Traditional ritual ‘fetish’ market in Togo. The practice of folk magic known as Hudu or “Hoodoo” by the enslaved Africans in the Diaspora is as old as Africa herself.
About.com Tammy Todd:
What exactly is Hoodoo?
Mama Zogbé:
Briefly, "Hoodoo" is an Afro-derived mystical system of personal and psychological
empowerment, via the specialized use of roots, herbs & minerals in a beneficent or
maleficent manner to obtain a desired result, e.g., protection, healing, wealth, justice,
victory over enemies, etc.,. Its extensive body of esoteric knowledge, ethos, native
customs, and universal folk beliefs, are traditionally passed down [usually in families]
from generation to generation.
Tammy Todd:
Is Hoodoo a type of magic?
Mama Zogbé:
No. Not how the term "magic" is defined and perceived in Western culture. However, "Hoodoo" is
indeed an African mystical tradition, known by various names, that is practiced all over Africa,
and has been for thousands of years. It is perhaps the first tangible application of the
supernatural, based upon the Africans intimate relationship with the phenomena of Spirits who
taught and assisted them in surviving the powerfully rich, but yet untamed environment in which
they found themselves.
For example, in the West African & Diaspora Mami Wata Vodoun tradition, the forest spirits,
known as "Azzizas," were the most evolved guardians of the forest, who first presented
themselves to the African hunters, and planters. They taught them the esoteric, medicinal
(ahame) use and alchemical properties inherent in the abundance of herbs, trees, roots, minerals
and life forms thriving in their mists.
It was the Azzizas who also taught the African how to make poisons, potions, medicines, and
Gbo, "ebo"" and "boicho/bo."( known today as "mojo, amulets, talisman, ouangas"). Joined with the
Azzizas, was the divinity later to be identified as "Legba," the great messenger of the gods, who
also taught the Africans the use of Gbo and transported their prepared requests to the respective
divinities.
The first practical and most extensive use of herbs, amulets and talismans in the forest was for
protection from accidents & tropical disease, dangerous animals, repairing injuries, as well as to
assure success in their hunt. However, their esoteric use was mainly for protection from
jealously, envy, and death by other hunters, as well as protection from the angry spirits of those
animals which were killed for food, or by accident during the course of the hunt. From these
primary ancestors, eventually evolved a group of specialized priests and priestess known in
Dahomey as Bokonons, (geomancers), Azondoto, Zokas, Garbara, Akpases (sorcerers), and
Botonons.
It was this knowledge that the Africans brought to the New World with them, and later
incorporated and adapted with the indigenous Indian, and some European folklore, which came to
be known as "Hoodoo". This is just from Dahomey. The above does not even cover the Congo
traditions which are also heavily incorporated into the Hoodoo tradition here in America.
Herskovits, in his book "Dahomean Narrative: A Cross-Cultural Analysis; Melville J Herskovits &
Frances S. Herskovits. 1998, Northwestern University Press." offers-up a rich body of folk-lore,
and regional beliefs of the Hunter Stories and their relationship with these forest spirits in
Dahomean culture.
