Update: series has been cancelled until further notice Join us at the AcademicHoodoo.com for a film expedition into the realm of Hollywood VOODOO, as we watch problematic and inauthentic depictions of blackness and Africana religions, noteworthy for their visions of race and culture on the silver screen. Experience fake film VOODOO as we travel toContinue reading “New! Free online Voodoo film series”
Category Archives: Arts and Culture
Speculative Histories: Conjure people then and now
A visual series on the Way It Might Have Been We at the Academic Hoodoo are inspired by arts and technologies that revalue Africana Religions, whether they are in Africa, the U.S., Haiti, Brazil, or anywhere else in the world. Black religion is a global phenomenon. We redeem our venerable traditions from the degrading andContinue reading “Speculative Histories: Conjure people then and now”
Best-Forgotten: Race, Religion, and the Super Magician comics
Content warning: this post is illustrated with offensive images from an unusual Golden-Age comic book that may disturb. When I turned back to writing about comics, I couldn’t stop thinking of magic, religion, and race, three interconnected topics I can’t seem to get enough of. It’s all so very fraught, but it is very interesting,Continue reading “Best-Forgotten: Race, Religion, and the Super Magician comics”
Your Tax Dollars Hard at Work: Government-Funded Broadway Voodoo Drama
As you probably know, the purpose of this blog is to disseminate stories of Voodoo memes, whether they are about colorful Voodoo paper dolls, horrible Voodoo movies, or cool Voodoo comics. We are intrigued by the sheer variety of topics that index Africana spirituality and magic, strange powers, and racial otherness. Still, we wonder, given itsContinue reading “Your Tax Dollars Hard at Work: Government-Funded Broadway Voodoo Drama”
Black Gods of the Cosmopolis!
This is the third in a series of posts on Africana religions and the comics. Some remarkable images made their way around the digital space this week. Aficionados of black religion will immediately recognize these extraordinary renderings of the popular divinities in Brazil that are known as orixas. Worshipped throughout the Americas but especially beloved in Bahia, theContinue reading “Black Gods of the Cosmopolis!”
Voodoo Brothers: Africana Religions and the Comics, pt. 2
As some of you know, my current project is a book-length study of Africana religions and comics, where I consider how graphic formats are utilized for representing the spiritual traditions of black people. I keep getting sidetracked, though, because the sources are so diverse, and there are a million different stories that need to be told. SoContinue reading “Voodoo Brothers: Africana Religions and the Comics, pt. 2”
Halloween Special: 20th century Black Horror Movie and Africana Religions
In this blog I want to note the continuing relevance of Voodoo as a trope in media and entertainment cultures by highlighting the historical significance of horror films. But I already covered this topic somewhat in an earlier period with reference to jungle Voodoo, and anyway, I find this sort of material to be kindContinue reading “Halloween Special: 20th century Black Horror Movie and Africana Religions”
She-roes and She-gods? Africana Religions and the Comics, pt. one
Are you a comics fan? My latest project deals with religion in comic books and graphic novels from the Golden Age to the present, where I look for characters who possess what might be seen as god-like powers, supernatural abilities, and fantastic technologies. Perhaps we might think of them as modern-day deities. Being obsessed with religion I wonder if there isContinue reading “She-roes and She-gods? Africana Religions and the Comics, pt. one”
Circus Freaks, White Voodoo Women, and the Amazing Afro
In between working on serious stuff that takes up my time, I look at images. Some of these images may seem as though they are not related – but they actually are – like these African circus “freak” posters from the early twentieth century and their counterparts from contemporary body mod subcultures in the United States. So who is the savage?Continue reading “Circus Freaks, White Voodoo Women, and the Amazing Afro”
Voodoo Tropes: Bizarre Hollywood Religion
Call me hopelessly naive, but wouldn’t you jump to see a blockbuster film starring Bela Legosi and John Carradine called VOODOO MAN? I mean, how bad could it be? Maybe we might learn something about Africana religions. Or maybe we can see what this Voodoo thing is that’s so fascinating. What could go wrong? Well, plenty, and ifContinue reading “Voodoo Tropes: Bizarre Hollywood Religion”