8 Old Cajun Wives’ Tales and Traiteur Practices
One of our coworkers made an interesting post on the Facebook today, asking about some of the old Cajuns' ways.
Several people commented with practices they were either taught or witnessed, with some saying they were going to write these down to pass along.
I am a skeptic by nature so, I must admit, some of these sound very far-fetched. I, too, was treated by a Traiteur when I was young. He was from Kaplan, and his name was Mr. Aube. I had a case of impetigo (infantigo), and Mr. Aube passed him a butter knife over the affected area and said some words, him. A few days later, my mom brought me to the doctor to get some medicine.
What cured me? Well, we all LOVED Mr. Aube but, rest his soul, my money is on the medication.
Let's get to what was posted online today.
ONIONS IN THE SOCKS TO CURE FEVER
Laurie asked people to share a Cajun practice or belief that was handed down in their family. The example she gave was her grandfather (Ledet) putting onions in her socks to help with fever.
I searched for this online, and the Healthline website listed it as a "Folk Remedy" which, it says, may have originated as early as back in the 1500s.
What does Science say about the effectiveness of putting onions in your socks to cure fever (or anything else)? Poppycock.
TOBACCO WITH SPIT AND FILE' ON MOSQUITO BITES
Jolie Vanna's grandmother used to mix tobacco and file' (ground sassafrass) with spit and rub it on her mosquito bites. According to Jolie, it worked!
BUTTER KNIFE, THE LORD'S PRAYER, AND THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
This one hit me strangely: use a butter knife to make the Sign of the Cross while reciting the Lord's Prayer to prevent a bump from forming after you hit your head. According to Rowena Scott, her mother taught her this practice. (Maybe one too many shots to the head?)
The man who "traiteured" me also used a butter knife. I wonder if this is a common tool in the Faith Healer Bag of Tricks.
TREAT UNWANTED VISITORS WITH SALT
Caleb Bertrand had a way to treat for unwanted visitors. His family's remedy was to put salt by the door before they walk out. For some reason, according to this old wives' tale, the visitor would not return.
EAT BOILED CHICKEN FEET TO DREAM ABOUT YOUR FUTURE SPOUSE
Here's another Caleb Bertrand special: eat a boiled chicken foot before bedtime and you will dream of your future spouse. When asked if he had done it yet, Caleb replied, "nah, I'm good".
I wonder what would happen if you ate a boiled chicken foot before bed while you are married??
LOOSE SCREWS
Here's another one that has me scratching my head: Shanell Bardwell says that her grandmother told her to look for loose screws on the property if you were getting sick a lot or were having a string of rotten luck. She said that her grandmother told her that having loose screws or nails strewn about your property means that someone was using Gris-Gris on you. The remedy? Put any loose screws or nails into a bag with black pepper and holy water, stir, and bring to a boi.... sorry, wrong blog. Put the fasteners in a bag with black pepper and holy water and bury the bag.
If I find loose screws or nails on my property, I'm not thinking that someone is using Gris-Gris; I'm thinking someone is trying to give me a flat!
CUT SKIN TAGS WITH A KNIFE AND NOTCH OUT A TREE
Darlene Hargett had a few skin tags on her neck when she was a kid that just wouldn't go away, so a Traiteur took care of them for her. Darlene explains that the Traiteur took a knife and cut across the skin tags, and then said some kind of chant. He also instructed her to cut a notch a tree when she got home and, when that notch filled in, her skin tags would fall off. Darlene claims it worked!
COVERING ALL MIRRORS JUST PRIOR TO A DEATH
And, finally, the old Cajun wives' tale that we discussed today at work: covering all of the mirrors in the house before someone died.
Laurie herself told me that her grandparents' home was well over 100 years old, so several people took their final breath there. One of the superstitions the old Cajuns had was that if a person died near a mirror, that person's soul would get stuck in the mirror and would never be able to realize the repose stage. To prevent the mirror(s) from capturing their soul, all of the mirrors would be covered with a cloth or similar item.
To me, many of these sound bonkers, with 0 basis in science. But many claim that, with faith, anything is possible.
What are some of the other wives' tales or old Cajun folk remedies you grew up with?