Edmonton observations
• Unrecorded non-participant observation
• Jean (daughter of Mrs. J.T.) pouring for Mrs. N.D. (daughter of Mrs. V.B.). Also present Mr. B.D. (son of Mrs. N.D.) and myself
• Pouring, informal conversation, reading, informal conversation
• Reading of fieldnotes
• I arrived just before 11 and they were ready to begin. Mrs. N.D. was seated at a folding chair next to Jean’s counter in the kitchen. Mr. B.D. was sitting in a chair in the dinning room. I was asked to sit on the couch in the living room. Jean was standing in the kitchen. There was a large, approx. 1 and a half to two foot in diameter bowl of water on the counter along with a large knife. A pot of wax was melting on a campstove next to the stove. Holy water in a plastic jar was added to the water as Jean said “In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit”. The ceremony had begun. She used the knife here with some prayer. Jean said her prayer in English and massaged Mrs. N.D.’s shoulders after she moved her hands down her back and then out as if to get rid of what ever is there. She then poured the wax. She held a large bowl over Mrs. N.D.’s head and with the other hand held the pot and poured saying “in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit” pouring sharply. She poured more in as each name was mentioned. She put the bowl down and informal conversation began. We spoke mostly about Mrs. N.D.’s mother. They asked me questions and involved me in the conversation.
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All of a sudden Jean switched to reading the wax by saying “did something happen with your house?” Mrs. N.D. was reluctant to answer until asked “did someone break in” to which she replied “No I let them in” she then told the story of how someone tricked her into letting them in to use the phone and wait for their aunt who was not home. Her wallet was stolen and she has not been sleeping since. I was shown the wax. A spot of the wax was the persona and the large part around the edges was the house. They continued to talk as she asked about what she saw in the wax. Saw various things including an angel. She asked about each thing and Mrs. N.D. talked to her and told stories. Her most prominent shapes were the house and the person. Mr.B.D told me that the top of the wax is what is bothering you and the bottom is the deep down stuff from your past. At this point Jean wet a cloth with water in the bowl and washed Mrs. N.D.’s face and hands. She sent water home for her to wash herself and discard where no one would walk in three days. It must be discarded over the left shoulder and don’t look where It lands.
• After they told me stories and stuff about the wax ceremony.