#acadian folklore

[tenofmuses]

I started reading Llewellyn’s Complete Book of North American Folk Magic today, and usually these books on “North American” magic don’t have anything at all about Canada, and if they do, it’s one or two mentions of like “hey yeah, Canada is in North America and they’ve got witchcraft too!” But they rarely have any substantial info. Which is a bit frustrating as a Canadian witch, but I’ve learned to deal with it and work with the limited info I can find.

Anyways, this book opens with a chapter on French Canadian magic (Sorcellerie). The two authors—creators of the Courir le loup-garou blog about French Canadian magic, which is a wonderful and bilingual resource—describe a brief history of French Canadian people and the context behind the historical folk traditions they were a part of. And then they get into a discussion of what some of those traditions and practices were, what their uses were, and so forth.

I wasn’t expecting to read anything about my Acadian ancestors’ traditions in this book, and reading it made me a bit emotional because it’s just so rare to come across this information, let alone in an accessible book like this. The Acadian side of my family have become very disconnected from our culture over the last fifty-so years, largely the result of a lot of complicated historical stuff that went on. The last two generations (me and my mum’s generation) don’t even speak French. Nowadays, being bilingual is a massive source of pride in Canada, but knowing French wasn’t always a positive, so it wasn’t passed down for that reason.

Over the last year or so, my practice has shifted a bit from largely eclectic and neo-pagan to a calling to explore the traditions of my ancestors, many of whom are Acadian. But with that has come a difficult realization: since I don’t know French, a lot of the existing sources on sorcellerie aren’t accessible to me. Which is fair enough, and one of the reasons I’m trying to learn the language, but sad when taken in context with the gradual loss of culture in my family.

All of this to say that while I’ve only read the first section of the book (the essay on Sorcellerie) and have no idea how the rest of the book is, reading this chapter about the traditions of my Acadian ancestors was very beautiful and healing, and if you’re trying to reconnect to those traditions like I am, I really recommend reading this essay. I’ve learned a lot and have a few jumping off points now for further research, which is always so exciting!

[this-is-my-main-i-follow-from]

Some of my fave Métis folklore creatures:

Rou garou: from the french loup garou, a werewolf that can shapeshift like many cree stories. 

Little men: brownies, fairies, or naiads/water nymphs, (fae) that use leaves as boats.

Whiitegoos: white monsters who eat children at night, from the cree wendigo(ak).

[lesorciercanadien]

Folk Ways for an Acadian or French Canadian folk practitioner

I want to start an ongoing list of Acadian and French Canadian religious and popular folk ways that I've been learning about for the last two years. My references will be at the end for further reading!

Blessing a candle on Candlemas (Feb. 2) with holy water will allow you to have a light whenever there is sickness and storms hitting your home. Traditionally on Candlemas, the light is lit and guided through every room in the house to bless all its corners for the year. It was even paraded in the farmer's fields. (Dupont)

The 25th April, on St. Mark's Day, is the ideal day to bless your fields or garden before putting in the first seeds. This ensures the growing food to be blessed by this saint. (Maillet)

Animals have been known to speak in human tongues on Christmas Eve. (Maillet)

If you feel that nothing is going right in your day, your homemade bread sours, or general bad luck assails you, simply boil some holy medals. (Dupont)

The first three days of the month of August, the ocean waters are known to have healing properties, and it wouldn't hurt to dip your feet in it. (Chiasson)

It was customary to trace crosses on windows using holy water when a storm would hit. (Lacroix)

To find a lost object, simply toss a rosary or a pocket metal rosary over your shoulder. The foot of the cross will point in the direction where your lost object might be located. (Dupont)

To have good weather on your wedding day, be sure to hang your rosary on your clothes line the day before. (Dupont)

Maillet, Antonine. Rabelais et les traditions populaires en Acadie. Les presses de l'université laval, quebec. 1980.

Lacroix, Benoit. Folklore de la mer et religion. Editions Leméac, 1980.

Dupont, Jean-Claude. Héritage d'Acadie. Collection Connaissance, editions Leméac, 1977.

Chiasson, Père Anselme. Chéticamp: histoire et traditions acadiennes. Editions des Aboiteaux, 1972.

[schweizercomics]

Companions of Christmas day 7: Guinefort, the Cajun Rougarou When Santa Claus visits the bayous of Louisiana, the dense canopy of trees that blanket the rivers along which its people live preclude him from employing his reindeer-pulled sleigh. He has instead taken to using a pirogue, a type of flat-bottomed boat, and in lieu of reindeer employs the services of eight charitable alligators.

The people along the bayou’s rivers light bonfires on the bank each Christmas Eve to help Santa find his way.

But those settlements, and the cabins and houses between them, are spread out enough that the oppressive darkness of the waterland often persists for long obstacled stretches.

Luckily for Santa and the children of Louisiana, he is assisted along these stretches by a Rougarou, a type of werewolf, whose real name is not known, but whom the Acadian locals calls “Guinefort” after St. Guinefort, a popular saint in France who happens to be a dog.

The Cajuns were always wary of Guinefort because it is, after all, prudent to be wary of wolves, but knowing that his birthday was Christmas (because, as many know, only those born on Christmas can be cursed to become werewolves), people would leave him treats and presents on that day, so Guinefort came to love Christmas, because it was the day that he felt loved himself.

Now, the furry Cajun makes the most of his agile nature and keen night vision to help Santa navigate the sometimes treacherous waterways, standing on the backs of Santa’s alligators and serving as a pilot, avoiding submerged logs and Cypress roots while sipping hot chicory and casting a warm glow with his red lantern.

••••••••••••••••••••••

Happy December, friends! Each year around this time I post up drawings of Christmas and other winter holiday figures, along with narratives to explain the practices with which folklorists and holiday buffs might be familiar. When stories exist, I use them; when they don't, I do what I can to piece together what folklore surrounds them to fill in the gaps (or, in some instances, defer to the theories of my friend and fellow narrative reconcilianist Benito Cereno). I hope you enjoy them!

[grandmamarieslouisianakitchen]

Mysteries Of The Bayou: Cajun Folklore And Legends

Ah, settle in, dear ones, as we embark on a journey through the mystique of the bayou, where whispers of Cajun folklore and legends weave tales as enchanting as Spanish moss draping the cypress trees.

The Rougarou Let me share the tale of the Rougarou, a creature of the night with a taste for mischief. As the moonlight dances on the bayou waters, locals speak of this shape-shifting beast – a reminder to keep the sacred traditions alive and be cautious when venturing into the unknown.

The Feu Follet Look closely on a moonlit night, and you might glimpse the Feu Follet, the mischievous "will-o'-the-wisp" leading wanderers astray. Cajun storytellers say these elusive lights are spirits guiding lost souls, adding a touch of magic to our bayou nights.

The Legend of Evangeline In the heart of Cajun history, there's the tragic tale of Evangeline, separated from her love during the Acadian exile. Her spirit is said to linger in the shadows, seeking her lost Gabriel along the moss-covered paths of the bayou.

Papa Legba  Among the whispers of the bayou, the voodoo spirit Papa Legba guards the crossroads, offering guidance and challenges to those seeking mystical wisdom. His presence is a reminder of the rich spiritual tapestry woven into our Cajun heritage.

The Ghostly Isleños Travel to the haunting swamps, and you might hear the echoes of the Ghostly Isleños, Spanish settlers who mysteriously disappeared. Some say their spirits still linger, casting a spectral presence upon the bayou's edge.

The Sacrament of the Gris-Gris Deep in the bayou, crafting Gris-Gris bags is a mystical art. Passed down through generations, these enchanted pouches are said to bring protection, luck, and even love to those who carry them.

As the night settles over the bayou, these stories come alive, mingling with the sounds of crickets and the distant call of an owl. Our Cajun folklore, rich and deep-rooted, whispers through the moss-laden trees, inviting us to embrace the mysteries that dance on the edge of our vibrant culture. 

Next time you find yourself by the bayou, listen closely – for it might just share secrets and tales of our Cajun ancestors, keeping the spirit of Louisiana alive in every rustle of the leaves and every ripple on the water. 

Gather ‘Round The Campfire

Imagine the crackling flames of a bayou campfire casting dancing shadows as we gather to unravel the Mysteries of the Bayou. To accompany these tales, let us weave a tapestry of campfire activities and comforting Cajun delights, creating an enchanting evening under the Louisiana stars!

Campfire Activities

Bonfire Storytelling Circle Gather 'round the bonfire, my darlings, and let the bayou come alive with tales of voodoo queens, haunted swamps, and friendly spirits. Everyone can share their favorite Cajun folklore or ghost story, adding to the night's mystique.

Cajun Campfire Sing-Along Enliven the atmosphere with the lively tunes of Cajun music. Bring out the accordion or play some zydeco favorites. Let the rhythm of the bayou set the tone for our storytelling, making it a musical journey into the heart of our culture.

Bayou Night Walk Take a lantern-lit stroll along the bayou's edge, allowing the mysterious sounds of the night and the rustling of Spanish moss to envelop us. It's a chance to feel the heartbeat of the bayou and connect with the spirits that dwell within its depths.

Cajun Constellation Spotting Look up, my loves, and marvel at the celestial wonders above. Cajun constellations like the Rougarou or the Alligator Queen can be spotted in the Louisiana night sky. Share stories of these cosmic characters and let the stars weave their own tales.

Comfort Foods 'Round The Campfire

Gumbo by Moonlight Serve up steaming bowls of gumbo, its rich aroma mingling with the night air. Gumbo by moonlight, with the flickering flames as our only light, adds a touch of magic to our Cajun feast.

Cajun Sausage and Boudin Skewers Thread Cajun sausages and boudin onto skewers and roast them over the campfire. The smoky flavors and the crisp night air create a culinary experience as delightful as the tales we share.

Beignet Bonanza Transform the campfire into a makeshift Café du Monde with a beignet bonanza. These fluffy, powdered sugar-dusted treats are the perfect sweet indulgence under the stars.

Cajun Hot Chocolate Warm our souls with Cajun hot chocolate infused with a hint of cayenne for a spicy twist. Sip it slowly as we listen to the crackling fire and the whispers of the bayou.

Mossy Oak Cajun Popcorn Popcorn seasoned with Cajun spices and served in mossy oak bowls adds a touch of rustic charm to our campfire festivities. It's a crunchy, flavorful treat to munch on between our mystical tales.

Grandma Marie’s Louisiana Kitchen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.

Let’s embrace the magic of the bayou under the starlit sky. With storytelling, music, and comforting Cajun delights, our campfire becomes a portal to the enchanting world of Cajun folklore and legends. 

Cajun Hot Chocolate Recipe

Cajun Hot Chocolate adds a delightful spicy twist to the classic hot chocolate. Here's a simple recipe and a general estimate of the nutritional information per serving.

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

(Optional) Whipped cream and ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

Prepare Milk Mixture In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together whole milk, cocoa powder, sugar, ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper until well combined.

Heat and Whisk Heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until it's hot but not boiling.

Add Vanilla Extract Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Serve Pour the Cajun Hot Chocolate into mugs and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon if desired.

Nutritional Information

Including optional ingredients like whipped cream, ice cream, and powdered sugar may impact the nutritional content. Here's an approximate nutrition breakdown (per serving, about 1 cup):

Calories: Approximately 150-180 calories

Protein: Around 7-9 grams

Carbohydrates: About 20-25 grams

Dietary Fiber: Around 2-3 grams

Sugars: Around 18-22 grams

Fat: Approximately 7-9 grams

Saturated Fat: Around 4-6 grams

Cholesterol: Approximately 20-25 milligrams

Sodium: Around 100-150 milligrams

For more accurate Nutritional Information , we recommend using a nutrition calculator with the specific brands and quantities of ingredients you plan to use.

Until next time, ma cher. May the mysteries of the bayou illuminate your night!

[scenefromthesidewalk]

"CONNECTIONS"

Chantelle Trainor-Matties and JoLean Williams-Laborde

In 2022 the New Orleans Mayor, the Canadian Consulate, and Arts New Orleans partnered to highlight the many historic and cultural connections between Canada and Louisiana. Canadian artist Chantelle Trainor-Matties designed this depiction of the Acadians' journey south. A heavy reliance on blue and green tones depicts the importance of water to both peoples and the mural incorporates wildlife important to each, including some from their shared folklore. In New Orleans the design was painted by JoLean Williams-Laborde at Ursulines Ave and N Peters St, behind the popular French Market. 

LOCATION: 1100 N Peters St, New Orleans, LA 70116

@frettchanstudios/   @jolean_barkley/   @artsneworleans/

[seewetter]

Mythic Creatures by Culture & Region

Part 2: Settler (Colonial) & Diasporic Tales of Australia & the Americas

Overview here.

• Australian Settler Folktales Drop Bear; Easter Bilby; Oozlum Bird (oozlum bird also in Britain)

Canadian Settler Folktales

Cadborosaurus B.C.; Cressie; Igopogo Barrie; Manipogo; Memphre; Mussie; Red Lady; Thetis Lake Monster; Turtle Lake Monster

USAmerican Settler folktales including African diaspora

Agropelter, Maine & Ohio; Alfred Bulltop Stormalong Massachussets; Altamaha-ha in Georgia, U.S.A, see Muskogee; Anansi is Akan (which includes the Agona, Akuapem, Akwamu, Akyem, Anyi, Ashanti, Baoulé, Bono, Chakosi, Fante, Kwahu, Sefwi, Wassa, Ahanta, and Nzema) also found in African American lore; Red Ghost (Arizona camel with skeleton on its back); Augerino western USA, including Colorado; Axehandle hound Minnesota and Wisconsin; Ball-tailed cat; Beaman Monster; Bear Lake Monster; Beast of Bladenboro; Beast of Busco; Bell Witch; Belled buzzard American South; Bessie northeast Ohio and Michigan; Bigfoot; Black Dog; Blafard; Bloody Bones; Bloody Mary; Boo hag; Br'er Rabbit; Brown Mountain Lights; Cactus cat American Southwest; Calafia Amazon Queen (Caliph) that California is named after; Champ; Chessie; Dark Watchers; Demon Cat Washington D.C.; Dewey Lake Monster; Dover Demon; Dungavenhooter Maine, Michigan; Emperor Norton; Enfield Monster (NOT Enfield); Flathead Lake Monster; Flatwoods Monster; Flying Africans; Fouke Monster Arkansas; Fur-bearing trout; Gallinipper; Gillygaloo; Glawackus; Gloucester sea serpent; Golden Bear; Goofus Bird; Gumberoo; Hidebehind; Hillbilly Beast of Kentucky; Hodag; Honey Island Swamp Monster; Hoop Snake; Hudson River Monster; Hugag; Jackalope; Jersey Devil; Joint Snake; Jonathan Moulton; Lady Featherflight; Lagahoo; Lake Worth Monster; Lava bear Oregon, appear to have been real animals but not a unique species; Letiche (Cajun folktale, from descendants of the Acadian expulsion) Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp; Loveland Frog; Ludwig the Bloodsucker; Mãe-do-Ouro; Mami Wata also African; Maryland Goatman; Melon-heads; Michigan Dogman; Milton lizard; Mogollon Monster; Momo the Monster; Mothman; Nain Rouge Detroit, Michigan; New Jersey folktales; North Shore Monster; Onza; Ozark Howler; Pope Lick Monster; Proctor Valley Monster; Railroad Bill; Red Ghost; Red Lady; Reptilian; Resurrection Mary; Sharlie; Sidehill Gouger; Signifying monkey; Skunk Ape; Snallygaster; Snipe Hunt; Snow Snake; Splintercat; Squonk; Tahoe Tessie; Tailypo; Teakettler; The Witch of Saratoga; Tuttle Bottoms Monster; Two-Toed Tom; Walgren Lake Monster; Wampus Cat; White River Monster; Wild Man of the Navidad

Latin American Folklore

Aido Hwedo, Haiti & also in Benin; Alebrije (born from a dream, Mexican paper mache folk art); Baccoo could be based off Abiku of Yoruba lore; Bestial Beast bestial centaur; Boiuna; Boto and Boto_and_Dolphin_Spirits; Bruja; Bumba Meu Boi; Burrokeet; Cadejo; Camahueto; Capelobo; Carbuncle; Carranco; Chasca El Salvador; Chickcharney; Ciguapa Dominica; Cipitio; Damballa; Day of the Dead; Death; Douen; Duende; Duppy; El Sombrerón Guatemala; Folktales of Mexico; Headless Mule; Hombre Gato; Honduran Creatures; Huay Chivo; Ibo loa (also Igbo in West Africa); Jumbee; Kasogonagá (Toba in Argentina); La Bolefuego; La Diablesse; La Llorona; La mula herrada; La Sayona; Lang Bobi Suzi; Madre de aguas; Mama D'Leau; Minhocão; Mono Grande; Monster of Lake Fagua; Monster of Lake Tota; Muan; Muelona; Nahuelito; Obia also a word for a West African mythological creature (see article); Papa Bois; Patagon aka Patagonian Giant; Patasola; Phantome (Trinidad, Tobago, Guyana); Pishtaco; Princess Eréndira; Quimbanda; Romãozinho; Saci; Sayona ; Sihuanaba; Sisimoto; Soucouyant; Succarath; Tapire-iauara; Tata Duende; The Cu Bird; The Silbón; Tulevieja; Tunda; Zombie Bolivia; Abchanchu; Acalica; El Tío Colombia; Colombian Creatures; El Hombre Caimán; Tunda

Please note that some of these beings (those from Latin America or from diasporic African religions like Santeria, Vodun and Candomble) are sacred and be responsible about their use in art (writing etc.).

Notify me of any mistakes or to add disclaimers when something is considered sacred and off-limits.

[everbayou]

Folk Tale: M’su Carencro and Mangeur de Poulet (Mr. Buzzard and the Chicken Hawk)

M’su Carencro, the Buzzard, was sitting in a tree waiting for something to drop dead so he could feast. It had been days since he had a decent meal. Then out of nowhere came flying in Mangeur de Poulet, the Chicken Hawk. Mangeur de Poulet notices M’su Carencro in his tree and calls out “ Ca Va, mon padnat?” (How’s it goin’, friend?)

M’su Carencro cawed back “Ca va mal! (Not good at all!) I am starving! I been here waiting for something to drop dead for the pas’ couple of days. I just want my supper.” 

“And why is that padnat?” says the confident and full of himself Chicken Hawk.”If you are hungry, you just go get it yourself like I do. Why dont’cha just catch you some fresh meat? You have to look out for yourself if you gonna make it in this world, mon ami.” (My friend.)

“Non!“ (No!) said M’su Carencro. “You don’t understand how this works. I have to for somethin’ to drop dead before I can eat it. This is my purpose given to me by le Bon Dieu.” (The Good God) 

“Le Bon Dieu? Non! Don’t bother with the Good God. Even if he does exist, what says you that he cares if you eat? You have to look out fo’ yourself like I do. I’ll show you how to take care of yourself and not depen’ on anyone else!” said Mangeur de Poulet. 

And with that the Chicken Hawk soared in to the air, doing fancy flips and maneuvers. The Buzzard followed along at a safe distance behind watching in amazement at how agile Mangeur de Poulet was. They soon came upon a wide empty field and noticed some movement down below.

A fat, juicy rabbit was darting below; quick and agile trying to avoid the Chicken Hawk. The Chicken Hawk grew closer to the rabbit and thought that he had him for sure. At the last moment Mangeur de Poulet talons graced the rabbits fur as he dropped in to a den hole near a fence post. Before Mangeur de Poulet could realize what had happened, he hit that pole at full speed. 

The Chicken Hawk fell straight dead to the ground. M’su Carencro landed next to him and looked up to the sky. “Merci beaucoup, mon Grand Bon Dieu!” (Good God almighty, thank you!) He then grins and says “Suppertime!”

[statecryptids]

ROUGAROU- LOUISIANA

original post here: http://statecryptids.blogspot.com/2022/04/rougarou-louisiana.html

A strange, unearthly cry echoes across the mirrored surface of the Louisiana bayou, echoing off scattered cypress and tupelo dripping with Spanish moss. Is this merely the call of a wading bird? A lone puma? Or is it the shriek of the man-wolf creature known as the Rougarou?

Rougarou is a Cajun variation on “loup garou”, the French word for werewolf. France has a long history of werewolf folklore. In the 16th century these creatures were often blamed for crimes such as disappearances, animal killings, and particularly violent burglaries. In a parallel to the infamous witch hunts also taking place at the time, scared and panicked villagers would usually accuse someone living outside the societal norms of the time- such as a hermit in the woods, or a person with mental illness- as being the beast. Once accusations had been made, the condemned had little ability to defend themselves in court other than to “confess” to being a werewolf and implicate others in their ddeds.

Many legends existed to explain how one became a loup garou. Some men (medieval werewolves were almost always masculine) could change by putting on a wolf’s skin- a possible link to legends of the Norse berserker warriors who would don bear skins to take on the beast’s power. Some people would become werewolves through cannibalism and other debauchery. Catholic priests claimed that a man who didn’t observe Lent for seven straight years would become a werewolf.

Stories of the loup garou came to North America in the 17th century with French settlers in the Acadia region, located in what is now Eastern Canada. In the aftermath of the French and Indian War, the British colonial government took over the region and forcibly deported most of the ethnically French Acadians.  Many of these displaced people settled in Louisiana, originally a colony of France that was ceded to Spain in 1762. The Spanish government was fairly tolerant of the settlers, allowing them to continue their cultural practices- which included tales of the loup garou.

In modern times the rougarou has become more of a boogeyman to frighten children. Parents warn their kids not to misbehave or play in the swamp or else the beast will come for them. These stories usually do not make it clear if the creature is a transformed human or if it is always a humanoid beast akin to the Beast of Bray Road and other dogmen of the Midwest.

Despite- or, more likely, because of- its frightening appearance and behavior, the Rougarou has become a popular part of Louisiana culture. Costumes based on the creature frequently appear in Mardi Gras celebrations, and the city of Houma even has an annual festival themed around the creature.

SOURCES Rougarou Fest in Houma, Louisiana  A page from www.pelicanstateofmind.com about the rougarou A post from www.whereyat.com about the rougarou National Wildlife Federation article on the rougarou Article from Tulane magazine about the rougarou Blog posts from Dr. Kaja Franck about werewolves Monstrum episodes on Werewolves, hosted by Dr. Emily ZarkaPart 1Part 2

[frettchanstudios]

I’m honoured and humbled to have been asked to design this mural “Connections”, then painted by JoLean Barkley. The project was put together by the Consulate General of Canada @connect2canada, the Office of New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell @mayorcantrell @cityofnola, and the Arts Council of New Orleans @artsneworleans. Being able to go down to celebrate the unveiling and see it in person was surreal. Mural Description: This mural uses abstract blue and green tones to depict the reliance of both Canadians and New Orleanians connection with water. The left side of the mural showcases Canadian wildlife in contemporary Northwest coast formline designs and as river flows "downstream" towards the right side transitions to Louisiana-based wildlife, depicting the journey and discovery of new creatures on the Acadians' journey South. The opossum (Canada's only marsupial) is also found in Louisiana and its location within the center of the mural proves a connection between both locations. The opossum's traditional Cajun Mardi Gras hat indicates the sharing of culture and traditions between the two communities. The white creature silhouettes in the background give a sense of history and continuity, as echos of the past drive traditions of the present. The river ends and transitions into the Loup Garou, a creature known in Laurentian French communities but also prominently featured in Cajun Folklore as a symbol of the stories and connections our communities share. Thank you, Mayor Latoya Cantrell, Mayor of New Orleans, Consul General of Canada, Dr. Rachel McCormick, @reynoldsjoycelyn, Executive Director – Arts Council New Orleans, @lindsayglatz, Creative Director - Arts Council New Orleans who coordinated the creation of the mural and liaison with artists, @prosybell1 – Director International Relations, City of New Orleans who had a key role in ensuring the proposal was approved, and Noella De Maina – Consul, Foreign Policy and Public Affairs who came up with the idea and spearheaded the project! Thank you @jolean_barkley for taking on the huge role of painting my design, you killed it! Thank you mom @cherielperry for making the trip with me, it was so special to share this with you.

Photo Credits:

Image 1, 8, 9, 10: @cherielperry

Article Screenshot: https://www.audacy.com/wwl/news/local/n-o-partners-with-the-canadian-government-to-create-a-mural

[themodernsouthernpolytheist]

Hi I'm from eastern Texas, and getting into southern magick, is it okay if I do? And what do you recommend starting?

Thanks for the question! It can be a little tough starting out. I recommend reading about local folklore and local herbalism as a place to start. Read about (or learn directly from if possible) the indigenous peoples’ use of local plants and animals. Learn about related species and how they’re used. Spend time with the plants (and spirits) in whatever way possible.

In East Texas, I’d also recommend reading about Cajun and Acadian folks practices because they’ve heavily included the region as a whole.

I also recommend Zoe’s Neale Hurston’s work in the Journal of American Folklore, Mules and Men, and really anything she wrote whether fiction or anthropology because her fiction is so influenced by her fieldwork. Note that these are specifically on the Black Southern experience and I’m not advocating whole cloth taking of the practices found in them, but they can be really helpful in steering what you’re interested in. Also, try reading about the history of the South broadly. The South, in many ways, has far more in common with the Caribbean than much of the US, especially in our past.

I hope that’s helpful, but feel free to ask me anything else!

[judyconda]

"Thus passed a few swift years, and they no longer were children. He was a valiant youth, and his face, like the face of the morning, Gladdened the earth with its light, and ripened thought into action. She was a woman now, with the heart and hopes of a woman. "Sunshine of Saint Eulalie" was she called; for that was the sunshine Which, as the farmers believed, would load their orchards with apples She, too, would bring to her husband's house delight and abundance, Filling it full of love and the ruddy faces of children. Now had the season returned, when the nights grow colder and longer, And the retreating sun the sign of the Scorpion enters. Birds of passage sailed through the leaden air, from the ice-bound, Desolate northern bays to the shores of tropical islands, Harvests were gathered in; and wild with the winds of September Wrestled the trees of the forest, as Jacob of old with the angel. All the signs foretold a winter long and inclement. Bees, with prophetic instinct of want, had hoarded their honey Till the hives overflowed; and the Indian bunters asserted Cold would the winter be, for thick was the fur of the foxes. Such was the advent of autumn. Then followed that beautiful season, Called by the pious Acadian peasants the Summer of All-Saints! Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape Lay as if new-created in all the freshness of childhood. Peace seemed to reign upon earth, and the restless heart of the ocean Was for a moment consoled. All sounds were in harmony blended." *poetry story is taken part from Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow : #fairytaletuesday #fairytale #poetry #poet #poetic #poets #poetsofinstagram #poetryofinstagram #darkacademia #darkaesthetic #darkacademiaaesthetic #bloodandwine #worldgothday #Spiritique #mindfulness #Spiritual #Spirituality #mystical #mystique #mystic #mysticisim #renaissance #renaissanceart #folk #folklore #folkspirits #folkmystic #fantasy #goth #gothic https://www.instagram.com/p/CfV1eCiOJIA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jackhkeynes]

Linguistic Exam Questions

from the 1990 edition of collected sample scitation papers for the University of Lester's Faculty of Domain History, an academic group who, due to the university's well-funded Faculty of Language, has a strong leaning towards language-related studies, including palaeography and comparative mythology.

…which presaged the collapse of the First Drengotian Empire [1]. Discuss: (i) the role of fourteenth-century compendium The Tales of Enfield Wood in codifying the divergent folklore interpretations of the Farmer Duke and his Masked Band, (ii) the growing separation between the Markish and Kentish tongues as evidenced by the vocabulary attested in this compendium, and (iii) the extent to which the traditional identification of this work's author with John of Yare (most known for having written historical account The Great Dying) can be justified.

Question 5 (thirty minutes) Argue either in favour of or in opposition to any two of the following theses.

(i) The word for 'silver' is of uncertain origin—words referring to the substance having been borrowed between languages for millennia via extensive trade networks. The most likely origin of the word (cf. Lithuan sudrabs, Hausan 'asrvae, Vask zirar) as a trade-word is in ancient Acadian 𒀫𒁍𒌝 (surpum). (ii) Usage of Sinic runes soundwise, a practice in certain names and other words of foreign origin since antiquity and seen in neighbouring polities (cf. early maniocan script) from the seventh century N, gains currency in Cathay during…

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[1] A polity of the eleventh and twelfth centuries formed from the protacted union of several states, to wit Normandy, France, Burgundy, Kent, Greater Devon, Markland and York.

[lesorciercanadien]

New apartment, new altar!!!! I found a handmade kitchen hutch beautifully made by a carpenter in the 1970s. It reminded me of my grandpa's wood skills. My old one is still loved and cherished but at my girlfriend's place for us both. This one has a lot more space than my old one, storage and surface wise. I just finished painting Cap Éternité in Saguenay (bottom reference photo) on the altar backsplash area. The next project is designing stained glass windows for the doors on the cabinet hutch and installing lights at the top to illuminate the art. The one after that would be mythological creatures of French Canadian and Acadian folklore on the door medallions. I also plan to put in two sconces to hold vases of flowers on either end of the hutch, and paint more folk art designs on the hutch sides and drawers. The beginning of many a cherished moment painting this piece to make it come alive within my practice.

[nonhoration]

I wanted to create a quick list of my favourite media this year, but couldn't get the post to format nicely! So I'm just going to make lists and then link to my 2020 rating sheet which has all the reviews and nice pictures.

Books

I read a lot of books in 2020, so this is the hardest list to make. I made a New Year's resolution to read for an hour every day, and then I got pandemic unemployed... So this is the hardest to narrow down top 10.

10. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

Now, I read this pre-pandemic (my sister read it in April and it really hits differently now lol) and thought it was an interesting isolated post-apocalyptic story.

9. Penance by Kanae Minato

A group of children witness their friend’s murder and the friend’s mother orders them to name the killer before the statute of limitations is up. Girlboss the novel.

8. Where the Wild Ladies Are by Matsuda Aoko

This is a short story collection of modernized retellings of Japanese myths and I thought they were really fun. One is from the POV of a tree who has been assigned folkloric powers, and one is the story of a bald woman ghost who becomes a punk and is obsessed with Mad Max Fury Road.

7. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

The haunted house segment in this absolutely slaps and this book also has the best final girl sequence I have ever read.

6. The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

Trigger warning for literally everything but this book was amazing. I can't believe how many times you would get to a new part and find out "oh, that other part is worse now".

5. Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

This is basically Buffy the Vampire Slayer but good. It takes a little while to get going but the ending was worth it.

4. Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace

I read this because it was hyped up on Tumblr and wasn't really expecting much, but this is absolutely worth the hype. Great story and world building.

3. A Mind Spread Out On The Ground by Alicia Elliott

This essay collection is by a Haudenosaunee woman about her experiences in both Canada and the United States. The way these essays are put together and the ideas woven together were sometimes really unexpected.

2. The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

This is kind of a sci-fi western about a group of girls who escape a "welcome house" after one of them accidentally kills a client. The world is imaginative, the characters are great (and treated sympathetically when you wouldn't expect it).

1. This Is How You Lose The Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar

This is definitely not for everyone (epistolary f/f enemies to lovers sci-fi co-written by a poet) but I absolutely loved it.

Games

I didn't play quite as many games as I read books, but still a decent amount. I played all of these on either PC or PS4.

10. 11.45 A Vivid Life (PC)

This is a very short game where you dig out parts of your own body and decide the story about them. Gross sounds and sad stories, but I thought the idea was really neat.

9. Who Killed My Father Academy! (PC)

This game is kind of silly but I loved the concept (a character contacts you-the-player to explore all paths and get her to one where she can identify her father’s killer and survive) and the writing was punchy and fun.

8. Clarevoyance (PC)

This game was made to depict the myths and legends of the Acadian municipality of Clare in Nova Scotia. It was absolutely surreal to hear Acadian French in a game, and you could tell how much love went into making it.

7. Beyond Blue (PS4)

A game where you play as a diver and swim around scanning fish. Has some informative videos and an environmental message. Exploring the main character's sub as it changes over the course of the game was cool.

6. Assassin's Creed III (PS4)

This game is suffering from ridiculous amounts of feature creep and the modern-day story is stupid but Connor is my favourite assassin so far and I was really surprised at the relative nuance that it used to look at the American Revolution. The ending to Connor's story punched me in the face.

5. Buried Stars (PS4)

I was expecting this to be a murdergame a la Zero Escape, but it was more of a whodunit about Kpop stars. I was really surprised how much I liked this one.

4. Pendula Swing (PC)

This is a point and click game about a retired adventurer who has to venture off her isolated island and into the city when her magical axe is stolen. 1920s fantasy creature fusion.

3. Unavowed (PC)

An urban fantasy point and click from the dev of the Blackwell series. This is an extremely ambitious game and it didn't always hit the mark, but when it does, it's so good. Fun stories and characters, and multiple ways to solve the puzzles.

2. Gravity Rush 2 (PS4)

Improvement in every way over the first game - bigger area to explore, cool new powers, fun characters. Hurtling all over the place is so much fun.

1. Donut County (PS4)

This is a cute, stylish, reverse-Katamari game about gentrification. Simple and fun to play.

Movies

I watched 3 movies this year apparently and rated them all 4 stars lol, so Birds of Prey, Ready or Not and Happy Death Day were good.

TV

I watched a few shows, but then I got caught up in The Princess Weiyoung and it is very long so I watched a lot of TV but not many shows.

5. Firefly

I loved this show in University but it gets worse every time I watch it. Astoundingly tone-deaf about literally every issue.

4. Galavant

A lot of the jokes especially in the first season are a bit cringy now but the music still slaps.

3. Re:Mind

This show is very slow, absolutely baffling as a girl band vehicle and occasionally insulting in its themes but it is also NUTS at the end and I wish everyone would watch it so I can scream incoherently at them about the finale.

2. The Good Place

I am watching the second season now but I really enjoyed the first despite basically having already seen the entire show in gif format.

1. Miss Sherlock

Is the Stella Maris plotline stupid? Yes. Am I suing HBO Asia for emotional damage after the scene on the rooftop? Also yes.

[atlanticcanada]

Women rewrite the East Coast gothic to evoke contemporary horrors

Growing up in Halifax, Amy Jones didn't recognize the pastoral paradise of "Anne of Green Gables," or the fiddles and folklore of Maritime historical fiction. But when she read Christy Ann Conlin's "Heave," Jones says it was the first time she saw the gothic beauty and brutality of the Nova Scotia she lived in represented on the page.

The novel opened Jones' eyes to the prospect that readers would be interested in her experience of the East Coast as a place steeped in history but striving to be part of the modern world; where fortunes shift with the violent tides and the fog is thick with sinister possibilities.

Moreover, she realized the region could be rendered in a book by a young Nova Scotian woman.

"A lot of those gothic tropes were originally conceived in the brains of men, so they're always being filtered through that gaze," said Jones, author of @"Every Little Piece of Me."

"It's really interesting to be able to flip those in some way."

In recent years, Atlantic literature has been dominated by a cohort of female writers who are challenging perceptions of the region and its traditional portrayals in @fiction, said Alexander MacLeod, an author and professor of English and Atlantic Canada Studies at Saint Mary's University in Halifax.

"All those people grew up reading one version of their landscape narrated from one point of view, and then they were very determined and motivated to see it in a different way," said MacLeod, listing Ann-Marie MacDonald and Lisa Moore among the leaders of the literary movement.

"I think it gives them all kinds of territory to explore and remake that world."

While gothic literature may conjure images of medieval castles and supernatural intrusions, MacLeod said the tradition has deep roots in Atlantic Canada.

Writers like his late father Alistair MacLeod, Ernest Buckler and Alden Nowlan have drawn from gothic motifs to evoke the preternatural forces, both man-made and environmental, that belie the coastal quietude on Canada's eastern edge.

Cape Breton-bred novelist Lynn Coady, who won the Scotiabank Giller Prize for 2013's "Hellgoing," said she was raised on such lyrical tales that pit mostly male protagonists against an unforgiving climate, cyclical poverty and cultural stagnation.

"That working-class aspect excited people, because they were coming out of an era when you thought of writing as this elevated art form that only gentrified people were able to perform," said Coady.

"We're in a similar situation where now the women are allowed to tell their stories, and that feels really exciting."

Since her 2002 debut "Heave," Conlin has been considered a master of the modern North Atlantic gothic -- although "modern" seems to be a slippery notion within the genre.

"Change is really slow here, and so the modern world really butts up against a much older, more persistent world that's really captured by the geography and the landscape," said Conlin, who lives in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.

In a sense, Atlantic Canada is haunted by the stories of its past that shape the present day.

There's the centuries-old Mi'kmaq tradition of storytelling, and settlers' accounts of colonial violence. There are the stories that were stowed away on ships by immigrants seeking a new life, and those carried off during the expulsion of the Acadians in the 18th century. There are stories of periodic disaster: the Halifax Explosion, the sinking of the Titanic and the crash of Swissair Flight 111.

Then there are the ongoing tragedies of economic and environmental ruin left in the wake of industrialization, the fables of lighthouses and lobster traps that are exported to tourists and the old-fashioned traditions that entrench a patriarchal power structure.

"There's this dark subculture and world of what it's like to try to live here and how often doors are closed, and how hard that life is," said Conlin, who grapples with these themes in her recent short-story collection "Watermark."

"I think women and anyone who is marginalized feel those especially.

"We're looking at how people overcome that ... And that's new. There's not a nobility in just suffering."

Newfoundland writer Megan Gail Coles makes this mission clear with a warning that prefaces "Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club."

"This might hurt a little," she writes. "Be brave."

Coles populates her Giller-nominated debut novel with characters possessed by "ghosts" of their past selves and their ancestors.

These spectres manifest in the forms of sexual, physical and psychological violence, substance abuse, intergenerational trauma and the social isolation of island life.

As a woman of a working-class, mixed background from the rural community of Savage Cove on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula, Coles said many of these horrors hit close to home.

"Classicism has been ever-present in my life, and racism has been present in my life and misogyny has been present in my life. These are the things that have actually informed who I am as a person," she said.

"I think perhaps we are more intimate with the darker sides of our cultures, because the burden lays at our feet."

Coles said these struggles reach far beyond the shores of Newfoundland, resonating with readers who feel marginalized or displaced by modern society.

Still, Coles said she has to work hard to overcome the bucolic fantasies about the East Coast that have such purchase outside the region.

"This is not an art form intended to entertain," she said. "In fact, this is my form of resistance."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2019.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/36yecHl