Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Conjure

198 Pages·2009·1.67 MB·Dutch

by  Anderson, Jeffrey E.

Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Conjure
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Hoodoo, Voodoo,
and Conjure
Q
A Handbook
Jeffrey E. Anderson
Greenwood Folklore Handbooks
GREENWOOD PRESS
Westport, Connecticut • London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Anderson, Jeff rey E., 1974–
Hoodoo, voodoo, and conjure : a handbook / Jeff rey E. Anderson.
p. cm. — (Greenwood folklore handbooks, ISSN 1549–733X)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–0–313–34221–9 (alk. paper)
1. Hoodoo (Cult)—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Magic—Handbooks,
manuals, etc. 3. Voodooism—United States—Handbooks, manuals, etc.
I. Title.
BL2490.A65 2008
133.4'308996073—dc22 2008020832
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Copyright © 2008 by Jeff rey E. Anderson
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced, by any process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2008020832
ISBN: 978–0-313–34221–9
ISSN: 1549–733X
First published in 2008
Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
www.greenwood.com
Printed in the United States of America
Th e paper used in this book complies with the
Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National
Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Lynn, Michael, and David—my family
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Contents
Preface ix
One
Introduction 1
Two
Defi nitions and Classifi cations 29
Three
Examples and Texts 57
Four
Scholarship and Approaches 89
Five
Contexts 113
Glossary 123
Bibliography 147
Web Resources 171
Index 179
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Preface
R
eferences to hoodoo, Voodoo, and conjure seem to be everywhere these
days. They appear in works by prominent authors, including some by Toni
Morrison, Alice Walker, and Ishmael Reed—to name but the most prominent.
Articles on the doings of Voodoo practitioners are common in newspapers and
magazines. Marie Laveau, the “Voodoo Queen of New Orleans,” has become a
celebrated figure in scholarly circles. Three different Laveau biographies have hit
the shelves in recent years. Several movies, most notably Th e Skeleton Key , have
introduced African American magic to an even broader audience. One promi-
nent hoodoo practitioner, Catherine Yronwode, now offers an e-mail- or paper-
based correspondence course for aspiring practitioners through her business, the
Lucky Mojo Curio Company (Pryse and Hortense).
The only problem with all the attention hoodoo and related practices have
garnered from the media is that the average American does not have much con-
text in which to situate references to African American magic. It is doubtful
that most could give straightforward definitions of hoodoo, Voodoo, or conjure or
explain why h oodoo and Voodoo are not quite synonymous. Even less expected is
that more than a handful could properly situate these systems of belief within
African American history, folklore, and everyday life.
Just as important to Americans’ cloudy ideas of hoodoo, conjure, and Voodoo
are the stereotypes that surround supernaturalism. Magic, especially the variety
introduced into America by Africans, has long been associated with superstition,
ignorance, or downright devil worship. These stereotypes have been present since
the days when New Englanders were hanging witches, as evidenced by the fact
that at least one of the accused was a believer in and possible practitioner of Voo-
doo. True, the number of executions of accused magic workers has significantly
declined over the centuries, but African American believers and practitioners still