Skeptic or Believer – Powwow a part of York County

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I vaguely remember my grandmother talking about the art of powwowing during my childhood. There were never any detailed conversations but the topic surfaced every so often and powwow “doctors” were also mentioned.

In my grandparents collection of family photographs was an obscure scrap of paper containing an unusual early writing. At first I thought it was a simple prayer but I soon realized it was actually part of the powwow culture.
Powwow

There are two remedies on the tattered paper, written by the hand of an unknown author. One is a remedy for the common headache while the other was meant as a way to stop bleeding.

How many people over the years have recited these words?

Cure for headache…

Headache cure

Tame thou flesh and bone like
Christ in Paradise and who
will assist thee, this I tell thee
[name] for your repentance sake

According to the book “Pow-Wows, or Long Lost Friend“, written by John George Hoffman in 1820:

This you must say three times, each time lasting for three minutes, and your headache will soon cease. But if your headache is caused by strong drink, or otherwise will not leave you soon, then you must repeat those words every minute. This, however, is not often necessary in regard to headache.

Is it possible for a few words to offer relief from a headache?

Stop bleeding…

Stop bleeding

A portion of this remedy has been torn from the original paper, but Hoffman’s book helps us to fill in the missing portion as shown below:

Jesus christ dearest blood
that stoppeth the pain and stoppeth
the blood in this help you [first name]
god the father god the Son
god the Holy ghost amen

The book also tells us…

A certain Remedy to stop Bleeding, which cures, no matter how far a person be away, if only his first name is rightly pronounced while using it.

What intrigues me about this remedy is the numerous times religion is included in the wording. I’m curious if that was a common powwowing practice.

Powwowing: Are you a believer or a skeptic?

There are certainly people who believe in the practice of powwowing while others remain skeptical. There is mention of it in a number of local history books and many elder members of the community have their own knowledge of those who practiced it, whether firsthand or through family lore.

As I’m writing this I’m suffering from a “bug” that’s been affecting many others in the area, including two more members of my own household. What I wouldn’t do for a remedy to relieve a bad cold.

If your family has passed down stories of powwowing in York County, I’d love for you to share them in a comment below.

NOTES:

  1. My grandparents had a friendly Black Lab with a unique Pennsylvania Dutch name, Schwatz, which translates to Black.
7 comments
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SandyLudwig
SandyLudwig

my son gave me an original long lost frend book for my birtday years ago.  it is written in german.  they say these books are hard to find.  during world war II many families threw them out because they didn't want anything german in their houses.  my great aunt was a pow wower.  my mother and her family went to pow wowers.  sandy 

Dianne B
Dianne B

You did apply Vicks to the SOLES of your feet, right?  If you put it on your toe nails, it's a treatment for nail fungus.  ;)

Dianne B
Dianne B

In our Pa Dutch/German community the cures still circulate. We also used the bacon treatment for blood poisoning, used mustard plasters on the chest for severe coughing, drank herbal teas, etc.

 

This one may be of interest to you.  A  recent "pow wow" treatment (without an incantation) to circulate in the County is to apply Vicks Vaporub to the feet of someone afflicted by coughing.  PS  Put socks over the Vicks so you don't slip. Coughing should cease within 5 to 10 minutes.

stauchistory
stauchistory moderator

 @Dianne B I'm certain many of the home remedies that people use today have powwow origins. The science is probably there to prove the effectiveness of some of them as well.

 

Thanks for commenting Dianne, and especially for the Vicks remedy! 

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TerrenceDutchieDowns
TerrenceDutchieDowns

Very interesting, Blake.  I know my wife's grandmother (yet living, 91 years old) - her family heralded from the Admire / Big Mount region.  I am in possession of "Whiskey Leaves" which is used on various skin conditions such as a small laceration or boil - or even a splinter to draw the pain and swelling from the injury.  Also the grandmother's father was a 'mechanic' at the Pennsylvania Veneer when on West King Street, Ext'd - and he suffered the loss of part of his fingertip.  He valiantly sewed in back on (hiimself) and wrapped the finger in a piece of salted bacon and wrapped in bandage.  According to wife's grandmother - no infection ensued and he had use of the finger till his death many decades later.