Lowcountry folk magic is a unique and intriguing cultural practice that emerged in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and Georgia. It is a form of folk magic that incorporates African, European, and Native American traditions into a cohesive and powerful system of belief and practice. The main idea here is that Lowcountry folk magic is a cultural practice that combines various traditions into a cohesive system. One of the key aspects of Lowcountry folk magic is its emphasis on the power of the natural world and its interconnectedness with humans. Practitioners of this magic believe that everything in the natural world has a spirit or energy that can be harnessed for various purposes. This includes plants, animals, minerals, and even the weather.
A Boo Hag is a creature of the night, a skinless monster with red muscles, prominent blue veins, and eyes that reflect light like a cat’s. Sometimes it’s depicted with flowing white hair, like the hair that “grows” on corpses that led many older generations to believe the vampires were coming from the dead to feed. (Hair and fingernails seem to “grow” on corpses because, as the skin dehydrates, the nails and hair look longer).
Religion hence provided enslaved people with a sense of independence, hope and empowerment, as well as challenging the spatial control of slaveowners. South Carolina WPA respondent Sallie Layton Keenan believed in the power of conjuring and shared two instances where she recalled it being use in her family.
This includes plants, animals, minerals, and even the weather. The belief in the interconnectedness of all things is a central theme in Lowcountry folk magic. Another important aspect of this practice is the use of charms, spells, and rituals to bring about desired outcomes.
Lowcountry folk magic
There are several distinctive features of Lowcountry’s antebellum and postbellum African American religious practices that differentiated them from the surrounding white Christian culture. Common practicies among Gullah-Geechee people of the South Carolina and Georgia coast include ring shout, seeking, and conjuring or root work. With praise houses as the central meeting place in the antebellum period, Lowcountry enslaved people had a place to worship and practice away from white churches.
Both during and after slavery, people of the sea islands took part in spiritual initiation process as young adults. Scholars attribute this initiation practice as one that combined West African community-based initiation practices with what Methodist preachers called “seeking Jesus.” It resulted in the young person joining the Christian community and required several phases. Seekers required spiritual guidance most often provided by spiritual mothers, time in the “wilderness” of the Lowcountry (often using a forest or open field), and finally, approval from the community’s Black religious leaders. Young women and men alike partook in the practice, with trusted older women also serving as spiritual mothers in the guiding process. Senior women performed important roles in the spiritual world. Frances Anne Kemble, for example, described an elderly woman named Sinda, who assumed the role of prophet on the Butler plantations. Sinda predicted the end of the world, after which the other enslaved people apparently refused to work. However, when her prediction proved false the overseer flogged her. Historian Whittington B. Johnson likewise writes about free Black women’s prominent role in Savannah’s independent Baptist churches. Performing the role of "church mothers," they exercised considerable influence and respect.
Ring shout was a communal practice among enslaved women and men which involved dancing in a counterclockwise circle and singing. Echoes of call and response element on the ring shout are seen in the call and response singing and preaching in African American churches. The circular form of the dance is traceable to multiple places in West and West-Central Africa, and it held different religious and cultural meanings. With enslaved people ensuring that the meanings of their practices remained invisible to whites, the meaning of ring shouts for antebellum enslaved is not entirely known. Whites witnessed and documented ring shout taking place outside of praise houses as well as during burial ceremonies. Women became the carriers of this cultural practice as there are still Lowcountry groups who perform ring shout today.
Conjuring or root work is another form of West and West-Central African culture that enslaved people practiced outside of or alongside Christian religious practice in the Lowcountry and the US South. Conjures’ role in enslaved people’s lives existed long before Christian conversion arrived to African-descent communities in the Lowcountry and US South. It combined practices of many different West and West-Central African peoples’ belief systems and pantheons of gods. Conjurers, both women and men, practiced their spiritual work at the behest of community members, appealing to gods and spirits to assist them for a wide range of purposes, from matters of love to protecting individuals from harm to attempting to cause harm to others. Conjurers also communicated with the spirits of the dead, their practice reflected in the Lowcountry title for conjurer, goopher doctor. Scholars believe the etymology of the term goopher is found in the Kongo word kufwa, meaning “to die.”
Wolof woman and her child wearing an amulet, drawing by David Boilat, 1853, Senegambia region, courtesy of Slavery Images. The use of amulets to protect women and children was a cultural practice enslaved people brought with them from West and West-Central Africa and continued as a common cultural practice into the twentieth century in the Lowcountry.
Like many aspects of culture, enslaved peoples’ spiritual and religious belief creolized and evolved. Once Christian and Catholic beliefs were fully introduced, some enslaved and then freed people rejected beliefs and practices held by older generations. Conjuring, or root work, was one such practice that was well-used by some individuals of African descent and rejected by others.
"I could be a conjure doctor and make plenty money, but dat ain’t good. In slavery time dey’s men like dat ’garded as bein’ dangerous. Dey make charms and put bad mouth on you. De old folks wears de rabbit foot or coon foot and sometimes a silver dime on a fishin’ string to keep off de witches. But I don’t take up no truck with things like dat.”
Others held no issue with the practice. South Carolina WPA respondent Sallie Layton Keenan believed in the power of conjuring and shared two instances where she recalled it being use in her family. To undo the spell another person put on her father believed to result in debilitating rheumatism, Keenan’s family sought a conjurer to undo the spell, which was successful. She concluded her recollection explaining that after seeking a conjurer’s advice, her father “nebber did have no mo’ rheumatiz.” On another occasion, Keenan provides evidence of the use of amulets and charms, which were commonly used by women and children to protect them and bring them good fortune. When Keenan was a child, her mother nervously prepared for the family to board a train for the first time. Apprehensive about using the new transportation system, her mother “tucked de cooter [turtle] bones from my neck ‘fore we started to de train.”
Many Lowcountry men and women went to conjurers for help, support, and advice. They also linked status and prestige with skills and seniority. Therefore, alongside important roles in the community such as midwives, both preachers and conjurers commanded the utmost respect within communities.
Religion hence provided enslaved people with a sense of independence, hope and empowerment, as well as challenging the spatial control of slaveowners. Enslaved people’s religion hence served as a bulwark against slavery’s wider oppressions, in contrast to the religious practices imposed by enslavers.
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These can range from healing and protection to love and prosperity. The use of charms and spells often involves the use of herbs, candles, and other objects that are believed to contain magical properties. The use of charms, spells, and rituals is a common practice in Lowcountry folk magic. Like many forms of folk magic, Lowcountry folk magic also incorporates elements of divination. Practitioners may use tools such as tarot cards, pendulums, or scrying mirrors to gain insight into the future or to receive guidance from spirits or ancestors. Divination is an important aspect of Lowcountry folk magic. One unique and intriguing aspect of Lowcountry folk magic is the belief in the power of rootwork. Rootwork, also known as hoodoo, is the practice of using various roots, herbs, and other materials to create potions, powders, and other spiritual remedies. These remedies are believed to have specific powers and can be used for various purposes. Rootwork is a significant aspect of Lowcountry folk magic. Overall, Lowcountry folk magic is a rich and diverse practice that is deeply rooted in the history, culture, and spirituality of the Lowcountry region. It combines various traditions and beliefs into a cohesive system that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things in the natural world. Through the use of charms, spells, rituals, and divination, practitioners of Lowcountry folk magic seek to harness the power of the natural world to bring about desired outcomes in their lives..
Reviews for "Folk Healing Traditions of Lowcountry Folk Magic: A Holistic Approach"
1. Jane - 2 stars: I had high hopes for "Lowcountry Folk Magic" based on the promising synopsis, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard to connect with them. The plot was predictable and lacked excitement. Overall, I found this book to be underwhelming and would not recommend it.
2. Mark - 3 stars: While "Lowcountry Folk Magic" had an interesting premise, I found the execution to be lacking. The pacing was slow, and the story seemed to drag on without much happening. The magical elements were underdeveloped and felt like an afterthought, making it hard to fully immerse myself in the world. Although there were some moments of intrigue, they were overshadowed by the overall mediocrity of the book.
3. Sarah - 2 stars: As a fan of magical realism, I was excited to read "Lowcountry Folk Magic." However, I was left disappointed with what I found. The writing style felt disjointed, and the plot seemed to jump around without much coherence. The characters were difficult to connect with, as they lacked depth and motivation. Overall, this book did not live up to my expectations, and I would not recommend it to others.
4. John - 1 star: I really struggled to finish "Lowcountry Folk Magic." The writing was filled with clichés and lacked originality. The characters were poorly developed and felt like mere caricatures. The magical elements were inconsistent and poorly explained, leaving me confused and disengaged from the story. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to its potential, and I cannot recommend it.
5. Emily - 2 stars: I found "Lowcountry Folk Magic" to be a disappointment. The pacing was slow, and the story lacked a clear direction. The magical elements felt forced and did not add depth or complexity to the plot. The overall writing style was lackluster, failing to capture my attention or evoke any emotions. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this book to others.