"The Cane" is a major component of Gilchrist’s paraphernalia. From the wood staff hang charm-like adornments relating to conjuring and healing: bones, a raccoon’s foot, chains, artificial flowers, rope, a segment of a mule’s hoof, and more. According to Gilchrist, the cane belonged to his great-great-grandfather and passed through each generation until Gilchrist’s father gave it to him. The cane’s magic works on illnesses of the mind, but the cane is not so much an active healing device as it is a reminder of the durability of the traditions that invest Gilchrist with his power.
