The Witchcraft Bird

Growing up as kids, I remember there was a bird that always made this unique sound at night, and every time it did, my dad would always say “holy ghost fire,” like he was rebuking the bird because there was this belief that that particular bird that makes that sound is a bird associated with witches.

_{photo by Mehdi Sepehri}

Almost like the sound it makes is an announcement, telling the witches around that it's time for them to assemble for whatever reason. So my dad would constantly do this, so at a point, we too would rebuke it whenever we heard the bird make that sound.

We did that stuff constantly as kids, and it wasn't just us; it was the same for everyone around. For some weird reason everyone seemed to have agreed that it was a bad bird, and we all needed to cast and bind it whenever we heard that sound.

It's been years now, and I haven't heard that sound for a while. I don't know why, but over there in the East, there hasn't been one day when I heard it, and I've come to the conclusion that it's either because the bird only stays in this part of the country or there are no witches over there in the East. Lol

But yeah, earlier this evening, I was seated in the living room when I heard that very familiar bird sound again. But just before my mind could register what I just heard, I heard my neighbors' kids all scream out loud, “Holy Ghost Fire.”

Hearing them say that made me smile because it reminded me of my childhood and also showed me how powerful some of these myths can be. Because to be sincere, I do not believe that the bird is associated with witchcraft, but a lot of people out there do, and it is one belief that they will keep on passing from generation to generation.