Cajun Superstitions

 

..A girl who whistles makes the Virgin Mary cry.
..If you make a face in the mirror when lightning strikes, your face will remain that way.
..If you dig a hole on Good Friday, you will find blood in it.
..If you drop a dish towel, you are sure to have company soon.
..Cajun children used to wait for the tooth mouse to take their teeth from under their pillows and leave money.
..To get rid of a wart,cut a potato in half, rub the wart with it, throw the potato over your shoulder, and be sure not to look where the potato fell. This should get rid of the wart(porro).
..If a pregnant woman is upset about seeing a person with some type of physical or mental handicap, her child will be born with the same handicap. The woman is said to be "frapeed" on that handicapped person.
..If you physically strike one of your parents, when you die and are buried, your hand will remain in a striking position.
..If you kill a spider after dark,you will have good luck.
..To ensure that a visitor will never come back to your home, throw salt as they leave in the form of a cross.
..To break up a tornado, make a cross with 2 knives nine times.

Dating couples also have superstitions that need to be taken into consideration. When a girl wants her boyfriend to propose she can slip one of her hair ribbons into his pocket. This superstition is a bit outdated and although it is no longer practiced it is often suggested. Girls that are without beaus should be careful around anyone who is sweeping. If they raise their feet to allow the person to sweep under them it is said they will never marry. Another sign of spinsterhood is if the heels of a girl’s feet are yellow.

Pregnant Cajun women have it the hardest. They are constantly bombarded with superstitions that they should follow. If a woman dreams of snakes, then she is probably pregnant. Once a woman finds out she is pregnant she can go to a traiteur to find out what gender her child will be. A traiteur is someone who has the gift and can heal and see things with prayer. A necklace with a pendant is dangled above the pregnant woman’s stomach and if the charm swings back and forth the child will be a boy. If the charm swings in a circle the child will be a girl.

Once a child is born and teething time hits, the child is taken back to the traiteur for a teething necklace. These necklaces are rare and very special. They consist of a thin piece of string with small knots tied into it in certain spots. Each knot has been prayed over by the traiteur. The mother is to bring the child in, the traiteur ties the string around the baby’s neck, and then the mother is to leave, all without saying a single word. If a sound is made by either party then the gris-gris (charm) will not work.

There are many superstitions about death in the Cajun culture. If a cocodrie (alligator) finds its way under your house, death is coming. If a child’s father dies while they are still in the womb, that child will have a gift (clairvoyant, psychic, traiteur, etc.) While going about your daily routine you experience a frisson (goose bumps) a spirit is close by and watching over you. Finally, when someone dies a cloth is draped over their coffin and their feet are placed facing towards the door so that their soul can enter into the next world. Neighbors make sure to shut all doors and windows so that wayward spirits cannot enter.

Cajuns even have superstitions when it comes to the most important thing in their life, food. They believe that when you cut a cucumber, you must cut the stem end first, and then rub it against the spot it was just cut from. This is said to take the bitterness or the fever from a cucumber. Cajuns also eat boiled cabbage and black eye peas for New Year’s Day. The cabbage is said to bring money in the upcoming year and the black eye peas bring good health.

Hunters also have superstitions they have to keep track of. They have to always be aware of a fifolet. A fifolet, also known as swamp gas, is when a hunter senses something following them in the woods. When the hunter turns around a glow or illumination will be behind him. This is thought to be a sign of evil spirits out to get someone. When a hunter hands his pocket knife to his podna (friend) it must be returned the same way it was received, either blade out or blade in. Otherwise, it will cut you later.

These superstitions are only a small part of the beliefs that have evolved in the Cajun culture. They are important because they keep the heritage of Cajun people alive. Cajun superstitions are as interesting as they are unbelievable. Yet, many Southern people use these beliefs to guide their lives. Whether, other cultures think Cajun superstitions to be intriguing or crazy, this is the way they have lived for hundreds of years. They will continue to live this way for hundreds more

Cajun Traditions

 

..Because it is wrong to throw food, one should bless bread that was dropped on the floor before eating it.
..Up until the 1960's, children used to celebrate New Year's Day by going door to door with a brown paper bag to collect candy, but mostly popcorn fixed in a variety of ways. They would greet the people by saying "Bonne Annee'"(Happy New Year).
..Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated like everyone else--by wearing green--but if someone is not wearing green, they will be pinched by others.
..Gumbo is a traditional Christmas Dinner.
..Birthday spankings are given -one for each year.
..People who are in mourning do not watch TV for a year.
..A home remedy for sprains is to wrap the sprain in raw onions and leave it like that for a few days.
The following come from Leah Crochet: ..If a hen, and I repeat, a HEN crows there will be a death in the family. Yes, I know it's the rooster that supposed to crow, . Very, very odd:-) We have a .
..If the wind changes direction while pouting, your face will stay stuck in that expression.
..If your left hand itches you'll come into some money, if your right hand itches you'll meet an old friend.
..If someone passes a mop over your foot, you'll never marry.
..If a branch falls in the woods, there'll be high water.
..If cows lie down in the field during the day, there's rain a comin'
..If mosquito hawks (dragonflies) fly in the shape of a funnel, there's a hurricane a comin'.
..NEVER sweep dirt from your floor out the door after dark....bad luck, of course:-)
..Cure for a black eye....bury, yes bury, a steak for several days and the black eye will disappear! ( A twist on the "hold a steak on your black eye" method:-)
Home remedy for earache-Roll up a newspaper inthe shape of a funnel and use it to blow smoke into the affected ear.