We aren’t sure whether it was Shakespeare or Mark Twain who coined the phrase “the clothes make the man” but it is true that clothing makes an obvious declaration of one’s status in Africana religions. I see the relationship between head covering and spirituality as demonstrative of how people articulate inner commitments, using outward forms.Continue reading “Hat Tricks: The Fez and the Turban in Africana Religions”
Category Archives: Hoodoo
Apotheosis of Marie Laveau, Hoodoo-Voodoo-Vodou Icon
I knew that it was time to write this post after everyone in the class I was teaching had seen the third season of the FX series American Horror Story, starring Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau, except me. Most of the students had never heard of Mme Marie before, mind you, so it was a perfectContinue reading “Apotheosis of Marie Laveau, Hoodoo-Voodoo-Vodou Icon”
The Buddha in the Botanica
Many years ago I came upon an interesting presence while visiting El Cobre, a village in southeastern Cuba. Translated simply as “Copper,” El Cobre is well known for its 19th century mining concerns, but even more famously, it is the site of the national basilica for the luminous patron saint of Cuba, Our Lady of Charity.Continue reading “The Buddha in the Botanica”
The Strange Career of Mami Wata
Even though Hoodoo and Conjure supplies are disseminated broadly on the internet these days, it is just as likely that one can find an actual physical botanica or spiritual store where one can purchase the essential merchandise of magical practices. These shops proliferate in urban areas throughout the United States, and more recently, we seeContinue reading “The Strange Career of Mami Wata”
Voodoo (Paper) Dolls!
Well, this one is fun and educational. Who doesn’t love paper dolls? Well some of us do. At first I thought this would be just another graphic box ‘o zombies, but it isn’t. The text tells us the story: Jake and Emily are a pair of “curious tourists” who arrive in New Orleans, go sight-seeing and partying,Continue reading “Voodoo (Paper) Dolls!”
Notes on Data for Hoodoo Studies
At THATCamp last week I proposed a toolkit-building session for newbies which was accepted on the first day. I had decided to post some of the images of my source material, the dreambooks, but said very little about what I planned to do with them. Surprisingly there was not much creative input from those in attendanceContinue reading “Notes on Data for Hoodoo Studies”