Aicha Ly | Opinion Editor
Many of us have heard about the famous Salem Witch Trials that happened in colonial, Puritan society next door in Massachusetts. But, not as many people know that the first witch trials to ever happen in the union actually happened in Hartford. Yes, the Hartford in Connecticut--the Nutmeg State, also known as the Constitution State; our state, which appears to be a haunted state. What exactly leads to my claims of Connecticut being a haunted state?
Well, for one, it is one of the oldest states in the Union meaning there is more colonial history here as opposed to states that were established as part of the union later on. This means the history of events such as witch trials goes back further, where innocent people were victimized by society--killed by ignorance and superstition. People such as Alse Young of Windsor, a daughter, sister, wife and mother--the first to die in Witch Trials. Furthermore, what other state has a horror movie named after them? We have “A Haunting in Connecticut.” Moreover, this movie actually has a sequel (“A Haunting in Connecticut Part II”). But that is not all. Remember the creepy doll named Annabelle, from the movie “The Conjuring?” She is actually in Connecticut right now! She has been living in Monroe, CT for years. Matter of fact, the movie “The Conjuring” itself is also based in Connecticut since paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren’s house is here--which brings an onslaught of creepiness by itself.
It is important to note as well that colonists in Connecticut have not had a great track record with the Indigenous peoples who lived and continue to live here. Connecticut, which means “beside the long tidal river” in Algonquian, is the home of the Pequot Tribe among other Native American groups. I name the Pequot Tribe specifically because of the Pequot War, in which hundreds of Pequot Indians were massacred by colonists. Many survivors were enslaved. Though beliefs about death and the afterlife vary per tribe and can be individualistic since everyone is different, but those who may believe in ghosts would certainly have reason to believe that Connecticut is very haunted based on what essentially was the genocide of Native Americans, especially since violent conflict did not start with this war nor did it end after it.
My consensus is that Connecticut is a haunted state. Whether it is haunted by ghosts of people who lost their lives to unnecessary violence brought on by selfish colonialism, women killed by superstition or dreams of opportunities, reunification and more that were assassinated by adulthood or oppression, ghosts do exist in this state. Even if people do not believe in ghosts described in the traditional, Halloween sense, it is undeniable that ghosts do roam in our stories and minds. However, I do not believe it is the most haunted state. I would suspect that there are more haunted states down in the Southern United States, where slavery was much more prominent as an inhumane institution. There are surely no shortage of secrets, identities and hidden bodies buried there.