Browse:Public Shrine and the Custodian (Volume 1, entries 2753–2756)
Public Shrine and the Custodian
Volume 1, entries 2753–2756. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → SHRINES: ALTARS - CANDLES - SAINTS; NEW ORLEANS AREA → (1) ALTARS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 2753
Because that I was kind of out and down, and that's why I went there to 'em. And so, as I goes there to 'em, they tells me what candles to light. Some- times they tell me to go light - put a light. (What did you see when you went into the room?) What did I see when I went in the room? Well, the room was dark and I just see them little lights - them little lights burning. They have the room dark and them little lights burning at the altar.
(What was the person wearing?)
They was wearing a robe.
(What color was it?)
A lavender robe.
(Anything on their head?)
Yeah, they wear a crown on their head.
(What was the color of the crown?)
The crown was lavender and had a little silver on it - little silver spangles on top of it.
(Then, were you supposed to do anything when you came in or went out?)
Yeah, when I'd come in, I'd get on my knees like this [demonstrates].
(Down on your knees.)
Uh-huh - and do this here [demonstrates].
(Make the sign of the cross.)
Yes sir. And after I'd get on my knees, I'd go to this altar and I'd get on my knees at that place and pray to that saint - for that saint to do things for me. And after I gets through praying to that saint, if I wants the other [saint] to do something, I'd go to the other one [saint] and say something. (Do you mean that this person you went to - they have these various saints in the room?) Yes, in the room. (Well, when you first came in did they ask you what you wanted? Or anything? Or did they speak to you? What did they say when you first came in?) When I first come in, she'd ask me - no, when I first come in there, I'd make that sign of the cross. And then I'd go to one of them saints and then she'd ask me what did I want, and she'd tell - and she'd tell me what candle to go and make my wish to. And then I'd make my wish and if I want to put a silver offering, I'd put that dime there. And if I'd go to St. Peter, I'd put that key there.
(That woman you went to had these various things around her room?)
Around in her room.
(With candles?)
With candles.
(I see. What did she call herself? A fortuneteller, a spiritualist or what?)
She would call herself a spiritualist.
(What did she charge you for your trip?)
She would just - I would donate to her.
Entry 2754
When you first go there, you have to wait until your name is called and then you go in and tell her what you want. And if you wanted to call - she will tell you different things and you'll have her to do things for you. She'll tell you what to do and give you a price on it and then give you the things to use to that effect. And whatever things you prefer, why whatever you want her to do with you - burn your candle, you can leave the money with her to burn your candle for you. And then she will give you so many candles to use at your house to burn so many hours.
(Was that woman dressed in any particular way?)
Well, some of them has on robes and some of them they are just dressed normal. Some of them use white cords; some of them use purple cords and robes - I mean cords they tie around their waist, robe cords, but different ones have different colors.
(Do they have these candles burning in this room - on altars or something?)
Yes, if you want them to do work for you, they have the candles right there; but they have the candles burning all the time - there has been somebody there all the time before you. And whatever you want them to do, they take that candle that you want to put to that saint, or whatever you want done to that person, and put it up under that person, they light that candle when you are there. You give them so much to keep it burning. And then they give you candles you can burn, and you keep them at your home. I think I've tole you all that I know - all the good things and bad things, too, that you could do.
Entry 2755
(Do the people over there have altars?)
Yes, they still got altars over there, yes sir. (How do they handle that? Supposing I'd go over to see one, what would they have me do? I wonder what would be the ceremony they'd go through?) Well now, you see, as you go in, the altar is setting just like this here [points] vanity [bureau] there - yes, sir. The altar is setting there. Well, it's always, the candles are always lit, you see, with saints all around it. It always stays lit night and day. See, you go in there, probably you put a nickel in the box and you light you a candle, if it's a penny even, you can put that in there and you light a candle. You get down on your knees and you prays. And whatsoever prayer you want and whatsomever you pray for or want done, you pray to the saint that you know would help you, understand. You get there and you pray to that saint. Now and then the mother of that church, she would come to you - see, she would talk to you and she would give you information. She would pray for you, and probably she may give you a medal. She'd bless the medal and everything - well, pray over it rather and give it to you. Then, she would tell you just what to do and how to do it. See, she liable to tell you, say, "Well, when you go back over to the New Orleans side," say, "you go to the Crackerjack Drug Store," and she say, "you go and get you some goat- weed." She say, "You get some goatweed and you go out in the woods - if you can get to the woods, if you know how. You go out in the woods and you get some banana leaves." You see. "But get the root of the banana tree, rather - get the root of that," she says, "and you come back and you bring it chere to me, but bring it back in nine days." She say, "Let it be dry when you bring it back." Well, you bring it back to her and she will fix that for you. Well now, when she fix it, she liable to tell you, she say, "I want $100 for it." You pay it to her because you wants something done for yourself. She going to use sugar with it, she is going to use cinnamon with that stuff. She gotta take and sprinkle vine- gar onto it and all that - cook all that together - take a red onion and cook all that together. Make one thing out of it. When she get through with it - it will be just about that much stuff when she finish. She tell you, now, put it in a sack or anything and put that in your pocket and go ahead on. And you have the luck and success in anything you undertake to do. (What do they call these people that do that sort of thing? What would you call her?) Well, we call 'em just by name - some people call 'em the hoodoos - some call 'em spirituals - some call 'em - ah forget the other name they call 'em - but we call 'em all kind of names - fortunetellers and all such things as that, you see.
(Well, does she wear a robe or dress up in any particular way?)
They generally wears a gown, yes sir - you know, a big white gown. Some of 'em be - have a black gown, you know. We call 'em gowns. They look more like gowns than they is robes - and tassel and all around - just in order - just on the order of a priest, you see.
Entry 2756
See, hit's [the altar is] made like a table, and she got all kinds of different candles, you know, on it, and on the table it's shaped like a pulpit. You done seen a pulpit. Well, they got all kind of different candles - got white candles, they got green candles, they got pink ones, they got red ones. So I went to another man and I asked him could he do anything to help me. (Now wait a minute. This woman you said that had this altar. Was she dressed in any particular way?) Yes, she had a robe.
(What kind of a robe?)
A blue.
(A blue robe?)
Yes, sir.
(Anything on her head?)
A crown.
(A crown?)
Yes, sir.
(What kind of a crown?)
It's a white piece of cloth was made like a crown.
(I see - piece of white cloth.)
Just like a piece of cloth - just like you would put something [on your head].
(When you came in there, did she make you do anything?)
No more than sit down.
(Just told you to sit down?)
And wait until she get ready.
(I see. And how was this man dressed that you went to see?)
Well, he wears clothes just like you wear but he had a white robe over his clothes.
(I see - a white robe. Anything on his head?)
Not nothing on his head at all.
(Did he have an altar?)
Yes, sir, he had an altar.
(What did it look like, this altar?)
Well, his altar look just like a pulpit. Well, he got candles and saints' Pictures and flowers - you know, all that. (I see, I see.) [My note on original transcription reads, "This was told in conjunction with 1088:9 & 1089:10.]