The Powwow Guy

A cursory glance at PowWow gives the impression that it is a simple folk healing practice with little depth.  However, a more thorough understanding of the system reveals that it is steeped in Judeo-Christian mysticism and biblical symbolism; and the study of some of these elements is fascinating and reveals much about the true Christian foundations of PowWow.

The Color Red

The use of the color red in PowWow is nothing new.  It's a color of power and energy and, most importantly, it's the color of blood.  Red strings are worn as protective charms around the wrist to guard against demonic attacks and other harmful influences.  This can be found within Jewish folklore, especially as a guard for newborns against the lilitu, a type of demon.  They also help protect what is rightfully ours (sort of an anti-thievery talisman).  If one reads the story of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar; and the birth of her twins, you will see the use of the red string to protect the firstborn's birthright. 

When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.  As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, "This one came out first."  Genesis 38:27-28

They can also signify that one is saved. In Christianity, one is saved by accepting that the blood of Christ was shed in order to cleanse of sin.  The red string around the wrist symbolizes your acceptance of this truth.  

Many of the charms within Hohman's Long Lost Friend call upon the power of the blood of Christ.  Here are a few examples:

--A good remedy for bad wounds and burns--

The word of God, the milk of Jesus' mother, and Christ's blood, is for all wounds and burnings good.

--To remove pain and heal up wounds with three switches--

With this switch and Christ's dear blood,  I banish your pain and do you good!

--Remedy for fever, worms, and the colic--

Jerusalem, thou Jewish city, in which Christ our Lord was born; Thou shalt turn into water and blood, because it is for (name) fever, worms, and colic good.

--A safe and approved means to be applied in cases of fire and pestilence--

(excerpt from longer version) I command unto thee, fire, to abate thy heat, by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which he has shed for us, and our sins and transgressions

Those are just a few of the many examples of Christ's blood being called upon in PowWow work. 

Red doors are another prominent feature amongst the old farm houses in PA Dutch country. 

Front of the Nelson Rehmeyer home.

There is biblical precedence for this as well.  For this answer, let's look at Exodus where God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites to slaughter a lamb and mark their doorways in it's blood so they will be spared during the Passover:

Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door frames of the houses where they eat the lambs......On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt....The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.  No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt..  Exodus 12:7, 12-13 (some bits omitted).

Scene from Prince of Egypt depicting the Passover.

On my own house, which is designed and decorated to represent the PA Dutch culture and style, the front door was originally painted red.  Before I moved into the house, the owner repainted the door black.  While I like the black door, I would love to have it restored to it's red color.  Unfortunately, this is out of my control...

Many illnesses and ailments are often 'seen' as red; possibly due to the color of the skin after a burn or swelling.  Heat is seen as red as well.  And blood is, obvioulsy, red. 

Barns are typically painted red, but this is really more for convenience and endurance reasons as opposed to occult reasons, but the color is still unmistakenly a part of our culture. 

Red painted barn, with hex sign, in Columbia County Pennsylvania.

The book, The Red Church by Chris Bilardi, is titled after this idea of the color red being used within PowWow throughout history. 

The actual "red church", of Lutheran denomination, exists in Orwigsburg PA.

The Red Church, Orwigsburg Pennsylvania

Numbers and other oddities...

The number 77 features in an obscure charm for fevers...

A good remedy for the fever

Good morning, dear Thursday!   Take away from (name) the 77-fold fevers.  Oh! thou dear Lord Jesus Christ, take them away from him! +++

This must be used on Thursday for the first time, on Friday for the second time, and on Saturday for the third time; and each time thrice.  The prayer of faith has also to be said each time, and not a word dare be spoken to anyone until the sun has risen.  Neither dare the sick person speak to anyone till after sunrise; nor eat pork, nor drink milk, nor cross a running water, for nine days.

Let's take this charm apart and examine all of it's Judeo-Christian symbolism:

"Good morning, dear Thursday!.....used on a Thursday for the first time...." -Why Thursday?  Traditionally, the Last Supper is thought to have taken place on Thursday.  Afterward, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and was arrested shortly after.  Thursday is seen as a Holy day for this reason. 

"77-fold..." - The number seven, and multiples of it, are repeated countless times throughout the bible.  What is most fascinating to me, however, is that Jesus Himself mentions the "Kingdom" of God 77 times throughout the New Testament.  I have learned that nothing is within the bible without purpose, and this repetition of numbers is significant. 

In PowWow, charms are often repeated three times; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

For a more thorough look at the use of numbers in PowWow, skim through the Bible and you will see the many repetitions.  This is a study way beyond the scope of this blog, but I wanted to mention it so you can see the biblical origins of the usage of these numbers.

"the prayer of faith..."  I will not go into this one.  This is one of those PowWow things that a Christian would understand.   

"nor eat pork, nor drink milk...." these are straight from Old Testament Judaic laws.  There are many food-related laws in the Old Testament that give instruction as to clean and unclean things to eat.  Certain things should never be mixed together, and other restrictions apply.  These instructions speak of the Judaic influence insofar as fasting and dietary restriction during the period of healing.

"not a word dare be spoken to anyone until after the sun has risen..." There are instructions within this charm for both the PowWow and the sick person to adhere to.  Neither can speak to anyone until after sunrise on all three days the charm is worked.  Both have other instructions as well, such as the recitation of the prayer of faith, the dietary restrictions, and so forth.  This is important because, within PowWow, these detailed instructions are often ignored by practitioners.  It is important for us to stick with these instructions so that we can gain the maximum benefit of using these particular charms.  Just another oddity that makes PowWow unique!

PowWow, if taken seriously and done correctly, can be a complex study, and an even more complex practice.  It has many little nuances and tidbits that are not readily noticeable at first glance.  However, the deeper you entrench yourself into this tradition, the more mysticism and spiritual power you will find.  One of my favorite statements is "What's worth doing, is worth doing well." and nowhere is this more true than within PowWow. 

May God bless you always in the good work that you do. +++