The Appalachian Magickal Tradition

On the Endangered List but Far from Dead

Appalachian traditional magick has long been a mysterious craft, even
amongst the pagan community. To find out just how mysterious it is, try a
search on the internet ~ the results are filled with misinformation and
outright fiction. One of the most interesting fictions on the topic is the
statement that the <http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1556/craft.<WBR>html>
craft died out completely around the turn of the 20th century and is no
longer taught in the area. One might wonder what the motivation behind such
statements truly is. It is better to think that the authors of such articles
and <http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1650/websites.<WBR>html> websites
are actually unaware of the continued existence of the tradition, rather
than that they might be attempting to hijack and distort the native culture
of these people for their own ends. It is also a reasonable assumption that
those who are attempting an honest revival of Appalachian folk magick
teachings would be given disinformation from the source, understanding why,
would require us to try and understand the culture from which these
traditions draw their roots.

Appalachian heritage is unlike any other, it is a blend of European, Tsalagi
and even African
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1518/american.<WBR>html> American
heritage. The original settlers of the Appalachian mountains were by and
large Scottish and Irish immigrants who were ill treated in the port cities
where they first arrived in America, and longed for a wild desolate place
similar to their own homeland. In time, these immigrants came to blend with
the Native Americans (primarily the Cherokee) who were already in residence,
and in later years with escaped and freed slaves. Knowing this background it
is very <http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1546/easy.<WBR>html> easy to see
how the descendants of these people would have a generalized anxiety and
mistrust towards both outsiders and governmental institutions. One might
think that the 'city' person asking questions about Appalachian magick and
being turned down, or outright lied to would be the biggest road block in
learning about the art~ however, it isn't the only one. Attitudes about
witchery in the Appalachians would also deter anyone from learning about it.

The use of magick and witchcraft is so ingrained in the life of the
Appalachian native that it is rarely ever considered magick at all by those
who practice it, but rather just the way things are done. The word witch, or
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>711/halloween_<WBR>costumes_<WBR>from_2006.<WBR>htm
l> witch doctor is used not only to describe master practitioner'<WBR>s but also
used as a verb for what they do, an example of this would be the statement
that he or she can
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>711/halloween_<WBR>costumes_<WBR>from_2006.<WBR>htm
l> witch off warts or burns, etc. Appalachian charms and magick are
practical and employ no ritual or doctrine, and allow the practitioner to
carry on with whatever
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1664/religion.<WBR>html> religion they
choose to uphold without conflict. To further complicate the situation
master practitioner'<WBR>s of Appalachian magick only choose to relate the
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1525/art.<WBR>html> art to those in their
own bloodline, without compromise, this is thought to be where the strength
of the magick comes from. The
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1525/art.<WBR>html> art itself is learned
through a lifetime of anecdotal teachings rather than as a
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1421/body_<WBR>issues.html> body of
knowledge and is often picked up merely as a way of doing things. Here are a
few examples of spells, hexes and signs that would be readily recognized by
the Appalachian magician.

When you kill a snake, hang the
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1421/body_<WBR>issues.html> body of the
serpent in a <http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1647/tree.<WBR>html> tree
to bring rain within the week. Do not be judgmental about this one. To
people in the mountains snakes are real and deadly threat to pets,
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1347/children.<WBR>html> children and
livestock and are dealt with as such.

To hex an enemy burn a pone of cornbread while speaking their name and then
feed the crumbled bread to birds, to do less damage, but effectively annoy
with a terrible migraine simply step into their footprints as you follow
along behind them.

A screech owl crying outside your window at night is an omen of death for
the person who hears it~ to prevent the omen from becoming
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1660/reality.<WBR>html> reality tie a
knot in the bed sheet under which you sleep. The knot may be untied by the
light of day.

Never close a knife that you did not open, to do so will result in your own
injury on the blade of a knife.

Illness and bad omens can be removed from the persons of a household by
binding a
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>50/2005_and_<WBR>2006_halloween_<WBR>costume_i
deas.html> broom especially for that purpose, and sweeping the entire
household, but all dust must be swept out doors and not gathered in a
dustpan.

The entire tradition is made up of small bits of knowledge like this, which
is also considered a
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1421/body_<WBR>issues.html> body of
common knowledge amongst the people who are native to its practice. Among
practitioners the <http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1525/art.<WBR>html>
art of laying on hands and 'talking off' illness and
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1463/disease.<WBR>html> disease are also
common, as are methods of divination. Conjuring is a common word used in the
practice and sometimes masters are referred to as Conjure
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1417/what_<WBR>men_want.<WBR>html> men or
women, but the summoning of
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>644/spirits.<WBR>html> spirits is not
used, or at least not in a main stream way. The culture itself is remarkably
hard to explain to an outsider as there is an entire lexicon of language and
history that would have to be understood first, and that is traditionally
passed on by heritage. In the end, beware any
<http://www.associat<WBR>edcontent.<WBR>com/theme/<WBR>1527/church.<WBR>html> church or
organization that labels themselves as teaching or having knowledge in this
area, because the beliefs themselves dictate that a hereditary practitioner
would rarely, if ever, divulge these secrets to an outsider.