Roberts, Edna. Interview about folk cures.

Edna Roberts describes several folk cures from her childhood.August 8, 2017 Andrea McGuire and Edna Roberts Introductions; Edna Roberts was born in Old Perlican on February 25th, 1946, to father Edward George Churley of Old Perlican, and mother Velma Myrtis Emberley from Bay de Verde; 0:41 - grandmother Miriam Bursey “had a charm,” and could put away warts and soothe toothaches; this was passed on to her by an older male relative, and she passed the charm on to her grandson; it had to be a cross-sex transfer; 1:58 – discusses woman with healing powers from Bell Island; her father died when she was in the womb, which was how she attained her powers; if people rubbed warts on her clothing without her knowledge, the warts would be put away; if she was aware of the rubbing, it wouldn’t work; 3:12 – more discussion of grandmother’s healing powers; 3:45 – knew woman from Codroy Valley fishing camp who kept May snow in her freezer, which was used to treat eye problems; 4:40 – Edna grew up in Labrador; father went there for work, and the family moved when she was two years old; she left to attend university at age seventeen; unaware of traditional folk remedies in Labrador, although she is certain that they were practiced; 6:00 – describes later life; studied Sociology and Education at university; married and worked as a teacher; later worked for a women’s program; moved to Maine with her husband; volunteered with group for survivors of domestic violence in Maine; she has two daughters; 7:56 – grandfather was once led away by the fairies, but “everybody knows somebody who has been led away by the fairies.”