Sacramento State students and faculty were told to be aware of potential ghost encounters at Friday’s lecture by Alexander Paman, a Sac State alumnus who studied the Asian supernatural for more than 20 years.

“I love ghost stories, true or not, I think it is good for people to get a good scare and to appreciate their own culture and to record it,” Paman said. “I hope students and faculty found my lecture fun and informative and my hope is that people will walk away with a certain type of ghosts they didn’t know before.”

Besides ghosts, Paman’s lecture covered the common types, themes and differences of supernatural figures in Asia. The lecture informed the audience about the social and religious context of supernatural figures and their significance in mainstream culture.

“There were many ghost stories that were interesting that I have never heard of,” said David Nguyen, third-year graphic design student. “I was most interested in the Vietnamese supernatural studies just because I am from that culture. I have always been interested in the supernatural. Growing up, I was scared of ghosts but now I have learned to accept it and now I am aware of many other cultures’ beliefs in the supernatural.”

Paman’s fascination with the unknown began in the Philippines, where he grew up in two haunted houses. Paman later wrote about his supernatural experiences in two books, “The Asian Supernatural: Including Hawaii and the Pacific” and “Filipino Ghost Stories.”

Pat Chirapravati, Sac State professor and director of Asian studies, said the recent popularity in ghost research has led to renewed interest in the paranormal. While most people in Western culture are familiar with stories about vampires, zombies, ghosts and werewolves, few are aware of the vast supernatural realm that exists in Asian and Pacific cultures.

“Supernatural figures and stories have always been in my culture,” said Chirapravati. “Coming to America, I’ve noticed it’s not part of the Western culture as much as it is in Asian cultures. I can definitely see the difference. However, I am trying to expose the many aspects of Asian life to the Western audience so they gain a better understanding of different cultures’ beliefs.”

Being a Sac State alumnus, Paman was eager to present a lecture at his alma mater. He was even more excited to discuss his passion for the Asian supernatural and its different entities.

Paman said he designed the lecture to be intriguing and informative for students and faculty who are from Western culture. He said because the Asian supernatural culture is so diverse, it should be shared with people of Western cultures to inspire all cultures to embrace their traditions.

Paman currently works as a graphic designer for the state of California and freelances on the side. He continues to explore and research various Asian and Pacific cultures, particularly “the things that go bump in the night.”

Yvette Villasenor can be reached at [email protected]