When we bought the house and moved in 1990 during the summer, there were a few bits of random “stuff” left behind by the former owner, Mrs. LKB--including a “plastic turquois-blue” bust of a stereotypical Indian chief with a war bonnet, sitting in the basement window looking out near the front door. There was gold colored paint adorning the entire feathered bonnet.
It was something I would have never bought, but I figured that it was different if we acquired it as part of sundry stuff abandoned in the house. There was also a red metal cabinet hung on the wall and spray painted black--with two small mirrors mounted on the doors. Yes, this cabinet could be just an unusual form of an “interior home decor idea,” but I doubted that. This cabinet made me wonder if someone might have been engaging in some sort of magical practice. One never knows. The African American folk magic system, hoodoo, has been practiced in Maryland for some time.
By the way, our basement has two rooms. The washer and dryer were down there—with a water heater, furnace, etc. We also kept the cat litter boxes in the basement.
After we were moved-in, we hauled away or donated most abandoned items. We saved a few things. I kept the figurine sitting in the window. The figurine was labeled "MONEY HOUSE BLESSING, EDAVIS." It was also marked "Julius Samann."
One day shortly after moving in, I turned him around to look into the house. I got the oddest notion that turning him facing inwards was wrong. Thus, I turned him back looking out the window. I gave little more thought to it other than: "That was funny."
A few months later, we had a Samhain circle in our home with some Wiccan friends. During the ritual, I invited the wandering dead to stop in and enjoy the celebration and feast.
The Samhain celebration was delightful, but after that evening I--and two other magically-minded folk--would independently sense a male presence staring out of dark corners and spaces in the basement. Odd. This presence was not malevolent. I had no sense of anger or negativity, but it was staring intently. Other than being rather puzzled by this feeling of being intently stared at, there didn’t seem to be anything to be concerned about.
"Arthan”, a Pagan friend, served as our cat sitter while we were away for a weekend. When we got back and I called to thank her, she told me, "There's a spirit in your basement and it’s a very male presence." (Actually “Arthan” was the third person who noticed this presence.)
She also stated that she didn't want to cat sit again.
That's when I talked to Thoron about the "spirit". He told me that he had noticed some sort of awareness quite awhile ago. Probably, around the same time I did--after Halloween. Clearly--we had gotten someone's attention.
At this point, I didn't think about the figurine in the window. I simply wondered if one of the wandering dead had wandered in and stayed--or if our ritual had woken someone up.
We could have ignored the sensation, but the intense watching was a bit unnerving.
A banishing did not quite seem necessary. After talking it over, Thoron suggested a cleansing. This would address a broad spectrum of negativity, but is not as aggressive as an exorcism or banishing. After ritually charging a bowl of spring water, we sprinkled it about the basement, making contact with every wall and corner. Then we hung charm bags in the corners of the laundry room. The "spirit" was not ordered to go, nor was the "spirit" ordered to stay.
Since the staring was really unpleasant, the focus was to insist this unpleasant activity stop. We basically told whatever was there to simply knock it off.
This cleansing ritual solved the problem. I thought no more about it--until maybe about 2009. Well, I think it was around then. A book by Judika Illes, Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Saints, Angels, Fairies, Demons, and Ghosts, 2009, had come out.
That was one of the books in which I read about "Black Hawk".
Historically, there was more than one famous Native American Indian named Black Hawk.
Yet, Black Hawk (c. 1767-Oct. 3, 1837) is generally assumed to be a Sauk (Sauck/Sauc/Sac) and Fox Indian leader and warrior from the upper Mississippi valley. The Sauk tribe existed in areas of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana.
The spirit of Black Hawk has become an important element in the Spiritist movement and Spiritual Churches in NOLA (New Orleans, LA) as well as NOLA's hoodoo practice. Judika Illes stated: "By the 1920s, he [the spirit of Black Hawk] was venerated within the New Orleans Voodoo Community." --Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints and Sages: A Guide to Asking for Protection, Wealth, Happiness and Everything Else, 2011, p. 193.
Denise Alvarado also explained:
Black Hawk
Black Hawk was a famous leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian Nation. Although he had inherited an important historic medicine bundle, he was not a hereditary civil chief of the Sauk; rather, he was an appointed war chief. During the War of 1812, Black Hawk fought on the side of the British. Later he led a band of Sauk and Fox warriors against settlers in Illinois and present-day Wisconsin in the 1832 Black Hawk War. After the war he was captured and taken to the eastern U.S. where he and other British Band leaders toured several cities. Black Hawk died in 1838 in what is now southeastern Iowa. The Spiritualist churches of New Orleans honor the Native American Black Hawk. Black Hawk is considered a Voodoo Saint and is often included in ritual work wherein worshipers become possessed and gain the power to heal and prophesy. The Indian Spirit Guide has a big influence on Hoodoo and Voodoo today and can be seen on many hoodoo products such as Indian Spirit Incense and room spray by EDavis Company. --Denise Alvarado, Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook, 2009, p. 27-28.
Of course, I may have come across something else about Black Hawk before either of these two books came out. I remember seeing the DVD of the movie Skeleton Key, 2005.
The DVD had deleted scenes, including a scene in which two characters walk into a NOLA Spiritual Church which venerates the spirit of Black Hawk. (Honestly, I don't remember if I got the DVD before or after either of the two books above.)
At some point, I remember looking up more info about “Black Hawk” and Mother Leafy Anderson (1887-1927) in a variety of sources. I remember being rather amazed by the existence of the “Cult of Black Hawk” in NOLA.
Leafy Anderson referred to this spirit guide as the "Saint for the South."
One of the traditional locations for an image of "Black Hawk the Watchman" is near the front door positioned to look outward--where he serves as a sentry and a watchman.
Our house was previously owned by Mrs. LKB, and at one time her brother had lived in the basement. My guess is Mrs. LKB's brother put the plastic Indian figure in the window as a guardian.
Personally, I do not truly believe that Black Hawk, the famous leader of the Sauk and Fox, is hanging out in my basement.
Someone seems to be there and seems to be inhabiting the figure. However, I don’t believe that it is the spirit of any deceased Native American Indian.
Whoever is there, he seems to prefer sitting in that window.
After reading several sources about Black Hawk, I decided to talk to the figurine. I explained, "I don't know your name. I don't think you are Black Hawk. If you would like to have something, you ought to let me know. If it's not too expensive, I might try to get it for you if I can find it easily."
Shortly after addressing the spirit, I did have an interesting coincidence. Three different people each gave me a made in China Saint Joseph School dreamcatcher. They had each gotten the dreamcatchers via a fund-raising mailing. All three said something to the effect of: "You like odd things/stuff like this..." and then handed me the dreamcatcher with the "made in China" label clearly attached. I took the first dreamcatcher with a polite smile and later donated it to the local thrift store. About two weeks later, I got the second. I kindly thanked that person too, commenting that I wasn't sure I could find a place to hang it. That person cheerfully told me, "I'm sure you will." I dropped that one off at the thrift store too.
When I was given the third "made in China" dreamcatcher, I decided maybe I should hang it in the window near the figurine. As I did so, I spoke to the figurine, "Apparently, you want this...If you don't, I'll take it down." I got no indication of a complaint. It's still there.
Since then, I have told him about every new animal companion who comes into the house, asking him to watch over them too. I periodically offer incense, water, etc. He seems content to sit there.
My feeling on this matter is that the spirit in our basement had been sitting dormant since Mrs. LKB's brother moved out. The spirit wasn't a wandering spirit at all. I had simply gotten his attention at the Samhain ritual. The cleansing seems to have redirected his attention back to his original purpose.
We now understand this spirit might have been set there to serve as a guardian and watchman. With this insight, I have since figured out how to care for him. We seem to get along quite well now.
I do think that Mrs. LKB’s brother was practicing some sort of African American hoodoo Spirit Work and set up something like a “ward”.
About the Figurine Itself
It is clear to me that this figurine was not created to be a representation of Black Hawk, a leader in the Sauk and Fox tribes.
The figurine itself was labeled, "MONEY HOUSE BLESSING," "EDAVIS," and "Julius Samann."
The "INDIAN SPIRIT MONEY HOUSE BLESSING" trademark, depicting an Indian Head, is owned by JULIUS SAMANN, LTD. The U.S. federal trademark for this image was filed on Thursday, May 1, 1975. It was first used for commercial purposes on February 1, 1971.
The trademark drawing of an Indian Head wearing a war bonnet is filed in the category of Cosmetics and Cleaning Products. This trademark identifies Aerosol Incense Spray (air freshener) and Stick Incense.
Julius Samann was a "Swiss-born Canadian business man" and a "scientist" in the state of New York. Working with aromaic oils, he was apparently a fragrance chemist--although he would now likely be called an aromachologist, a term coined much later in 1982.
In 1952, while living in Watertown, NY, Samann invented the first automotive air freshener. A milk truck driver had complained to Samann about the smell of sour milk in his truck. Samann created a disposable air freshener in the shape of a now iconic stylized evergreen tree. He used absorbent pads impregnated with perfumed air deodorant.
Samann gave his creation the brand name CAR-FRESHNER and it could be hung on the rear view mirror of a vehicle.
Why is this history of Julius Samman's LITTLE TREE CAR-FRESHNER relevant to the figurine? I believe the plastic turquois colored figurine was intended to disperse scents, perhaps as a dashboard ornament. It has slits in the side which could have been used to release fragrance. Although the figurine is clearly marked with "EDAVIS" and "MONEY HOUSE BLESSING", I have not been able to track down when and where these figurines were sold. Perhaps it was intended as a promotional item.
CAR-FRESHNER Corporation
21205 Little Tree Drive
Watertown, NY 13601-0719 USA
(315) 788-6250
E Davis International
21205 Little Tree Drive
Watertown, NY 13601-0719 USA
Copyright April 26, 2019 Myth Woodling
Sources:
Judika Illes, Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Saints, Angels, Fairies, Demons, and Ghosts, 2009.
Judika Illes, Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints and Sages: A Guide to Asking for Protection, Wealth, Happiness and Everything Else, 2011.
Denise Alvarado, Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook, 2009.
The Skeleton Key 2005, DVD Release Date: November 15, 2005 .
Iain Softley speaking about The Skeleton Key “a supernatural thriller” to Thomas Leupp: “The DVD is going to have a significant deleted scene, when Caroline and Jill go to a spiritualist church in New Orleans…and they get drawn in. It’s a Spiritualist Church that has a kind of dimension to it that’s very local to New Orleans; which is the Black Hawk Cult. The Native American spirit of Black Hawk is incorporated into an essentially Christian ceremony.”
--
INT: Iain Softley - JoBlo.com August 10, 2005, accessed 4/24/2019.
Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers, Black Hawk , November 10, 2014.
THE CULT OF BLACK HAWK Chicago Tribune, December 6, 1998, accessed 4/24/2019.
JULIUS SAMANN LTD. Trademarks :: Justia Trademarks, accessed April 24, 2019.
LITTLE TREES, accessed April 24, 2019.
More information from Denise Alvarado about Black Hawk
Black Hawk is referred to as the "Watchman on the Wall" who will "fight your battles for you". He is the guardian of a combined Indian nation, the Sauc and Fox (together referred to as Meskwaki)...
--Denise Alvarado, In the Company of Black Hawk , June 20, 2011.
Since Mother Leafy Anderson brought him to New Orleans with her Spiritualist Church in the early twentieth century, Black Hawk has played a central and symbolic role in the fight against oppression and discrimination among devotees...Black Hawk is venerated as an ancestral spirit among the Mardi Gras Indians, New Orleans Voudouists, as well as rootworkers and conjure doctors. Native Americans consider him a hero, African Americans view him as defender and liberator, and European Americans admire him as the noble savage who despite defeat, fought the good fight. While most of what is written about Black Hawk has either been from a historical perspective or from the perspective of the Spiritualist Church, Black Hawk cannot be confined to a single context. It has become more than evident that he has been adopted by people from many different spiritual traditions as a powerful Indian Spirit to whom devotees believe they can turn to for help and guidance when needed.
--Denise Alvarado, Conjuring Black Hawk, 2018.
Other items I have given--over the years--to the spirit to sit with him in the window:
Copyright April 27, 2019 Myth Woodling
Old coins are used in hoodoo for charms and wards. Aside friom the well known “Mercury dime/Liberty dime,” the “Buffalo nickel” and “Indian Head penny” are also used. Catherine Yronwode wrote that, “The Indian Head Cent is one of the oldest curios found in African American folk magic…. Because Native Americans resisted domination by colonial white interests and because they also took in and intermarried with Africans who had escaped from slavery in the South, they earned a reputation as great helpers, scouts, and warriors.” (July 11, 2009, accessed 4/27/2019) The USA government has not minted Indian Head pennies since 1909.
Catherine Yronwode, Indian Head Cents in Hoodoo Magical Spells Lucky Mojo, 1994-2017, accessed 4/27/2019.
Blog Post 142 – Coins, New World Witchery - the Search for American Tradtional Witchcraft, July 11, 2009, accessed 4/27/2019.
Information About Dreamcatchers "made in China"
“Saint Joseph’s Indian School” in Chamberlain, South Dakota raised almost $51 million in 2013 alone, by sending 30 million mailings with dreamcatchers made in China. See St. Joseph's Indian School has learned a lesson about fundraising, Indian Country Today, accessed April 26, 2019.
The most obscene “guilt mailing” I've ever seen – Something better to do, accessed April 26, 2019.
"With the mail volume necessary to fund our programs each year, it would be impossible for 200 people — especially children — to produce the dreamcatchers by hand." See Dreamcatcher Response by "Saint Joseph's Indian School", accessed April 26, 2019.