Magic from the Hilltops and Hollers

Magic from the Hilltops and Hollers; Folk Witchery, Superstitions & Healing Practices from Appalachia 
Leah Middleton
Weiser Books
ISBN 978-1-57863-880-2
$18.95

The word hillbilly might date back only 150 years or so, but the living folk magic practices of Appalachia spring from ancient rootstocks. A great deal of Appalachian place-specific lore derives from Cherokee other Native American peoples and is woven together with devil mythology and other European folk concepts from Scots-Irish, Dutch and other immigrant communities that lingered in the region. As much of Appalachia stretches through the Southern states, there is also significant influence from and overlap with Hoodoo and other magical practices developed by enslaved African Americans.

A distinct region culturally, linguistically and geographically, Appalachia occupies a near-mythical position in the American cultural imagination, and if you are looking for magic, the reality does not disappoint. Because healing is a primary magical goal, many folk magic traditions faded with the advent of allopathic medicine. In Appalachia, however, folk doctoring persisted due to geographic isolation and intense poverty. Even today, everyday people in this region (who usually also consult regular doctors) continue to rely on local flora and fauna for healing, guided by the herbal knowledge and skill of elders within their communities. Many of these are Granny Women, who were often midwives historically, but are also skilled in reading signs and omens, interpreting dreams, and working charms to ensure the desired outcome and the efficacy of their herbal preparations. These magic workers are skilled in prayer, and the form of many traditional Appalachian charms is Christian, superficially for some and in earnest for others.

In Magic from the Hilltops and Hollers; Folk Witchery, Superstitions & Healing Practices from Appalachia, Leah Middleton shares with the reader knowledge gleaned from her upbringing in western North Carolina, guiding you in the use of plants, charms and everyday objects such as beans, yarn, iron, bottles and mirrors, for magical purposes such as protection, healing and luck. This is no mere collection of folk spells, however. Middleton introduces you to the cultural framework of Appalachia, where respect for elders and neighborliness are essential to tight-knit communities. She discusses historical lore and also outlines modern practices still employed by yarb doctors, water witches, burn whisperers and other healers, and includes methods for assessing physical and magical needs by blood and body as well as by signs. Magic from the Hilltops and Hollers is both a cultural introduction to Appalachia and a guide to practical application for a seeker hoping to engage with this vibrant path of folk magic.