Legend of Nomads - Eaters Of Souls
by Tim McGuinness, Ph.D.
Global Mythology? Fundamental Truth?
Enduring Belief? Hysteria Of Wasteland Wanderers?

A Work in Progress!

Once strong men rode the waves in tall ships, through frozen seas in search of adventure, exploration, and commerce.  These were men such as Shackleton, Byrd, Charles McGuinness, and many many more!  They traveled the in-between places at a time when shipping was sparse, long before the global economy became real.  These men spent long and lonely times on the sea.  They also faced real dangers, that could strike down any Jack Seaman amongst them without notice or mercy.  Some of these dangers were natural, some were unnatural.  Those who saw and lived, told the tales.  Tales of long twilights, and blackest nights, when creatures could be seen calling to the passing ships.  Those that heeded the call, never returned.  Those that survived, called them Nomads!

In all the tales told by the peoples of this earth, the tale of the lone traveler in the wasteland stands out.  Almost all aboriginal peoples the world over have similar myths of these solitary wanderers of the spaces between.  The lucky chanced glimpses and fled, before they became the focus of these lone wandering spirits - so normal in appearance from a distance - yet so inhuman in confrontation.  For the Nomads, as they are called by many, leave few to tell, and as it's told, eat the souls of those who fell.

Nomads can be found in every corner of this earth, from the deserts of Africa and Asia, to tropical isles.  However, those of the polar regions enjoy a special place in seafarer lore!  For these are the cause, as many a tale would tell, of abandoned vessels, with crew gone, and not a living soul to be found.  Many a tale tells of a captain's journal, remarking about stranded survivors, brought aboard out of mercy.  Yet these journals soon end, some with a plea for salver, others in prayer, and still others in silence. 

In other cases, for those that had the fortune to pass by, tell of a sighting and nothing more.  When rescue was sent, nothing was found.  For the Nomad moves on - moves on to the luckless vessel that tends to the lamentable rescue of the lone survivor.  In a few cases, there are tales of the Dark Strangers being carried to nearly Ports O' Call, leaving death and disappearance in their wake.

Such tales occur the world over.  In the north, the Eskimos, and Innu tell of these strangers of the ice.  Admonishing their kin to beware all unknowns when out in the place distant from home.  Many peoples feared all strangers, and killed them on sight.  Other allowed them to come and be known.  But who were these Nomads?  From where or when did they come?  The Innu, have a tale of three travelers - cannibals - who came upon an Innu village.  Once killed, the cannibals, walked the earth as living dead - evil spirits to eat the souls of their aggressors.

It is the goal of this website to tell of the Nomads, and expand of the legend and available myths.

If you have a tale of the Nomad, please forward it to us.
at nomads @ mcguinnessonline . com

Thank you for your interest!
And remember to avoid the stranger in the places between!

Tim McGuinness, July 2005