Interest in African rooted spiritual traditions such as Voodoo, Santeria, and Palo is growing steadily in the US, but few are aware that Hoodoo, a unique fusion of American folk practices and African magical traditions, has been a fixture of American culture for several hundred years. Author Stephanie Rose Bird shares with us some Hoodoo basics.
Like other African-derived folk practices such as Santeria in Cuba and voodoo in Haiti, it mixed elements of Christianity with conjuring rituals involving herbs, dolls, pins and other everyday items bundled together as mojos worn on the body or buried in and around homes.
  Frowned upon by Christian slave owners and later by white employers, the rituals were often conducted in secret -- what many scholars now see as a form of cultural resistance.
Hoodoo is believed to have influence in many areas, including gambling, love, divination, cursing one's enemies, treatment of disease, employment, and necromancy. Many patent medicines were aimed at Hoodoo practitioners. Significant use is made of various home-made potions and charms, but there are also many successful commercial companies selling various Hoodoo components.
While Hoodoo and Voodoo share some elements and may have a common etymology, the terms generally refer to different beliefs and practices. Hoodoo is largely based on traditional African practices, though it drew significantly from Native American folklore, especially the use of herbs and other botanical elements. Elements of various Christian, Jewish and European folk practices found their way into Hoodoo.
  Most adherents have been black, but whites and native Americans also used Hoodoo.
Due to Hoodoo's great emphasis on an individual's magical power, practices are easily adapted based on one's desires, inclination and habits. Knowledge is passed person to person; there is no structured hierarchy.
Like many other folk magic's, great emphasis is placed on herbs, minerals, parts of animals' bodies, an individual's possessions, and bodily fluids, especially menstrual blood, urine and semen.
  Many blues musicians referred to Hoodoo in their songs, and such elements have become important to the music.
A mojo bag, what is it used for, etc.? There have been several interpretations of the word mojo, mostly formulated by cultural orientation. Most people can look at the bag physically and spiritually and see bits and pieces of their own cultural folklore inside. I support Robert Farris Thomas' definition and history of the mojo bag, which is African.
Hoodoo is the magical path practiced and that people are influenced by. Hoodoo a natural topic to discuss.
  Hoodoo is any self made home-grown American version of Voodoo. It has its roots in Slavery from down the deep south parts of the United States. Hoodoo was popularized by a Woman name Marie Lava But one must not confuse true Voodoo with American Voodooism that is practiced in the deep south and New Orleans. That is called Hoodoo and American recreation. The facts should be set straight to as what is real Voodoo and what is American Hoodoo. Hoodoo uses the Voodoo Doll, oils incense, baths, charms, lucky bags, waters, soaps, powders, Pendants