Appalachian Granny Magic
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Wednesday, March 07 2007
@ 12:00 AM PST
Contributed by:
firewytch
Views: 4,879 |
Appalachian Granny Magic is only
recently being heard of by many people even though the
tradition is very old, dating all the way back to the
first settlers of the Appalachian Mountains. In the
1700's immigrants came and brought along their Irish and
Scottish traditions. Those two traditions were then
blended with the local traditions of the Cherokee
Indians. Although it has been around for a long time
there is very little information written about it. It is
known to be an earth based tradition passed on by
Scottish, Irish and Cherokee ancestors. It is the belief
that nature is sacred. The Appalachian Witch respects
and reveres nature however they do not worship it.
Appalachian Granny Magic was passed on from parents to
their children for many generations and usually was not
passed outside of the family. The Appalachian
communities were small, rural and secluded, so the
customs, wisdom, and practices were not as often lost,
forgotten, or modernized. Because of this many of the
ancient Irish or Scottish songs, rhymes, dances, spells,
rituals and 'The Craft,' were more accurately preserved
in Appalachia than in most other places in the world.
Many of the Scot/Irish traditions, as well as the
Cherokee traditions, have been carried on in Appalachia
up to this day.
In the secluded mountains of the South Eastern United
States, this form of Witchcraft continued right on
through the decades of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and
the twentieth centuries; a time when Witchcraft was
being forgotten and abandoned by the world. The people
of the mountains still relied upon Mother Nature. The
fertility of the crops, the livestock, and of the people
themselves was as important to the Appalachians of the
1900’s as it was to the immigrants in the 1600's. Mother
Nature, Jack Frost, Father Winter and other deities
continued in the Appalachian region, as a part of the
people's beliefs.
Most Appalachian Witches believe that all people have a
spirit; that all things of the earth have a spirit. They
believe that spirits are a part of nature but not a part
of the energy of god; they do not believe in many gods
and goddesses as separate entities, they believe in one
universal GOD. Appalachian Witches observe the sabbats,
solstices and equinoxes, but do not relate them to
mythology; it is the seasonal changes that they
recognize.
The terms ‘Witch,’ Witchcraft’, ‘spells’ and ‘charms’
never became taboo in Appalachia; nearly every mountain
top and holler had their 'Witch'; although practitioners
usually called themselves cunning or wise women. Local
folk went to the wise ones for prophecy, and protection,
for delivering babies, healing with herbs, and other
remedies and cures; providing abortions, love potions,
and poisons; divination and casting of curses and
blessings, or care for the dying. Often a mountain
community had no doctor to call, the Witches were the
only healers available to them,well into the twentieth
century. (The local 'Witch' was also called upon to
dowse for water.)
Fairy and leprechaun lore was brought by the Scots and
Irish to Appalachia and the Witches continued to believe
in them. The Cherokee people had their own magical
beings when the Scots and Irish arrived. Offerings are
still given to little people in Appalachia; it is as
simple as leaving a bowl of milk on the door step or
throwing a piece of cornbread out a window for them.
Working with spirits of the dead and ancestral spirit
guide workings were also passed down, these practices
trace back to Scotland, Ireland and the Cherokee Nation.
Spirits were shown respect; believed to be those who
passed before… ancestors, family; but not all spirits
are believed to be helpful, some can be troublesome. 'Haints'
are feared spirits; spells, charms, and rituals are
practiced to keep them away. One of the most common ‘haint’
related spells requires that the porch ceiling of a home
be painted ‘haint’ blue. This is believed to keep the ‘haints’
out of the home.
Divination is popular in Appalachia. Many of the Witches
read Tarot, and regular playing cards, tea leaves,
coffee grounds, spider webs and clouds. Scrying in
water, dirt, or sand is common.
The Appalachian Witch tools are different from 'Wiccan'
tools. The Wand, is called the 'rod', it is the dowsing
rod and for some Witches the most important tool. It is
usually a long straight rod, made of wood from a
flowering tree such as dogwood, apple or peach for Water
dowsing. A ritual blade is not used; a kitchen knife or
an ax will be used instead. Cauldrons are used for many
purposes. A cauldron placed in the front yard was an
'open-for-business’ Witches’ sign in times gone by.
Mirrors, candles, brooms, pottery, and baskets are other
common tools and some of those items are still made at
home, by hand in the mountains of Appalachia. Many times
the only tools used are the mind and willpower of the
Witch.
Appalachian magic was a solitary practice. It required
little preparation and no expensive tools or specialized
knowledge. It was very practical and down-to-earth;
eclectic and informal in its approach, rather than
‘High’ or ‘Ritualistic’ in nature. It was primarily
concerned with omens, curses, cures, and protection.
Ritual clothing was generally not used, and circles were
not cast. All nature was believed to be sacred, so a
“sacred” place did not have to be created; Appalachian
witches believe magic need not be ritualistic to be
effective because Magic is essentially prayer. SOME
modern Appalachian Witches, being eclectic already with
Scottish, Irish, and Cherokee roots, have started to use
some other traditions practices such as wearing ritual
clothing and casting a circle.
Many of the old spells and remedies are still used in
Appalachia today. In fact a few years ago my father had
shingles, a relative in the coal mining mountains of
Kentucky told him the best treatment was to rub the area
with the blood of a black chicken. (He didn’t try it.)
I have spent my life in the mountains of Appalachia. My
grandfather was an Irish immigrant, who married a
Cherokee woman. I was born in a coal mine camp in
eastern Kentucky, delivered by the local witch. I have
painted the porch ‘haint’ blue for my mother-in-law and
watched a witch dowse for water after wells went dry. I
have experienced Granny magic first hand all my life,
even though it was never called that. It was just a part
of daily life. This is about the Appalachian Granny
magic I know. I hope you enjoyed reading about it.
Here is a sample of spells, remedies and beliefs of the
people in the Appalachian Mountains. I have included
things I have heard and seen. Some work and some don't.
If you dream of a birth, there will be a death and vice
versa.
If your ears are burning, someone is talking about you.
When a certain area of your body itches, it foretells of
things to come:
left eye = you will be made happy
right eye = you will be made angry
palm in general = you will receive money
back of hand in general = you will give away money
fingers in general = you will receive money only to
spend it quickly
right palm = you will shake hands with a stranger
left palm = you will touch money
souls of feet = you will walk on strange grounds
A horseshoe aimed upward, nailed to a barn or house,
will protect from evil and bad luck.
A raven that nests on the roof is an omen that a death
will occur. To undo this omen you must scare away the
ravens before they leave on their own.
Black birds that come to rest on a windowsill are a bad
omen. If it caws while it is there the omen means a
death.
If a bird flies into the house it is bad luck. Finding a
dead bird is also considered a bad omen.
Dried basil hung over the doorways, windows, fireplaces
will keep ‘haints’ from entering.
Garlic placed under a pillow or knocking 3 times on the
bed post will prevent nightmares caused by spirits.
Knocking 3 times beside your door before entering deters
‘haints’.
Bells and chimes are methods of keeping ‘haints’ away. (windchimes)
If you feel you are being followed by a ‘haint’, cross
over running water. “Haints’ cannot cross over running
water.
To turn away negative forces from humans or animals toss
nine broom straws, one at a time, on a fire at sunset.
Squeaky doors are invitations to ‘haints’.
Windows can be protected from ‘haints’ with sprigs of
fresh rosemary and basil.
Placing a fern or ivy on the porch will protect against
curses. If it’s eaten by an animal, then a curse is
already in place.
Yarrow or Lichen Moss hung on a crib will drive away
curses or drive a nail into the crib post.
Carrying a piece from a tree that has been struck by
lightening will protect the carrier.
Acorns thrown on the roof before it rains will prevent
hail damage.
Oak logs burned in the hearth will protect the home.
Pine and Cedar logs burned in the hearth brings
prosperity
Birch logs burned in the hearth brings happiness
Elm protects against curses and evil.
Basil and Rosemary tossed into a fire protects and
brings happiness.
A white dove flying over your house is an omen that
there will be a marriage, some believe it is generally a
good omen.
To rid your self of a wart, cut a potato in half and rub
on the wart.
To make your hair grow you should place clippings under
the down spout of your home.
To cure a child of asthma, have the child cut a mark on
a tree as high up as can be reached. When the child is
taller than the mark on the tree the asthma will be
gone.
If someone plants a cedar he will die when it grows
large enough to shade his coffin.
Firewytch |
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American
Traditional Witchcraft