by Joseph Singh
The ghosts of Haskell Indian Nations University are sacred. The spirits of students and alumni
alike have been sighted in various places on campus. There is a woman who reportedly frequents the
basement of Pocahontas Hall, a dormitory for freshmen female students. A cloaked figure has been
reported to look down upon students from the bell tower atop Hiawatha Hall. The most notable of
these spirits are the children torn from their homes and forced to be assimilated at the turn of the 19 th
century. Their bodies have been laid to rest in a cemetery located on the Haskell campus. Many of the
headstones are blank, as if what happened at that time was too ghastly to transcribe.
Accordingly, as recent as fall 2017 sightings have been reported. An apparition was seen after
hours in Curtis Hall late at night. A picture was taken and upon close inspection the face of what
appears to be an elderly woman wrapped in a shawl was captured. Students who stay at Haskell often
hear the laughter of children late at night. To this day, the students and faculty of Haskell experience
paranormal phenomena.
Moreover, ghosts are people too. The university does not allow paranormal investigation of the
campus because of the deep respect for the souls of people who have passed to the spirit world.
Taunting and profiteering of the spirits is highly forbidden. National ghost hunter groups have made an
effort to explore the campus for this purpose. Haskell did not and will never allow access to such groups
who seek to exploit the entities who have a sacred connection to the University. For those who study,
work, and reside at Haskell Indian Nations University, the specters are a part of our campus family.
