Folklife and Superstition

Book excerpt: A captivating history of folk traditions, beliefs, and culturally diverse customs in the early homesteading era on the Canadian Prairies. The homesteading era on the Canadian Prairies (1867–1914) was a dynamic period of history, when hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children, migrating primarily from northwestern and eastern Europe, descended nascent provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Some were lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership, while others were fleeing war, famine, and persecution. Homesteaders have been studied and written about extensively, often within the context of “settling” the Canadian West and the displacement of Indigenous populations. These narratives, while crucial to our understanding of Canada’s national identity and colonial past, tend to obscure the personal stories, beliefs, and mindsets of those individuals who came to this part of the world and made a life there. Drawing on a treasure trove of archival sources, historian Sandra Rollings-Magnusson presents a vivid and deeply personal collection of Prairie folklife, revealing stories full of humour, superstition, fear, and hope. She gives insight into homesteaders’ daily lives, including instances of water-witching, signs of good and bad luck, neighbourly practical jokes, and popular pastimes. Through adaptation, hardship, homesickness, and a sense of adventure, they built communities with others from different backgrounds, creating a unique culture that blended the old with the new. "