“WHAT IS ROOTWORK?
Rootwork is a form of folk magick that uses
the elements of nature to create change in
ourselves, others, or our environment. It
is an African-American form of shamanism that
makes use of herbs, stones, rocks, and other
organic material to heal the body or the mind,
or to solve a problem. Like all other forms
of shamanism, Rootworkers believe that we
can use the unseen forces of nature to manipulate
the tangible world.
Rootwork is also known as ‘Hoodoo’
in the southern part of the United States.
The word ‘hoodoo’ is probably
derived from the word ‘juju,’
an African word meaning ‘magic,’
or from ‘Voodoo,’ a corrupted
version of the Fon word ‘Vodun,’
meaning ‘spirit’ or ‘god.’
But unlike Vodun . . . Rootwork is not a religion.
It has no pantheon or priesthood. It refers
only to a set of healing and spell practices,
and the practitioner can be whatever religion
they wish.”
Tayannah Lee McQuillar (2003)
Hoodoo is a very strong
part of the New Orleans folk magic tradition.
Along with Voodoo and Santeria, it thrives
in the diverse cultural “gumbo”
that makes up this fascinating city. Most
citizens of New Orleans either practice or
intimately know someone who practices some
form of rootwork, or hoodoo, on a regular
basis. It is common in New Orleans and surrounding
areas to seek out a “gris gris”
for anything from good luck at the casinos
or keeping pesky neighbors away, to potent
“mojos” for sexual prowess and
securing the affections of a potential lover.
Hey, you can direct hoodoo to your report cards, cheeky bingo numbers or driving exam if you feel like it! It is all in the power of the mind. People get creative with their hoodoo work. Hoodoo is also commonly used to curse one’s
enemies.
Coexisting together, Hoodoo and Voodoo share
many familiar elements. Though the latter
probably influenced the former, many terms,
spells and practices have a common connection.
Hoodoo, however, is very informal; based largely
on traditional African practices, it also
drew heavily from Native American and other
Nature-based folk traditions, such as those
of the gypsies and Acadian “traiteurs.”
Where Voodoo is an established religion with
its own hierarchy and rituals, Hoodoo combines
elements of most of the major belief systems
– Christian, Jewish, and European folk
practices, even elements of Southern Evangelical
faith healing - all found their way into Hoodoo
over time.
“HOW DOES IT WORK? No form of magick
is based on logic – if it was, then
it would cease to be magick. There is no explanation
for why spells work, but they do. All that
is needed to work successfully with spells
is patience, confidence, and faith. It is
a completely illogical process that must be
allowed simply to be. As soon as you try to
analyze it, its power is lost.”
Tayannah Lee McQuillar (2003)
Hoodoo places great emphasis
on the magical power of the individual. Practices
can be easily adapted based on one’s
desires for a particular outcome; simple rituals
also easily adapt to most people’s inclination
and habits.
Hoodoo knowledge is generally passed person
to person and because there is no particular
structure within hoodoo, spells and practices
are as numerous as practitioners. Many medicinal
concoctions are geared toward use by hoodoo
workers and significant use is also made of
homemade potions and charms. Recipes for successful
charms and potions have remained unchanged
for generations.
Although it was the slaves who brought the
African beliefs of Vodun and its hoodoo counterpart
to the United States, in most areas of the
country these practices died out or were absorbed
into other area folk traditions. The exception
to this is Louisiana, where hoodoo practices
thrived among the slave population, distinct
from those of Vodun or Santeria, which were
hidden through syncretization with the Catholic
religion. The African-Americans in Louisiana
did not forget the vast magical and herbal
knowledge that had been a part of their life
in Africa. Thus, hoodoo was born.
Hoodoo in New Orleans is practiced under several
names – Vieux Carre rootwork, Bywater
conjure, Mid-City magick – but all share
a similar origin and essential practices.
With a rich mixture of Native American and
traditional European folk belief thrown in,
New Orleans hoodoo is unlike any other root
religion in the south.
Despite being generally loosely organized,
New Orleans hoodoo still has a number of taboos
and rules in place that are strictly observed.
Rootworkers in New Orleans made use of a wide
range of charms, talismans and amulets designed
to attract good luck, ward off bad luck, or
in some way increase the power of the individual
for whom they are made. These charms and talismans
are usually prepared after careful consultation
between the individual and the rootworker
and once the charm is made and has been consecrated,
no one else should handle it except the person
it was intended for.
Charms, talismans and amulets come in many
forms. The most popular rootwork charm is
the “mojo” bag, “a tiny
bag made of flannel, silk or leather that
includes herbs, stones and other ingredients
combined to achieve an objective.” The
mojo is also often called “gris-gris,”
especially among Voodoo workers, as well as
“wanga,” “conjure,”
or “trick bag.” The word “mojo”
most probably comes from the West African/Yoruban
word “mojuba,” which means “give
praise.” Mojos are usually worn against
the skin or carried in a pocket or purse and
should always remain hidden.
Mojo and gris-gris bags are often prepared
in occult shops or the popular “botanicas”
that serve the thriving root business in and
around New Orleans. Perhaps the most popular
of these botanic markets is The Island of
Salvation, owned an operated by Voodoo Priestess
Sallie Ann Glassman. Another botanica, F&F
Church Supply, carries many of the popular
ingredients for mojos and gris-gris and also
serves the popular Santeria practice in the
City.
Other common mojo ingredients are taken from
the natural environment and even from the
human body. This is why it is vitally important
never to allow anyone to touch or handle the
consecrated mojo bag except the person for
whom it has been created.
TALISMANS are also another important element
of New Orleans hoodoo rootwork. Unlike their
mojo cousins, most talismans are usually intended
to be openly displayed either in an effort
to attract a positive influence to the wearer
or, alternately, to ward off negative influences
such as evil conjure.
Talismans, or talisman ingredients, generally
come from the natural world surrounding us,
and everything from badger teeth to snakeskin
has its proper place and influence in the
hoodoo rootworker’s bag. Elements from
the animal kingdom are often said to impart
the powers of particular animals to the wearer,
an example of the strong Native American influence
present in hoodoo.
Other talismans
are designed to bring increase to the bearer,
and there are several popular talismanic devices
of this sort. Probably the most famous and
most sought after luck talisman of the New
Orleans hoodoo tradition is the Golden Monkey
and Cock Curio Statue.
The history of the Monkey and Cock Statues
go back generations in New Orleans and have
been associated with the secret practices
of the societies founded by Voodoo Queen Marie
Laveaux. In the New Orleans of today, the
Sacred Gold Monkey and Cock Statues are hand
carved by Bianca and members of the societies
and then covered with 18 karet gold plate
paint of superior quality actually resembling
metal plating and each comes in a wooden box
. Then Good Luck curio are individually blessed
by Bianca, the reigning Queen of New Orleans
Voodoo, in ritual blessing ceremonies held
twice yearly.
Small plaster Monkey and Cock statues have
been appearing at the grave of Voodoo Queen
Marie Laveau for years and these more common
Monkey and Cock statues are said to grant
three wishes to the bearer over a three year
period.
The gold Sacred Monkey and Cock Statue is
said to grant wishes for the lifetime of the
owner. It has been the experience of those
who keep the gold Monkey and Cock statues
that wishes are granted, on average, once
each year, though there have been occasions
where several wishes at a time have been fulfilled.
Unlike their common counterpart, the gold
Monkey and Cock Statue is generally quite
rare and those who have them in their possession
usually do not relinquish them. Unlike mojos
or gris-gris prepared for a particular individual,
the Sacred Golden Monkey and Cock Statue can
be passed down through generations and usually
is.
HOODOO AND THE FOLK DOCTOR: THE CAJUN TRAITEUR
Hoodoo and rootwork also share a strong connection
with traditional folk medicine practices in
New Orleans and surrounding regions.
Perhaps the most well-known practitioners
of rootwork folk medicine in south Louisiana
are the Cajun traiteurs, or folk-healers.
Sharing many of the elements of traditional
African-American rootwork, traiteur folk medicine
is a practice that has traditionally existed
among the Acadians, or Cajuns of southwest
Louisiana for hundreds of years. The traiteur’s
beliefs are learned informally, by word of
mouth and through observation and demonstration.
Long before the advent of modern medicine,
folk traiteurs in the rural bayous of south
Louisiana were using traditional methods and
ingredients, such as herbs, tree and plant
roots, fruits, insects and foods for the treatment
of illnesses ranging from warts, sore throats
and arthritis to impotency, malaria and even
certain cancers. This is the rootwork tradition
of the Cajun traiteur.
Often this hoodoo tradition is enhanced with
the addition of faith healing. This commonly
involved the use of religious folk objects
or items and prayers to aid in curing the
ailment presented to the traiteur. Charms
and talismans are often also employed to assist
in the healing process. Talismanic elements
are often taken from the natural world of
the traiteur, from things found easily in
the swamps and bayous of south Louisiana.
These materials include molasses, tea, garlic,
cypress tree roots, alligator teeth, beaver
tail, nutria tongue, and many other strange
but potent natural remedies.
A strong tradition among the Cajun traiteurs
is the use of small effigies, similar to voodoo
dolls, carved in the likeness of the sick
person whom the traiteur is trying to heal.
While the person undergoes home treatment,
the traiteur will usually use the little image
of the sick person to reinforce the healing.
By treating the tiny effigy the healing link
is maintained and the traiteur can concentrate
greater effort on the healing process.
It is not unknown for negative conjuring to
be performed against the little dolls and
because of this the traiteur will do all he
can to protect them. Just like talismans,
the dolls representing sick individuals under
the traiteur’s care will not be handled
by anyone except the folk healer for fear
that this will interfere with the proper treatment
of the ailment.
Similar to the Monkey and Cock Statue, once
the sick person has been healed, he or she
will often make a pilgrimage into the swamp
accompanied by the traiteur. There the person
who has been healed by the products of the
natural world will set up an altar of thanks
for the healing that has occurred, and at
the instruction of the traiteur, will leave
the folk doll on the altar in acknowledgement
of the good work that has been done.
One of the most famous practitioners of this
kind of healing hoodoo was the famous Josephine
Mosebury, a direct descendant of the famous
hoodoo rootworker Fanny Mosebury, who, it
is said, learned her craft under the instruction
of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
