Much credit for the sinister reputation Voodoo (shall we say) enjoys can be attributed to the 1932 Bela Lugosi film White Zombie, which recast the colorful religion as a Hollywood genre. As with most things, the truth is more nuanced. The origins of Voodoo trace back to the Fon people of West Africa, in what is now Republic of Benin. The name comes from the Fon word for spirits, "Vodoun." The 18th century slave trade brought this spiritual practice and folklore (reluctantly) to the New World where it mingled with Creole customs and Catholic rituals, ultimately resulting in something altogether unique.
An important element of the Voodoo practice is gris-gris, which refers to magic objects (dolls, candles, charms, amulets) as well as the incantation of them. The purpose of objects is primarily for attracting love, power, and fortune, and for undoing hexes. Despite their menacing image in our culture, Voodoo dolls are usually used to bless, rather than curse. Pins are stuck into the doll not to cause pain, Temple of Doom-style, but to attach a photo of the person who is to be blessed (or cursed). Gris-gris bags contain ingredients which represent spirits and bring good luck to the bearer.
Women's dominant role in Voodoo stems from gratitude to a female spirit named Aida Quido for helping the enslaved survive the horrific ocean voyages to the New World. Priestess are called queens, while priests are known as doctors. Voodoo queens typically preside over ceremonies and ritual dances. Voodoo is sometimes known as a "dancing religion" due to the fundamental role physical communion plays in the ceremonies. The dances and rituals of Voodoo were a strong influence on what would eventually evolve into American jazz.
The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum was opened on Dumaine Street in 1972 by a local artist named Charles Massicot Gandolfo, or as he was popularly known, "Voodoo Charlie." The mission statement of the museum is to preserve the legacy of New Orleans’ Voodoo history and culture. The jam-packed museum consists of two shoebox-sized rooms and a hallway, plus a shop in front selling gris-gris bags, dolls, and potions. Near the entrance hangs a striking portrait of New Orleans' premier Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau, the legendary oracle who specialized in love potions and healings. Beyond this are shelves of skulls bathed in a crimson glow, cabinets full of curios, and altars littered with coins, photos, beads, and lipsticks left by visitors as tributes. The centerpiece of the far room is a wishing stump, where wishes written on slips of paper can be dropped into its hollow body. A sign posted beside the stump recommends wrapping your paper around an offering of money, which presumably will expedite your wish's coming true.
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A three-headed ju-ju, which mocks evil spirits with its protruding tongue. This one was carved by voodooist Herbert "Coon" Singleton. Ju-ju is a type of gris-gris partly constructed from hair or bone, something which was once alive.
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An assortment of voodoo dolls.
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Rougarou, a Cajun hybrid of zombie, vampire, and werewolf who prowls the swamps outside of New Orleans, sucking blood and stealing souls.
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An important element of the Voodoo practice is gris-gris, which refers to magic objects (dolls, candles, charms, amulets) as well as the incantation of them. The purpose of objects is primarily for attracting love, power, and fortune, and for undoing hexes. Despite their menacing image in our culture, Voodoo dolls are usually used to bless, rather than curse. Pins are stuck into the doll not to cause pain, Temple of Doom-style, but to attach a photo of the person who is to be blessed (or cursed). Gris-gris bags contain ingredients which represent spirits and bring good luck to the bearer.
Women's dominant role in Voodoo stems from gratitude to a female spirit named Aida Quido for helping the enslaved survive the horrific ocean voyages to the New World. Priestess are called queens, while priests are known as doctors. Voodoo queens typically preside over ceremonies and ritual dances. Voodoo is sometimes known as a "dancing religion" due to the fundamental role physical communion plays in the ceremonies. The dances and rituals of Voodoo were a strong influence on what would eventually evolve into American jazz.
The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum was opened on Dumaine Street in 1972 by a local artist named Charles Massicot Gandolfo, or as he was popularly known, "Voodoo Charlie." The mission statement of the museum is to preserve the legacy of New Orleans’ Voodoo history and culture. The jam-packed museum consists of two shoebox-sized rooms and a hallway, plus a shop in front selling gris-gris bags, dolls, and potions. Near the entrance hangs a striking portrait of New Orleans' premier Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau, the legendary oracle who specialized in love potions and healings. Beyond this are shelves of skulls bathed in a crimson glow, cabinets full of curios, and altars littered with coins, photos, beads, and lipsticks left by visitors as tributes. The centerpiece of the far room is a wishing stump, where wishes written on slips of paper can be dropped into its hollow body. A sign posted beside the stump recommends wrapping your paper around an offering of money, which presumably will expedite your wish's coming true.
A three-headed ju-ju, which mocks evil spirits with its protruding tongue. This one was carved by voodooist Herbert "Coon" Singleton. Ju-ju is a type of gris-gris partly constructed from hair or bone, something which was once alive.
An assortment of voodoo dolls.
Rougarou, a Cajun hybrid of zombie, vampire, and werewolf who prowls the swamps outside of New Orleans, sucking blood and stealing souls.
