The Powwow Guy

John Ramsey is a fellow powwower and author of Pennsylvania German Powwow (I'm having trouble putting a link here but it is available on amazon) He sent this information to me to share here on this site. I'm fascinated by this info as it's more than I knew about the use of stones for powwowing. Enjoy!

Stones can be a powerful tool for the powwow to work with. Many times in the Bible, Christ is referred to as a rock; see Matthew 7:24. Many of the rocks that the braucher would use were not fancy like gemstones or crystals, but oftentimes were stones that he or she would find on there property.

If an individual was wanting to use rocks in there practice, often all they have to do is look for them. The Bible says seek and ye shall find and this definitely applies to using rocks in powow. Many times these stones are looking for you just as much as you are looking for them. Ask God for help when looking for these rocks and when you find the right one, thank God for His assistance. Once you find the right rock, tell it what its purpose going to be. Then simply use it. I believe the more you use it, the better is gets at fulfilling its intended purpose.

Rukschtee or Rest Stone- Used for pain relief or rest. Traditionally were found along fence rows or property borders, but can be found in other places as well. Used by placing under the pillow of someone needing rest or relief from pain. After each use, these need to be placed outdoors in water or put in smoke to “recharge”. The one I have is white.

Blutschtee or Bloodstone- Used to stop bleeding. Blutschtees were held tightly on a profusely bleeding wounds. After many uses, these would become stained from the blood.

Thunderstone- Used to stop lightning strikes. The one that my dad has is an old Native American axe head. In times of old, farmers believed these fell from the sky during thunderstorms.

Madstone- Used to heal rabies. Most of the time, these were calcium deposits that hardened and formed in the stomachs of deer as well as other cud chewing animals. These rock like object were placed on the bites from rabid animals as well as snakebites. These would supposedly stick to the wound until all the poison was drawn out, then they would simply fall off. Difficult to obtain and often if somebody had one, people would come from all over to use it. Ones obtained from albino deer were believed to be more powerful.

Holey Stone- A stone with a naturally formed hole in it. Often found near water; rivers, creeks, lakes, etc. Used for protection and healing. Tie one to a bedpost to prevent nightmares. Can be kept in your pocket or worn around the neck with a red string. Some people believe that if you look through the hole, you can see the spirit world.

Black Stone- Remove negative energy. I don't know much about the history of these.

Honorable Mention

Lodestone- A natural stone that has a magnetic pull. Not usually used in Pow-Wow, but there use is not unheard of. Mostly used in African American spiritual practice. Since they have a magnetic pull, they are used to draw something to you.