Coca-Cola. An investigation into the Coca-Cola bottling process in Pontiac, Michigan, suggests this is unlikely, though the story is widely heard.
10. Mouse in Coca-Cola (First-Person Account): A personal narrative from Ionia, Michigan, 1948, where the narrator and a friend found a mouse in a Coca-Cola bottle and experienced sickness afterward.
11. Body in Alcohol Barrels: A legend from Libertyville, Illinois, 1955, where men drinking from barrels labeled 'alcohol' discover a preserved body within.
12. Dead Cats in Cider Barrel: A story from Lansing, Michigan, 1955, about a cider mill owner near Okemos finding two dead cats in a cider barrel, with no complaints received about the cider.

Analysis of Legends

The article discusses how legends gain credibility through details like specific locations, family names, and official regulations (e.g., postal service rules). The author notes that the 'anti-legend' aspect, or disconfirmation, can also enhance credibility, as seen in the detailed explanation of the Coca-Cola bottling process. The persistence of these stories, even when disproven, is attributed to their reinforcement of existing beliefs and their ability to be 'pinned down' to the next person in the chain of telling.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings and urban legends, particularly those involving the macabre and the uncanny, often related to food. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting and analyzing these phenomena from a folkloristic perspective, presenting both the accounts and their potential explanations or debunking. The issue emphasizes the cultural significance of these stories and how they reflect societal anxieties and beliefs.

This document, identified as issue number 94 and likely from the 1970s, focuses on the theme of 'Foreign Matter in Food' as analyzed by Susan Domowitz. The content is primarily an academic exploration of folklore and urban legends related to discovering non-food items within consumable products.

Analysis of Food Legends

The article presents a schema (table) detailing various variants of legends concerning foreign matter found in food. The table categorizes these by variant number, type of food (canned, packaged, restaurant, or body part), animal or human presence, source credibility, and whether the legend was believed. Examples include canned tomatoes, Chinese food, Italian food, Aunt Jane's Pickles, flour, Coca Cola, and alcohol/cider.

• Key observations from the schema include:
• More human than animal matter is reported in the legends.
• Three-fourths of the discoveries were made after the food or drink was consumed.
• Only one account was in the first person.
• Two disconfirmations involved authorities like the police and factory personnel.
• Legends specifying actual people known to the narrator were more likely to be believed.
• Two instances of offending matter were found in restaurant food, specifically foreign restaurants.
• In contrast, other variants, excluding alcohol kegs, discovered the substance in ordinary food items like canned tomatoes, pickles, and Coca Cola.

Subliminal Messages and Ambiguity

Domowitz posits that these legends carry a 'two-pronged subliminal message.' The first is a warning to 'beware the exotic, i.e., foreign food,' suggesting a distrust of unfamiliar cuisines. The second message is that 'even the most familiar things may turn out to be sources of danger,' implying a general need for constant vigilance and a lack of absolute certainty.

The motif of 'unwitting cannibalism' is highlighted as a reminder that one can never be completely sure about anything. The author cites Patrick B. Mullen's work, which identifies ambiguity as a quality shared by rumors, and suggests that ambiguity is a fundamental element of this type of legend.

Notes and Citations

The article includes a 'Notes' section with citations to academic works:
1. Linda Dégh, "Folk Narrative," in *Folklore and Folklore*, ed. Richard M. Dorson (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1972), p. 72.
2. Patrick B. Mullen, "Modern Legend and Rumor Theory," *Journal of The Folklore Institute* IX (1971): 101.
3. Mullen, p. 97.
4. Mullen, p. 104.

The publisher is identified as Indiana University, Bloomington.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme is the analysis of urban legends and folklore, specifically those concerning contamination of food. The editorial stance appears to be academic and analytical, dissecting the narrative structures, messages, and cultural implications of these stories. The article emphasizes the role of suspicion, fear of the unknown, and the inherent ambiguity in human perception and communication as reflected in these legends.