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Language of the Blues - Edmonton Blues Society

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`<br />

The connection between prostitutes and <strong>the</strong> nation sack may be what caused guitarist<br />

Robert Jr. Lockwood to bust out laughing when asked about it. The 90-year-old<br />

Lockwood, who spent part <strong>of</strong> his childhood in Memphis, said, once he caught his breath,<br />

<br />

You know, a nation sack is when you got your money in something tied around<br />

296<br />

<br />

If a woman was in a relationship, her nation sack might contain some personal items<br />

<br />

- such as a lock<br />

<strong>of</strong> hair, some fingernail clippings, or some pubic hair. A woman might also use a nation<br />

sack to get and keep a man, if she could get her hands on something from his body.<br />

According to an interview that folklorist Henry Middleton Hyatt conducted with a female<br />

hoodoo <br />

<br />

<br />

- if she sleeps by<br />

<br />

<br />

- she got<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

- - <br />

<br />

- <br />

297<br />

<br />

The prohibition against a man touching a nation sack was very strong. Robert Johnson<br />

knew this, <strong>of</strong> course, and was a master at using hoodoo language to express in a couple <strong>of</strong><br />

<br />

<br />

Songs:<br />

Oh, <br />

<br />

<br />

- Robert Johnson<br />

- <br />

PASSA G R E E N<br />

P<br />

Although Robert Johnson is presumed to have been poisoned by whiskey laced with<br />

<br />

138

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