folklore – Page 26 – New World Witchery – The Search for American Traditional Witchcraft

Episode 124 – Tatterdemalion and the Magic of Northern California

Summary:

We invite the lovely, myth-making Sylvia Lindsteadt onto our show to discuss her folktale-novel Tatterdemalion. We discuss the role the landscape has played in shaping her work, how the mythic word intrudes into the everyday in Northern California, and share a couple of tales that come from that region as well.

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Producers for this show: Heather, Achija of Spellbound Bookbinding, Raven Dark Moon, WisdomQueen, Regina, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Little Wren, Khristopher, Tanner, Jody, Johnathan at the ModernSouthernPolytheist, Catherine, Montine, Cynara at The Auburn Skye, Sarah at ConjuredCardea,The Trinket Witch, Victoria, Sherry, & AthenaBeth. (if we missed you this episode, we’ll make sure you’re in the next one!). Big thanks to everyone supporting us!

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Of course, we highly recommend you check out Sylvia’s book, Tatterdemalion, which was the inspiration for this episode. You can also find her book Our Lady of the Dark Country by visiting her website for more information about her other writing projects. We also highly recommend checking out the artwork of Rima Staines, who was a major influence on Sylvia’s work (and one of Cory’s favorite artists).

The two California folktales were “The Six Peoplings of the World” and “Falcon’s Search for Yayil,” from S. A. Barrett’s collection, Myths of the Southern Sierra Miwok.

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

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Promos & Music

Title and closing music is “Homebound,” by Bluesboy Jag, and is used under license from Magnatune. Incidental music is “Wonders,” by S.J. Tucker (used with permission) and selections from Viviana Guzman’s “Meditations for Flute,” licensed from Magnatune.

Episode 123 – Everyday Magical Objects Revisited

Summary:

We dig back into the listener suggestions for everyday magical objects and look at another round of commonplace (or uncommonplace) items and how they can fit into a magical practice. Everything from the dapper gentlewitch’s accessories to photosensitive paper makes it into this one, so we hope you enjoy!

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You might want to take a quick listen back to our first Everyday Magical Objects episode if you aren’t familiar with what we’re doing in this one. You may also want to listen to our episodes featuring Robert Schreiwer and Robert Phoenix, since Cory mentions the event with them (which was a blast!).

Some of the books and folklore sources used for this episode include:

The Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells, by Judika Illes
Ozark Magic & Folklore, by Vance Randolph
A Dictionary of Superstitions, by Iona Opie and Moira Tatem
“Louisiana Superstitions,” by Hilda Roberts (in the Journal of American Folklore, 1927)

Thank you to listeners Heather, Autumnn, Mahalia, Mila, Chris, & Jennifer for this episode’s Everyday Magical Object suggestions. Please feel free to send in your own suggestions for future objects!

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

Promos & Music

Title and closing music is “Homebound,” by Bluesboy Jag, and is used under license from Magnatune.

Episode 120 – Yuletide Cheer! 2017

Summary:

In our Yuletide episode, we listen to carols (and of course some wassails), hear a story about an ember-eating ancient creature, and share listener greetings for the season.

Producers for this show: Heather, Jenna, Achija of Spellbound Bookbinding, Corvus, Khristopher, Ye Olde Magic Shoppe, Raven Dark Moon, Little Wren, J.C., Mandy, Josette, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Catherine, AthenaBeth, Cynara at The Auburn Skye, Victoria, Johnathan at the ModernSouthernPolytheist, Montine, Regina, Hazel, Michael, Patrick, & Sherry (if we missed you this episode, we’ll make sure you’re in the next one!). Big thanks to everyone supporting us!

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See “Promos & Music” for a complete track listing.

Special thanks this episode to listeners Achija, AthenaBeth, the young ladies who called in to ask about Krampus, and everyone else who wished us a happy season.

Special thanks as well to the luminous Sylvia V. Linsteadt for sharing a selection from her book, Tatterdemalion, with us during this episode. You can find out more about that book and the artwork of the equally luminous Rima Staines at Hedgespoken.

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

Promos & Music

Playlist:

Christmas Rhyme – Ewan MacCarroll (LOC/Lomax Collection)
Apple Tree Wassail – Shira Kammen (Magnatune)
Old Chistmas – Boyd Asher ((LOC/Lomax Collection)
The Night Before Christmas – Harry E. Humphrey (Free Music Archive)
What Cheer to a Ground – Quire Cleveland (Magnatune)
Pan Hospordaryu – Ukranian Village Voice (Free Music Archive)
Good King Wenceslas – Maya Solovy (Free Music Archive)
Shchedrik – Kitka (Magnatune)
The Holly & the Ivy – Quire Cleveland (Magnatune)
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella – Aaron DeVries (Free Music Archive)
Bring Us in Good Ale – Shira Kammen (Magnatune)
Pat-a-Pan – Steve Eulberg (Magnatune)
Un Enfant Vien De Nuit – Modestus Eugene and the Trinidad and Tobago Singers (LOC/Lomax Collection)
White Christmas – Marigolds Scratch Band (LOC/Lomax Collection)
O Day – Georgia Sea Island Singers (LOC/Lomax Collection)
Song for a Winter’s Night – The Nancies (Free Music Archive)
Solstice Night – J. Tucker (with Artist Permission)
In the Bleak Midwinter – Maya Solovy (Free Music Archive)
“Da Day Dawn,” Samantha Gillogly (With Artist Permission)

Incidental Music: “The Glory of the Kitchen” (Passamezzo – Magnatune); Seth Partridge – Sing We Now of Christmas (Free Music Archive); “Stille Nacht” (Ralph Rousseau Meulenbroeks – Magnatune); “Winter’s Ritual” and “Treachery is Afoot” (S.J. Tucker); “Constellations,” “Aurora Borealis,” and “Celestial Sphere” (Robert Otto – Magnatune); “Ceremonies for a Christmas Eve – Passamezzo (Magnatune)”

Episode 116 – Spooky Stories Live! 2017

Summary:

For our recent live broadcast/group chat, we brought on two of our supporters—AthenaBeth and Heather—to share their spookiest encounters. Then we all discussed other spooky stories sent in by listeners, and the eerie #DearDavid phenomenon.

Producers for this show: Corvus, Khristopher, J.C., Josette, Renee Odders, Ye Olde Magic Shoppe, Raven Dark Moon, Sarah, Catherine, AthenaBeth, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Little Wren, Jessica, Victoria, Johnathan at the ModernSouthernPolytheist, Montine, Achija of Spellbound Bookbinding, Mandy, Regina, and Hazel (if we missed you this episode, we’ll make sure you’re in the next one!). Big thanks to everyone supporting us!

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Most of our stories this time came from you, our listeners! Thank you so much to everyone who sent in stories to us this year, including Thistle at Parting the Mists, Elliot, Heather, and AthenaBeth

We mention both the “Auntie Bells” story from Reddit, sent in by listener Trey, and the really spooky and terrifying true(?) story of #DearDavid as well.

If you want to keep up on our live broadcasts, chat with us, and otherwise participate in future live shows, you should definitely go check out our Mixlr page.

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

Promos & Music

Title and closing music is “Homebound,” by Bluesboy Jag, and is used under license from Magnatune

Special Episode – The Talking Board

Summary:

In our third October 2017 #AllHallowsRead tale, we’re turning to a familiar trope: the slumber party séance with a Ouija board. Of course, this being October and the month of spooky stories, things do not turn out all that well for those using the Talking Board.

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There are no shortage of accounts of sleepover Ouija board sessions. Places I’d recommend looking for more information generally about Ouija rites are in Simon Bronner’s American Children’s Folklore, and in Bill Ellis’ excellent Raising the Devil, which talks extensively about why and how Ouija boards and slumber parties are so tightly linked. You can also find a good history of Ouija boards in Occult America, by Mitch Horowitz.

For more discussion (and scary stories) about the specific entity mentioned in this story, I highly recommend listening to the Encounters Podcast episodes on the topic, or checking out the book The Zozo Phenomenon, by Darren Evans and Rosemary Ellen Guiley.

Promos & Music

Intro music is “Grifos Muertos” by Jeffery Luck Lucas, from his album What We Whisper, used under license from Magnatune.com

Incidental music by Stormfloij (“Quiet Storm Surge”) and Byzons (“L’Horrible Passion”) both of which are used through Creative Commons license on SoundCloud.

Sound effects are sourced from Creative Commons licensed recordings at Sound Bible.

Special Episode – Can Peter Play?

Summary:

Our second #AllHallowsRead episode is about a game almost everyone has played: tag. Only this time, we’re playing in the dark, and a new player arrives just in time to cause a few chills.

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I’ve adapted this version based on several similar tag games found in Simon Bronner’s American Children’s Folklore, as well as an internet-based version I found through the Reddit No Sleep forum.

Promos & Music

Intro music is “Grifos Muertos” by Jeffery Luck Lucas, from his album What We Whisper, used under license from Magnatune.com

Incidental music by Olssons (“Ambient One”); DR (“Sedativa V”); Byzons (“Apatheia (Or, The Story of a Girl Trapped in a World of Madness)),” all of which are used through Creative Commons license on SoundCloud.

Sound effects are sourced from Creative Commons licensed recordings at Sound Bible. Special thanks to guest voices Jack and Poppy. Now go to bed, kids.

Episode 115 – We Have the Best Listeners

Summary:

We dig into our witchy mail bag for this episode. We discuss the land of Oz, fumigating your purse or wallet, and announcing contest winners, among many other topics.

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Really, YOU’RE the source of this episode. Keep emails coming in to us so we can answer them, please! We love hearing from you.

Some of the New World Witchery posts/shows/etc. that might be of interest to you based on this episode are:

Other links pertaining to the topics we cover include:

The Mojo Mamas Grand Conjure Box, suggested by listener Daniel
Appalachian Fairy Encounter, sent in by listener Russ
The Clio site and app, suggested by Fire Lyte (and recommended by Cory)
We mention the idea of “Jack Tales” and the Wizard of Oz stories as examples of fairy lore/mythology for North America

Congrats to our contest winners, by the way! (We won’t spoil the surprise for those listening in)

We’ll be doing a live episode sometime in late October, with a them of spooky stories (especially things like local legends or personal spooky experiences). We’ll try to post about that soon, but if you want to send in your stories, please do!

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

Promos & Music

Title and closing music is “Homebound,” by Bluesboy Jag, and is used under license from Magnatune.

Incidental music is “The Bird and the Rainbow,” by Monplaisir, from Magnatune.

Episode 114 – Of Suns, Stars, and Magic

Summary:

With the solar eclipse coming up, we look at eclipse folklore and magic, then expand into the heavens to discuss other solar and stellar lore and enchantments.

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We mention that we’re not talking much about lunar magic, since we’ve covered that in both Episode 75 – Moon Magic and Episode 97 – A Lunar Wheel of the Year. You may also hear some of the lore associated with the sun and stars in Episode 5 – Signs and Omens and Episode 7 – Weather Magic and Lore. You might also be interested in our article on Comets as well.

We mention several books that might be of interest to our listeners who like to look up into the sky, whether day or night:

Stellar Magic, by Payam Nabarz
Planets for Pagans, by Renna Shesso
The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs, by Tristan Gooley

And Cory highly recommends Bri Saussy’s Star Magic course, which he’s taken before and loved!

We’ve got a contest going on, but only for another few weeks! Check out the rules and get your entries to us by September 1^st! You can win one of two prize packs.

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

Promos & Music

Title and closing music is “Homebound,” by Bluesboy Jag, and is used under license from Magnatune.

Episode 111 – Magical Travel

Summary:

We cover magical travel from a few different angles in this episode, including protection while traveling, bringing magical supplies with you when you’re on the road, and folklore about traveling.

Producers for this show: Corvus, Diana Garino, Renee Odders, Ye Olde Magic Shoppe, Raven Dark Moon, The Witches View Podcast, Sarah, Molly, Corvus, Catherine, AthenaBeth, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Little Wren, Jessica, Victoria, Daniel, Plum Deluxe Teas, Johnathan at the ModernSouthernPolytheist, Montine, Achija of Spellbound Bookbinding, and Hazel (if we missed you this episode, we’ll make sure you’re in the next one!). Big thanks to everyone supporting us!

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If you like the theme of this episode, you might want to check out our page with all of our Travel-related episodes, too.

We both mention Cunningham’s Earth, Air, Fire, & Water and Earth Power.

Some of the lore mentioned can be found at S.E. Schlosser’s AmericanFolklore.net site, the AtlasObscura site, and in the books under the Weird US imprint. Make sure to check your local bookstores as well for regional folklore materials (look under Dewey Decimals 390 and 398).

Cory also brings up some folklore about travel superstitions you can find in Vance Randolph’s Ozark Magic & Folklore, Patrick Gainer’s Witches, Ghosts, & Signs, and the Foxfire series.

Laine mentions the groups MUFON and BFRO, both in connection with finding sites for strange occurances like UFOs and Bigfoot.

We mention our excursion on June 3rd to see the ancient magical artifacts exhibit at the Penn Museum and we’d love for you to join us! You can find out about it in our Special Update post on it, or check out the Facebook Event page. We’ll also have a cemetery tour/ghost walk that afternoon!

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

Promos & Music

Title and closing music is “Homebound,” by Bluesboy Jag, and is used under license from Magnatune.

Episode 109 – African American Hoodoo with Yvonne Chireau

Summary:

We discuss the role of hoodoo and folk magic in the African American community with our guest, Professor Yvonne P. Chireau.

Producers for this show: Corvus, Diana Garino, Renee Odders, Ye Olde Magic Shoppe, Raven Dark Moon, The Witches View Podcast, Sarah, Molly, Corvus, Catherine, AthenaBeth, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Little Wren, Jessica, Victoria, Daniel, Plum Deluxe Teas, Johnathan at the ModernSouthernPolytheist, Montine, Achija of Spellbound Bookbinding, and Hazel (if we missed you this episode, we’ll make sure you’re in the next one!). Big thanks to everyone supporting us!

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Download: Episode 109 – African American Hoodoo with Yvonne Chireau

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If you’re interested in hoodoo, check out our Resources-Magical Systems page under the heading “Hoodoo, Voodoo, Conjure, & Root Work” to find an extensive list of our posts and podcasts on the topic.

You should definitely check out Yvonne P. Chireau’s website, Academic Hoodoo, and her book Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition. I also accidentally mix up her work with the work of Katrina Hazzard-Donald, who has another good book on the subject called Mojo Workin’: The Old African American Hoodoo System. Chireau’s mentor, Albert Rabetau, has also written some essential reading, called Slave Religion: The Invisible Institution in the Antebellum South.

The stories and songs interspersed in the episode are exerpts from the public domain recordings in the Library of Congress’ collection, Voices from the Days of Slavery. The voices you hear are “Uncle” Billy McCrae, Irene Williams, and Laura Smalley.

We’re also planning an excursion in early to mid-summer to see the ancient magical artifacts exhibit at the Penn Museum and we’d love for you to join us! You can find out about it in our Special Update post on it, or check out the Facebook Event page.

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

Promos & Music

Title and closing music is “Homebound,” by Bluesboy Jag, and is used under license from Magnatune.

Incidental music is “Hollow Poplar,” by Lucas Gonze, from the Free Music Archive.

Songs include “Conjur Man” and “Hoodoo Lady,” by Memphis Minnie, from Archive.org, and “Roll Jordan Roll,” by The Joy Drops, via SoundCloud.