Hello From Johns Island, South Carolina

[jimmy423]

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the Hoodoo practices unique to or assoicaited with the area around Charleston, SC?

I'm especially interested in the sea islands like Johns Island, Wadamalaw Island, James Island and Edisto Island, and St. Helena Island and Hilton Head Island, near Beaufort, all in South Carolina.

Does anyone know or have you ever heard of a spirit named Python who was nicknamed Strong Man, by the Gullah people of these sea islands?

Or do you know of a particular spell associated with hurricanes?

And finally is there a provision in Hoodoo for the paying of a "blood debt" for a wrongful death, or for making compensation to someone whose life was saved by another?

Thanks Jimmy

[Miss Ida Lundin]

welcome to the forum Jimmy,
I hope you'll enjoy it here, can't help you with your questions myself.
Good Luck.

[Miss Tammie Lee]

Welcome to The Forum! You are not alone in your interest about the weather and weather patterns! especially with Hurricanes,(Hugo), but I do not know the answers to the questions either.
Good luck and enjoy The Forum and The Products!!!

[carolina_dean]

Hi Jimmy,

I'm from South Carolina as well (the upstate), however, I lived in Beaufort for a year from 2005 to 2006. I have never heard of any spirit named Python or Strong Man...where did you hear about him?

Beaufort is famous for, at least, three rootworkers including Dr. Buzzard (who is said to be buried there); Sheriff Mcteer, who seemed to use hoodoo as a psychological tool rather than an actual spiritual practice; and Valerie Fennel Aiken Boles, who is known as the basis for the character of Minerva in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

I don't know of any spells related to hurricanes, but oh boy I do remember Hugo which hit south carolina 1 week after my 16th birthday! We were without power for 2 weeks, lost all our food and they called in the Red Cross to feed us up at the High School. I never want to go through another one!

[catherineyronwode]

Forgive me for possibly being dense here, but pythons are not native to the Carolinas or any state in the USA, so although pythons might have been known to first generation African slaves, because pythons are native to sub-Saharan Africa, they would not have been called by the name Python (it's a word from the Greek language). I am by no means an expert on Gullah culture, but it seems unlikely that after loss of contact with Africa any Gullahs would have found the resources to study African zoology and thus leaned of the name Greek "python" with respect to these snakes until after emancipation and general education. Perhaps this Python spirit of which you speak may be something either introduced at a recent date or something from fiction.

I have never run across anyone in hoodoo who spoke of "the paying of a 'blood debt' for a wrongful death," but that is a term i have heard from old European culture. The same goes for "making compensation to someone whose life was saved by another" -- that too is found in European tradition from ancient times. I do not intend to speak definitivekly here, butneither form of payment seems likely to have developed among Gullah slaves whose lives were literally not their own.

Also, i know of no folk magic with respect to hurricanes.

Sorry i can't be of better help.

[Joseph Magnuson]

Great introduction thread read! Wow... Welcome jimmy!

-Joseph