Browse:HOW TO OBTAIN GRAVEYARD DIRT (Volume 4, entries 7516–7730)/Part 3
HOW TO OBTAIN GRAVEYARD DIRT
Volume 4, entries 7516–7730. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7676
If any harm wuz roun' yore place, go tuh a graveyard tuh de wickest person dat chew know dey buried in dere. Yo' come in on de right-han' side of dat grave as near as yo' kin. (The right hand side as you enter, come to the head of the grave.) Yes, dat's it. An' yo' go down, run yore han' down in dere an' come out wit as much dirt as yo' kin hold in three fingers [demonstrates].
(In the thumb, the index and the middle finger of the right hand.)
Yes. Den yo' go ahead an' yo' git chew some bluestone, pound it up fine. Den yo' go tuh all fo' cornah of yore steps an' yo' sprinkle dat down, but yo' do's dat at nine-thirty at night. An' ah don' cah [care] whut nobody put tuh de dat steps, dat stuff will run it 'way from dere.
Entry 7677
If anyone disliked yuh an' wan' choo tuh move - lak yuh a nex'-do' neighbah - dey go tuh de cemetery an' git graveyard dirt tuh make yuh move. Dey say dey go in dere at twelve a'clock at night an' run dere han's jis' as fer as de joint of dere elbow right down in de earth, an' git chew three han'fulla dat fresh graveyard dirt outa dere an' put it in a bucket. An' bury three pennies in dat dirt when yuh take out de las' han'ful out. Yuh put three pennies in de grave. Dey say dat's payin' fer it. An' den yuh bring it back an' sprinkle it aroun' de person do'. An' dat will make him leave.
Entry 7678
Go tuh de graveyard if yo' wanta do anything; in fac', if yo' want some money, or want yo' a good job. Yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' yo' kin git chew some dirt from off de grave, but let it be a wicked person. Don't let it be a good person. Try an' let it be a wicked person yo' see. Yo' go dere tuh dat grave an' yo' digs down dere jes' about - well, jes' about a half a foot, an' yo' git some of dat dirt out of dere. Git chew jes' about three good han'fuls lak dat. Take dat on home wit chew. An' yo' take dat an' git chew some red peppah an' some salt an' sulphur an' yo' mix all dat up tuhgethah. Put a li'le bit of it in a piece of flannen cloth an' sew it up. Weah it in yore pocket. Evah mawnin' take a li'le bit 'fo' [before] yo' walk out: "By de help of God on mah journey, ah hope ah'll succeed." Put a li'le bit in de fiah. Evah mawnin', evah time yo' goin' off tuh transact business, yo' know, or anything lak dat, yo' do dat. But chew keep dat dust in yore pocket in dat red flannel. Keep dat in yore pocket an' evah mawnin' when yo' gwine off tuh business, anything yo' wanta 'tend tuh anything yo' vanta do, when yo' do dat it will be a success.
Entry 7679
Ah 'sperienced dis mahself. Ah had a man an' he wus engaged tuh git married. When ah firs' started goin' wit 'im he tole me he wus engaged tuh be married, an' ah tole him, "Go ahead an' git married." Ah didn't feel lak ah cared den. Well, it wus about two yeah's time, dis woman whut he wus supposed tuh git married, he tole ne she wus in town. He said he would have tuh go down dere where she wus. Ah said, "Go ahead." He took me an' carried me home. Aftah ah got home ah got tuh thinkin' 'bout it an' ah jes' decided. Ah'd heard dat such things could be done. So ah got nah niece an' we went out tuh de cemetery. Yo' go tuh a grave an' yo' take de headbo'd an' throw it tuh de foot, an' say, "As ah throw dis headbo'd, In de Name of de Fathah an' de Son, an' de Name of de Holy Ghost, as ah throw dis headbo'd tuh de foot of dis grave, ah want chew tuh change John's min' off dis woman an' place it on me, In de Name of de Lawd." An' yo' go tuh de foot an' yo' do de same thing as yo' have at de head. Den aftah yo' do dat, yo' go an' git chew nine han'fuls of dirt outa de grave. An' aftah yo' git dat dirt outa de grave, den yo' have somepin tuh put down dere - pennies. Put 'em in dere, say, "Ah's givin' yo' dis money tuh pay yo' fo' whut yo' are doin' fo' me In de Name of de Lord." An' it won't be long - ah know dat wus de thing dat run dat woman 'way from Florence. An' she have nevah been back heah since.
(What did you do with that dirt after you got that dirt?)
Ah brought de dirt home but ah nevah did know whut tuh do wit it. Ah brought it home an' kept it fo' a long time. Ah didn't know whut tuh do wit de dirt. But de woman [doctor] dat tole me tuh do dat, she tole me dat plenty hell could be raised wit dat dirt, but ah don't know how. [Or you could] use dis red pep- Pah. INSTEAD OF PUTTIN' PENNIES IN DERE, YO' JES' PUT RED PEPPAH. But cheW got- ta have a odd numbah if yo' put red peppah - anything, jes' have a odd numbah - in dis grave when yo' take dat dirt out. [THIS IS SURELY MY ONLY EXAMPLE OF A
Entry 7680
(Have you ever heard of people calling your spirit away? Bringing somebody's spirit to you?) Oh yes, dat be done on special occasion, on certain [time] yo' come tuh me an' ah would take yo' tuh de graveyard an' call de man an' have him talk tuh yo'. (Can you tell me of a case of that kind?) Dat's de spiritual line. Dat spiritual, gittin' down tuh de spiritual now. Yo'd have tuh act in a diff'ren' way, diff'ren' form from de witchcrafty business. Dat two diff'ren' things, pictures yo' know.
Entry 7681
[Here is a rare rite. While talking to the grave spirit, ask him to give you a sign before you 'leave the grave, that you will be successful in your undertaking with his dirt.] What dey do wit it? Well, dey take dat, yo' see, an' dey go an' shake hands wit de dead yo' see. Den dey give dat to dem. (Well, how do they do that? They get hold of your handwriting. And how would they shake hands with the dead, then?) Well, yo' see, yo' go tuh a pusson who's neighbah yo' know died, yo' know [buried]. An' yo' go down elbow deep an' yo' know, when yo' git down elbow deep, down dere it'll be as cold as de pusson is dead, yo' see. An' yo' talk tuh 'em an' yo'll request whethah yo' be successful an' tell 'em give yo' a sign. Well, if it's a calm day, yo' call de sign, an' yo' tell 'em tuh make a - shake a limb on a tree or shake a bush or send a breeze of wind. An' he give yo' a sign by dat, yo' know. Yo' know whethah yo' be successful when yo' leave [the grave] or not. He give yo' de sign 'fo' yo' leave, yo' know.
(Well, what do you do with this handwriting?)
Dey jes' take it an' put it right - as yo' go down dere elbow deep, dey'll put it in dat hole an' pay 'em two cents an' tell 'em whatcha wanta happen wit dis, yo' know, what chew Wanta happen - kill
Entry 7682
Tuh put evil spirits behin' yo', yo' goes tuh a graveyard an' yo' gits de dirt off of a grave but chew do not git it offa a person grave dat died - dat wuz a Christian an' vent tuh heaven. Yo' gits it off a sinner's grave, a person dey know God won' pardon dere sins. See. An' when yo' goes tuh git dat dirt chew leaves a dime, an' yo' takes dat dirt an' sprinkle it anywhere where anybody's dead [alive] an' call dat person name whut's daid an' tell 'em yo' want 'em tuh to'ment 'em. An' dey will tō'ment dat person an' dey won' be able tuh stay no- where roun' where yo' puts dat dirt.
Entry 7683
Ah know in one instance 'bout de graveyard dirt. In case yo' wanta see somebody an' yo' wuz away an' dey would die [while you were absent] or somepin lak dat, ah know of an instance. Yo' git dis grave- yard - jis' find out whut grave or cemetery it is, jis' de spot dey is buried, an' yo' git dis dirt from dis place an' take it home wit chew. If it clay, an' it more den apt tuh be clay, yo' take an' powdah it up lak black snuff or sompin lak dat. An' put it in a cloth an' say, dat chew wanta see dis person or de person wants tuh see yo'. Den yo' take dis when yo' git ready tuh go tuh see dis person, or dat person [in the spirit] come tuh see yo' [because his spirit follows his dirt]. Yo' take dis heah, lak if yo' goin' out tuh de graveyard, an' call de person tuh see yo'; [or] take dat wit chew, take dat back tuh de same place where yo' got it at. An' call dat per- son an' talk tuh dem, an' tell 'em whut chew wanta tell 'em, or he kin tell yo'.
(You dig that out of the grave to call them out of the grave?)
Yessuh, ah saw a man do dat once.
Entry 7684
Yo' go tuh a - if somebody troublin' yo' an' yo' jis' want 'em tuh git in trouble, see. Yo' go tuh a sinnah - yo' gotta know somebody wuz a wicked sinnah an' got killed - yo' see, a gamblah. Yo' go tuh 'is haid an' dig down about wrist deep. An' put three pen- nies dere an' jis' tell it - jis' lak yo' talkin' tuh in - jis' lakyo' know'im, say, "so- an'-so-an'-so, ah wan' chew tuh go tuh Such-an'-such-a-one an' give dem hell, jis' give dem hell. Wham! Fight 'em, make 'em fight. Make 'em kill if it's necessary." An' yo' put de pennies dere. Kivah [cover] de hole up an' go off. Walk off an' nevah look back. Yo' take dat graveyard dirt an' yo' ketch yore dog an' cut some hair off de end of 'is tail, see. All right, yo' ketch chew a ket [cat]. Yo' cut some hair off 'is haid an' 'is tail. An' yo' take dat dog an' cut jis' a li'le bit of hair out 'is fo'haid. Yo' git some of dis urinate, see. All right yo' git yo' some red peppah, table salt, put wit dat. An' yo go by where dem people stay an' jis' tell 'em [dirt and its ingredients] what chew want 'em do wit it. An' throw it.] Don't evah look back, keep goin'. An yo' ain't goin' be a minute off fo' yo' see 'em raisin' Sam [Sam = devil]. Dey goin' move from dere. Aftah while dey goin' move from dat state.
(That is to run them out of there, run them away.)
Dat's tuh run 'em away. Dat's hard tuh ovahcome. Now ah heah'n [heard] a man tell dat an' ah seen it work. See, fo' a fact he used tuh git me tuh go by dere sometime an' throw it dere. Dis ole Doctor Bush.
Entry 7685
Now, ah saw a woman throw graveyard dirt week fo' [before] las', an' ah know de woman is gone. She lef' evahthin' in de house [she left so fast]. (Well, how did she use that graveyard dirt?) Well, yo' gotta git it off a sinnahman's grave an' den yo' gotta put so much money in dis grave. Dey say dat's payin' 'em fo' de dirt. An' den yo' tell dat spirit tuh run 'em away. An' dat spirit runs 'em away.
(And then waht do you do with the dirt after you get the dirt?)
Yo' take de dirt, care [carry] it an' sprinkle it across dat do', or if yo' kin git it inside, put it inside - inside de house. An' if yo' cain't git it inside de house, jes' sprinkle it crossways de do' where dey gotta come ovah it.
Entry 7686
Dey say dat chew [a woman] could go tuh de cemetery, but yo' have tuh go dere at midnight, an' git dis graveyard dirt. Well, ah do know a woman dat says she went dere. Says she git dis graveyard dirt but yo' gits it outa de breast of a sinnah, a person dat chew know is a sinnah. Yo' go dere an' yo' git it right up outa his breast, an' tell 'im dat chew git- tin' dis heah dust an' yo' want it tuh hold sech-an'-sech-a-one. Yo' gittin dis - jes' lak yo' go an' git it, says So-an'-so, ah'm gittin' dis. Ah wan' chew tuh hold sech-an'-sech-a-one fo' me. An' yo' kin take dat graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it aroun' in yore house fo' nine mawnin's an' he [the man for whom the rite is worked] come an' tell yo' jes' evahthin' mos'ly dat he know. He'll come tuh tell yo' mos'ly evahthin' dat he know in de line of some woman dat he's been naggin' attah [after] or de woman naggin' attah 'im.
Entry 7687
Fo' evil yo' kin git some graveyard dirt, mix up saltpetah in it an' sulphur, an' cast it roun' a person dwellin' an' whut yo' wush [done], say. Put de jinks [used only 3 or 4 times in Hoodoo] on 'em in diff'ren' forms. It'll make 'em unlucky wit de evil spir- its. In goin' tuh de graveyard an' git- tin' dat dirt it would be wise fo' yo' tuh know de person whose grave yo' goin' tuh. Den yo' pay dem fo' dat dirt an' work wit it. Yo' tell 'em dat, "Ah want chew tuh do dus [thus] an' so fo' me." Whutsomevah dat chew wan' 'em tuh do. It wouldn't make any diff'rence. Say, "Ah'm payin' yuh tuh do so." Yo' git de dirt from off de left side from ovah de heart, but choo runs yore han' down in de grave tuh de elbow down ~ ought tuh be [beyond] yore wrist.
The informant describes graveyard dirt with saltpetre and sulphur for reported harm, payment and requests to a known deceased person, and collection from the left side over the heart. Quoted requests are prescribed speech. Hyatt's glosses and comment on the word 'jinks' remain separate; the printed collection-depth wording is retained.
Entry 7688
Well, dis graveyard dirt, dey say dat'll drive anyone from yer home. Yuh take dat an' mix it wit salt an' some red peppah. An' dey say yo' take dat an' sprinkle it all aroun dese people home as neah tuh de home as yuh kin. An' dey say yuh have tuh talk to all dis stuff dat chew doin' an' say: In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' tell it whu' chew wan' it tuh do. An' dey say dat dey be Wantin' tuh leave dere.
Entry 7689
Graveyard dirt is all right, graveyard dirt is lucky tuh yo'. If yo' Wants some graveyard dirt tuh be lucky tuh yo', go tuh a gambler's grave. An' stick yore han' down in de grave jes' as fer as yo' kin, right down at de haid of de grave an' say, "Ah'll do dis In de Name of de Lord, tuh ovahcome mah enemies." An' stick yore han' way down in dere an' bring out some. Say when yo' bring it out, take it an' put it in sompin an' tie it up an' care [carry] it home. An' yo' care it home den an' yo'll be lucky - become lucky. Yo' kin gamble an' make money.
Entry 7690
Go tuh de graveyard an' put a penny down in dere an' take up dat grave- yard dirt In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. An' carry tuh dat person house [be- fore] de sunrise an' throw it, an' yo' walk off an' don't look back. Dat'll do dat person harm. Jes' sprinkle it all roun' where dey gotta come out at.
Entry 7691
Sprinkle it [graveyard dirt] in yore baid an' it'll make yuh go away tuh nuthin. Yo' see, if somebody die, yuh go right dere an' take it right from de grave about middle- ways [center of] de grave an' say, "Lord, he'p [help] me in mah undahtakin'." When dey put it in yore baid, hit'll make yo' go away [tuh nuthin = kill you].
Entry 7692
Ah heard 'em say if yo' wanted luck, dat chew would go tuh de grave; but chew wouldn't have tuh git no dirt dis time. But yo' would go tuh de grave an' yo' would make a prayah, an' yo' would ask fo' yore luck, In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost.
(That is all you have to do?)
Yassuh, dat's all.
Entry 7693
They kin take those headbo'ds or any part of that bo'd, an' if they wan'a make yo' drift out of the neighborhood, they kin take that an' put it to the doorsill, if they know where they live at, an' make yo' leave there.
Entry 7694
If you bring the headboard from the ceme- tery an' put it aroun' [near].de house, why won't anyone stay there. They could- n't stay there, it would be ha'nted.
Entry 7695
Lak yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git a footbo'd, or prob'ly somepin simple as a ole piece of tree stump, or sompin lak dat, or some kin'a log out de graveyard. Dey could take dat an jes' t'row it right down in fron' of yore do'. Why yo' not payin' so much 'tention tuh it. Why yo' say, "Well, dat's only ole piece of wood." Somebody comes by an' say, "Look, [So-an'-so] yo' not goin' any bettah." [You become ill and are not improving.] An' dat'll make yo' move, too.
Entry 7696
[He can take] de haidbo'd an' footbo'd, see, dem two li'le pieces, one at de haid an' one at de foot at de graveyard, dat [belong to], some of 'is rela- tives. Kin take dat at home an it will be lucky tuh 'im. (You mean the relatives of this dead man will go out and take these boards, and that gives them luck?) Sho' [sure].
Entry 7697
Oh, de graveyard bo'd. Yes, tell me dey take de one bo'd. See, some people's got 'em up lak dat, an' dey's got dey initial [name] on 'em. Well, some are made outa tombstone an' some made outa jes' plain bo'ds. Dey tell me if dey take dose an' bury 'em in de yard or anywhere dey git 'em, dey tell me in thirty days yo'll be daid.
(Do they bury the stones, or only the wood ones?)
De wood ones, don't bury de stone ones.
Entry 7698
Dey git de haidbo'd ah b'lieves it is, lemme see now, dey take de haid- bo'd an' bury it - of a family. Say, fo' instance if ah wus mad wit chew an' any kinda revenge ah could git, ah bring dat haidbo'd an' bury it roun' heah, an' hit wouldn't be long 'fo' [before] one of de family would die.
Entry 7699
Take de bo'd an' bring it on home an' burn it down on a - take de haid- bo'd an' yo' burn dat bo'd on a piece of tin, an' git de ashes an' yo' jes' take de ashes an' jes' go wheresomevah ah live at, an' go throw it dere roun' mah house. Dat'll jes' make yo' [me] move, dat's all.
Entry 7700
They say that chew can take the headboards of a dead person, I mean where they're placed at their grave, or footboards, either one, and burn them; and then get some of that dust of the grave with that, those ashes, and put them down under a door- step of an indivi- dual, and they'll become effected so that they can't handle themselves. They become tricked so they don't have any definite understanding about anything.
Entry 7701
Dey'll go tuh de graveyard at midnight jis' befo' de clock strikes twelve, an' dey'll make a cross mark - dat is a X - right acrost de footbo'd an' de haidbo'd [that is 2 crosses]. Dey go tuh de foot firs', den dey take nine steps backwards, back de way yuh come in [the graveyard], den yuh kin come on out. Dat's fo' luck.
Entry 7702
Take de haidbo'd from de grave an' dey carve, cut dat person's name in it dat's involved, an' dey bury it face down in de graveyard, right dere in de graveyard an' covah it up. An' dat person jis' comes right down in de dirt where his name is down dere. He's Way up in de world tuh begin wit, but dat [is] jinx, an' he puts de jinx on 'im fo' his name tuh be buried in de graveyard.
Entry 7703
(This grave board?)
Dat's right. Wal, yo' take dat an' yo' draw de name ovah [offa] it, jes' lak dat person's been daid. Now, if a person's been daid an' yo' wants tuh see 'em, Wan' 'em tuh come tuh yuh or sompin lak dat, yo' take dat an' draw is name ovah [offa] dat bo'rd, steam it, jes' lak dat, an' yo' read de 37th Psalm, an' he'll come befo' yo' end [the Psalm] an' talk tuh yuh.
(What do you mean by drawing that name off?)
[Had the name been on a tombstone a rubbing could have been taken.]
Jes' draw it off on a tablet - papah.
(You just put the paper on there and draw it?)
No, jes' draw it off wit a pencil on de paper, jes' lak it dah [there] an' den yo' see, yo' put dat [paper with name] on yore haid wit de [while you read de] Bible. An' yo' read dat [Psalm] an' he'll come an' talk tuh yo', an' tell yo' whut chew want.
Entry 7704
Providin' if it's a person dat yo' like an' dey are about tuh scurry away, an' if yo' go tuh dat ceme- tery an' talk to de dead an' pay dem so much, an' yo' write de name of de person on de headboard an' dat'll also keep 'em from goin' away, but it will keep 'em
Entry 7705
If yo' wanta hurt anybody, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' call de person name. An' carry a piece of [his] ole clothes, leave dat dere, an' bring [a small piece] eidah [either] de haidboard or de footboard; an' yo' kin go tuh a person house an' put it right undahneat' 'is pillah, [but] undahneat' de baid. An' he'll go tuh sleep dat night an' he'll take a pain an' he wouldn't nevah be no good tuh hisself. He wouldn't fin' out until he die. Somebody goin', but she'll nevah let 'im, unless yo' wanta turn 'im loose. Den yo' kin go an' tum 'im loose if yo' don't wanta harm 'im. (How do you mean put that footboard under the pillow. Wouldn't they feel it under there?)
[Actually only a splinter from the board is used.]
No, sir, dey ain't goin' feel it. Dey ain't goin' have sense enough tuh feel it. [This rite is unusual. The man's old clothes has contact with the grave- yard dirt, and the graveyard board splinter is taken to the house as a substi- tute for the dirt.]
Entry 7706
Dey say dey take it if yo' wan'a person tuh leave home. Jis' lak yo' stay roun' a family of people an' yo' didn't want dem tuh stay dere or dey were sturbin' yo'. Well, yo go to de graveyard an' yo' git some dirt offa grave. Yo' know about where a per- son's heart is an' yo' take a knife an' yo' cut a splintah offa dat haidbo'd an' a splintah offa de footbo'd. Say den yo' take dat splintah an' make a cross out it. Chew know, lak yo'd make a cross.
(Just a little bit louder.)
Yo' make a cross outa dem two splintahs an' yo' take dat dirt an' yo' put it undah dere do'step an' make a grave out of it. An' den yo' take dat cross an' stick to de haid of it jis' lak it wus tuh de haid of a grave. Well, dey will have tuh move 'way from dere. Dey cain't stay dere. [Here we have 2 splinters from the graveboards making a cross for a mock grave, a subtect to be explored later in this section DEATH.]
Entry 7707
Yo' kin go tuh de grave an' turn de haidbo'd from de grave an' take dat
[dirt], go to a person - jes' lak if yo' want a sweetheart or anything [a man to]
quit wit a woman - an' carry it an' put it dere, an' tell dis person tuh make dis man stop goin' dere. An' why if he evah go dere at night or anythin', go tuh sleep, dis [dead] person will worry him so dat he couldn't go back nohow.
(You put that board in the house?)
Yassuh, [no] put de dirt undah de house. Den yo' change de bo'd an' git de dirt, de graveyard dirt, an' carry it tuh de house. Why he couldn't go back dere.
Entry 7708
Dey kin draw yo' on a tombstone [or headboard] an' long as dem lines [remain] where dey draws yo' at; dey molt away, [I mean], yo' molt away wit dem. See?
(As that person in the grave molts away, you will molt away?)
Yo' molt away.
(Well, how would they draw you on that tombstone?)
Maybe have - dey done took yuh photo from somewhere. See, yo' [theyl done took yuh photo. Well, dey kin take yuh photo an' give it tuh somebody who know how tuh retrace it an' draw it, an' dey kin draw yo' lak dat. [An easier method would be to draw a circle adding ears, eyes, mouth and initials or call name. Informant good, has the right idea but complicates it.]
Entry 7709
Yo' take de haidbo'd. Now, yo' kin take de haidbo'd an' cut it roun' [demonstrates]. It's already cut lak a haid. Well now, if yo' cut anotbah roun' ring on it, take it den an' mark it right straight down. (The top of the headboard is round and you merely complete the circle by drawing an inverted circle under that, making it round. Then you draw a line straight down.) See, when yo' draw dat line straight down, dat makes a person. De cunjuration dat dey puts in yo' when yo' draw dat line straight down, dat's makes it start right up heah an' continue tuh come - start right at de top of yore haid an' come right straight on down. See, an' when it git clean down, why dere's no mo' of yo'.
(How do I know I've got the right person when I'm doing this?)
Well, ah tell yo' de way it is. See, jis' lak yo' go tuh a graveyard, yo' go tuh - jis' lak now if yo' know a person an' yo' happen tuh be dere when dey bur- ied. Well, now, ah'll go right chere - ah'll know dis person person'ly. Ah'll take dat haidbo'd, see, an' ah'll go right on. Well, now, dat's one in dat fam- ily is gotta go. Dat's one in dat family gotta go.
(That gets somebody in the family.)
Someone in de same family is gotta go.
Entry 7710
Dat's if yo' daid, if yo' daid. Ah wants tuh git nex' tuh dis man outa heah 'cross de street. Ah'll go dere [to the graveyard]. Ah'll know yuh name. Ah'll go dere an' ah'll pick up dat haidpiece [slip of tongue] from 'is feet an' ah'll git a little bit of dat [dirt] outa his chest down heah. Ah wants tuh run 'im an' wit dat chest-board [headboard]. Ah'll take dat an' covah it up an' bring it in mah house an' throw it undahneat' mah house. An' ah'll take de rest of dat chest [dirt] an' cast it in he [his] yard, an' he can't do me no harm. He's daid.
(You don't do anything with those boards, though?)
Take dat board an' put it undahneat' yuh [your own] house.
Entry 7711
Ah've hear'd dat dey go tuh de grave an' talk tuh de daid an' move de haidbo'd an' change it aroun' an' tell de daid whut chew want tuh be done tuh sech-an'-sech-a-one, chew see, an' it be done.
Entry 7712
("If a man is killed" - see, tell me the whole story like that.)
[If a man is killed]
dey take de footbo'd an' take it tuh de haid, an' [they take] de haidbo'd an' place it at de foot, yo' undahstand. Why yo' do dat? Yo' do dat in ordah tuh bring back de murdahah. [This rite should have followed No.7494, P.3288.]
Entry 7713
Dey say yo' take graveyard dirt. It's accordin' tuh where yo' git it from, whut side yo' git it when yo' goin' git graveyard dirt. Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' take de footbo'd an' put it tuh de haid; take de haidbo'd an' yo' put it tuh de foot. An' yo' take dat graveyard dirt right about at de centah, about tuh dis fah [far] at de centah [demonstrates].
(Up to the elbow.)
Yes, about tuh de elbow. An' yo' take dat graveyard dirt an' yo' could do mos' anythin' wit dat, see. Sprinkle it roun' a person house, dat'll confuse 'em, cuz 'em tuh leave home. Sometimes cuz 'em tuh be spellbound, go crazy. Dis graveyard dirt, jes' [sprinkle it] somewhere where dey kin pass ovah it, walk ovah it. Dey tell me dat whut graveyard dirt will do.
Entry 7714
Well, if yo' wan'a job an' know where's it at, or wan'a git de job back [if you have been dismissed], yo' cu'd [could] go in de graveyard about 'fore day in de mawnin', an' git de haidbo'd from de foot an' change it tuh de haid [and put the headboard at the foot of the grave], an' git some of de sand from de foot [of the grave] an' throw it towards de sunrise. Den yo' go on back tuh de job where yo's workin' at an' don't even ax [ask] fer yuh job back or nuthin, settin' aroun' dere coupla [couple of] mawnin's, an' de man will Say come on back an' 'vite [invite] chew tuh go tuh work.
Entry 7715
Yo'd go down tuh de grave an' take de haidbo'd an' carry it tuh de foot an' make yore wish In de Name of de Father, de Son an de Holy Ghost.
(What would you do with the footboard then, throw it away?)
Bring it tuh de head.
Entry 7716
Ah said she could go tuh de graveyard.
(The woman could go to the graveyard.)
An', yo' know dere's a haidbo'd an' a footbo'd. Write dat individual's name on de haidbo'd of de grave an' vice versa [likewise on] de haid [foot]. Take dat haidbo'd an' write 'is name on it an' put it back tuh dis foot, an' take de footbo'd [and write his name on it] an' put it tuh de haid, an' dat individual will return.
(That man will come back to her?)
Dat's right.
Entry 7717
Yo' could go down tuh de cemetery an' call 'is name an' make de change wit dose bo'ds.
(Call whose name?)
Yo' bossman's name, an' make de change wit dose bo'ds, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' go tuh 'im de nex' mawnin' or de same day, eithah one, an' he'll settle wit chew.
Entry 7718
When yo' wants a man tuh stay wit yuh, yo' go tuh dat graveyard an' yo' write his name in de middle of de grave - on de middle of de grave jes' write his name in de dirt. Jes' take yore fingahs yo' know an' write his name. Den yo' take de footbo'd from de foot an' put hit tuh de haid, an' take de haid- bo'd an' put it tuh de foot, chey lmo. Jes' change de footbo'ds [graveboards] roun'. An' dat'll make 'im stay home.
Entry 7719
Now, yo' take an' yo' go tuh de graveyard, an' yo' write her name down three times on a piece of papah, an' change on de stob on de grave, yo' know. Pull it up heah [de- monstrates], see, an' put it down heah [at the foot] - yo' take de haid [headboard] tuh de foot, yo' see. Well, she done left yo' an' yo' want 'ah [her] back, see. Take de haid [board] tuh de foot an' change it [with the footboard]. Dat's to come [to bring her] back. See, she have tuh come back dere.
(What do you do with that paper?)
Dat papah, yo' got 'ah [her] name on it an' yo' [demonstrates] put it down dere an' yo' put it [pour] in some whiskey an' drive it [footboard in hole]. (You put it [paper] in that hole where you pull up that headboard and put it [headboard] to the foot. Then you take the footboard and put it back in the hole in the headboard's place?) Dat's right.
(Then she'll come back?)
She'll come back. [Paying the grave spirit with whiskey is fairly common.]
Entry 7720
Well, yo' goes - yo' have tuh go dere twelve a'clock in de night an' git dat [dirt]. An' yo' bring dat back. Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' yo' takes it [board] from de haid - yo' takes de haid, put de haid tuh de foot [board] an' de foot [board] tuh de haid. Den yo' go right down in de middle [of the grave] wit three cent in yore han'- go down in de middle. Yo' turn 'em loose dere an' yo' bring up dat dirt. Den yo' carry dat back home. An' yo' - jes' lak yo' wanta put it, yo' carry it tuh anyone's house; if yo' wanta run 'em off, throw it round de house. Jes' spread it roun' de house an' jes' call dere name, an' tell 'em yo' wan t'em tuh, "Go, yo' devil." Tell 'em tuh keep goin'. Cain't stay dere.
Entry 7721
If yo' sellin' likkah an' yo' wanted tuh keep de laws away, go tuh de cemetery an' make de change [of graveboards]. If yo' know dey all names, call dem names; an' if yo' didn't know de names, jes' use de word "of yore enemies" an' make yore wish, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost. An' bring some of that dirt back wit yo', an' leave three pennies. An' then take it an' mix it wit some salt an' red peppah. Sprinkle some on each side of yore house where dey's goin' tuh come up to dere, an' make yore wish on each side of it, "In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, make dat man stay away."
(That will keep the law away if you are bootlegging?)
Yes sir. Yo' make de changes in dat.
(Change the headboard and the footboard.)
In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost, an' bring some of dat dirt wit yo'. Take it tuh de co'thouse aftah yo' mix it wit salt an' red peppah; take it tuh de co'thouse an' sprinkle it aroun' dere.
Entry 7722
Go tuh de cemetery an' make de changes wit de bo'ds out dere. Put three pennies intuh de groun', intuh de grave. Bring some of dat dirt back wit chew an' put some red peppah an' some cay- enne peppah in dere wit it, an' burn it intuh de fire, call- in'; In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat yo' may have luck in gainin' de influence of all of yore frien's. An' yo' will have luck.
(That is to get customers if you are bootlegging?)
Yes.
Entry 7723
See, yo' 'sposed tuh go tuh de graveyard twelve a'clock at night, an' yo' git dis dirt, an' when yo' start gittin' dis dirt, yo' supposed tuh say, "Dead spirit, ah didn't come tuh rob yore grave, ah came heah fo' luck In de Name of de Father, of de Son an' of de Holy Ghost." An' if yo' put money tuh dat grave or a corn or either some fresh rice, anything, yo' supposed tuh pay dem An' jes' lak if yo' want chure luck changed, yo' go dere in de nighttime at twelve a'clock an' yo' take de haidbo'd an' throw it tuh de feet an' take de feetbo'd an' throw it tuh de haid. An' yo' git dis graveyard dirt an' yo' sup- posed tuh put sulphur in it - supposed tuh put red peppah an' yo' supposed tuh put sompin yo' kin git at de drugsto', but yo' don' specially have tuh have dat, an' salt in it. An' yo' burn dis dirt three times a day. If it's wet yo' put it in de sun an' let it git dry, an' when yo' make yore fiah [fire] it gonna smell funny when it be burnin'. Yo' shet up in a room tuh yo'self an' yo' burn dis heah dirt. An' jes' lak if yo' want - if anothah party livin' next do', yo' want 'em out chure house, yo' burn dat dirt on dose people an' tell 'em dat chew want 'em tuh be out. Yo' know, move out de house. An' burn it three times a day. An' jes' lak if yo' runnin' a joint or anything, an' if no one will visit chure joint much, yo' kin burn dat dirt, an' in about ten minutes time yo'll have a crowd at chure house. An' if it's a woman yo' wants tuh see, an' yo' cain't see her, an' yo' burn dat dirt, dogged if she wouldn't be dere in about five minutes' time.
(You make your wishes when you burn that dirt.)
[This was not a leading question. Somewhere while recording machine had stopped this had been mentioned.] Yeah yo' make yore own wishes In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. (What is the stuff that you would get at the drug store if you wanted to use that and add that to it?) It's sompin, but chew specially [don't] have tuh have dat, becuz ah ain't nevah didn't nuse [use] dat. (You don't have to have it. What is it, if you do want to use it?) [Either no answer or I turn off machine too fast.]
Entry 7724
Yo' git a headboard from de grave, de headboard, why dey claims it'll make yo' lucky. Yo'll have luck in hittin' de numbers; or if yo' are bootleggin' yo'll have luck in sellin' it. (What do they do with that headboard, though, to get that luck? What do they do with it?) Well dey keeps it somewhere roun' dere home. Dey jis' [keep] it - don't do anything wit it, jis' keep it aroun' dere home.
Entry 7725
Take de footbo'd an' put it tuh de haid an' de haidbo'd an' put it tuh de feet, an' let it stay fo' [for] fo' [four] days. Go back an' reverse de footbo'd tuh de left-side an' de haidbo'd tuh de right-side, an' name de othah per- son - name de per- son [victim]. Take de length of dat grave from de haid wit a rule [string can be used]. Carry it back through a [paper bag suggested later] an' pass it tuh dem [the victim]. Give it tuh dem or some of de ones in de house - or de one dat shure tuh be condemned. Dat'll be de one who'll soon pass out of de house. (How do you mean? You go there and put the headboard to the foot and the footboard to the head?) That's right. (Then you go back there in four days. And then what do you do with those boards?) Take 'em an' jes' place 'em tuh de side, one tuh de left an' one tuh de right Iside of grave].
(Well, which is which?)
De haidbo'd tuh de left [heartside] an' de footbo'd tuh de right. Jes' take dem an' jes' push 'em dere; jes' push 'em dere an' name 'em.
[Somewhere along here informant said something about a sign on the grave.]
(That you make a sign on the grave?)
Yo' make a "x" on de grave, dat's right. Carry it [measurement] back an' give tuh de person.
(What do you give to the person?)
De measure. Yo' measure it wit a rule or a string; anything yo' want tuh, jes' since yo' git it back [to the house]. Yo' take de measure an' give it tuh dis person, somebody in de house. Yo' gotta give it tuh 'em in a papah bag or sompin - in de bag or sompin. Be sure dat chew give it tuh 'em. [Sumter, S. Car. (1384), 2460:5.]
Entry 7726
Yo' take de foot- bo'd tuh de haid an' jes' whatevah yo' want done, vell yo' gotta say dat fo' yo'self yo' see; but chew take it, an' see how it's turnt one way, den yo' pull it up an' den yo' turn it roun' de othah way. See.
(You mean you put the head part [headboard] down to the foot?)
Yeah, yo' take de haid part - yo' take it from de haid an' put it tuh de foot an' den yo' - but chew turn it upside down. Don't turn it lak yo' pull it up. (You put the top [part.of graveboard] down into the hole. What do you do with the footboard then?) Yo' do de same thing. Yo' take de footbo'd an' put it to de haid an' yo' take de haid an' put it tuh de foot.
(But you must put them upside down?)
Upside down. Jes' whutevah yo' want did, den yo' ast dis dead body tuh do dat fo' yo' - jes' whutevah wish yo' want, whutevah yo' want did, yo' do dat. [Sumter, S. Car., (1348), 2330:9.] With all the graveyard dirt previously given and more to follow this subsec- tion (2), what is the reader to do? Remember only, graveyard dirt full of the spirit refuses to be confined within man-made schemes of order.]
Entry 7727
In N'oleans [New Orleans] it wuz a lady taken some graveyard dirt. An' she taken some, yo' know, anvil dust an' graveyard dirt, an' she buried it an' de woman jes' got in a ill condition. (Where did she bury it?) She sift it undah de woman's house. She buried it undah dere, but ah haven't experienced dat. [Sifting itself is a magic rite.]
Entry 7728
Ah hear'd dey could take graveyard dirt an' some gin an' assafetadee [3 ingredients] an' mix it tuhgethah, an' go tuh a person's house where a family. Jis' lak a man an' woman livin' dere an' dis woman - he got anothah woman yuh know, an' she [latter woman] go an' git dat an' sprinkle all aroun' de do'. Dey say dat'll break peace, dey [the two inside] always fussin' an' fightin' one anothah. [The gin is for the spirit in the graveyard dirt - see ALCOHOL FOR THE SPIRIT, p.32].
Entry 7729
You go into a graveyard and take two pennies and dig in a grave and take the dirt out of the grave, and take these two pennies and put them down in the hole and close it. And they can walk behind you and take this dirt and throw it up and down your back, and they work the trick right on you, and you'll go off in bad health and you are going to come on back to the graveyard [as a corpse].
The informant describes taking dirt from a dug grave, leaving two pennies and using the dirt behind someone, with reported ill health and return to the graveyard. The corpse interpretation is Hyatt's bracketed gloss; the Ediphone citation supplies recording context.
Entry 7730
Take graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it in yore baid, jis' lak yo' wanta bust up a man an' 'is wife - tuh bust up anybody - why yo' sprinkle dat. If dere any way yo' kin git dat in de baid, sprinkle it in dere an' it'll bust 'em up. Dey won't be tuhgethah no mo'.