Strange Encounters
Lodge Tales review
Production company – Spectrevision Radio
Rating – 
It’s been a while since I reviewed a folklore podcast, even more since I reviewed a Native American folklore show. That’s not to say I have reviewed lots of them. The only other one was The Historical Natives back in February 2023.
This show cropped up as I was looking through the Spectrevision Radio listings and of course,being from those lovely weirdos, I subscribed and downloaded the first ten episodes, hoping that it would scratch my folklore itch.
So what’s it about?
Lodge Tales is a repository of Native American folklore. Told (in early episodes) mainly by witnesses from the Blackfoot reservations, the stories run from UFOs, ghosts, Bigfoot and spooky places in general.
The mood of this show, despite the content, is very relaxed. Hosted by Rodney Williamson, his calm voice and easy manner is engaging yet relaxing. I’m sure this helps to put his interviewees at ease, but it’s also a reminder that these tales, in this culture really aren’t sensational. They don’t require spooky music (although there is some of that dotted around).
Is it any good?
The fact I’ve got through the first ten of the hour long episodes in two days should tell you that yes, this show is very good. I was so surprised to hear Jeremy Renner get name dropped in episode one. That did a great deal to alleviate any worries I may have had. It was a rather apt thing to do though, because there are many parallels between Strange Familiars and this show. A lot of the stories that Jeremy tells have a real crossover with the stories that appear here.
In these early episodes, the sound quality isn’t great. Some interviews sound like they are recorded over the phone. Some of you audiophiles may well find this a turn off, but I don’t mind it at all. This isn’t a big budget show by any means.
All of these stories take place on or around the reservation too. Because of this, there is a lot of “you know that rough track out past Grandma’s house?” type references. This, coupled with the audio quality gives the show a wonderful intimacy. You feel like you are sitting round someone’s kitchen table, listening to these stories first hand.
I was actually hoping for some more folklore type stories, but I am only ten episodes in, so who knows what’s in store!
There is an awful trend going back decades where Native American spirituality has been hijacked by rich white people. So much so that everything feels distorted and clichéd. This isn’t that. Yes, there is a lot of talk of smudging sticks, but that is valid here. You get the feeling that by listening to this show that you have privileged access to something that not many other people know.
Final thoughts
This is a fascinating insight into what would usually be a very secretive culture. Hearing these stories firsthand is a real treat, whether you believe them or not. A lot of these stories would have gone unheard in the past, and I’m grateful that the technology is here now to give everyone a voice to share their experiences.
If you’re a fan of Strange Familiars or Uncanny Japan (both now on Spectrevision Radio) then you’ll love this podcast.
You can get Lodge Tales here:
For more great reviews, I recommend GreatPods