Cunning women and men were practitioners of folk magick for positive curative and preventative ends. The word “cunning” was originally used in England. These practitioners were also referred to as “white witches,” in Devon and, later this label became synonymous with cunning folk, also known as wise men and wise women and the wise ones.
Cunning Folk and Witches
Historically, the folk have been too often confused with witches. The major difference is that cunning folk were real people and were a recognized part of British life. Open about their talents and services, these people were valued members of society.
The folk were able to earn a good amount of money for their talents. Most charged a fee for their services, as other professionals did. The problem was that they were often deemed hoaxers, tricksters and frauds, especially by the better educated classes. This was compounded by the fact that there were charlatans who made money from deceiving people by parlor tricks and preying on the gullible by exploiting their ignorance of parapsychological and arcane subjects, as con artists do.
Cunning folk were successful in their work; however, how they did so still isn’t proved by science. Their achievements could be purely psychological, “supernatural,” or a blend to the two.
Witches, especially during the height of the witch hunts and persecutions, were, for the most part, figments of others’ imagination, self-serving goals and hysteria. The North Berwick Witches' Persecution is an excellent example.
It was believed that witches rode on broomsticks to their gatherings, could shape-shift into animals, raise storms and had other illogical powers allegedly gained by working with the devil.
PowWow: Pennsy Dutch Arcane Art is folk magick, a unique blend of Germanic and Native American systems, and is the one of the best known practices of this type in certain regions of the United States.
Services Offered by Cunning Folk
- Healing humans and animals, by spellwork, herbs or both
- Protection against negativity and evil, also referred to as witchcraft in earlier times
- Attracting abundance and love
- Finding treasure or recovering that which was lost or stolen
- Identifying criminals
- Foretelling the future by various methods
- “Witch-finding.” This was when a person believed s/he was afflicted by a hex or curse; the cunning folk were able to discover who the witch was and remove the spell.
Cunning Folk, the Burning Times and the Law
This was the height of atrocities against suspected witches.
The magickal services offered by cunning folk were strictly against the doctrines of the Christian Churches. Such activity, according to laic and Ecclesiastical law, was to be punished. Most cunning folk weren’t charged. During Medieval times, the village priest might be the one practicing this magick. The Renaissance did little to change this, although the clergy often denounced cunning folk, this group still escaped serious prosecution.
Cunning Folk - Pagan or Christian?
Most, if not all, cunning folk were recorded as Christians, although some Neo-Pagans may think the folk are evidence of Pagan survival. Some of the wise ones were members of the clergy; others, devout Christians. There is no evidence of the folk worshipping the ancient deities.
Some of the practices and spells used by the cunning folk are similar to those used by Pagans; however, the spells were done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, not the Maiden, Mother and Crone as evidenced by the Pennsylvania Deutsch Grimoire, a spell book.
Sources:
The Dark World of Witches, Eric Maple, (Castle Books, 1964)
The Encyclopedia of Witches & Witchcraft, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, (Facts on File, Inc., 1999)
Jill Stefko - I'd rather deal with the paranormal than human abnormal - having dealt extensively with both.
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