What is Hoodoo? 

What is Hoodoo? I think the answer comes from the level of knowledge and understanding that you have of yourself and your ancestors. Hoodoo falls under the umbrella term ATR’s (African Traditional Religions). The same way that Christianity is the umbrella term and under it is Catholics, Baptist, etc. Hoodoo is a religion, a culture, a lifestyle, and a medicine form. I believe the path you have with Hoodoo will determine how you see it and use it. In Hoodoo we tend too, and honor our ancestors and other spirits, we work with them closely. Heed their workings and teachings. But Hoodoo is much more than that, it’s very Earthy. We work with the land, the herbs, the flowers, the soil, the rocks, the dirt. Hoodoo is lodged in the Earth and also into our Soul.

What is it Not? 

Although there are practitioners of Voodoo and Vodou who also practice Hoodoo, they are not the same thing. The practices may also have some similarities but they work with different spirits and entities. More than that it is not just another form of magic to be utilized by the masses. Often those who try to use it as just a magic form, they aren’t the ones who should even be doing Hoodoo. Hoodoo is not ‘Folk Magic’, there’s a wide misunderstanding with that, started by those who don’t have access. While those of us who have lived this lifestyle can tell you from experience that it’s not.

Who can do Hoodoo? 

Hoodoo is intended for those of African descent. Hoodoo was created by our enslaved ancestors as a way to preserve our religion and culture. Unlike other ATR’s, way too many Hoodoo practitioners aren’t privy to the fact that there is an official language that accompanies this religion. Because Hoodoo embodies our bloodline there isn’t a way for someone not of this descent to be capable of practicing. They might be out there doing ‘Honey Jars’ and ‘Mojo Bags’ (which hoodoo is much deeper than that). However for those of us truly embodying Hoodoo, their workings don’t work the same way ours do. 

I have met a couple white people who claim to do Hoodoo because they are doing Honey jars. Their Hoodoo was not Hoodoo. You can feel when something is not authentic, there is no ashe radiating. There is a certain feeling in the air that I feel when I am around powerful workings. I can feel when real work is being done. Real ashe is so thick you can grab it. It wasn’t there, you could not feel it.

The workings felt no different than anything you could buy at your local grocery store. However I love the fact that they are interested in ancestor veneration. I would encourage those who know their lineage to look into ancestor venerations that go with that lineage. Everyone should venerate their ancestors, however do it in a way that would align with your path. I know someone who is Scottish, she found out via DNA testing. She started practicing magic native to Scotland and her magic has hit different ever since, there’s nothing she can’t do.

Was Hoodoo Ever its own religion?

Hoodoo was an official religion although not much information can be found on it, as Hoodoo lost its official religion status back in the 1800’s. There being little information on its loss of religion starts could be due to the time period it was abolished. Or the government officials of that time might not have seen it as important to have sufficient documentation, it might have been due to racism and with no other reasoning choose to not accurately document it, and it could be due to religious discrimination.

I am inclined to believe that it is a mixture of all of them, which wouldn’t be too inaccurate due to the time period. The region that most hoodoo practitioners resided, and the fact that they were still struggling with black people being actual people. Being said, Hoodoo might not be recognized by the government as an official religion; those who practice it view it differently.

What does Hoodoo look like?

Hoodoo looks different to everyone based on their path and purpose as I stated earlier. Some of us practice without even knowing it, or have family members who did. Did Grandma have a prayer closet? That was her workings room, she was blessing, healing, or even cursing as needed. Pouring out libations (liquor) for the dead, not letting the mirror face the bed, not letting babies outside the first couple weeks. This all started as Hoodoo practices that are now rooted in African American culture.

Some of us take things further and we have altars and shrines set up to honor the dead, do our workings, and pray. I have gone to houses that you wouldn’t notice they had an altar at first glance it was more of a if you know you know kinda thing.

How to start

My advice for anybody wanting to get started and to hoodoo is to start with ancestor veneration. Start by setting up an altar and tending to your spirits. Forming a strong solid bond with your ancestors before working with any of the other spirits that can be found in Hoodoo. Start this bond before you even start doing workings. Can’t ask for favors when there isn’t a certain level of trust yet. 

With this currently being October it is Hoodoo heritage month, I would suggest following along with this post and see how things go. (This not sponsored or afflicted I just liked the instagram post and thought it would be helpful.)

Ways to get started

My favorite way is to ask questions. Ask your grandmother about her mother and her siblings so that you have a better understanding of your family tree. Check and see about any traditions or things that they used to do that we might not do anymore. Ask her whenever a baby got sick how they handle that. Because a lot of our ancestors had root workers and medicine women in the family. Ask about those who have passed and try to get a better understanding of who they were as people. Go visit your family plot at the graveyard, and if you have family land go back there collect some dirt. Not everyone could afford to bury their dead at the cemetery and I bet you some are buried right there on that land. 

Go visit and be around your family, and I know for a lot of us that’s hard and we can’t stand our people, but just try to because you need a better understanding of where you have come from to know where you’re going. 

For those of you who might have been adopted or don’t feel comfortable talking to their family, try meditation. You can even get a reading done. I have had readings where the person who is reading me was able to tell me if not the name then at least the initial of the person on my ancestral team who was trying to work with me. The best way to get started is by going and looking in the past, our history is so important and it is so rich. 

While it is still October join in during Hoodoo Heritage Month!