Historical and Contemporary Hoodoo Root Doctors, Practitioners, Fortune Tellers, and Shop Owners

Unread post by **carolina_dean** » Thu May 20, 2010 10:25 pm

Thanks everyone, I was happy to share what I found with the forum. There were many, many other stories online but they could only be obtained by paying for them, which I am unable and unwilling to do at this time.

I hope this encourages you all to check the area in which you live and learn a bit more about the practice of conjure in your area of the world.

Dean

# 56G

Unread post by **cognitivedissonance** » Fri May 28, 2010 3:19 am

There sure are a lot of Doctor Buzzards out there...

Unread post by **ConjureMan** » Fri May 28, 2010 2:13 pm

Doctor Buzzard was famous, or infamous depending on your point of view and as such sprung up a bunch of "little" Doctor Buzzards after his death.

I guess it is an homage to original.

Miss_Liz · Unread post by **Miss_Liz** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 2:20 pm

http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/07/14/fin ... y-finds%2F

wow that's a long address lol anyway I thought this was interesting. Not calling hoodoo superstitions, but it's nice to have a little bit of science backing things up

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:34 pm

Thanks for posting. I saw that too. It is very interesting -- and funny how scientists can't say that magic works, only that people who believ \e in "superstitions" perform better. HA!

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:54 pm

Thanks for posting!

Unread post by **cognitivedissonance** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:18 am

I caught the Yronwode shout-out in the book Occult America's hoodoo chapter as I was reading it at work today.

I thought that the author Mitch Horowitz did a pretty good job connecting the dots between Hoodoo and New Thought, something I hadn't considered before, even though Hoodoo predates New Thought by a wide berth. The book is a fantastic introduction to all the disparate schools of thought that coexist simultaneously here in the Land of the Free, although I wish he would have gone into further detail about Black Herman, about whom I hadn't heard.

Fascinating stuff!

Unread post by **Mama Micki** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:52 am

Occult America is an excellent book.

misterkurtis · Unread post by **misterkurtis** » Sun Sep 26, 2010 9:00 am

Occult America is a good survey of the occult in America. I enjoyed the Harry Wallace stuff.

Unread post by **Joseph Magnuson** » Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:18 pm

I have wanted to read Occult America for a while...perhaps I will try to find a good used copy in the city this week. Thank you for bringing it up again...jogging my memory!

-Joseph

Shadileigh · Unread post by **Shadileigh** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:31 pm

After the news scare with hoodoo powders in the mail being mistaken for anthrax powder, this happened to me:

Just last weekend, I was traveling and had to go through security at a Florida airport. In my purse I was carrying my mojo for protection. While I was putting my shoes back on, I saw the security guard stop my purse and call another guard over. He pointed to something on the screen (I'm guessing it was my mojo- because the only other items in my purse were a hairbrush, cell phone, and my wallet).

The second guard, who happened to be African-American said something that I couldn't catch, and they let my bag pass. I was nervous that my bag would be stopped again on the return flight, but luckily there was no delay.

Does anyone know if there have been any problems with getting mojo bags through airport security? I was so worried that they'd think I was toting drugs or worse.

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:05 pm

I have travelled with mojo bags through airport security, no problem. As in your case, most of the inspectors were African American -- and not a word was said.

However, after the large newspaper play about anthrax powders, i would be cautions trying to get hoodoo sachet packets through an inspection.

Unread post by **cognitivedissonance** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 1:23 am

I carried a mojo on Amtrak this last week, they didn't even open my bags. There could've been anything in there.

route95 · Unread post by **route95** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 9:50 am

Regarding a mojo on Amtrack, especially after the newspaper articles in which hoodoo powders were apparently mistaken for deadly Anthrax:

In my experience, Amtrak doesn't do the same type of security measures as airports do, so there would be way less to worry about. Though I've only taken Amtrak on the Northeast, so it may be different in other parts of the country.

Unread post by **ConjureMan** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 9:50 am

When I travel, I actually don't carry my mojo bag or hoodoo sachet owders on me, but stow everyhing away in the luggage in a bag that says "Religious items, don't touch." I place Oregano in a petition paper that i fold into a packet and place in my luggage and I haven't had a problem so far.

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 10:42 am

Thanks to Erik Davis of Pop Arcana for a cool write-up at HiLoBrow on the Lucky Mojo Curio Co. He did a swell job and we are pleased to be noticed by the arcane press:

http://hilobrow.com/2010/10/20/pop-arca ... -you-know/

The article has also been picked up by the larger boingboing blog for further distribution:

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/10/22/er ... meric.html

Unread post by **jwmcclin** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 7:43 pm

Yaah cat, this is great information and recognition.

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 8:22 pm

Thanks! The recognition was great. The funniest error in the article is the statement that nagasiva has dreads! He has long, thin, brown hair. No dreads! He does braid his beard -- but how could a reporter confuse beard-braids with dreadlocks? LOL!

Unread post by **Joseph Magnuson** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 9:47 pm

Great article and the photograph of you is beautiful! Very nice!

-Joseph

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:31 pm

The photo of me is by our very own Robin Petersen.

Another photo of a bunch of us, including Robin, with the angel can be found here:

http://www.luckymojo.com/lucky-mojo-cre ... -24-10.jpg

Notice nagasiva's beard -- not dreads, a braided beard.

Interestingly, the reporter Erik Davis has allowed nagasiva to send in corrections to the article, and, this being the web, where permanent change is possible, the line about nagasiva wearing his hair in "dreads" may soon go bye-bye, which will doubtless confuse anyone reading the article who follows this thread.

Unread post by **cognitivedissonance** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 1:17 am

I loved it, it filled in a lot of gaps about LM and you... excellent. It does catch possibly the one thing that personally ATTRACTS me to hoodoo more than anything else: the kitsch. There's a sort of Pee Wee Herman quality to it that is just endearing to me, as a comic book and stage magic fanatic. The usual "pagan" stuff tends to turn me off because of it's aesthetic.

Fantastic article... makes me want to take a road trip RIGHT NOW.

Unread post by **ConjureMan** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 11:52 am

What a great pic! Love nagasiva's headwrap/ nemes

Donnalee2 · Unread post by **Donnalee2** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 7:46 pm

This it absolutely fabulous. Now I want to know when the Television deal will come in. A show on hoodoo would be a hit, Congrats Cat this article is very tastefully done.

cam · Unread post by **cam** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 12:05 pm

I am a reporter working on a story about how Rootwork and Hoodoo practices and sales have migrated to the Internet. I would like to speak with some Lucky Mojo customers who wouldn't mind being quoted in The Journal.

Thanks much for any help.

Regards,

Cameron McWhirter
Wall Street Journal -- Atlanta Bureau
404.865.4384
cameron.mcwhirter@wsj.com

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 12:14 pm

For the record -- this is cat, and Cam McWhirter is legitimate.

I cannot give him the names of the clients in our datgabase, for privacy reasons, but he is interested in interviewing people, especially from the South, who found Lucky Mojo thtough the internet.

He is a very nice man and will be respectful of you and your practices and beliefs.

Thanks for reading this, and special thanks to any of y'all who contact him and tell him your story, especially if it includes a background of family traditions of conjure and rootworking.

Love you all!

Unread post by **nagasiva** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:24 am

If you wish to contact Cam McWhirter, feel free to do so -- but if anyone contacts you with unsolicited mail proposals, offers or questions that you feel are uncomfortable or inappropriate please let us know and don't feel obliged to respond to them.

Unread post by **owlsfoot** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 2:38 pm

Just an interesting tidbit of historical interest I came across the other day that I thought I would share: In searching for the origins of the phrase "to hit a straight lick with a crooked stick" (used by Hurston, et al.), I came across this early reference, by one Rev. Edward Corbet, England, 1642:

"Do not contemne thy weak brother. God can raise his thoughts, or direct his follie to a happie end, he can make him an Instrument of glorie, who is now a subject of weaknesse, and can strike a streight stroake with a crooked stick."

There are a couple of other mid- to late 17th Century variants of the phrase I found as well, all by English clergymen. The phrase may be a loose adaptation of a Biblical verse, a general Biblical reference, or an older bit of Anglo folklore--it may not be possible to trace out the precise origins. But apparently the phrase was brought to the States by English settlers, and was at some point adopted by African-American (and other) communities in the South, where it has enjoyed good use.

Ah, the fascinating twists and turns of folkloric history.

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 5:44 pm

I have not known this to be an especially Black phrase -- i have heard it from White folks in the South.

Unread post by **owlsfoot** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 11:09 pm

Cat: That's interesting. To this point I have personally only heard (or seen) Black folks use it. That must simply be circumstantial, then.

YouTube · Unread post by **Miss Bri** » Sat Dec 11, 2010 8:08 am

This is a saying that many in my family use and we are white. Well, technically we are a big old mess of different races, ethnicities, and cultures but on our census forms most of us are going to check the "caucasian" box

Blessings,
Bri

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 9:35 pm

Southern Spirits is a web site i have created to contain historical and documentary material about hoodoo from the 19th and 20th centuries. Among the many articles are a number of accounts of hoodoo by ex-slaves, as well as newspaper articles from the past, and interviews with people who mentioned their use of rootwork.

New pages at Southern Spirits this week include:

An illustrated documentary article on hoodoo in a Baptist Church in New Jersey in 1900:
http://www.southern-spirits.com/anon-ba ... rt-nj.html

An account of which hoodoo supplies were being sold in Brooklyn, New York in 1925:
http://www.southern-spirits.com/anon-vo ... lyn-2.html

The obituary of a Louisiana French Creole root doctor and traiteur (healer) from 1965:
http://www.southern-spirits.com/fonteno ... tuary.html

Enjoy!

Unread post by **jwmcclin** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:30 pm

Thanks cat, this is very good information.

Unread post by **Miss Tammie Lee** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 6:41 pm

These were wonderful reading Miss Cat, and I really liked reading about Dr. Jack!
Thank you.

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:35 am

Hello, all --

The Wall Street Journal has just published an article on hoodoo and the internet which mentions the Lucky Mojo Curio Co. and other retailers, and features a slide show of pictures taken around our shop. Among the photos are two of Tracy McClendon and Aidan O'Reilly-Kelly dressing and lighting candles, a nice image of our shop manager Robin Petersen's home altar, and some weirdly "artsy" shots that were taken around the shop and the church, of which my favourite is the silhouette of me with Sophie, our Portuguese Water Dog. Here's the link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 01956.html

Unread post by **jwmcclin** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:42 am

This is a great article cat.

Maljen · Unread post by **Maljen** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 8:25 am

Yes it is! Went out and grabbed my copies this morning!

Unread post by **Lady Muse** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 1:27 pm

I read it and was so excited to see the pics and how LM was represented. It was Great! All I can say is Wooohoo!

Unread post by **Priestess Divine** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:01 pm

This WAS a great article! Nice to see more pictures of LM. Thanks for all LM has to offer. Love the Wizard!

Unread post by **starsinthesky7** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:21 pm

I'm so proud of Lucky mojo, and I'm glad that they stated Hoodoo as it is rather than making it seem like some demonic, witchcraft that people make it out to be. I love the woman in the article that people say shes crazy, but she doesnt care.

I love the coverage of the historical origins as well as he distinction from Voodoo. Great article, and I hope there are many more to come.

Unread post by **Miss Tammie Lee** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:41 am

VERY Proud of Miss Cat and Lucky Mojo as always and... they made the FRONT PAGE!!! Miss Cat is in a sketch on THE FRONT PAGE!!! Love to Miss Cat and Love to Lucky Mojo!!!

CheekyKittyChan · Unread post by **CheekyKittyChan** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:10 pm

I read the article and I enjoyed it very much...

shaitan · Unread post by **shaitan** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 1:52 pm

yes I agree very good info thanks cat

Unread post by **Joseph Magnuson** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:50 am

I am thrilled at the new additions to the Southern Spirits site! I can;t wait to get home from work and read those up! Thank you for the heads-up, Cat!

-Joseph

Unread post by **benitaw78** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:51 pm

I don't know if anyone has ever read the Va GhostVvolumes by L.B. Taylor, but there are some stories that talk about Hoodoo in "Va Ghost" Volume XIII. It begins on Chapter 30, page 110 and goes on to talk about several stories regarding hoodoo, hag riding ect. These were autobiographies written in the 1800's and I think it's neat finding about more info in Va. Where I live in Va has changed drastically and most of the people who knew about Hoodoo or knew stories have passed on, don't want to share too much info, ect. I know it sounds kinda silly to be excited by this find. but Va is boring and this adds a little more flavor to it!

Unread post by **benitaw78** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:15 pm

I heard about this briefly when this article first came out, but didn't think about posting it. I think it's interesting because I live near MD and have been trying to collect information about Hoodoo in Va (where i live) and MD. Sorry to not have posted the link (not very computer savy) and also that this is a couple of years late. Hopefully no one else has posted this yet. Anyhow hope you enjoy reading it!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 21, 2008
Under Maryland Street, Ties to African Past By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD

[material deleted because it is copyright; we do not violate copyright laws here; you may post a URL. -- catherine]

Unread post by **benitaw78** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 7:22 am

I didn't purposely try to violate any copyright laws. I obviously wasn't paying attention when I posted it and that was my error. I am not a thief or trying to break any rules. Thank you for addressing my mistake.

kittynmoon · Unread post by **kittynmoon** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:30 pm

Thank you. I use d to live in central VA. It was very hard to get any information from people. The seemed to like to keep it in families and the young lost interest. I will check out the book.

Unread post by **Joseph Magnuson** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 8:53 pm

Thanks for that information...I like to hear about "new" sightings in books, newspapers, magazines, etc... I'll be on the lookout for that book...

-Joseph

Unread post by **Joseph Magnuson** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:15 am

Here is a rather interesting story posted to AOL News site on Feb. 14th 2011:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/14/slave ... lantation/

Very well written, yet short, article on use of what looks like a Indian Head penny, arrowheads etc...

The author, Mara Gay also writes for The Root ( http://www.theroot.com/ ) a website that comments on news from a black perspective. A good site... She knows her stuff!

-Joseph M.

[Ophelia] · Unread post by **[Ophelia]** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 1:53 pm

I really love how Lucky Mojo was portrayed in this article. I think it came off in favour here.

One day I will visit you guys - if only to take in some of that energy! I would love my whole house to look like this... but alas my décor choices would not go down well with my atheist boyfriend! lol

gillis trinkett · Unread post by **gillis trinkett** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:03 pm

Hi - I live in Beaufort, SC and have been seeking information on the practice of root work/conjure in this area. I have read the book by Sheriff Mcteer - "50 Years a Low Country Witch Doctor." which greatly interested me in learning more. However, I cant seem to find many references to practices that specifically relate to South Carolina and Georgia. Are there any that anyone knows of? Many Thanks.

Unread post by **carolina_dean** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:08 pm

Hi GIllis,

I am from South Carolina and lived in Beaufort for about a year before coming to the Pacific Northwest. I can tell you from experience that people don't usually talk about the practices but if you are in the right place at the right time, you can pick up some information by way of listening and asking the right questions.

I learned a great deal when I worked at the Winn-Dixie selling lottery tickets to the ladies that come in with their dream books. There's was also a store that sold some beautiful African Artwork, Jewelry, Music, etc...as well as a small selection of Vigil Candles that was owned by a practitioner who would give advice on how to burn them. I don't believe that I can tell you the name as this forum is for explaining Lucky Mojo products, but if you ask around you may be able to find it.

You may also want to visit Daufuskie Island, the home of the Gullah people. Books you may wish to read include

Blue Roots by Roger Pinckney
God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man by Cornelia Walker Baily.

Unread post by **EavanStar** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:16 am

Thats actually pretty cool! :p It makes history come alive, to contemplate the lives and doings of those who came before you. Thanks for sharing.

Zarzamora · Unread post by **Zarzamora** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 9:28 am

Exciting

Zarzamora · Unread post by **Zarzamora** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 9:34 am

The Google News archive has articles (very occasionally) as far back is 1830. Many of the articles are pay-per-view, but some are free. I've been doing some searches lately just to see what I can find from back then, and it seems like the most common thing to hit the news are court cases where a practitioner of Hoodoo is being tried because the client made a complaint.

Example: "A Dutchman Hoodooed" (1893, South Carolina)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8r ... %2C4041886

This article mentions "graveyard dirt" and "dead man's powder" Also, "Hohler got a gourd and some powders from old Peter on another occasion. These he was to use for the general all round health of the family. He was to scrape the seed from the gourd at 12 o'clock one night, and at 12 o'clock the next night he was to sweep his yard clean and sprinkle the seed around the house. The gourd was to be filled with 13 drops of water of a peculiar hoodoo kind and some other fluid, then hung up in the house."

Of course the articles are written from a sensationalist white-audience-pleasing perspective, but I still think it's neat to have access to these records.

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 9:39 am

Thanks -- That one was a great find.

I have placed many such articles at southern-spirits.com -- a project of the non-profit Y.I.P.P.I.E. organization -- and, as always when i learn of a new article, i will remind folks reading this that if anyone with knowledge of html formatting wants to volunteer to help maintain and upgrade the southern-spirits.com site, i would be most grateful for the help. You will be credited by name, but, alas, there is no payment for the work.

Zarzamora · Unread post by **Zarzamora** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:33 am

I have some basic HTML knowledge. These next few months I am extra-swamped at work, but I would love to help however I am able in the future. It sounds like a wonderful resource!

Unread post by **catherineyronwode** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:41 am

Zarzamora, thank you. If and when you have time, please arrange a telephone call with me (it will need to be scheduled through the shop office, due to my time constraints) and we can talk about what the project entails. Tell whoever you talk to in the office that this is about a volunteer project for YIPPIE and that i requested you call to set up an appointment. Thanks!

iconcurr · Unread post by **iconcurr** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:21 pm

Very nice article... Congrats..

Unread post by **Joseph Magnuson** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:43 am

Zarzamora: Thank you so much for that link and for your intelligent post! It made my morning better!

-Joseph