|
|
The more illiterate Negro sections of this city might easily be termed as the woodshed of Negro life, for it is here that we find many of the mental heirlooms that go to make up the folk beliefs and customs of the Negro. It has been said that these beliefs were European in origin and that in all probability they were handed down from the white master to the better class of slaves with whom he had more friendly contact. These slaves adopted said beliefs as their own and passed them down through the generations and so now they are definitely considered as being Negro folklore.
On November 11, 1936 Rush was interviewed at her home address (685 McDaniel Street, S.W.). Rush, a midwife by profession, stated that she was not familiar with any of the various signs and superstitions that go to make up Negro folklore in part. When she later started talking she proved to be a veritable mine of information.
According to Rush, great care should always be taken in disposing of the after-birth when a child is born. In the olden days this after-birth was buried but this was found to be dangerous because of the fact that dogs often dug it up and dragged it around. The mother always suffered from some kind of affliction when this happened. To prevent this the after-births are now burned.
There are any number of signs of death, she says. Whenever a dog howls at night or cows low after dark it's a sure sign that someone in the neighborhood is going to die. It is also a common belief in the rural district where Mrs. Rush formerly lived that the crowing of a rooster in one's house is a sure sign of death. If he crows with his head inside of the door it's a sign that somebody is coming to visit or else somebody is coming to bring bad news. On the other hand, if the rooster crows with his door the head sticking outside of the corpse of somebody in the house will be taken out soon. To wash and hang out clothes on New Years day is also bad luck, usually in the form of a death in the family. Says Mrs. Rush: "I experienced this in 1930 when I washed for a white lady on Peachtree Street. My daughter took sick in February of that same year and she never did get well". If the body remains limp or warm for sometime after death it is a sign that some member of the family will soon follow. Mrs. Rush says that when a death occurs the mirrors and the pictures should be covered or else they will lose their shine and will never be any more good. She then pointed to a picture on the wall and said that the dull appearance of the glass was due to her failure to turn the picture to the wall at the death of her husband. Too, if the clocks in a house are not stopped on the death of one of the members it will soon stop of its own accord and will never run again. She then left the room and returned with an alarm clock in her hand. As she held it out she remarked: "It ain't no 'count 'cause I forgot to stop it when my husband died". It is always considered as bad luck to sweep or to clean a house before the body is buried. When the deceased person is buried his feet should face the east and his head should face the west. According to Mrs. Rush that person is then "straight with the world". A person who is dying hard should also be moved along with the bed so as to face east and west and his death will be made easier.
There are some signs which will bring bad luck Mrs. Rush claims. In the country where she formerly lived it is considered as bad luck to allow a rabbit to cross one's path. If this does happen the person must put a thumb in his mouth and then run backwards to the spot where the rabbit crossed. This will ward off the bad luck. Another sign of bad luck is to have a woman visitor the first thing on a Monday morning. Says Mrs. Rush: "I found dat sign to be true an' so on Monday mornings we's jus' as faithful 'bout getting a man to come through our house first thing as we is 'bout gettin' breakfus. My grandson usually comes through the first thing on Mondays an' I say: "Thank God I done got dat much done."
A sign of good luck is to go along the streets on a Monday morning and find buttons.
A true sign of trouble is the jumping of the left eye while the jump of the right eye indicates laughter.
The itching of the right side of one's nose indicates the visit of a man while the itching of the left side of the nose indicates the visit of a woman.
There are also certain signs by which one can predict the weather. If the sun sets in a bank of clouds it will soon rain. The aching of the corns and the bunions on ones feet is also an indication of rain. Sometimes the air feels hard and dry and at such time the weather will be dry. If, however, the air feels damp there will soon be rain.
In addition to the above mentioned signs there are certain positive control and cure signs. For example, when asafeetida is tied around a person's neck said person will become immune to all disease germs. Nutmeg tied around the neck is a preventative of neuralgia. To keep from being "fixed" or conjured one must wear a silver coin tied around the leg. If this coin turns dark it is a sign that somebody is attempting to "fix" the wearer and the magic is all going into the coin. A brass ring worn on the left hand will ward off heart pains. The same results may be obtained if the brass is suspended from the neck by a cord so that it hangs over the heart.
Mrs. Rush says that one of her daughters died from the effects of conjure. She says: "I sent (sent) her to Athens to be treated by Uncle Billy Coles and he told her to stop her husband from scratching the dandruff from her head. When my grand-son "fetched" (brought) her back home he said that Uncle Billy couldn't cure her as long as the ones who had fixed her was living. He wanted to get rid of them but my daughter wouldn't let him." Mrs. Rush claims that a chair had been "dressed" for her daughter and that before her death one of her hips split and they pulled a snake out which was later sent to some place in New York by some of the authorities at Grady Hospital.
Another way in which to ward off the effects of conjure is to nail a penny on the floor directly under the door. Mrs. Rush then pointed to a penny that had been nailed in the doorway by the previous occupants of the house.
Mr. George Womble (an ex-slave) and his wife, both of whom live at the rear of #584 Washington Street, S.W.; were also interviewed on November 11, 1936. They too were familiar with quite a bit of Negro folklore, some of which varies from that as told by Mrs. Rush while other parts of it coincide. Mrs. Womble says that the after-birth of a child must always be burned instead of buried because if a dog should get it the child will always be ailing and sickly. (It will be remembered that according to Mrs. Rush it was the mother who would suffer if this after-birth went astray). If this baby is to be neat and healthy the afterbirth must not be allowed to touch the floor. Says Mrs. Womble: "When the baby is first born a piece of fat meat should be poked in his mouth and then he won't never have the colic, the bellyache, or the fever." When the baby is about two or three months of age it should be placed on its back on the bed and then the mother should dip her finger in some potliquor and let the baby suck it. As the baby grows older any type of food may be eaten without fear of its getting sick. Another prophylactic measure for preventing illness in infants is to take a mixture of bread crumbs, butter, and milk. After this is tied in a bag the infant is allowed to suck it. This will make the baby fat and healthy.
To stump the right foot is a sure sign of bad luck while the stumping of the left foot is a sign of good luck. In the days of slavery the children cried when they stumped their right foot because they know that they were going to miss something that they "aimed" (intended) to get", Mr. Womble says. If a person's right eye itches it's a sign that he is going to cry or sorrow about something. If the left eye itches it is a sign that that person is going to laugh. (Mrs. Rush says that the jumping of the left eye is a sign of trouble while the jumping of the right eye indicates laughter). To sit on somebody's trunk while visiting them is another sign of bad luck.
The left hind foot of a rabbit always brings the holder good luck. The same thing holds true in the case of one who holds a black cat bone." "The only thing about a black cat bone is that you have to sell yourself to the devil to get one", says Mr. Womble.
Mr. Womble claims that pigs can see the wind and that it looks red to them. If an individual wishes to see the wind all that he has to do is to drink the milk from a pig. One of the ways in which to tell what kind of weather to expect is to watch a group of pigs. If they begin to take leaves in their mouths and start making a bed it is a sign that the weather will be bad.
There are a number of ways to predict death according to Mr. Womble. One sign is the howling of a dog or the lowing of cattle after dark. If a bird flies in the house death usually follows him out. Screech owls and Hoot owls never come around unless the person is bad. Mrs. Womble says that when a rooster crows in the house he is hastening bad news on (usually death).
If the head of the house dies all of the clocks in the household will stop running of their own accord. As soon as the corpse is buried the clocks will resume running. (This varies from
Mrs. Rush's version). Mr. Womble has always associated the covering of mirrors and pictures with the Jews.
There is a way in which to tell whether a dying person is a sinner or a christain. If there is a frown on the face at death the person is a sinner and if there is a smile on the face of the deceased the person is a christain. The dead should always be buried with their faces toward the east and then they will comply with the old saying: "When the resurection comes, he'll rise facing the sun". The following song is one that used to be sung in slavery:
"If religion was to buy, The rich would get it all And the po' would die, But it ain't that way, Thanks the Lord."
If a sick person is helped on a train or a wagon care must be taken not to help said person on back first because his life will be short.
Mrs. Womble believes that the ghost of a dead person remains in the house until the person has been buried for three days and then it departs. If somebody dies craving water the occupants of the house must place a pan of water at the door to keep the ghost of the departed person out.
To keep from being conjured one must tie a silver dime or a copper around the ankle and this will not allow the conjure to have any effect on the wearer. If the dime turns dark it's a sign that somebody is trying to do the wearer some harm. (This statement is the same as that made by Mrs. Rush). Potions used to conjure are usually made by mixing blue stone, coppers, sulphur, and a number of pine in a bottle. Another mixture of snakes, snails, or groundpuppies is often used. The person to be "fixed" is given whiskey that these animals have been allowed to soak in. Says Mr. Womble: "These animals will perform back in your body to what they was". Another way in which to combat this conjure is to take that part of the shuck that is next to the corn and place it in one of the shoes being worn and the conjurer will be powerless to do the wearer any harm.
If asafoetida or a mole's foot is tied around a baby's neck it will help the baby to cut its teeth easily. Anyone who takes a mole in his or her hand and squeezes it to death will have the power to take the hand used and rub risings away on other people. Nutmeg tied around the neck is also a teething aid in addition to being a cure for the tooth ache.
Pains in the feet are considered as warnings of bad weather.
Some of the other signs that are being used to foretell certain things are as follows: the itching of the right side of the nose indicates the visiting of a man while the itching of the left side denotes the possibility of a visit from a woman. Whenever the right hand itches it should be rubbed (the palm) on the side of the leg three times and soon the person will get some money. When the left hand itches and the same procedure is followed the person will receive something like wood.
This concludes Mr. Wombles knowledge of signs, etc. He thinks that there is much more to be had from other sources, however.
