New Orleans Voodoo Handbook

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Instead of associating this religion with zombies and Voodoo dolls, we should perhaps take the time to better understand Voodoo, and view it as a way of life or a set of guiding principles held by its believers. A Roman Catholic priest collaborating with a voodoo priestess?" asked one of the tourists, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. American Museum of Natural History: Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/vodou/

Wall, Kim and Clerici, Caterina. "Vodou is elusive and endangered, but it remains the soul of the Haitian people." The Guardian. Nov. 7, 2015 (April 29, 2022) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/07/vodou-haiti-endangered-faith-soul-of-haitian-people

All of the recommended books bring something different to the table. If you want a comprehensive overview of the general history and practice, then get The New Orleans Voodoo Handbook. Other books deal with specific topics like the Haitian Voodoo, doll spells, herbs and other matters in more detail. Voudon believers worship many spirits (called loa or Iwa), each one of whom is responsible for a specific domain or part of life. So, for example, if you are a farmer you might give praise and offerings to the spirit of agriculture; if you are suffering from unrequited love, you would praise or leave offerings for Erzulie Freda, the spirit of love, and so on. In addition to helping (or impeding) human affairs, loa can also manifest themselves by possessing the bodies of their worshipers. Followers of voudon also believe in a universal energy and a soul that can leave the body during dreams and spirit possession.” According to the Voodoo tradition — also known as Vodou — there is one supreme God, who is known by different names in different parts of the world. In Haiti, for example, he is called Bondye, which comes from the French phrase bon Dieu, meaning "good God." Regardless of which name people use, the primary god is immensely powerful and beyond the reach of ordinary followers. For this reason, Voodoo practitioners must rely on hundreds or thousands of other spirits to communicate with God. These spells can be used for good or bad. For example, inflicting harm on your enemies or healing your friends, making people fall in love with you or bringing other people together.

Falkner nodded. "They had more in common than you may think. They both had a desire to heal, sooth, and do good works. They were both very spiritual people. Marie Laveau blended voodoo with Catholicism, especially regarding the saints.” If you’re as fascinated by the history of voodoo, you’ll find this book incredibly interesting. You will learn about: Today, many of the objects have become part of Haitian artwork and crafts. Some Haitian artists, for example, focus on creating depictions of different loa, elaborate drapo or ornately decorated ritual objects. Christian crosses became symbols for the crossroads, which represents life-altering choices and steps in the spiritual path for followers of Voodoo.

U.S. Department of State. "Haiti 2018 Religious Freedom Report" (April 29, 2022) https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/HAITI-2018-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf Handwerk, Brian. "Voodoo a Legitimate Religion, Anthropologist Says." National Geographic News. 10/21/2002. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/ 1021_021021_taboovoodoo.html Schuler, Aliza. "Voodoo Dolls Aren't What You Think They Are." The Tempest. Jan. 24, 2021 (April 29, 2022) https://thetempest.co/2021/01/24/history/voodoo-dolls-arent-what-you-think-they-are/ At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exist countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

I had a great time reading this book and it cleared many misconceptions that I had about voodoo in the past. The sound of the pistol sent the mourners stampeding through the doors and diving out of windows, but the man who fired it, Robert Burns, stayed inside, and when two police officers showed up to arrest him, he promptly confessed. “I had to do it,” he said on the way to the police station, “and if I had to do it over, I’d do it again.” Burns was related to Ellington, and like a lot of people around that part of Alabama, he’d grown increasingly afraid of Maxwell.

This episode in the history of the early Church shows how easily a religion, especially a relatively secretive one, can be misunderstood and misrepresented. A similar case can perhaps be seen in the religion known as Voodoo (also known as Vodou or Voudon). So you can rest assured that the information presented in this book comes from a relevant and highly informed source. Things that are discussed in Haitian Vodou include: But all of that was long in the past by the time Burns shot and killed Maxwell. At the time, Lee was living, as she had been for most of her adult life, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, hiding in plain sight so successfully that her building’s door buzzer could read “Lee-H” without causing anyone to ring it. Her novel had won the Pulitzer prize, sold millions of copies, and made her extravagantly wealthy, but success did not suit Lee. She lived as frugally as if she were still a starving artist, was allergic to the press and publicity, chafed at the ongoing interest in her private life, and struggled to live up to the critical and popular expectations for her work. In one forlorn letter, she told a friend that “Harper Lee thrives, but at the expense of Nelle” – the name she had gone by as a child, and that those closest to her still used. As I mentioned in the introduction, Haiti is well known for its voodoo culture. It’s also an impenetrable culture for most foreigners because the locals refuse to share information. History of American Women. "Marie Laveau" (April 29, 2022) https://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2012/07/marie-laveau.html