Goophering and Goofer Dust
Goofer dust is dust right from de cemetery , but i t ' s gittin ' out from undah de footst one - whut ah mean , de foo tboard yo ' s ee . Yo ' go down undah dere an ' git de dus t out from undah dere . Yo ' tie it up an ' yo ' go tuh run - yo ' cross runnin ' watah an ' yo ' b less it in de watah . Yo ' carry i t through de watah an ' de watah puts whut chew call a Chris tian spirit on it . An ' yo ' carry dat an ' during de time yo' gamblin ' yo ' keep s yore mind on de gamblin ' , it ' s true , but chew let chure mind think about whut chew got - de dust in mah pocket . Think ab out yore dus t . Den luck will come .
(Do you combine the dus t with this Adam and Eve root ? )
No , dat ' s separate .
(This is separate . All you need is the goofer dust for luck in gambling ? )
Yes .
(But you have to get it in a special way - from under the footboard of the
grave? )
Yes suh .
(Then you have to carry it through running water? )
Dat's right .
(You just carry this dus t loose in your pocket ? ) [He had s aid , "Tie it up . " ]
Yo ' give it a sp irit of imag ination wonder - den y o ' carry i t in yore pocket .
[ So f ar as I can recall , this is my only examp le o f graveyard dirt being carried acros s running water - a b ri11ant operat ion , a daring use of the magic o f the contrary or opposite , b ecause everyone knows that the spirit in this grave yard dirt can not cross running water . Yet , if the doctor says , "You b l es s i t in de watah • • • c arry i t through de watah • • • d e watah puts • • • a Christian spirit on it , " that is j us t what happens . A doctor 's intention can violate any magi c law in hoodoo or create a new law . This is actually a baptismal rite. All graveyard dirt being o f uncer tain sp iritual quality for our doctor , he g ives i t a Christian spirit. Spirit of imagination wonder = power = the primitive mana. ]
Now , when people talk of putting de goofer on yo ' , they do that to ei ther run yo ' or b r ing yo ' undah dere contro l . Lotta people say , "Well , we ' l l goofer sech an ' sech a person because ah cares fo ' dem" - ' caus e dey care fo ' a p erson , prob 'b1y loves ' em an ' wants dem tuh b e around all de t ime . Lotta po ' people use dat word goofer . Dey has somebody workin ' fo ' ' em pract ' lly all de time , settin ' up . Yo ' know it ' s a 10tta people has a ole man s e t t in ' around . He ain ' t f it t in ' fo ' nuthin ' but tuh work an ' dey j es ' wanta git whut suppor t dey kin g i t outa him , so dey puts de goofer dus t on him . Dey t ies him s o he can ' t gi t away . He wants tuh go free yo ' s ee , but dat s tuf f is work in , on his cons cience an ' mind so strong so dat he j es ' hang all round dere . An ' dey g i t dat goofer dus t tuh workin ' - prob 'b1y bury it undah de s tep , in de b ack yard or somewhere else . Conceal it from him whe re he won ' t know nuthin ' about i t an ' j es ' keep i t r ight dere , an ' long as dey hold i t dere dey got him . [ Fayettevi lle , N . Car . , ( 1395) , 2506 : 12 . ]
(Do you combine the dus t with this Adam and Eve root ? )
No , dat ' s separate .
(This is separate . All you need is the goofer dust for luck in gambling ? )
Yes .
(But you have to get it in a special way - from under the footboard of the
grave? )
Yes suh .
(Then you have to carry it through running water? )
Dat's right .
(You just carry this dus t loose in your pocket ? ) [He had s aid , "Tie it up . " ]
Yo ' give it a sp irit of imag ination wonder - den y o ' carry i t in yore pocket .
[ So f ar as I can recall , this is my only examp le o f graveyard dirt being carried acros s running water - a b ri11ant operat ion , a daring use of the magic o f the contrary or opposite , b ecause everyone knows that the spirit in this grave yard dirt can not cross running water . Yet , if the doctor says , "You b l es s i t in de watah • • • c arry i t through de watah • • • d e watah puts • • • a Christian spirit on it , " that is j us t what happens . A doctor 's intention can violate any magi c law in hoodoo or create a new law . This is actually a baptismal rite. All graveyard dirt being o f uncer tain sp iritual quality for our doctor , he g ives i t a Christian spirit. Spirit of imagination wonder = power = the primitive mana. ]
Now , when people talk of putting de goofer on yo ' , they do that to ei ther run yo ' or b r ing yo ' undah dere contro l . Lotta people say , "Well , we ' l l goofer sech an ' sech a person because ah cares fo ' dem" - ' caus e dey care fo ' a p erson , prob 'b1y loves ' em an ' wants dem tuh b e around all de t ime . Lotta po ' people use dat word goofer . Dey has somebody workin ' fo ' ' em pract ' lly all de time , settin ' up . Yo ' know it ' s a 10tta people has a ole man s e t t in ' around . He ain ' t f it t in ' fo ' nuthin ' but tuh work an ' dey j es ' wanta git whut suppor t dey kin g i t outa him , so dey puts de goofer dus t on him . Dey t ies him s o he can ' t gi t away . He wants tuh go free yo ' s ee , but dat s tuf f is work in , on his cons cience an ' mind so strong so dat he j es ' hang all round dere . An ' dey g i t dat goofer dus t tuh workin ' - prob 'b1y bury it undah de s tep , in de b ack yard or somewhere else . Conceal it from him whe re he won ' t know nuthin ' about i t an ' j es ' keep i t r ight dere , an ' long as dey hold i t dere dey got him . [ Fayettevi lle , N . Car . , ( 1395) , 2506 : 12 . ]
