The Powwow Guy

On the surface, we tend to view PA Dutch Pow-wow as a simple country system of folk healing.  And that would be a correct view.  However, another layer of the tradition exists wherein the creation of talismans and amulets is skillfully practiced.  Unlike other magical or psuedo-magical traditions, the creation of amulets within the Braucher tradition is not commonplace nor is it done frivolously.  This is a practice rooted in ancient pre-Christ (but still Biblical) times that is carried into modern day.  The serious practitioner of this aspect of Pow-wow will undoubtedly utilize astrological occurrences in conjunction with the use of specific metals or other materials.  Often amulets and talismans are crafted from paper and carefully chosen inks.  These are all matters of personal preference and practice and each Pow-wow will have their own unique methods of amulet and talisman creation or, at the very least, their own preference for materials.

Some of the more common amulets that you will find within a Pow-wow household are those of protection utilizing a series of letters and/or statements; such as the following:

I

N  I  R

I

Sanctus. Spiritus.

I

N  I  R

I

All this be guarded here in time and there in eternity.

The above can be drawn/written on parchment or engraved into a specific metal (most often silver due to it's availability) with a stylis of some type. 

In many old barns and homes across PA Dutch country in Pennsylvania, old protective amulets have been found hidden within antique guns, rolled up and placed in knotholes inside barns, or even carefully folded and tucked in the pages of an old family Bible. 

Here is another common written charm that is still created today by a Catholic church in Mount Carmel Pennsvlvania:

20            MCBTD            12

INRI

JJJ

20            MCBTD            12

This odd-looking series of numbers and letters is printed on slips of paper and given to the congregation to tape on the wall above the entrance to their home.  The four corners contain the numbers of the current year (the blessing is renewed every year).  The letters "MCBTD" stand for "May Christ Bless This Dwelling"  and the three J's are an old practice of invoking the name of Christ three times "Jesus. Jesus. Jesus."; a common theme in PA Dutch Pow-wow.

In many homes you may find printed excerpts from the Bible placed in strategic locations to serve as protective amulets.  It is no new belief that the word of God is protective and offers other blessings.  The most common of these is a copy of Psalm 91.

One of the oldest and most fascinating discoveries of the archaeological expeditions in Jerusalem (found in 1979) is the find of two silver amulets dated to about the 7th Century BC.  These small bits of silver contain passages from the book of Numbers 6:24-26

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

These amulets were rolled up and worn by the Priests, probably around their necks, to serve as a protection and blessing from God.

From engraved silver to folded himmelsbriefs, the protective amulet has a rich history and a firm place within the practice of PA Dutch Pow-wow.  It is a practice that on the surface appears simplistic yet is rooted in the occult knowledge of the planets and stars and all of their associated alchemical materials.