Folklife and Superstition: The Luck, Lore and Worldviews of Prairie Homesteaders, released on Sept. 3, 2024, explores the everyday lives and beliefs of settlers in the Canadian Prairies in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Written by Dr. Sandra Rollings-Magnusson, the book draws from hundreds of first-person stories to show how settlers dealt with prairie weather, land, and life.
Dr. Rollings-Magnusson, a sociology professor at MacEwan University, has researched this era for over 30 years. Her previous book, Tales from the Homestead, was a finalist for a major Alberta literary award.
In Folklife and Superstition, she focuses on how settlers from Europe and the U.S. built new lives in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, sharing their customs, superstitions, and ways of celebrating.
“Settlers faced the same challenges and built a new society together,” Rollings-Magnusson said.
The book covers everything from community events to beliefs about good luck and weather, offering a rare glimpse into prairie life.
