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| what is rootwork: Black Magic Yvonne P. Chireau, 2006-11-20 Black Magic looks at the origins, meaning, and uses of Conjure—the African American tradition of healing and harming that evolved from African, European, and American elements—from the slavery period to well into the twentieth century. Illuminating a world that is dimly understood by both scholars and the general public, Yvonne P. Chireau describes Conjure and other related traditions, such as Hoodoo and Rootworking, in a beautifully written, richly detailed history that presents the voices and experiences of African Americans and shows how magic has informed their culture. Focusing on the relationship between Conjure and Christianity, Chireau shows how these seemingly contradictory traditions have worked together in a complex and complementary fashion to provide spiritual empowerment for African Americans, both slave and free, living in white America. As she explores the role of Conjure for African Americans and looks at the transformations of Conjure over time, Chireau also rewrites the dichotomy between magic and religion. With its groundbreaking analysis of an often misunderstood tradition, this book adds an important perspective to our understanding of the myriad dimensions of human spirituality. |
| what is rootwork: Rootwork Tayannah Lee McQuillar, 2003-02-04 This handbook is a reader-friendly, practical guide to the time-honored magical spells and rituals that are based on African traditions, and still practiced in the African-American community today. |
| what is rootwork: Rootwork Tracy Cross, 2022-11-15 Set in a small Louisiana parish, deep in the segregated South of 1889, Rootwork explores the strength of family and the darker side of the heart. |
| what is rootwork: Old Style Conjure Starr Casas, 2017-01-01 Conjure, hoodoo, rootwork - these are all names for southern American folk magic. Conjure first emerged in the days of slavery and plantations and is widely considered among the most potent forms of magic. Its popularity continues to increase, both in the United States and worldwide. This book is a guide to using conjure to achieve love, success, safety, prosperity, and spiritual fulfillment. Author Starr Casas, a hereditary master of the art, introduces readers to the history and philosophy of conjure and provides practical information for using it. Featuring Casas's own rituals, spells, and home recipes, the book provides useful information suitable for novices and seasoned practitioners alike. In its pages, you'll learn about: Bone reading Candle burning Conjure bags Building your own conjure altar At last, a book that answers every questions you had about Conjure but were afraid to ask! Old Style Conjure is an absolute treasure. It?s a must-read for every practitioner of the ancient arts and a must-have for every magical library! - Dorothy Morrison, author of Everyday Magic, The Craft and Utterly Wicked. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo For Beginners Angelie Belard, 2020-10 Are you looking for magic that actually works? Hoodoo is old North American folk magic, born from African spiritual traditions brought over by slaves. Over the centuries it incorporated Native American and European influences, using what worked and discarding what did not. What is left is an adaptable, powerful magical system that works. In this book you'll learn: The history of Hoodoo, including how it relates to Voodoo How to work with your ancestors using an ancestor altar Why Graveyards and Crossroads are important in Hoodoo, and how to work with each safely The importance of Spiritual Cleansing and how to do it Which roots and herbs are important when getting started with Rootwork How to make your own Conjure Oils and use them in your spells Why Candle Magic is important Simple instructions to make and use Mojo Bags to carry magic with you And much more. This book covers everything you need to know to get started with Hoodoo, and includes over twenty five simple spells to draw money to you, bring luck and love into your life, and protect yourself from evil. Angelie Belard has helped hundreds of people with their problems using the potent and practical magic of Hoodoo. From customers who needed help with financial or romantic problems, to friends and loved ones who wanted a way to connect to their ancestral roots, she has used Hoodoo to improve and enrich their lives. Now she's ready to share her lifetime of learning with you. Hoodoo was hidden by its practitioners for hundreds of years, but now you can safely get started with information you won't find anywhere else. |
| what is rootwork: Working Conjure Hoodoo Sen Moise, 2018-09-01 Working Conjure is a blessing. With the increasing commodification of African American and African Diasporic traditions, books about our practices that are simple, direct, and useful seem few and far between. Hoodoo Sen Moise manages to balance a solid delivery on the practice of Conjure with just enough theory to create a foundation to do this spiritual work—which is not, as he also reminds us, spiritual easy—and to continue the work given to us by our ancestors to heal each other and the world we share.—Mambo Chita Tann, author of Haitian Vodou Conjure, also known as Hoodoo or Rootwork, is an old and powerful system of North American folk magic. Its roots derive primarily from West and Central African spiritual traditions but it developed during the slave trade and its purpose at that time was to help ease the terrible oppression experienced by the slaves. Working Conjure explores the history, culture, principles, fundamentals, and ethics of Conjure, while simultaneously serving as a practical how-to guide for actually doing the work. Author Hoodoo Sen Moise has been a practitioner for nearly forty years. In Working Conjure, his first book, he shares the techniques and lessons that will bring Hoodoo alive to those who are new to the practice as well as useful and enlightening information for the adept. In the book he: Explores the primary materials used in Conjure Features spells, rituals, and workings for various purposes Guides readers to learn how to bring this profound school of magic to life “Conjure,” writes Hoodoo Sen Moise, “is not a religion or spiritual path, per se, but rather magic/spiritual work that is done to bring about change in a situation. Whether that situation is a relationship, money, a job, revenge, healing, or cleansing, the fundamental tenet of Conjure is to do work that changes the circumstance.” |
| what is rootwork: Root Magic Eden Royce, 2021-01-05 “A poignant, necessary entry into the children’s literary canon, Root Magic brings to life the history and culture of Gullah people while highlighting the timeless plight of Black Americans. Add in a fun, magical adventure and you get everything I want in a book!” —Justina Ireland, New York Times bestselling author of Dread Nation Walter Dean Myers Honor Award for Outstanding Children's Literature! A Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winner! Debut author Eden Royce arrives with a wondrous story of love, bravery, friendship, and family, filled to the brim with magic great and small. It’s 1963, and things are changing for Jezebel Turner. Her beloved grandmother has just passed away. The local police deputy won’t stop harassing her family. With school integration arriving in South Carolina, Jez and her twin brother, Jay, are about to begin the school year with a bunch of new kids. But the biggest change comes when Jez and Jay turn eleven— and their uncle, Doc, tells them he’s going to train them in rootwork. Jez and Jay have always been fascinated by the African American folk magic that has been the legacy of their family for generations—especially the curious potions and powders Doc and Gran would make for the people on their island. But Jez soon finds out that her family’s true power goes far beyond small charms and elixirs…and not a moment too soon. Because when evil both natural and supernatural comes to show itself in town, it’s going to take every bit of the magic she has inside her to see her through. |
| what is rootwork: Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones Stephanie Rose Bird, 2004 Tracing the magical roots of hoodoo back to West Africa, the author provides a history of this nature-based healing tradition and offers practical advice on how to apply hoodoo magic to everyday life. |
| what is rootwork: Conjure in African American Society Jeffrey E. Anderson, 2005-12-01 From black sorcerers' client-based practices in the antebellum South to the postmodern revival of hoodoo and its tandem spiritual supply stores, the supernatural has long been a key component of the African American experience. What began as a mixture of African, European, and Native American influences within slave communities finds expression today in a multimillion dollar business. In Conjure in African American Society, Jeffrey E. Anderson unfolds a fascinating story as he traces the origins and evolution of conjuring practices across the centuries. Though some may see the study of conjure as a perpetuation of old stereotypes that depict blacks as bound to superstition, the truth, Anderson reveals, is far more complex. Drawing on folklore, fiction and nonfiction, music, art, and interviews, he explores various portrayals of the conjurer -- backward buffoon, rebel against authority, and symbol of racial pride. He also examines the actual work performed by conjurers, including the use of pharmacologically active herbs to treat illness, psychology to ease mental ailments, fear to bring about the death of enemies and acquittals at trials, and advice to encourage clients to succeed on their own. By critically examining the many influences that have shaped conjure over time, Anderson effectively redefines magic as a cultural power, one that has profoundly touched the arts, black Christianity, and American society overall. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo Mari Silva, 2021-05-05 Discover the ancient craft of Hoodoo and how it can change your life! Hoodoo is a powerful form of folk magic used for generations to improve the lives of those who practice it. So, is it relevant today? The quick answer is, yes, it most certainly is. The powers of roots and herbs are just the tip of the iceberg once you master the craft of Hoodoo. This book is packed full of various ways to use magic, rituals, and spells to enhance your life and pay back those who stand in your way. Is your boss a jerk? Learn how to make him pay for bullying you at work. Is your partner losing interest between the sheets? Learn how to bring passion back to your relationship. In this book, you will: Discover the power of mojo and how to use it to bring positivity into your life. Learn how to build a magical Hoodoo tool kit. Find out how to form powerful bonds with the cosmos. Learn how to cleanse your body, mind, and home with intense spiritual means. Discover how to invoke the spiritual world and use deities to bring power to your magic. Find the hidden meanings attached to candles and the role they play in rituals. Investigate what rootwork is and how to perform it. Explore the five amazing arts of divination, cleromancy, cartomancy, augury, and oneiromancy. Make the object of your love fall for you. Attract love and wealth into your life. Learn the most effective natural ways to protect your home. And so much more! Hoodoo can be used for many purposes to help improve your life. With this book as your starting point, you can unlock the secret powers of rootwork, folk magic, mojo, and more! So, what are you waiting for? Get this book and discover the magic of Hoodoo. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo for Everyone Sherry Shone, 2022-08-23 A beginner’s guide to an inclusive Hoodoo practice--history, spellwork, folklore, and herbs Hoodoo is a folklore tradition that was created by and for enslaved African Americans in the southern United States. And before there were honey jars, red brick dust, and everything else you may associate with Hoodoo, there was the need to be free. This is not the #kitchenwitch Hoodoo you’ve seen on social: it’s magic for those who seek liberation and healing, for those who have been hurt, misunderstood, or cast aside. This is Hoodoo, updated: history, foundations, spellwork, and spiritual guidance made accessible to everyone, inclusive of all backgrounds and genders. Written with three guiding Hoodoo tenets--Intention, Faith, and Direction--in mind, Hoodoo for Everyone offers everything you need to know about the practice: rituals, conjure, rootwork, divination, herbs, plants, and ancestor work. Shone’s modern Hoodoo also goes in-depth into discussions of gender, religion, and cultural appropriation. She answers the questions: • Is Hoodoo the same as Voodoo, Lucumi, or Santeria? • How do I connect to an ancestor if I don’t know my family’s history? • Is Hoodoo accessible to queer folks? • Can I practice Hoodoo even if I’m agnostic or Christian? • How can I practice Hoodoo respectfully and with sensitivity? With spells and verses organized by topic and a list of spices, herbs, and spellwork objects, Hoodoo for Everyone is for all readers called to Hoodoo, new and experienced alike. For anyone seeking a natural spiritual practice, a connection to their history, or a deeper connection to non-judgmental life energy, Shone offers a comprehensive guide to manifesting deliverance through Hoodoo magic. |
| what is rootwork: Rootwork Tayannah Lee McQuillar, 2010-06-15 In this groundbreaking book that places Rootwork in its rightful spot among other magickal traditions, Tayannah Lee McQuillar offers a fun and practical guide to improving your life with the help of African American folk magick. Rootwork begins with the basics, from explanations about the magickal powers of the four elements (air, earth, fire, and water) to instructions on creating talismans, charms, and mojo bags. Also included are spells to help you: find your soul mate spice up your sex life get a new job improve your health discover your inner muse Accessible and easy to use, Rootwork offers the insights of a time-honored tradition as a means of self-empowerment and spiritual growth. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo E Voodoo Jideon F. Marques, 2022-07-30 Introdução Hoodoo é um assunto que existe desde que os africanos foram trazidos para as costas americanas como escravos e migraram pelo país, compartilhando sua magia e crenças. As ervas e raízes que usaram foram amalgamadas com outras crenças para formar a prática que agora conhecemos como Hoodoo. Muitas pessoas pensam que Hoodoo é uma prática religiosa, mas a verdade é exatamente o oposto. Hoodoo não é baseado na adoração de deuses, deusas ou outras divindades formais. Em vez disso, é uma forma de as pessoas praticarem magia popular usando as ferramentas e ingredientes mais básicos. Então, que relevância o Hoodoo tem na sociedade de hoje? Bastante! Os humanos estão começando a entender quais poderes existem na natureza e como usá-los. A progressão natural para rituais de magia e construção de raízes transmitidos na história parece inevitável. Entender por que algumas plantas e ervas podem atrair boa sorte enquanto outras formam um escudo protetor apela à nossa sensação pessoal de bem-estar. Este tipo de magia e conjuração pode ser realizada por qualquer pessoa que queira experimentá-la, desde que respeite o poder e aprenda a se proteger do mal. Este livro contém tudo o que você precisa saber para executar o trabalho com segurança e poder. Aprenda o antigo ofício de Hoodoo e veja como ele pode mudar sua vida para sempre! |
| what is rootwork: 365 Days of Hoodoo Stephanie Rose Bird, 2018 Hoodoo is a bold spiritual tradition that helps enhance your wellbeing and solve everyday problems. This practical, do-it-yourself guide shows you how to use spells, rites, recipes, mojos, and curios to enrich your life and be ready for whatever comes your way. 365 Days of Hoodoo starts by providing the basics of Hoodoo, and then gradually builds your knowledge day after day. You'll discover the essential components for your practice, how to master the parts of your life that seem out of control, and the various ways Hoodoo can improve love, prosperity, protection, and much more. This impressive book also features lore, prayers, potions, altars, baths, and meditations. |
| what is rootwork: The Candle and the Crossroads Orion Foxwood, 2012-12-01 Learn the ways of magic and healing from the living, oral tradition of Appalachian Conjure in The Candle and the Crossroads. Orion Foxwood offers a primer on the real magic and techniques of Southern root magic, knowledge he learned first-hand growing up in rural Appalachia. Foxwood explains magical techniques including: Spirit SightWorking by the Signs (the ability to synchronize work such as farming, fertility of humans and animals, orcharding)ConjuringFaith HealingSettling the Light (candle magic)Doctoring the Root (the ability to use herbs, roots, stones, or animal parts—bones, claws, fur, etc. for magic or the clearing, cleansing, and blessing of the spirit of a person, also known as his or her root)Praying or Dreaming True (Blessings of spirit/God to a person, place, or thing as well as prophetic or predictive dreaming)Blessing or Cursing The Candle and the Crossroads shows how to create magic in today’s world with the old ways and traditions of Appalachia. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo for Love and Prosperity Angelie Belard, 2021-10-12 Are you ready to bring love and prosperity into your life? Hoodoo for Love and Prosperity will help you bring love into your life, restore the spark to your relationship, show you how to draw money to yourself, and teach you magic to become financially successful. Hoodoo is old North American folk magic, born from African spiritual traditions brought over by slaves. Over the centuries it incorporated Native American and European influences, using what worked and discarding what did not. What is left is an adaptable, powerful magical system that works. In Hoodoo for Love and Prosperity you'll discover: Why different parts of the honeysuckle vine can be used for love, prosperity, and crossing work. How licorice root can be used for gaining control. How to use a sweet potato to improve a relationship. The best time to perform a Road Opener and how to do it. Why pine needles can bring you wealth. And much more! In this book you'll learn 50 authentic Hoodoo workings for love and prosperity. Each spell will focus on one key ingredient, explaining why that ingredient is used, so you can learn to make your own magic. Each comes with simple step-by-step instructions that anyone can follow. |
| what is rootwork: Abusing Religion Megan Goodwin, 2020-07-17 Sex abuse happens in all communities, but American minority religions often face disproportionate allegations of sexual abuse. Why, in a country that consistently fails to acknowledge—much less address—the sexual abuse of women and children, do American religious outsiders so often face allegations of sexual misconduct? Why does the American public presume to know “what’s really going on” in minority religious communities? Why are sex abuse allegations such an effective way to discredit people on America’s religious margins? What makes Americans so willing, so eager to identify religion as the cause of sex abuse? Abusing Religion argues that sex abuse in minority religious communities is an American problem, not (merely) a religious one. |
| what is rootwork: The Art of Hoodoo Candle Magic catherine yronwode, Mikhail Strabo, 2013-01-13 Within these pages you will find a treasure-trove of accurate, traditional, and easy-to-follow instructions that teach you how to work with candles and lamps in hoodoo folk magic and Spiritual Church services Down-home Candle Magic for the Private Practitioner; How to Select and Prepare Candles for Personal Use; Auspicious Timing for Effective Spell-Casting; Candle Conjure for Love, Money, and Protection; How to Create, Craft, and Cast Your Own Candle Spells; How to Read Divination Signs from Candles; Spiritual Ministries, Altar Work, and Prayers How to Establish a Private Vigil Candle Ministry; and How to Conduct a Public Candle Light Service. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic Catherine Yronwode, 2002-07-01 This is the first book of its kind, presenting accurate botanical information about roots and herbs employed in conjure, with sample spells that will show you how to make and use your own mojo bags, spiritual baths, and incenses. 500 herbs, roots, minerals, and rare zoological curios, 750 traditional spells, tricks, and magical recipes, 50 black and white illustrations |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo Bible Magic Miss Michaele, Charles Porterfield, 2014-05-03 Practical, honest, and straightforward, this book teaches the history and unlocks the mystery of Christian Conjuration with the Holy Scriptures. Learn ancient traditional spells of Psalmic Magic from forgotten books of Jewish wisdom preserved by African American elders, open the Bible's treasure-house of Secret Charms and Sacred Amulets, and prepare yourself for revelations and wonders. The Bible is a magic book! THIS book tells you just how to use it--Excerpt from Amazon.com. |
| what is rootwork: Backwoods Shamanism Ray Hess, 2014-10-31 This exciting account of southern hoodoo is written from the first-hand perspective of a real life modern practitioner who remains rooted in the old ways of his family. Full of original formulas and tried and true recipes this book also addresses history, divination and natural medicine in a simple, no-nonsense language making it easily accessible to the beginner, as well as an invaluable reference for the experienced practitioner. |
| what is rootwork: Deliverance! Khi Armand, 2015-05-16 Do you feel stuck and unlucky? Have you been crossed up or jinxed? Experiencing chronic difficulty in life? IT'S TIME TO BE DELIVERED! Using tools and techniques from the Southern Conjure tradition, this practical, down-to-earth guide teaches you how to use uncrossing spells to take off rootwork, clean up old messes, heal emotional wounds, and protect yourself and your family. Learn how to remediate magical curses and self-sabotaging patterns of life as you harness your dreams to achieve spiritual healing and open your roads to success! No matter the circumstance, DELIVERANCE IS YOURS TODAY! |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence Course Catherine Yronwode, 2006-04-01 The Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence Course is a teaching companion to Hoodoo in Theory and Practice and Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic by catherine yronwode, providing a private 52-week tutorial for those who want to learn how to become conjure doctors. Both theoretical and practical matters are covered in the lessons, including herbal information, magic spells, traditional techniques, historical background, how root doctors work for clients, what candle shop owners do, and other inside information not generally available to the public. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo For Beginners Brian Loza, 2020-12-29 Hoodoo for beginners |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo Cleansing and Protection Magic Miss Aida, 2020 Does your house feel a little wonky? Is someone giving you the evil eye? Are you just having a run of bad luck or have you been cursed? Miss Aida answers all these questions and more. She offers sound, practical advice for all sorts of dicey situations, both large and small. The book is filled with rituals, spells, and Miss Aida's own personal magickal formulas for removing negative energies, breaking malevolent spells, and banishing harmful people so that you can take control and live your best life-- |
| what is rootwork: Rootwork Veronica Golos, 2015 Poetry. African American Studies. Women's Studies. Native American Studies. In ROOTWORK, Veronica Golos' third book of poetry, the author continues her restless exploration into American history—this time into the daily lives of anti-slavery abolitionists John Brown and Mary Day Brown. Combining sweeping scholarly research with epic re-imagining, ROOTWORK uses epistolary poems as a gateway into character, motivation, passion, and love. Golos digs deep into the Browns, and she sets up an undercurrent as well, using the voices of runaways and ghosts. In a book of great imagination and courage—she completely inhabits the lesser-known Mary Brown—Golos shows how poetry can seep beneath the skin with language both restrained and transcendent. Veronica Golos is a poet who has a deep passion for justice and truth- telling. ROOTWORK continues her exploration of language that brings us good and bad news of American history and culture. With her imagined lost writings of Mary Ann Day Brown and John Brown as the root of this important new volume, Golos asks of us to consider the emotional weight, spiritual depth, and intellectual heft of those connected with revolutionaries, rebels, the opponents of the social order. Brown's hanging is often seen as the moment when abolitionists could truly say they would sacrifice themselves to end slavery, given that the plantation South had already decided they would do everything to keep the profitable industry going. While she digs deeper and deeper into the lives of those who made American history—John Brown, Sojourner Truth, Frances Harper, et al, it is Mary, the second wife and the mother of many children, whose interrogation of her own soul that Golos examines with language as spare as a Kansas landscape or as soaring as a sermon. With this collection, Golos reclaims an unheard voice among the many powerful voices for freedom.—Patricia Spears Jones |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo Spells Marie Laveau, Reverend John, 2020-03-31 22 Spells in the Hoodoo tradition and a few conjure oil recipes, this little book has quite a lot of info in it. Originally published under Marie Laveau's lost spells. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo Candle Magic Spell Book Mamanu Niarè, 2021-02-15 Have you ever thought about the magic of candles, but you felt like it is impossible or hard to believe? In this life-changing guide, you will find all you need to know to deal with magic and cast candle spells... A burning candle is one of the simplest forms of magic. You can practice candle magic almost anywhere, and most importantly, candles are very easy to find. The basic principles are concentrating, visualizing, and focusing your desires on the candle as a symbol, and all that comes with it is your energy and creative power. Starting is simple: purify the space, relax and gain a positive mental state. Make sure the space is quiet. Give the candle some of your vibes. This will be the wax for your thoughts, desires, and life force... ★ Written with a down-to-earth approach, this comprehensive and deeply detailed book provides everything you need to know about candle magic and how it can impact your daily life. From learning how to practice rituals to understanding Hoodoo's beliefs and philosophies. Here's what you'll find in this guide: A comprehensive introduction to candle magic, what it is, and why it hides immense power How to choose the candle color according to your purpose and make a perfect working ritual A thorough guide to mastering the art of candle magic: from dressing to analyzing flame behavior A step-by-step manual to create your candles with simple steps and give them even more magical power A collection of proven rituals for getting the most out of several aspects of your life: love, money, luck, spirituality, and much more... Even if you're a complete beginner feeling awkward but want to enter the magical world of candle magic, start now with the hands-on method with rituals and spells in this guide, and you won't regret it. Are you ready to step into a whole new awareness? Get your copy today and gets in touch with the simplest form of magic! |
| what is rootwork: African American Slave Medicine Herbert C. Covey, 2008-09-09 African-American Slave Medicine offers a critical examination of how African-American slaves medical needs were addressed during the years before and surrounding the Civil War. Drawing upon ex-slave interviews conducted during the 1930s and 1940s bythe Works Project Administration (WPA), Dr. Herbert C. Covey inventories many of the herbal, plant, and non-plant remedies used by African-American folk practitioners during slavery. He demonstrates how active the slaves were in their own medical care and the important role faith played in the healing process. This book links each referenced plant or herb to modern scientific evidence to determine its actual worth and effects on the patients. Through his study, Dr. Covey unravels many of the complex social relationships found between the African-American slaves, Whites, folk practitioners, and patients. African-American Slave Medicine is a compelling and captivating read that will appeal to scholars of African-American history and those interestedin folk medicine. |
| what is rootwork: Secrets of the Psalms Godfrey Selig, 2014-04-14 The Psalms of the King James Bible are the keys to communicating with God through prayer. Godfrey Selig's translation of a key fragment of the practical Kabala allows the reader to fully utilize the Psalms and prayers as they were meant to be used. Included in this edition are also a printing of all 150 Psalms from the King James Bible, a must have for any true devotee of God. |
| what is rootwork: The Magical Power of the Saints Ray T. Malbrough, 2002-09 The Reverend Ray Marlbrough guides the reader through a list of 74 saints and their attributes, and shows you how to evoke their powers for practical help through prayer, candle-burning and divination. |
| what is rootwork: Haitian Vodou Mambo Chita Tann, 2012-02-08 Haitian Vodou is a fascinating spiritual tradition rich with ceremonies and magic, songs and prayers, dances and fellowship. Yet outside of Haiti, next to no one understands this joyous and profound way of life. ln Haitian Vodou, Mambo Chita Tann explores the historical roots and contemporary practices of this unique tradition, including discussions of: Customs, beliefs, sacred spaces, and ritual objects Characteristics and behaviors of the Lwa, the spirits served by Vodou practitioners Common misconceptions such as voodoo dolls and the zombie phenomenon Questions and answers for attending ceremonies and getting involved in a sosyete (Vodou house) Correspondence tables, Kreyol glossary, supplemental prayer texts, and an extensive list of reference books and online resources Well-researched, comprehensive, and engaging, Haitian Vodou will be a welcome addition for people new to Haitian spirituality as well as for students, practitioners, and academics. |
| what is rootwork: Backwoods Witchcraft Jake Richards, 2019-06-01 In Backwoods Witchcraft, Jake Richards offers up a folksy stew of family stories, lore, omens, rituals, and conjure crafts that he learned from his great-grandmother, his grandmother, and his grandfather, a Baptist minister who Jake remembers could rid someone of a fever with an egg or stop up the blood in a wound. The witchcraft practiced in Appalachia is very much a folk magic of place, a tradition that honors the seen and unseen beings that inhabit the land as well as the soil, roots, and plant life. The materials and tools used in Appalachia witchcraft are readily available from the land. This grounded approach will be of keen interest to witches and conjure folk regardless of where they live. Readers will be guided in how to build relationships with the spirits and other beings that dwell around them and how to use the materials and tools that are readily available on the land where one lives. This book also provides instructions on how to create a working space and altar and make conjure oils and powders. A wide array of tried-and-true formulas are also offered for creating wealth, protecting one from gossip, spiritual cleansing, and more. |
| what is rootwork: Hoodoo For Beginners: An Introduction to African American Folk Magic Clara Robinson, 2021-08-14 There are many benefits to the practice of hoodoo and how it is used to influence the human condition As much as it has been used in popular culture as a horror aesthetic, it has also in recent years become a light, illuminating the living practice of African American folk religion. Hoodoo itself developed as a combination of beliefs from different African cultures. African slaves united their beliefs and cultures after being brought to America in an attempt to go back to their own roots, to rekindle the flame of their home cultures, and thus hoodoo was born. Hoodoo was used as both a spiritual and physical tool for survival. African slaves were very unlikely to get proper medical attention, and so they had to look after their own with the use of the botanical knowledge that they had at their disposal in order to keep themselves balanced and healthy. Traditional hoodoo practices were preserved orally by those enslaved in order to ensure that practices were not lost, as many of those enslaved did not always have many earthly possessions. These practices have survived to the present day, despite the belief that it is used only in late seventeenth-century midnight seances. |
| what is rootwork: Slave Religion Albert J. Raboteau, 2004-10-07 Twenty-five years after its original publication, Slave Religion remains a classic in the study of African American history and religion. In a new chapter in this anniversary edition, author Albert J. Raboteau reflects upon the origins of the book, the reactions to it over the past twenty-five years, and how he would write it differently today. Using a variety of first and second-hand sources-- some objective, some personal, all riveting-- Raboteau analyzes the transformation of the African religions into evangelical Christianity. He presents the narratives of the slaves themselves, as well as missionary reports, travel accounts, folklore, black autobiographies, and the journals of white observers to describe the day-to-day religious life in the slave communities. Slave Religion is a must-read for anyone wanting a full picture of this invisible institution. |
| what is rootwork: Conjuring Culture Theophus H. Smith, 1995-11-09 This book provides a sophisticated new interdisciplinary interpretation of the formulation and evolution of African American religion and culture. Theophus Smith argues for the central importance of conjure--a magical means of transforming reality--in black spirituality and culture. Smith shows that the Bible, the sacred text of Western civilization, has in fact functioned as a magical formulary for African Americans. Going back to slave religion, and continuing in black folk practice and literature to the present day, the Bible has provided African Americans with ritual prescriptions for prophetically re-envisioning, and thereby transforming, their history and culture. In effect the Bible is a conjure book for prescribing cures and curses, and for invoking extraordinary and Divine powers to effect changes in the conditions of human existence--and to bring about justice and freedom. Biblical themes, symbols, and figures like Moses, the Exodus, the Promised Land, and the Suffering Servant, as deployed by African Americans, have crucially formed and reformed not only black culture, but American society as a whole. Smith examines not only the religious and political uses of conjure, but its influence on black aesthetics, in music, drama, folklore, and literature. The concept of conjure, he shows, is at the heart of an indigenous and still vital spirituality, with exciting implications for reformulating the next generation of black studies and black theology. Even more broadly, Smith proposes, conjuring culture can function as a new paradigm for understanding Western religious and cultural phenomena generally. |
| what is rootwork: Mules and Men Zora Neale Hurston, 2009-10-13 Zora Neale Hurston brings us Black America’s folklore as only she can, putting the oral history on the written page with grace and understanding. This new edition of Mules and Men features a new cover and a P.S. section which includes insights, interviews, and more. For the student of cultural history, Mules and Men is a treasury of Black America’s folklore as collected by Zora Neale Hurston, the storyteller and anthropologist who grew up hearing the songs and sermons, sayings and tall tales that have formed and oral history of the South since the time of slavery. Set intimately within the social context of Black life, the stories, “big old lies,” songs, voodoo customs, and superstitions recorded in these pages capture the imagination and bring back to life the humor and wisdom that is the unique heritage of Black Americans. |
| what is rootwork: Secret History of Memphis Hoodoo, A: Rootworkers, Conjurers & Spirituals Tony Kail, 2017 Widely known for its musical influence, Beale Street was also once a hub for Hoodoo culture. Many blues icons, such as Big Memphis Ma Rainey and Sonny Boy Williamson, dabbled in the mysterious tradition. Its popularity in some African American communities throughout the past two centuries fueled racial tension--practitioners faced social stigma and blame for anything from natural disasters to violent crimes. However, necessity sometimes outweighed prejudice, and even those with the highest social status turned to Hoodoo for prosperity, love or retribution. Author Tony Kail traces this colorful Memphis heritage, from the arrival of Africans in Shelby County to the growth of conjure culture in juke joints and Spiritual Churches. |
| what is rootwork: The Conjure Workbook Volume 1 Starr Casas, 2013-04-01 Momma Starr is so thankful to announce the release of The Conjure Workbook, a truly magical tome for all spiritual workers whether you're a novice, debutant, or experienced hoodoo practitioner. There's something special in this 'traditional conjure diamond in the rough' for all magical workers Christian and non-Christian alike. Are you ready to learn how truly seasoned and experienced conjure workers of the past and present work both hands to overcome mountains keeping you from reaching your peak of success? Then Momma Starr's The Conjure Workbook Volume I - Working the Root is the remedy for your daily ailments. If you are ready to draw total success into your life that can't be knocked down then The Conjure Workbook is for you. |
| what is rootwork: Blue Roots Roger Pinckney, 2003 |
A Beginners Guide To Hoodoo Rootwork - Original Botanica
Apr 14, 2025 · Hoodoo is a practice that combines traditional West African elements with Native American and European elements. It is also sometimes called rootwork, working the roots, or …
Hoodoo (spirituality) - Wikipedia
African American pastors combined Pentecostalism and African-derived traditions of Hoodoo, Voodoo, conjure, and rootwork to heal church members of physical and spiritual ailments.
Black History: Understanding 'Rootwork,' our ancestral rituals …
Feb 9, 2020 · Rootwork is an ancestral form of alchemy which includes herbalism, mediumship and divination. Herbalism (herbal medicine) is the use of plants, roots, grass and weeds for …
What is Hoodoo? - ConjureDoctor.com
Hoodoo (also known as rootwork) is Southern folk magic grounded in centuries of African American heritage within the southern United States. Hoodoo is often known by other names …
What is Rootwork — Magic Spell Witchcraft
Rootwork, also known as conjure or Hoodoo, is a traditional African American folk magic system that has its origins in the southern United States. This spiritual practice blends African, Native …
Hoodoo - Conjure - Rootwork: -- Definition and History
The first two refer to rootwork -- the use of herbs for medical and magical purposes; the latter three are African survivals, referring to the worker's contact with spirits who reside in the …
Hoodoo-Conjure-Rootwork: Definition and History
Rootwork, hoodoo, conjuration and conjure refer to magickal and medicinal practices without a specific religious connotation. New Orleans Voudou or Voodoo is a religion with a pantheon of …
Rootwork: An Introduction to Hoodoo Oils - Ulysses Press
Apr 6, 2022 · Also referred to as “hoodoo” or “conjure work,” rootwork is the spiritual work that originated from the ancestors of Africa. During the transatlantic slave trade, Africans were …
Intro to Hoodoo - conjure, root
First, a short lesson on what sets conjure and hoodoo apart from other magickal techniques. Conjure also known as African American Folk Magic, Folklore, Hoodoo, or Rootwork (terms …
What is ROOTWORK? definition of ROOTWORK ... - Psychology …
Ethnic or folk faith structure, widespread in the southern part of the United States, along with the Caribbean; which blames sickness on witchery, hexes, voodoo curses, and spells, called roots.
A Beginners Guide To Hoodoo Rootwork - Original Botanica
Apr 14, 2025 · Hoodoo is a practice that combines traditional West African elements with Native American and European elements. It is also sometimes called rootwork, working the roots, or …
Hoodoo (spirituality) - Wikipedia
African American pastors combined Pentecostalism and African-derived traditions of Hoodoo, Voodoo, conjure, and rootwork to heal church members of physical and spiritual ailments.
Black History: Understanding 'Rootwork,' our ancestral rituals …
Feb 9, 2020 · Rootwork is an ancestral form of alchemy which includes herbalism, mediumship and divination. Herbalism (herbal medicine) is the use of plants, roots, grass and weeds for …
What is Hoodoo? - ConjureDoctor.com
Hoodoo (also known as rootwork) is Southern folk magic grounded in centuries of African American heritage within the southern United States. Hoodoo is often known by other names …
What is Rootwork — Magic Spell Witchcraft
Rootwork, also known as conjure or Hoodoo, is a traditional African American folk magic system that has its origins in the southern United States. This spiritual practice blends African, Native …
Hoodoo - Conjure - Rootwork: -- Definition and History
The first two refer to rootwork -- the use of herbs for medical and magical purposes; the latter three are African survivals, referring to the worker's contact with spirits who reside in the …
Hoodoo-Conjure-Rootwork: Definition and History
Rootwork, hoodoo, conjuration and conjure refer to magickal and medicinal practices without a specific religious connotation. New Orleans Voudou or Voodoo is a religion with a pantheon of …
Rootwork: An Introduction to Hoodoo Oils - Ulysses Press
Apr 6, 2022 · Also referred to as “hoodoo” or “conjure work,” rootwork is the spiritual work that originated from the ancestors of Africa. During the transatlantic slave trade, Africans were …
Intro to Hoodoo - conjure, root
First, a short lesson on what sets conjure and hoodoo apart from other magickal techniques. Conjure also known as African American Folk Magic, Folklore, Hoodoo, or Rootwork (terms …
What is ROOTWORK? definition of ROOTWORK ... - Psychology …
Ethnic or folk faith structure, widespread in the southern part of the United States, along with the Caribbean; which blames sickness on witchery, hexes, voodoo curses, and spells, called roots.
