By: Clary Croft   

Witchcraft. The subject evokes curiosity, fascination, and sometimes, abhorrence. In the Maritimes, a region with a rich tradition of storytelling, accounts of witchcraft are abundant.

In Witchcraft, folklorist Clary Croft explores the many examples of witchcraft identified in the Maritimes and explains their cultural origins—Scottish, Mi’kmaq, Acadian, German, among others. He finds example of spells, charms, and superstitions involving everything from animal horns and blood to salt and milk. Croft also traces witchcraft’s more official history from the Maritimes’ first witch trial in 1684—the trial of Jean Campagna—followed by others throughout the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries.

A thoroughly researched history of an often-misunderstood practice, Witchcraft is a rich source of Maritime folklore.