Voodoo

[Serpent Child]

I'm personally studying and will learn more about Vodun. I wanted to discuss the religion Voodoo and if anyone has any real knowledge about it. There's so much misinformation about this religion, if you want to practice it you must be initiated and learn from a teacher or teachers in real life. You cannot practice and learn by just reading about it online and in books.
I will write the most accurate information I have gathered about Voodoo & Hoodoo below, in the future I will keep adding new information I uncover.
Voodoo is basically an African religion, it is an actual religion, not a craft or philosophy. Voodoo is Louisiana/New Orleans, Vodou is Caribbean/Haitian while Vodun is traditional African. These are what the terms refer to.
Voodoo is an African catholic folk religion. Vodun is the original and ancient 'voodoo', it pre-dates the abrahamic religions by 5,000+ years. Vodun is estimated to be at least 10,000 years old.
Much knowledge was lost about ancient Voodoo as the slaves came to America and it became Christianized, Voodoo Priests and shrines were destroyed, etc.
Hoodoo is not a religion, it's simply folk magic/rootwork practice. It's not Voodoo.
Voodoo is semi-closed, Vodou is semi-closed, Vodun is closed and Hoodoo is closed.
Hoodoo is specifically tied to race which is why only Black People can practice it. Voodoo is diverse, like all other religions. Vodou is [mainly] deistic. Voodoo and Vodou may both use Psalms and Biblical Verses for their magic and/or spells, Christian Witches are also recorded to do this. One Vodou Practitioner has stated [to me about them using the Psalms for magic]:
"We use their own works against them. If you were truly knowledgeable and cared about learning the history of this religion. You would know the only reason Christianity was adopted [in Vodou] was for survival. What it means to me is different from what it does. And from what it does, comes the fun. Survival is what we vodouisants are good at."

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I wanted to redo my post for a sec.

I'm personally studying and will learn more about Vodun. I wanted to discuss the religion Voodoo and if anyone has any real knowledge about it. There's so much misinformation about this religion, if you want to practice it you must be initiated and learn from a teacher or teachers in real life. You cannot practice and learn by just reading about it online and in books.

Actually, Vodoun and all african and haitian religions you must be initiated. You can still practice it, but the only "universal" practice I know (from a Lukumi practitioner not Vodoun) is talking with one's ancestors. It is said that if you can go seven generations back, then that's a start. It's more universal because only the ancestors and Spirit (collective term) knows about you. So it's a personal relationship. Some African faiths you go through your ancestors and Spirits (loosely translated) to talk with the creator. It's actually a deist religion, to put it lightly. You go through Spirits and ancestors to know about god since god is not knowable. It's not like prophets etc.

Hoodoo, on the other hand, doesn't have an initiation. Instead, the practices are passed down by generation. My aunt calls it Wiki Wiki. A lot of my family misinterpret what they practice as witchcraft since that's the word in their bibles. The protestant mix (unlike Vodoun which in America is Catholic mixed) you can see it in Southern Baptist Churches. It's interesting the similarities in culture but then the practitioners of the churches say they don't practice "witchcraft."

If you start with your ancestors, you don't need a teacher. Once you are initiated, you do. Your grandparent teaches you about different stories of the Orishas (for example since Vodoun isn't something I know personally) and sacrificial practice. I read that Vodoun has similar practices but not all African religions sacrifice. Many do, though. Also, god/creator in many african religions is female. Male was from Europeans.

I will write the most accurate information I have gathered about Voodoo & Hoodoo below, in the future I will keep adding new information I uncover.

Here is some online resource that's the closest that sounds accurate. No initiation, practice, prayers, etc are online. It's completely communal and private.

Voodoo, Hoodoo, Santeria misconceptions
Honoring Ancestors
National Geographic Vodun

I wish I had more. I was supposed to go to a ritual ceremony a couple of years ago for santeria. I have to call them again since it's hard to find places here to do it. The christian influence is horrible.

 

[SabahTheLoner]

I'm personally studying and will learn more about Vodun. I wanted to discuss the religion Voodoo and if anyone has any real knowledge about it. There's so much misinformation about this religion, if you want to practice it you must be initiated and learn from a teacher or teachers in real life. You cannot practice and learn by just reading about it online and in books.
I will write the most accurate information I have gathered about Voodoo & Hoodoo below, in the future I will keep adding new information I uncover.
Voodoo is basically an African religion, it is an actual religion, not a craft or philosophy. Voodoo is Louisiana/New Orleans, Vodou is Caribbean/Haitian while Vodun is traditional African. These are what the terms refer to.
Voodoo is an African catholic folk religion. Vodun is the original and ancient 'voodoo', it pre-dates the abrahamic religions by 5,000+ years. Vodun is estimated to be at least 10,000 years old.
Much knowledge was lost about ancient Voodoo as the slaves came to America and it became Christianized, Voodoo Priests and shrines were destroyed, etc.
Hoodoo is not a religion, it's simply folk magic/rootwork practice. It's not Voodoo.
Voodoo is semi-closed, Vodou is semi-closed, Vodun is closed and Hoodoo is closed.
Hoodoo is specifically tied to race which is why only Black People can practice it. Voodoo is diverse, like all other religions. Vodou is [mainly] deistic. Voodoo and Vodou may both use Psalms and Biblical Verses for their magic and/or spells, Christian Witches are also recorded to do this. One Vodou Practitioner has stated [to me about them using the Psalms for magic]:
"We use their own works against them. If you were truly knowledgeable and cared about learning the history of this religion. You would know the only reason Christianity was adopted [in Vodou] was for survival. What it means to me is different from what it does. And from what it does, comes the fun. Survival is what we vodouisants are good at."

There is some misinformation here....

- Hoodoo is a religion. It is a Christian religion with traditional African spirits as folk saints. Hoodoo also use the Psalms more than Voodoo.

- You can be initiated into all of those religions. Most people say that the ancestors are the ones to initiate you but it's common to have the help of a priest. In fact some branches of Voodoo might see it as necessary. It's harder to get into some of them but for the most part it's possible. Do some research if you're actually thinking about it because I heard many varying opinions about this topic in particular.

- You don't have to be black to be a Hoodoo practitioner. It's just more common among the African-American population because they have ancestors that practiced the religion. If you don't believe me look up Jason Miller, a Sorcerer (of the Caucasian race) who trained in Hoodoo. In fact you don't have to be black to practice any African-origin religion, regardless of what people suggest. I'm white and I honor some gods from the Yoruban religious system. Religion knows no race, only love.

Also some features of the Voodoo religions are an acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, a belief in spirit possession, a belief in a creator god and an honorary acceptance of death (regardless of wether or not the practitioner is a 'white' or 'black' magician, and yes even Voodoo practitioners make such a distinction).

 

[Callisto]

There is some misinformation here....

- Hoodoo is a religion. It is a Christian religion with traditional African spirits as folk saints. Hoodoo also use the Psalms more than Voodoo.

- You can be initiated into all of those religions. Most people say that the ancestors are the ones to initiate you but it's common to have the help of a priest. In fact some branches of Voodoo might see it as necessary. It's harder to get into some of them but for the most part it's possible. Do some research if you're actually thinking about it because I heard many varying opinions about this topic in particular.

Hoodoo is folk magic and like other forms of folk magic isn't religion outright rather there can be religious elements. Those oldest elements predate the influence of Christianity. Christian influence started creeping into it around the 19th century.

There is not an initiatory path, anyone can practice it and any other kind of folk magic. But yes, associated religions like Voodoo and Candomble do require initiation.

 

[Dieudonne Bokor]

Voodoo, Vodou, Vodun Vodoun, Voudou, and Sevi Lwa essentially refer to the same general diasporic religion. It's more an issue of folk's pronunciation and spelling.

Voodoo is most used in relation to American system. The next three variant spellings of the Haitian Creole are generally used to when referring specifically to Haitian Vodou.
I personally use Voodoo to denote American Voodoo, and Vodou when writing about Haitian Vodou.

Sevi Lwa simply says "servant of the lwa" without denoting any specific school.

Hoodoo is an American Voodoo-related invention...and a good one at that! As more non-Africans are becoming involved in Hoodoo, they are calling it Conjure - originally in an effort to separate the practice from it's Voodoo roots. Most Conjures subscribe to a Catholic or Protestant religion.

Most Vodous in Haiti will tell you their religion is Catholic - while some will admit to Protestantism. While during the horrible and dangerous days of slavery, syncratic identificatian of the Lwa with Catholic saints was an essential factor in staying alive, those Haitians who practice Vodoun have more fully integrated the Christian theologies, tenants and practices into their experience and expression of Vodoun. This has also been the case - tho' to a lesser degree in America.

All Vodou, Vodun Vodoun, Voudou, and Sevi Lwa are initiatory systems. One can love and serve the Loa uninitiated - beginning with developing a strong relationship with their own ancestors -- but the fullness of depth of the experience and practice will not become realized until Kanza (initiation) has been received.

Enter the Bokor...

In a separate Vodou tradition called Makaya, the male priest (Houngan) is called Bokor. In this case, it is an initiatory role.

A Bokor, in the more widely known sense, refers to a Vodoun Sorcerer. Because these Bokors work from "two heads" ("Black" and "White" Magicks) - and are believed to be capable of making Zombies (where is Brad Pitt when you need hiim?) they are more feared than respected. Most such Bokors actually find that useful and enjoyable. BTW, Bokors are not Hoodoos or Conjures.

Here's a pretty good webpage on the spelling issue: How did the word 'voodoo' originate? - Answers.com

Bondye Beni Ou,
Dieudonne Bokor