I have recently shifted paths because all the previous paths I have been following kept circling back to another path: Braucherei. I have decided to find a Braucher (a practitioner of Braucherei) to study with, but in the meantime, I figured I’d share some of the stuff I’ve learned about this practice so far.
What is Braucherei?
Braucherei, also known as Powwow (even though it has absolutely nothing to do with the concept of powwow in Native American cultures – more on that below), is a system of religio-magic for addressing many needs, such as healing, protection, finding lost objects, and taking care of livestock, that was and is practiced primarily by Pennsylvania Dutch descendants mostly in Pennsylvania. However, the practice has spread to wherever the Pennsylvania Dutch settled, including Ohio, Indiana, Ontario, etc.
In his work, Powwowing in Among the Pennsylvania Dutch, David W. Kriebel provides a working definition of Braucherei better than I am able to provide:
“Powwowing is an unofficial traditional magico-religious practice – originating with and chiefly practiced by the Pennsylvania Dutch and emphasizing healing of humans and animals, but with other goals as well – that uses words, charms, amulets, and physical manifestations to achieve its objectives. Powwowing is also known as Brauche or Braucherei in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect of German” (page 16).
In Kriebel’s definition, a few terms he uses benefit from some clarification. He refers to Braucherei as an “unofficial” practice. By this, he means that it is not a universal aspect of the culture for which it comes. By contrast, an official component of PA Dutch culture would be the acceptance of Christianity as a religion. PA Dutch culture is firmly rooted in Christianity, making Christianity an official component of PA Dutch culture. Because Braucherei is more of a niche component of PA Dutch culture, it is considered an unofficial, not official, aspect of the culture. See pages 15-16 of Powwowing Among the Pennsylvania Dutch for more information on the official/unofficial distinction.
In addition, when Kriebel mentions “physical manifestations,” he is referring – I believe, as he does not explicitly expand on what he means by “physical manifestations” – to objects used in Braucherei rituals (eggs, string/twine, etc.) as well as physical movements of the Braucher (making the Sign of the Cross, placing their hands on the afflicted area of the client, etc.) and the position of the client who is receiving the work (sitting in a chair, laying on their back, etc.). I wish Kriebel were a bit more specific about what he meant, but Powwowing Among the Pennsylvania Dutch is an ethnographic/academic look at the beliefs and practices of the Braucher, so the implied meaning may be understood by the target audience of the book.
Terminology: Braucherei vs. Powwow
The exact origins and meanings of both Braucherei and Powwow are muddy; both terms have different origins and meanings depending on who you ask.
Braucherei
According to the Wikipedia article on “Pow-wow”, the Pennsylvania Dutch terms Brauche and Braucherei are commonly translated into English as “trying” or “needing or wanting,” the meaning of the verb brauchen in High German (the German one would learn in school). There is also a theory that it may derive from the Hebrew word bracha (בְּרָכָה), which means “blessing.” Here, the Wikipedia article is quoting Kriebel.
Powwow
There are also mixed beliefs on where the term Powwow originated from. The Wikipedia article on “Pow-wow” says that the word powwow was borrowed into the English language from the Narragansett and Massachusett languages, in which it had the meaning “Indigenous priest, shaman, healer.” Some people believe that the term came from a corruption of the word “power doctor,” one of the terms that describes the practice similar to the roles of the Braucher in Ozark and Appalachian cultures.
My Two Cents
From my research so far, it seems that Braucherei is primarily referred to as Powwow within Pennsylvania, whereas it is called Braucherei pretty much everywhere else.
I personally prefer to use the term Braucherei to label the practice. My reason for this is that the use of the term Powwow, in my opinion, is another appropriation of Native American cultures. I am not of Native American ancestry; however, I am of German descent. Therefore, I feel more comfortable using the term Braucherei: I personally feel that it is more culturally appropriate to me to use.
In Conclusion…
This is my first attempt to summarize Braucherei, so I hope it made sense, and I hope even more that I did it justice. I will soon be training with a Braucher, and I hope to become better at sharing information about this practice. I am officially beginning next month, so hopefully more information will be heading y’alls’ way soon! 
Resources
Powwowing Among the Pennsylvania Dutch: A Traditional Medical Practice in the Modern World by David W. Kriebel
Wikipedia article on “Pow-wow”: Pow-wow (folk magic) - Wikipedia
Robert Phoenix (The Powwow Guy)
• Blog: https://pagermanpowwow.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePowwwowGuy
