#braucher

[tamfana]

Tamfana

I wanted my first post on this blog to be related to the name of it, so I’m going to discuss the Goddess Tamfana first.

Tamfana is a Germanic Goddess of the Marsi Peoples. They settled between the Rhine, Lippe, and Danube. A feast to her was invaded and the events are detailed by Tacitus. Nobody was spared- women, children, elderly, or hale.

Her name has a few different etymological properties, the ones I prefer to use relate to “Tanne” and “Fanum”

Tanne is the word for Fir Tree in Dutch and German, and Fanum means a temple in Latin. We know Tacitus views these people through a Roman Lens, so it’s entirely possible that he is responsible for the addition of ‘Fanum’ (later shortened to Fana) to the original name of Tam or Tanne.

When we look at Tacitus' wording when mentioning Tamfana by name, he uses 'templum quod Tamfanae vocabant solo aequantur.' or 'the temple of Tamfana, as they called it, equalized (I.E, leveled to the ground.)' I'm of the personal speculation that he could have instead said 'templum quod Tam fanae', Templum being the nominative singular and Fanae being the plural. This interpretation of mine would suggest that there were many places where Tam was worshipped, but the passage refers to one of her temples that was destroyed. (or that the place where Tam was worshipped did not encapsulate only a temple, but lands around the temple, perhaps a sacred Grove.)

If we make the assumption that this observation is the truth, we can then make out a few things about her. She’s related to fir trees, her name is just Tanne or Tam, and it’s possible the song “O, Tannebaum” is or was about her at some point. Tannebaum just means Fir tree or Fir bundle. If we don't assume that her name is split strangely, we can still keep the Fir Tree part but we can add in the belief that she might be a goddess of Sacred Spaces, or have the ability to create sacred spaces.

Some other attestations include an now discredited poem discovered in the 1800s and claimed to hark from the 1300s (the man who 'discovered' it has been found lying about other anthropological finds) in which Tamfana is said to "send sheep overhead". There's an inscription of her name in Central Italy in Terni; Tamfanae Sacrum but I couldn't find photos of it online, and there's also a seal from 1336 that supposedly depicts her holding a fir branch, flanked by the sun and accompanied by a cat and an eagle (but this is thought to also be St. Brigid.)

Some other Scholars have tried their hand at different etymological interpretations, most of which resulting with meanings of fullness, bounty, expenditure, unthrifty, lavasciousness, feasting, stuffed (like a feeling after eating a large meal). Justus Lisipus, a sixteenth century scholar likened her name to the Celtic root 'Tan', meaning Fire.

The time of the massacre (and subsequent time of her feast) are said to have happened in autumn, furthering her possibility of being a Harvest Goddess. Some people today place her feast day on November first.

Tamfana is ultimately a mystery, as are most goddesses of the German Tribes. In short: Tamfana is represented by the Fir and by feasts, her feast day in in November, she's a goddess of abundance and fullness, and possibly of fire.

[lailoken]

Hey, uh... Pennsylvania Dutch magical traditions are closed, and anyone who isn't explicitly connected to them through family/initiation should NOT be claiming to be practitioners of Braucherei or any associated Germanic Pow-wow tradition.

You are literally breaking cultural and spiritual taboos by identifying with the Pennsylvania Dutch for any reason other than being directly connected to those traditions.

[poisonappleprintshop]

I am excited to share that my original artwork ‘Witches’ Night on Hexenkopf Rock’ is featured in the third edition of Ned D. Heindel’s ‘Hexenkopf: History, Healing, & Hexeri’! You can grab a copy for yourself from The Sigal Museum. It is an honor to be included in such a wonderful book that preserves a part of Pennsylvanian history and the history of Pennsylvanian folk magic!

In 2016, I unearthed a rare copy of the first edition of this book (published under a slightly different title in 1974, seen in the third photo) at my grandmother’s house and it is what inspired me to create ‘Witches’ Night on Hexenkopf Rock.’

The rock itself is a stony summit in Williams Township, PA that has long been associated with magic, ritual, and witchcraft. ‘Hexenkopf: History, Healing, and Hexeri’ takes an in-depth view at the history and folklore surrounding Hexenkopf Rock and examines how Braucherei, or PA German folk magic, first developed in the area and contributed to the rock’s legends. Also discussed are stories of Native American magic, witch gatherings, ominous omens, and apparitions that have helped bolster Hexenkopf rock’s mysterious reputation. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in American folk magic and Pennsylvanian lore!

[trash-box]

braucher replied to your post: ok fine, i’ll do it… i’ll blow james franco

i absolutely would without hesitation :/

[lailoken]

In regards to braucherei being closed, are you pennsylvania dutch? Or if you aren't, do you know of any trustworthy people you could point us towards so that we could contact them for questions about these kinds of germanic traditions (braucherei, pow-wow, etc) ? Thank you either way.

A lot of the Folk Magic that got passed down in my family came through my Pennsylvania Dutch great-grandmother. However, I didn't even know that this was the culture she came from until several years ago, and I did not grow up immersed in that culture at all. Her husband was a mean Baptist preacher who viewed her faith as witchcraft and forbade it to be openly practiced, but she managed to surreptitiously pass on many traditions and rituals under the guise of things like "children's stories," "fun and games," or even just by reassigning a traditional custom to a more "pallatable" religious framework. As such, I do not consider myself to be either a true member of the Pennsylvania Dutch or a practitioner of Braucherei. But even so, these traditions have inexorably impacted and shaped my own tradition, and so I value and respect them greatly.

I do believe, however, that my great-grandmother's specter visited me in a dream years back and passed on certain ritual knowledge that I have utilized with a code of silence ever since. I still don't think this makes me a true Braucher, but from that time onward, I have felt like the work I do is more closely adjacent to it, if that makes any sense.

As for offering trustworthy resources that are open to the public, I'm sorry to say that I'm not the best person to ask about something like that.

[trash-box]

braucher replied to your video: @katy please copy the arrangement here for the...

Not to be rude but I really cannot stand your taste in anything eldnfeodnfk

well i’m a crackhead, so

[trash-box]

braucher replied to your post: about to apply to be a flight attendant...

Why are there so many Gay flight attendants?

because we can’t fly the planes

[poisonappleprintshop]

The grave of Johann Peter Seiler. Check out my interview on the @hautemacabre blog to find out why this tombstone is so significant to me and how it influenced my work! Direct link in my profile 🖤 #poisonappleprintshop #braucher #braucherei (at Raubsville, Pennsylvania)