Braucherei - PA German Healing

[Mrs Ulf]

We seek to honor and revive the spiritual, folk medical, and agricultural wisdom of the Pennsylvania German people. We are dedicated to returning this cultural inheritance in its most whole and inspired form to its heirs and their future generations. We recognize Pennsylvania German tradition and culture as a living being and seek to sustain and grow its spirit. We honor the traditions of Elders and remain open to the continuing evolution of traditional culture

http://www.threesisterscenter.com/index.html

Braucherei, also known as Pow Wow is a revival of old Pennsylvania German traditions of healing. It also includes rituals and spells that were used to ward off evil and protect. One of my good friends, who started The Three Sisters Center, has been working very hard to bring this aspect of the Pennsylvania German culture back.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pow-wow_%28folk_magic%29

I'll add the list of 'spells' that I know of currently after I compile them.

[Stefan]

Spells? I've always thought of the PA German as a strict protestant type until recently(my other side were very strict catholics though not german. :D so you can see how evil that was for my parents to do.) It is nice to see variety in such an early group, and I would love to hear more about the traditions. This is very interesting. I never heard of Pow-Wow before.

[Mrs Ulf]

Spells? I've always thought of the PA German as a strict protestant type until recently(my other side were very strict catholics though not german. :D so you can see how evil that was for my parents to do.) It is nice to see variety in such an early group, and I would love to hear more about the traditions. This is very interesting. I never heard of Pow-Wow before.

Alot of it was very Christian oriented, but you can clearly see the mixture of the old ways in all of it. In 1928 a well known Pow Wow doctor was murdered, because they believed him to be a witch who was cursing people. Alot of the old practices died out, some still remain in PA German culture though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehmeyer%27s_Hollow

[Electronic God-Man]

http://www.threesisterscenter.com/index.html

Braucherei, also known as Pow Wow is a revival of old Pennsylvania German traditions of healing. It also includes rituals and spells that were used to ward off evil and protect. One of my good friends, who started The Three Sisters Center, has been working very hard to bring this aspect of the Pennsylvania German culture back.


Have you ever taken any of the courses offered there? Expensive it seems.

[Mrs Ulf]

Have you ever taken any of the courses offered there? Expensive it seems.

No I haven't, yeah it is a bit pricey for the courses, but she does cover alot and not many place to take classes on it.

[Ulf]

No I haven't, yeah it is a bit pricey for the courses, but she does cover alot and not many place to take classes on it.

The one thing I was really interested in is the recordings they have of actual Braucherei practitioners. I'd pay just to listen to those.

[Jägerstaffel]

Sinners.

[Grey]

Why would you call it Pow Wow? Is there an Indian connection?

[Mrs Ulf]

Why would you call it Pow Wow? Is there an Indian connection?


Despite the Native name, taken from an Algonquian word for a gathering of medicine men, the collection is actually a very traditional collection of European magic spells, recipes, and folk remedies, of a type familiar to students of folklore.

Comes from the book written by John George Hohman called Pow-Wow, has nothing really to do with Native Americans at all. Just what he called the book, and it stuck.

[Lulletje Rozewater]

Why is it called the
The Red Church or The Art of Pennsylvania German Braucherei

[Andorran]

I only just a few years ago heard of Urglaawe, and apparently it is somehow tied in with this Braucherei practice. I wonder how extensively either/both were practiced by PA Germans, and how independent, if at all, the practice was from Christianity.

Would definitely be interested in hearing an informed speaker on the subject.

[Electronic God-Man]

Urglaawe even has a Wiki page now! :thumb001:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urglaawe

[Baron Samedi]

I would most def like to keep this thread going, as I have a very intense want to learn about Germanic witchcraft and healing.

[Urglaawer]

Why would you call it Pow Wow? Is there an Indian connection?

The term "Pow Wow" may indeed have some roots in the Algonquin language of the Lenape. However, it is also possible that the term originates from the way the Deitsch pronounce the English word, "power." Either way, as a practicing Braucher, I can say that everyone in the Oley Freindschaft (Guild) prefers the Deitsch term "Braucherei" over "Pow Wow."

[Urglaawer]

Urglaawe even has a Wiki page now! :thumb001:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urglaawe

In Deitsch, too!
http://pdc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urglaawe

[Urglaawer]

I only just a few years ago heard of Urglaawe, and apparently it is somehow tied in with this Braucherei practice. I wonder how extensively either/both were practiced by PA Germans, and how independent, if at all, the practice was from Christianity.

Would definitely be interested in hearing an informed speaker on the subject.

Braucherei was widely practiced up until the rise of modern medicine. The American Medical Association, interestingly, was a force behind the decline of the traditional practices, particularly around the time of World War I. Coupled with the Suppression of the general Deitsch culture, the bias of modern medicine against Braucherei was quite effective.

Organizations like the Three Sisters Center have helped to increase the awareness of the Deitsch traditions. The organization has the records of 80+ interviews of Brauchers and Braucherins. These healers practiced in a variety of contexts, including syncretic and Heathen contexts that aided in the organization of Urglaawe philosophies.

A description of the relationship between Urglaawe and Braucherei may be found here: http://www.urglaawe.com/uploads/Urglaawe-Braucherei_Relationship.pdf or http://************/6qwrede

Rob

[Weedman]

http://www.threesisterscenter.com/index.html

Braucherei, also known as Pow Wow is a revival of old Pennsylvania German traditions of healing. It also includes rituals and spells that were used to ward off evil and protect. One of my good friends, who started The Three Sisters Center, has been working very hard to bring this aspect of the Pennsylvania German culture back.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pow-wow_%28folk_magic%29

I'll add the list of 'spells' that I know of currently after I compile them.

didnt Silver Ravenwolf write a book on this called American Folk Magic or something?