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Is there such thing as Hoodoo?

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Years ago (I mean years) ago, I looked up voodoo given when my family went to Alabama for my great grand aunts funeral, thats what came in our mind down int he area. Anyway, I researched it online but when I researched it then all I got was Voodoo, Hoodoo, Witchcraft, Conjure, and Rootwork (among other titles). Now I know there is such thing as Vodun, witchcraft, conjure, and rootwork as I met and knew people who did it not just looked it up online. However, Hoodoo sounds like a pop word or something new. Maybe because it rhymes with Voodoo or its an English translation of a non English word. I dont know.

Is there such thing as the word Hoodoo? (Not the religion but the word describing it)
 

psychoslice

Veteran Member
I myself don't believe in Voodoo or Witchcraft, and I never heard of the word Hoodoo, all I got from dictionary is : A practitioner of voodoo
 

psychoslice

Veteran Member
I think these beliefs work only when other strongly believe in them, like a placebo, in Australia many years ago the aboriginals believed in the witchdoctor. One thing the witchdoctor did was point a bone at someone who he believed was curses, that person would go away to die believing the bone was magic, but it had nothing to do with the bone, it was his belief that he would die, just as the word cancer can kill, if told to someone who hasn't got cancer.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
I think these beliefs work only when other strongly believe in them, like a placebo, in Australia many years ago the aboriginals believed in the witchdoctor. One thing the witchdoctor did was point a bone at someone who he believed was curses, that person would go away to die believing the bone was magic, but it had nothing to do with the bone, it was his belief that he would die, just as the word cancer can kill, if told to someone who hasn't got cancer.

It could be only if one separates the supernatual and natural. If all is one, then would it matter if it was a placebo affect?
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Of course there is a such thing as a hoodoo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodoo_(geology)

Im more talking about Hatian and some African folk magic practiced down south east where my family is from. I read it online, of course. However, outside of online which I dont trust so much the word sounds off to my ears. Maybe its the english translation of it. Maybe its Hodoun. I dont know.

Learning about my geneology.
 

Erebus

Well-Known Member
I'm not too hot on this particular area, so please don't take what I write as gospel.

As far as I'm aware, Hoodoo is more akin to folk magic whereas Voodoo (or Vodun, or Vodou depending on where you are) is an established religion. Both stem from West African tradition and have gradually had elements of Christianity added to them over the years. I would expect Hoodoo to be practiced in areas where Voodoo is more prominent. However, I doubt that Hoodoo has any central organisation or rigid structure. In this sense, yes Hoodoo exists, but one person/group/region's Hoodoo may well have marked differences to another person/group/region's Hoodoo.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I had no idea that "hoodoo" referred to anything other than a hoodoo....
th
 
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