Asafoetida a.k.a Devil’s Dung

Asafoetida is a pungent spice that is derived from resin of the root of the Ferula plant. The plant is native to the Middle East, where the resin is dried and exported.

Although asafoetida is a savory culinary herb with a mild smell when cooked, it absolutely reeks when raw or dried. It is  used as a flavor enhancer in Indian cuisine, where it is called hing.

Perhaps because of its pungent odor — which The House would describe as “putrid onions with a whiff of sulfur” or “ramp-y,” asafoetida has a long history of spiritual use.

In the African-American tradition of hoodoo, it was known as “Devil’s Dung,” (because of its funky smell) and is used to repel evil, undo jinxes and for protection.

Asafoetida plant (Ferula assa-foetida): flowering stem, leaves, seeds and root. Coloured etching by J. Pass, c. 1806, after J. Ihle.

Like rue, asafoetida has also been used as a protective amulet. Its pungent odor was thought to repel evil and illness. In the Pennsylvania Dutch community, asafoetida is called deiwelsdreck (devil’s dung). When mixed with cinquefoil, wormwood and other herbs, it was used to protect houses and barns from unwanted entry by spirits. Rolled into tiny bundles and worn around the neck, it is said to protect one from illness and unholy influences.

This practice was also observed in Appalachia and the Ozarks, where chunks of “asfidity” or “acifidity” were worn around the neck to ward off influenza and other diseases. There may actually be some validity to the theory that asafoetida prevents illness due to its intrinsic antiviral properties, but its powers may be at least partially attributable to the fact that its stench causes others to keep their distance.

In the current era of pandemic-induced social distancing, maybe it is time to bring back this forgotten folk tradition?

Asfidity & Madstones: A Further Ramble Through Hillfolks’ Hoodoo by H. Byron Ballard

Photo of pouch containing asafoetida; Kutztown, PA; photo by The House of Good Fortune

An asafoetida-based product called duiwelsdrek-druppels that is marketed as a relief for flatulence and stress.