Pow-wow (folk magic)

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This article is about folk magic. For other uses, see Pow wow (disambiguation).

Pow-wow, called Braucherei in Deitsch, is a system of American folk religion and magic associated with the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Contents

Origin of the name and practices [edit]

Its name comes from the book Pow-wows, or, The Long Lost Friend, written by John George Hohman and first published in German as Der Lange Verborgene Freund in 1820. Despite the appropriation of "pow-wow", taken from an Algonquian word for a gathering of medicine men, the collection is actually a very traditional collection of European magic spells, recipes, and folk remedies of a type familiar to students of folklore. The formulas mix prayers, magic words, and simple rituals to cure simple domestic ailments and rural troubles.

Hexwork [edit]

The tradition is also called hex or hex work, or Speilwerk in Pennsylvania Dutch; its adepts are hexenmeisters. The tradition of Hex signs painted on Pennsylvania barns in some areas originally relates to this tradition, as the symbols were pentagrams thought to have talismanic properties; though many current hex signs are made simply for decoration.

Also important to the pow-wow practitioner was the work Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, a magical text attributed to Moses, and claimed as an esoteric sequel to the Biblical Five Books of Moses, or Pentateuch. Various versions of the work can be traced to 18th and 19th century German sources, while an English translation was published in New York in 1880 by the German antiquarian, Johann Scheible.

Another characteristic practice of pow-wow magic is the Himmelsbrief or "heaven's letter" and Teufelsbrief, a "devil's letter," which presumably is meant to bestow a curse. Significantly, the Long Lost Friend assures its owner that:

Whoever carries this book with him, is safe from all his enemies, visible or invisible; and whoever has this book with him cannot die without the holy corpse of Jesus Christ, nor drowned in any water, nor burn up in any fire, nor can any unjust sentence be passed upon him. So help me.

A 1988 film, Apprentice to Murder, stars Donald Sutherland as "Pow-Wow" doctor John Reese, and Chad Lowe as his young apprentice Billy Kelly. Reese practices the folk magic rituals in a small Pennsylvanian town which the residents believe has fallen under a curse. The film makes use of the "Pow Wows or the Long Lost Friend" cited above.

Urglaawe [edit]

The Deitsch Heathen religion of Urglaawe derives many practices and lore from the Heathen elements of Braucherei.[1] Included among these elements is a knowledge of the old Teutonic deities and other spirits. The oral traditions of Braucherei also carried myths regarding the interactions of the deities with enemies, such as the Reifreis (Frost Giants). Certain deities, most notably Holle,[2] Wudan (Odin),[3] Dunner (Thor),[4] and Ewicher Yeeger (Eternal Hunter),[5] have played an ongoing role in the evolution of Braucherei. Some practitioners have historically appealed to these entities, whether in the context of deities or as saints or compassionate spirits, for help in their healing work. Urglaawe practitioners utilize solely Heathen imagery and references in their work.

Quotations [edit]

Cure For The Headache [edit]

Tame thou flesh and bone, like Christ in Paradise; and you who will assist thee, this I tell thee (name) for your repentance sake. + + + This you must say three times, each time lasting for three minutes, and your headache will soon cease. But if your headache is caused by strong drink, or otherwise will not leave you soon, then you must repeat these words every minute. This, however, is not necessary in regard to headache.

To Remove Bruises and Pains [edit]

Bruise, thou shalt not heat
Bruise, thou shalt not sweat;
Bruise, thou shalt not run,
No more than Virgin Mary shall bring forth another son. + + +

To Pull the Heat from Burns [edit]

Two angels came down from the north;
one named Fire, the other Frost;
Frost said to Fire go away, go away;
in the name of Jesus go away.

Urglaawish Sympathetic Healing Charm for Cataracts [edit]

In Deitsch
Es Wasser, Des Salz
Es Wasser, Des Salz
Des Salz iss am Vergehne
Glaarer binnich yetz am Sehne
Die Holle schteht geeich yeder Schaade
Kummt Sie mir un helft mir graade.
In English
The Water, This Salt
The Water, This Salt
The Salt is ceasing to be
Clearer now do I see
Holle stands against every harm
She comes to me and helps me now.[6]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Schreiwer, Robert (2012). A Dictionary of urglaawe terminology. Bristol, PA: Lulu.com. pp. 9, 10. ISBN 978-1-105-51712-9. 
  2. ^ Schreiwer, Robert (2012). A Dictionary of urglaawe terminology. Bristol, PA: Lulu.com. pp. 40, 41. ISBN 978-1-105-51712-9. 
  3. ^ Schreiwer, Robert (2012). A Dictionary of urglaawe terminology. Bristol, PA: Lulu.com. pp. 68, 69. ISBN 978-1-105-51712-9. 
  4. ^ Schreiwer, Robert (2012). A Dictionary of urglaawe terminology. Bristol, PA: Lulu.com. pp. 14, 15. ISBN 978-1-105-51712-9. 
  5. ^ Schreiwer, Robert (2012). A Dictionary of urglaawe terminology. Bristol, PA: Lulu.com. pp. 20–22. ISBN 978-1-105-51712-9. 
  6. ^ Braucherei.org: Full text of the Cataract Charm in Deitsch and English

External links [edit]

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