Hello All!
In this post I will be going over Hoodoo, Voodoo and Witchcraft. These typically get lumped together due to misunderstanding of what these practices are. These three topics are related in a way; however they could not be more different! I felt it was important to differentiate between these three topics because there seems to be some confusion with and using the terms interchangeably.
Voodoo is a stem of Hoodoo, which is mostly followed as a religion. Voodoo is very popular in Mississippi and Louisiana. Voodoo was brought to the U.S. by way of Haiti. It is considered to be a way of life that is purer than Hoodoo. Voodoo has been an established religion and has practices, traditions, leaders, teachers, services and rituals. There are two branches of Voodoo- New Orleans/ Louisiana Vodou and Hatian Vodou. Louisiana Voodoo was mostly practiced by the enslaved, which was passed down from generation to generation. One of the most popular Voodoo queens is Marie Laveau. If you have seen American Horror Story Coven you should recognize the name. Marie was an actual Voodoo queen in Louisiana. Along with practicing Voodoo, Marie was a hair dresser. This allowed her to be in the know with all the gossip around town. It is said that she was sought out by the wealthy and asked to help with advice, and to help banish negative energy. If you take a trip to New Orleans you can visit and pay respects to Maries tomb.
Hoodoo is not a religion like Voodoo, rather, it is a set of beliefs that draw heavily on folk magick. Especially folk magick that originated in West Africa and came to the U.S.by way of slaves. Hoodoo is practiced mostly in Louisiana, and those who practice Hoodoo are known for their knowledge of roots, herbs, crystals, animal parts, and a range of bodily fluids. They can use this knowledge to help, heal, mend, ect.
If you have been following along with these blog posts you will know the differences within the witchy community. If not, I would suggest that you go back and read my Different Types of Witchcraft post!
If you have any questions regarding anything that I have gone over in this post or my previous posts, please reach out to me via email at 93stardustproject@gmail.com I would love to hear from you! As always, Please check
Blessed Be!
K