The Noble Pagan Forums - What Is Hoodoo?

**CarolinaGonzalez** · by CarolinaGonzalez 11-04-2009, 05:42 AM

Traditionally, Hoodoo is born in the USA around the 19th century, though due to its nature it's hard to date – in essence, it's as old as humanity, and is formed mainly by the mixture of:

Catholicism: worship of Catholic deities/saints, often syncretized from the forced baptism of black slaves. Also, use of several books of the Bible as spell books. Use of churches as sacred places.
African Religions: worship of the Yoruba (Santería) and the Ewe (Voodoo) deities, practices of spellcasting, spiritism and rituals. Cult to the Orishas, the Lwa and the Spirits of the Dead.
Native American Shamanism: cult to Nature and its animal and plant totems, use of local herbal medicines and entheogens, shamanistic practices.

Hoodoo is not a religion, it is a practice. It can be crafted by Witches of all paths, as any deity can be worshiped under this form of Witchcraft. It has never been hierarchic and it has never formed a church, though big communities can be born around particular practitioners. Anyone who belongs to any other religion can be a Hoodooist without leaving it, as Hoodoo does not interfere with personal beliefs; for Hoodoo, results is what matters.

Above all, Hoodoo is practical. It is focused on folk magick practices that work together to achieve a purpose, and not on the worship of particular deities, as each practitioner builds his/her personal pantheon as preferred. On a Hoodoo altar, you can find a statue of the Virgin Mary, next to an African Shango, next to representation of a fairy guardian spirit. Of course there are cults that have reached more fame while others remain local, but in the end Hoodoo is the epitome of Eclecticism – if it works, it works, no matter where it comes from. In the essence of the Hoodoo practise, medieval grimoires and oral lore walk hand in hand, along with the using of the books of Psalms from the Bible, which is actually one of the most used spellbooks in Hoodoo. I personally do not use any Catholic imagery or spells in my work, but I have known many practitioners that use it successfully.

Hoodoo is, as you can see, an incredibly wide term, as there is one Hoodoo for every practitioner. In my personal way of working with it, I incorporate a lot of the works of local herbal healers and my love for Afro-Caribbean cults, but also my knowledge of renaissance Witchcraft, Dianic Witchcraft and even Buddhism. In reality, Hoodoo is just folk magic, and a Hoodoo Witch makes potions and remedies, gives advice to those worried, reads oracles to see the future and tries to live a Sacred Existence... just as any other Witch. Why did I choose it as my personal definition? Because it's beyond definition, beyond religion. Because you have to create it to be able to experience it; because it is the practice of Magick in itself, free from all ties.

**CelticSpider** · 11-04-2009

Thank you for taking the time to break down a definition of Hoodoo. I found it very informative.

C/S/

**CarolinaGonzalez** · 11-04-2009

Thanks! It is my intention to start from the basics and then go towards specific forms of Hoodoo, along with any questions that arises in between articles

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**Macha Rising** · 11-04-2009

You mentioned that Hoodoo could be practiced in other faiths. What if one is not so much into the Catholicism? What other deities/entities are associated with Hoodoo?

What is the main and most significant difference between a Hoodoo ritual and say...a generic, run of the mill Pagan ritual?

Do you associate with Totems or spirit guides? Is Hoodoo more spiritual than anything else? Can I add and subtract from it, and the practice still remain hoodoo-ey?

**CarolinaGonzalez** · 11-04-2009

"You mentioned that Hoodoo could be practiced in other faiths. What if one is not so much into the Catholicism? What other deities/entities are associated with Hoodoo?"

I personally do not use any Catholic imagery or use the Bible, and I've been practising for many years - actually, one of the best practitioners I know is also a Traditional European Witch, so any faith can be "hoodooed". The deities related to Hoodoo, which are many, are just the topics of my next articles here.

"What is the main and most significant difference between a Hoodoo ritual and say...a generic, run of the mill Pagan ritual?"

Mainly the deities and aesthetics. In essence, it is just another form of Paganism. My everyday witchy activities are very much the same as any Pagan Witch. Of course, being a cult extended mainly on Latin/Caribbean countries, the use of local herbs and curios make the practise different - you can't use mistletoe in a place where the summer lasts 9 months, like here, because it can't grow anywhere.

"Do you associate with Totems or spirit guides?"
Yes, definitely - Nature and its spirits, as well as Spiritual guides of deceased priests and priestess, are revered as much as in any other form of spirituality.

"Is Hoodoo more spiritual than anything else? Can I add and subtract from it, and the practice still remain hoodoo-ey?"

I'd say Hoodoo is a practise, more than a religion, and its practise is in permanent growth. New powerful spirits are added every few years to the pantheon, because it is a completely alive cult in countries like Cuba and Venezuela. Spirits like La Negra Francisca or José Gregorio Hernández, essential Spiritual Guides in Santeria, died both about 100 years ago. Hoodoo is a permanently evolving cult, created by Hoodooists - and that is one of the main reasons why I love it

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*kattdaida* · 11-10-2009

Thank you for a most informative post! Since I have Cuban roots, this might be the thing I am looking for, as I already do divination and oracle, but not so much spellcasting (yet). I would be interested in conversing with you about Hoodoo, as your calendar permits.