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Author Topic: Southern Magic?  (Read 10742 times)

Rainey

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Re: Southern Magic?
« Reply #30 on: October 04, 2011, 09:54:04 am »
Quote from: TisiphoneSeraph;11418
I second everyone who's suggested hoodoo. By far what I saw when I lived in Tennessee and when I spent time in North Carolina was hoodoo or hoodoo-inspired practices.

Appalachian Folk Magic would be a good place to start, but the concerns that that addresses are very influenced by the landscape and the lack of connectedness a lot of people faced/still face in those areas. I go to university in West Virginia and the feeling the mountains is a lot different the feeling of the South.

So while it may be useful in some aspects I think you'd be better off looking in more local traditions and superstitions. Along those lines, I would say to check out Native American traditions in your area as those sorts of rituals were made in response to the landscape.

If you look hard enough or if you're skilled with digging through primary sources, you'll find weird traditions that may have had their roots in folk magic. I remember reading in one of the Foxfire books about "drawing the heat out" of people who are sick. I can't remember at the moment which it was. But there are things like that to look into, things that may now be considered Christian but are probably folk magic under a different name.


I know this is an old thread, but, having just recently joined, thought I'd respond.  I live in south Georgia.  My husband's uncle, who also lives down here, does what he calls, "talking the fire out" of anyone who has been burned.

I know of at least 2 people he had been able to heal this way.  One, a small child, and the other, an elderly woman.  They swear it worked.

But this uncle is devoutly Christian, so I imagine that whatever he does, he would never admit to it being magic in any way.

And it's all "hush-hush".  Apparently the only ones who know how he does it are the victims, and they aren't talking.

The story goes that it has to be taught from a male to a female, and a female to a male, but getting someone to teach it is a challenge.  I've known this man for 36 years and he still keeps it a secret. (I do however, suspect it is some variation of the Penn-Dutch Pow Wow.)

I've also seen and heard strange little rituals among these people (my in-laws), when they didn't realize I was "paying attention", but getting one of them to teach me is impossible.  (Maybe they're afraid I'll use it on them!!)

Anyway, I imagine the best source of finding out any of these strange Southern acts of majick would be to talk to some elderly people (especially those in the nursing homes, who are starved for attention).  And I believe you could glean some interesting info from the elderly African-American population.

toastnstuff

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Re: Southern Magic?
« Reply #31 on: October 13, 2011, 01:06:25 pm »
Quote
Anyway, I imagine the best source of finding out any of these strange Southern acts of majick would be to talk to some elderly people (especially those in the nursing homes, who are starved for attention).

 
Hi there. Born and raised in East Tennessee, now living in Atlanta!
Southern all my life.

I don't know what "magic" one would find down here. A lot of superstition that's for sure. But my suggestion would be to do your research just as if you were researching any other group of people. I read plenty of books about the Appalachian communities growing up and learned a great deal about the lives of the folk whose spirits still walk in the woods and mountains... and trust me they do!
My favorite books were the Foxfire series. If you live in the south, it's likely that the library will carry these. There are stories and essays about all kinds of things relating to App history and folk lore. I highly recommend them to anyone.

Here's a link to the amazon books page!

Hope it helps!:D:

AthenaiiseSofia

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Re: Southern Magic?
« Reply #32 on: October 16, 2011, 11:53:03 am »
Quote from: toastnstuff;25255
Hi there. Born and raised in East Tennessee, now living in Atlanta!
Southern all my life.

I don't know what "magic" one would find down here. A lot of superstition that's for sure. But my suggestion would be to do your research just as if you were researching any other group of people. I read plenty of books about the Appalachian communities growing up and learned a great deal about the lives of the folk whose spirits still walk in the woods and mountains... and trust me they do!
My favorite books were the Foxfire series. If you live in the south, it's likely that the library will carry these. There are stories and essays about all kinds of things relating to App history and folk lore. I highly recommend them to anyone.

Here's a link to the amazon books page!

Hope it helps!:D:

 
First off, thanks everyone for the help!
Secondly, miss toast, I'm an East Tennessee girl living in Augusta! Well, soon to be Texas. But still! =)
"Go then and make of the world something beautiful, set up a light in the darkness." - from Awakening Osiris by Normandi Ellis

Aeronis

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Re: Southern Magic?
« Reply #33 on: October 30, 2014, 08:50:02 am »
Quote from: KittyVel;10413
Well, I cant' really answer your question, but I can definitely relate!  I live in North Carolina (Hey, we're practically next door!  XD), so I know how you feel about being stuck in the Bible Belt and being unable to find others practicing the same beliefs.  I don't know ANYONE (that isn't on the internet) that practices Kemeticism.  And being so new at it, it's difficult to figure things out without having someone else around who knows what they're doing.

 
Haha, same! I remember the first time I went to Charleston though- I was raised in the mountains, in a community where you were looked down upon for even mentioning the whimsical, and suddenly, as soon as you crossed the border, you were met with this huge magical sub-culture. It was pretty amazing. At the market in Charleston, there are tons of tables for charm bags and other magic items.

redheadedmomma

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Re: Southern Magic?
« Reply #34 on: December 28, 2014, 11:38:31 am »
Quote from: Rainey;23863
I know this is an old thread, but, having just recently joined, thought I'd respond.  I live in south Georgia.  My husband's uncle, who also lives down here, does what he calls, "talking the fire out" of anyone who has been burned.

I know of at least 2 people he had been able to heal this way.  One, a small child, and the other, an elderly woman.  They swear it worked.

But this uncle is devoutly Christian, so I imagine that whatever he does, he would never admit to it being magic in any way.

And it's all "hush-hush".  Apparently the only ones who know how he does it are the victims, and they aren't talking.

The story goes that it has to be taught from a male to a female, and a female to a male, but getting someone to teach it is a challenge.  I've known this man for 36 years and he still keeps it a secret. (I do however, suspect it is some variation of the Penn-Dutch Pow Wow.)

I've also seen and heard strange little rituals among these people (my in-laws), when they didn't realize I was "paying attention", but getting one of them to teach me is impossible.  (Maybe they're afraid I'll use it on them!!)

Anyway, I imagine the best source of finding out any of these strange Southern acts of majick would be to talk to some elderly people (especially those in the nursing homes, who are starved for attention).  And I believe you could glean some interesting info from the elderly African-American population.

 
I'm from western North Carolina, near Asheville. I would recommend Byron Ballard's book Staubs and Ditchwater; A Friendly and Useful Introduction to Hillfolks' Hoodoo.

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