Folktales & Enchantment in New Mexico

Class held July 22-26, 2024 in Taos, NM. - Instructor: Ryan Slesinger, Ph.D. - Looking to explore the mythical, magical, and haunted dimensions of northern New Mexico? In this class we will access them through the diverse storytelling traditions of the region. Learn about Tony Hillerman’s Navajo Chindi spirits and the weeping woman La Llorona haunting Chicano/a/x folk tales. Listen to “Corrida” and “Indita” story-songs and meet with a local Indita storyteller. Delve into the legends of Billy the Kid and visit the St. James hotel: one of America’s most haunted landmarks that boasts bullet holes from the Kid’s era. Visit the spooky side of Taos with a ghost tour and marvel at the Mesa Prieta petroglyphs. Ryan Slesinger is a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of English at OSU. His areas of interest include American Literature & Culture, mysticism & modernity, & multiculturalism. In July 2023, he taught a very successful DRC class on Taos & the Western.