GrannyWitch:OldAppalachiaandFolkMedicine

KellynEdraney

Thereissomethingmagnificentinmanyoftheolderwomenwiththeirsterntheologypartmysticism,
partfatalismandtheirdeepunderstandingoflife...."Granny"andonemaybeagrandmotheryoung
inthemountains.JohnC.Campbell,TheSouthernHighlanderandhisHomeland,RussellSage
foundation,1921,pg.140.

OneofthemostwellknownsectsofFolkMedicineexistedamongtheAppalachianMountains
andOzarks.GrannyWomenwerepurportedtobethehealersandmidwivesofOldAppalachia.
Typicallyeldersoftheircommunities,thesewomenwereessentiallymeetingthedemandforhealthcare,
inaculturethatexistedbeforewidespreadaccesstoadiversearrayofmedicalpractitionerswascommon.
TherolesoftheGrannyWitchinAppalachiawerediverse,includingpracticingherbalism,performing
agriculturalrituals,andbirthingbabies.

GrannyWitcheshavetheiroriginsinNorthernEurope,specificallyoldIrishandScottish
traditions.ThevastmajorityofthefirstAppalachiansettlerscamefromthispartoftheworld.This
culturallinkisparticularlyapparentinthesharedbeliefintheWeeFolk,themythologicalarchetypeof
smallfaeriesthatweresaidtohaveinfluenceinthehumanworld,makingthemsignificanttoFolk
Healerswhooftenutilizedfarmorethanliteral,physiologyfocusedtreatmentsforailments.The
AppalachianGrannyMagicTraditionwasgenerallypasseddownandkeptwithinthefamily,partlydue
totheruralandisolatednatureoftheirlifestyles.Thisisolation,incombinationwithgenerationsof
peoplewhomaintainedastrongconnectiontotheirancestry,hasresultedinamoreaccuratepreservation
ofoldIrishandScottishcultureinAppalachiathaninthemoderndaycountriesthemselves.

TheGrannyWitchesutilizationofplantbasedmedicinecanbetracedbacktotheDruid,Pagan
andotherEarthBasedreligiouspracticesthatdominatedtheirancestryinEurope.Whethertheyalso
functionedunderaMatriarchaldeityisdisputedbyvarioussources.Theydid,however,keepwith
traditionindevelopingacommunityinwhichherbalskillswerepreservedandshared.Thewidelyused
practiceofcreatingaMateriaMedica(officialandthoroughdocumentationofvariousherbs,IDs,and
physiologicaleffects)waspopularizedintheAppalachianMountains,andisstillusedbypracticing
healerstoday.Tinctures(anherbalinfusionofalcoholandplantmatterthatdoesnotexpire)fromthisera
maystillwellexisttoday,astheyarementionedintheirwritings,aswellasothertraditionalmedicine
making,likesalves,creamsandteas.

ThisprofoundconnectiontotheEarthisalsomadeevidentintheGrannyWitchesroleasan
agriculturalmagician.Incommunitiesthatwerelargelydependentuponthesuccessoftheiragricultural
yield,theGrannyWitchwasapractitionerofmagicperformingmanyritualstoencouragebeneficial
outcomesforthecommunity,forthesakeofthewellbeingofall.Thisculturalvalueoffaithinmagicwas
apparentintheearlyrootsofAppalachianherbalism.Physicalmaladieswerenotheldasmorepressing
thanpsychospiritualones,andherbalmedicinecouldbeappliedtoboth.Thissenseofresponsibility
contributedtoasocietalvaluingofFolkHealersassignificantmembersofthecommunity.

GrannyWomenwereamongthefirstpeopletopracticeMidwifery.Itwasassumedthatoncea
womanhaddeliveredachildsuccessfullyherselfandmaintainedhealththereafter,shewouldbeginto
learnhowtoeffectivelyhelpotherwomeninlabor.Givingbirthwasonceafarmoredangerousendeavor
thanitistoday,andthesewomenplayedanintegralroleinassuringthatboththemotherandtheinfant
survive.Womenwereisolatedintheirhomes,andmodernbirthingtechnologyhadyettobeinvented.
Thepopulationandabilityofacommunitytothrivewerequiteliterallyinthehandsofthosedelivering
children.Thisdependenceandsenseofresponsibilityonceagainleadaculturetovalueandfocusonthis
processofchildbirth.

Inanycommunity,theneedsthatexistareasplentifulastheyarediverse.GrannyWomen
functionedaspillarsoftheirsocieties,fulfillingmanyroles,fromHerbalist,toMidwife,toAgricultural
authority.Theweightthistitleheldwasrecognizedbyall,andasaresult,thevaluesofthecultureitself
wereaffected.Thesewomenpavedtheway,notonlyformedicineandtechnology,butforthepossibility
ofagreaterkindofequalityAkindofequalityinwhichwomenmayallowthespiritofcreativity,
leadershipandcompassiontoflowthroughthem,andshapeanentireculture.