tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post5513377310681068800..comments2023-04-10T03:33:40.803-04:00Comments on Appalachian Lifestyles: Still Alive After All This TimeMatthew Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-14447231972832299862020-12-23T04:48:03.979-05:002020-12-23T04:48:03.979-05:00Fantastic article, Matthew- thank you! My family t...Fantastic article, Matthew- thank you! My family tells stories about some of the things my great aunt could do. Most of the time they would just use the term 'witch' but once my grandfather called her a 'powwow', which is what sent me searching for more info and how i got to this page. What im still having trouble with is how she learned it- what her connection to that tradition was. That side of the family is not PA Dutch but rather Polish and Slovak. Any ideas? Or ideas of who/where i could look further? They are from Shamokin PA if the location helps any. Zackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14708095137674084769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-82023492112285905612009-05-05T12:59:00.000-04:002009-05-05T12:59:00.000-04:00Thanks, Matthew. That's a good reading list.Thanks, Matthew. That's a good reading list.Granny Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01129064020727041161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-52272334614726009232009-05-03T15:19:00.000-04:002009-05-03T15:19:00.000-04:00Granny Sue,
Yes, these are rhymes that are common...Granny Sue,<br /><br />Yes, these are rhymes that are common among many Pendleton County families, I wouldn't necessarily say they were just told in my family.<br /><br />There are alot of rhymes and riddles of German origin in "German-American Folklore" by Mac Barrick. I have this book if you want to borrow it. My mom has a book with only Pennsylvania Dutch children rhymes in it, I can't recall the name but it is pretty good. That doesn't help pinpoint the title but it does let you know that such a collection exists. There are literally tons of these rhymes. <br /><br />Also, I highly recommend the wonderful book, "Signs, Cures and Witchery" by Gerald Milnes. Most of his research is based in Pendleton County. There is also an accompanying DVD for this book, it is by the same name. It is great, too. I know the library commission has it. <br /><br />Also for a great book on powwowing, check out "Powwowing among the Pennsylvania Dutch" by David Kriebel. It is probably the best accounting of Powwow doctors that I have ever read.<br /><br />Other good books on this topic are "Shenandoah Valley Folklife" by Scott Suter. There is an abundance of Pennsylvania Dutch culture in it. Also, "The Pennsylvania Germans of the Shenandoah Valley" by Elmer Smith is another standard book on the subject. (The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia borders Pendleton County, WV).<br /><br />MatthewMatthew Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-85131722123912572072009-05-03T14:40:00.000-04:002009-05-03T14:40:00.000-04:00Wow, Matthew. I've never heard of a powwow doctor....Wow, Matthew. I've never heard of a powwow doctor. Fascinating.<br /><br />Were these rhymes from your family, or is there a book I can get to read about them? Are there others besides these?Granny Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01129064020727041161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-38062749423217005542009-05-03T09:12:00.000-04:002009-05-03T09:12:00.000-04:00Very interesting post-and comment Matthew! You are...Very interesting post-and comment Matthew! You are just full of fascinating info!tipperhttp://www.blindpigandtheacorn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-74923094565832352572009-05-02T10:47:00.000-04:002009-05-02T10:47:00.000-04:00Janet,
The best that I can figure out, the first ...Janet,<br /><br />The best that I can figure out, the first little rhyme, "Eins Zwey Drey" is simple saying "One, two, three. Mommy caught a fly...." You know, a really simple counting game. <br /><br />The second rhyme "Hex Foot, Toad Foot" is a little harder, I think it is referring to how a toad foot was used as pprotection against evil hexes, and long snout refers to the devil, so by saying the whole rhyme and ending it with "Nothing's out" it meant that all was safe, that no evil was out and about. It was a rhyme of protection. Now, thats just my take on it and how I always understood it.<br /><br />The third rhyme, "Dibble, dobble, thimble head..." was a rhyme used to count out people while you are getting ready to see who is "it". Sort of like, "Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe". Also, that is my take on it and how I always understood it.<br /><br />Yes, my Grandmaw Mary always used Ezekiel 16:6 to stop blood, she also had another bible verse that could take the fire out of a burn. They both always worked. Granny could even stop the blood in livestock but you could never eat that animal after that as it was tainted. <br /><br />My uncle Joe was accidentally shot back in 1965, and Granny tried to stop the blood from the gunshot wound, it did stop for about a minute or so, but Granny suddenly became violently ill and had to stop trying. He died a few minutes later.Matthew Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-87429318507397576332009-05-02T04:45:00.000-04:002009-05-02T04:45:00.000-04:00I like this post, Matthew. Do you know what that f...I like this post, Matthew. Do you know what that first poem means? I came across info on PowWow doctors when I was looking up things that my grandpa could do (but he was Scotch-Irish). Ezekiel 16:6 stops blood, also.Janet,https://www.blogger.com/profile/17796999156668844943noreply@blogger.com