Voodoo And Power

Download or read book Voodoo and Power written by Kodi A. Roberts and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2015-11-13 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The racialized and exoticized cult of Voodoo occupies a central place in the popular image of the Crescent City. But as Kodi A. Roberts argues in Voodoo and Power, the religion was not a monolithic tradition handed down from African ancestors to their American-born descendants. Instead, a much more complicated patchwork of influences created New Orleans Voodoo, allowing it to move across boundaries of race, class, and gender. By employing late nineteenth and early twentieth-century first-hand accounts of Voodoo practitioners and their rituals, Roberts provides a nuanced understanding of who practiced Voodoo and why. Voodoo in New Orleans, a melange of religion, entrepreneurship, and business networks, stretched across the color line in intriguing ways. Roberts's analysis demonstrates that what united professional practitioners, or "workers," with those who sought their services was not a racially uniform folk culture, but rather the power and influence that Voodoo promised. Recognizing that social immobility proved a common barrier for their patrons, workers claimed that their rituals could overcome racial and gendered disadvantages and create new opportunities for their clients. Voodoo rituals and institutions also drew inspiration from the surrounding milieu, including the privations of the Great Depression, the city's complex racial history, and the free-market economy. Money, employment, and business became central concerns for the religion's practitioners: to validate their work, some began operating from recently organized "Spiritual Churches," entities that were tax exempt and thus legitimate in the eyes of the state of Louisiana. Practitioners even leveraged local figures like the mythohistoric Marie Laveau for spiritual purposes and entrepreneurial gain. All the while, they contributed to the cultural legacy that fueled New Orleans's tourist industry and drew visitors and their money to the Crescent City.

Download or read book Voodoo written by Gert Chesi and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Spirits and the Law written by Kate Ramsey and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2014-02-07 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vodou has often served as a scapegoat for Haiti’s problems, from political upheavals to natural disasters. This tradition of scapegoating stretches back to the nation’s founding and forms part of a contest over the legitimacy of the religion, both beyond and within Haiti’s borders. The Spirits and the Law examines that vexed history, asking why, from 1835 to 1987, Haiti banned many popular ritual practices. To find out, Kate Ramsey begins with the Haitian Revolution and its aftermath. Fearful of an independent black nation inspiring similar revolts, the United States, France, and the rest of Europe ostracized Haiti. Successive Haitian governments, seeking to counter the image of Haiti as primitive as well as contain popular organization and leadership, outlawed “spells” and, later, “superstitious practices.” While not often strictly enforced, these laws were at times the basis for attacks on Vodou by the Haitian state, the Catholic Church, and occupying U.S. forces. Beyond such offensives, Ramsey argues that in prohibiting practices considered essential for maintaining relations with the spirits, anti-Vodou laws reinforced the political marginalization, social stigmatization, and economic exploitation of the Haitian majority. At the same time, she examines the ways communities across Haiti evaded, subverted, redirected, and shaped enforcement of the laws. Analyzing the long genealogy of anti-Vodou rhetoric, Ramsey thoroughly dissects claims that the religion has impeded Haiti’s development.

Download or read book Voodoo written by Mari Silva and published by . This book was released on 2021-06-09 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the rich history of Voodoo, including its rituals, spells, practices, and beliefs. Do you want to learn the secrets of the Voodoo religion? Do you want to finally uncover the truth behind this religion and discover if Voodoo is depicted in modern media accurately? This book will serve as a remarkably complete guide designed to help you understand every aspect of the religion. Overall, it has a simple structure, allowing you to grasp even the most complex and vague Voodoo concepts. Here is a closer look at a few things you will learn and discover in this book: Learn the common misconceptions about Voodoo and debunk them Discover voodoo religion's synchronization with Catholicism Understand its two vital branches - the Haitian Vodou and the New Orleans Voodoo Uncover the shared beliefs, traditions, and rituals practiced by Voodoo practitioners and devotees Learn about Bondye, the Supreme God, and how Voodooists believe in and worship Him Explore Lwas and the three major families classifying these spirits Learn commonly used veves and their symbols Discover how to use and draw the veves Discover the roles played by gris-gris bags and Voodoo dolls and the basics of making and using them Explore casting cleansing, protection, and love spells Learn how to summon or invoke the Lwas Investigate common ceremonies and festivals celebrated by Voodoo practitioners and devotees And so much more! After reading this comprehensive book, you will notice a significant improvement in your understanding of the Voodoo religion. You will see how powerful Voodoo is and uncover the truth behind the dangerous misconceptions surrounding it. So, what are you waiting for? Click on the "add to cart" button to get your copy of this book today!

Download or read book Voodoo Dreams written by Jewell P. Rhodes and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 1993 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of Marie Laveau, a legendary nineteenth-century New Orleans voodoo queen.

Download or read book The Magic of Marie Laveau written by Denise Alvarado and published by Weiser Books. This book was released on 2020-02-01 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The life and work of the legendary “Pope of Voodoo,” Marie Laveau—a free woman of color who practically ruled New Orleans in the mid-1800s Marie Laveau may be the most influential American practitioner of the magical arts; certainly, she is among the most famous. She is the subject of songs, films, and legends and the star of New Orleans ghost tours. Her grave in New Orleans ranks among the most popular spiritual pilgrimages in the US. Devotees venerate votive images of Laveau, who proclaimed herself the “Pope of Voodoo.” She is the subject of respected historical biographies and the inspiration for novels by Francine Prose and Jewell Parker Rhodes. She even appears in Marvel Comics and on the television show American Horror Story: Coven, where she was portrayed by Angela Bassett. Author Denise Alvarado explores Marie Laveau’s life and work—the fascinating history and mystery. This book gives an overview of New Orleans Voodoo, its origins, history, and practices. It contains spells, prayers, rituals, recipes, and instructions for constructing New Orleans voodoo-style altars and crafting a voodoo amulet known as a gris-gris.

Download or read book Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism written by Lilith Dorsey and published by Citadel Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few religions are as misunderstood as Afro-Caribbean traditions like Voodoo, Yoruba, Candomble, Shango, Santeria, and Obeah. Even the most wide-ranging books about Paganism rarely include a discussion of the African earth religions.