Browse:Sweeping (Volume 1, entries 1061–1067)
Sweeping
Volume 1, entries 1061–1067. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → FOLK MEDICINE → FOLK MEDICINE (1) PRINCIPLES OF HEALING. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 1061
Take some black peppah, salt an' sulphur an' mix it together, an' if they comes about chure house to harm yo' - come in, yo' know - sprinkle it on de floor an' sweep it. An' when dey come in an' go out, sweep de whole thing out an' that will stop dem from comin' dere an' cut off dere prosperity towards hurtin' yo.
Entry 1062
Well, this happened about five years ago [1931]. I had a boy friend and he met another lady down at his, Someone's house, here in Fredricksburg. Somebody told me he was down there so I went down there. I rang the doorbell and the old lady's daughter came to the door. She says, "Mama, here's Mrs. Smith." So the old lady came to the door with a broom and commenced sweeping all around. I knowed my mother done that same thing too. So I went on in and I say, "Where's So-and-So?" She said, "I haven't seen him." By that time he came walking down the stairs. I haven't been to that house since. Whether that broom kept me out of there I don't know. My mind just don't lead; me there.
Entry 1063
Well, tuh prevent dis now, yo' go tuh work - when yo' git up de first thing yo' should do when yo' git up, git chew a broom an' sweep. Sweep 'fore yo' walk around any place on yore po'ch, front po'ch, an' always sweep in front of yo', see. An' aftah yo' sweep, yo' go back an' git chew some sugah an' yo' throw that in front of yo. See. An' yo' kin walk on out any place yo wanta go an nuthin will harm yo'.
Entry 1064
Jest lak if anybody hangin' round yore place an' yo' don't wanta be bothered with 'em an' yo' don't wanta tell dem 'cause yo' don't know whut dey know. Yo' jest take de broom whut chew sweep wit - take de stick broom an' jest throw three hands of table salt behin' dem an' take dat stick broom whut chew sweep wit, dat salt, goes to de do' an' jest turns de broom up, an' dey won't be botherin' round yo' no mo'.
(You mean turn the broom up? The brush part up after you finish sweeping?)
Shore, that's right.
Entry 1065
Sweep yo' house out backward for nine mornings, that will keep him out.
(Keep what out?)
Keep de ghost, the dead spirit.
The informant names a ghost or dead spirit as what the sweeping practice is meant to keep out.
Entry 1066
If yo' has a enemy an' he always giving yo' trouble, any morning yo' git up - nine mornings - if he lives - whichever direction he lives at chure house - from yore house - whichever direction he lives, why yo'll git up every morning fo' nine mornings an' sweep. Never carry yore broom back nowhere an' jest sweep. Everything yo' got to pick it up, jest sweep an' sweep it clear for nine long strokes. [Demonstrates.]
(Nine long strokes. They are forward and you don't bring them back at all.)
[Never sweep back and forth.]
Jest bring de broom back, when yo' bring it back, sweep it [lift broom] clear
[of floor]. Give it nine strokes - nine long strokes [sweeping strokes forward]
an' nine short strokes [non-sweeping strokes backward] for nine mornings. An' yore enemy - de tenth morning she'll come up an' acknowledge everything, every wrong that she ever did fo' vo' (In other words your enemy can't do anything to you.)
The informant instructs sweeping for nine mornings in an enemy-directed practice; its promised result is unverified.
Entry 1067
Heard if anyone sprinkles things in your home, and I've known it to be true - if they sprinkle anything in your yard, in your home - Mondays and Fridays or certain days - Sundays, Mondays and Fridays - but you do this before the noon hour. You get up and sweep the trash thoroughly out of your front. Put sulphur in it and stick a match to it and burn it. You sweep your back thoroughly and you do the same otherwise, twice every week, that is to keep things found from around your home so no one kin [sprinkle] anything round to take to your body.
(I see, you must do this before noon on Mondays or Friday.)
Mondays and Fridays before noon.
(I see, that's to protect yourself against anything put down.)
To protect yourself and also change your clothing. And on Sunday night turn your clothing or either be sure that they are on the wrong side. Put 'em on twicet a week of that other same, the same days that you burn.
(I see. You change your clothes on Sunday, you say?)
You turns your clothes [Sunday night] so you kin put 'em on on Monday, Monday mornings as you burns the trash. Wear your clothing on the wrong side. Fridays the same. Then nothing kin be taken to your body. (I see. When you burn this trash on Mondays and Fridays, you must do it with your clothes on wrongside out.) And put sulphur in it whilest it's burning.
(Put sulphur in this trash that you sweep out.) [Mobile, Ala., (710), 979:2.]
[Broom rites, used for many purposes, are endless.]