NANTICOKE SUPERSTITIONS
THE EASTON STAR DEMOCRAT
APRIL 26 1935
In spite of our civilization
there is a great amount of superstition yet today, where such silly
beliefs came from is hard to say.
From a study of the
Nanticoke Indians it has been found that many beliefs have been
handed down to well educated people, who are supposed to have average
intelligence, yes, the present inhabitants.
A recent wedding dinner was
held off because there were 13 guest were at the table and not served
until a neighbor was called in and seated at the table to make
fourteen guest.
One did not walk under a
ladder suspended against a building.
Silly notions are still
believed in by the country people and the following are cures
believed in by the Nanticokes; a deerskin necklace kept the whooping
cough away, a necklace of red corn prevented a nose bleed as did a
dead spider worn around the neck.
A big one was that the
seventh born child held the power of magic and had knowledge of the
use of medicines and could cast 'spells' on people and animals.
To cure lameness, hang a
worm in some sort of container, let it decay, then rub the decayed
matter on the lame limbs .
Prevent summer fevers, chew
the flower petals of the hepatica (liver) plant in the spring. Colds
were cured by brewing and drinking horsemint.
The Calamus root, or muskrat
root, made to a tea, was used for the colic. A mother would chew a
piece of the root and blew into an infants mouth to stop pain and
sooth them to sleep.
Leaves of the Mullein plant,
made to a poulace, drenched with vinegar , places on parts of the
body, keep the fever away.
The wild indigo leaves and
those from poplar trees' brewed' to a lotion which was good for
sprains. Pine tar made to a cathartic was also good for sore ,
sprains, and such.
Relief of rheumatism was had
by an eel skin worn around the affected parts.
There were people who had
the power to rub away warts, heal cuts with cobwebs and/or soot.
The smoke from tobacco blown
into an ear prevented ear ache, also baby’s stomach ache when blown
into its mouth.
Prickly Pear relieved
inflammation from bites and stings and also removed warts.
Now this is one hard to
take, a child with chickenpox could be cured by letting chickens fly
over them. I guess they put them in the chicken house to sleep at
night.
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A sore throat can be cured
by pressing the jaws as far apart as is possible with the thumbs.
Skunk Cabbage brewed into a
tea cured a cold. Got a backache, cut the skin from a live black
snake, wrap it around the waist
Frost bite cure. Remove the
bladder from a live animal and bind it to the affected area.
Sassafras tea was always
drank in the spring to ward off fever and ague, and to cool the
blood.
Fish weed and snake roots
were chewed or made into tea and drank to get rid of stomach worms
The ringing in the ears was
known as 'death bells' and which announced the death of a friend or
relative.
New Years Day it was custom
for men to visit neighbors, the first man there, received a penny,
but, it was ill omen for a woman to visit this day.
Like storks, fish hawks were
venerated by the Nanticokes and it was a sin to kill one or disturb
its nest which the fish hawks built near the habitations, close to
the ground. The birds returned to them year after year. Buzzards
were never molested.
When a scorpion lizard got
upon a persons body and made the trip around it, that person was soon
to die.
A hen that crows is a sign
of bad luck and is to be killed. A rooster crowing at the door means
a visitor is on their way.
Never pass a closed knife to
a person, the knife needs to be opened.
Snake lore is a story all of
its own and may appear in another paper later on. Trust me.
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