The hanging of horseshoes as good luck charms is a
widespread practice. I’ve seen them on
barns and houses across North America but never given them much thought before
my arrival in Keels. Although not an
ancient tradition, it is deeply rooted in many places. As with any custom, the beliefs surrounding
the use of these good luck charms vary from region to region and community to
community. The prevailing wisdom in
Keels is that horseshoes must point up, so that they can catch luck. There are, however, a few proponents of
another school of thinking, who believe the horseshoe must point down, to allow
luck to pour out onto the residents of the home in question; an upward facing
horseshoe is thought to hold luck in, rendering the charm useless.
This question of horseshoes has got me thinking about good
luck charms and protective charms. There
are hundreds and thousands of things that people do to bring luck to their
homes or to keep their homes safe. What
might appear fairly straightforward customs are
undoubtedly as complex and varied as the people who practice them. It would take several lifetimes even to begin
to explore the lore surrounding these charms, and it would make for fascinating
study. With luck perhaps I’ll learn a
little more before leaving Keels. I know
that my first order of business when I return home will be to acquire a
horseshoe (or perhaps even two) to hang over my door.  |
Horseshoes in Keels(Photos: Claire McDougall) |
No comments:
Post a Comment