A surge of interest has bubbled up around the folk magical system known as hoodoo in recent years. Many have been pursuing online courses, reading everything they can get their hands on, and buying up mojo bags and condition oils at a breakneck pace. During this new heyday of hoodoo, I have seen a number of 'flavors' of that practice cropping up, from the Geechee root work of the Georgia/Carolina coasts which emphasizes herbal remedies to the Southern conjure with its toes in the enchanted rivers of Appalachian and Germanic folk magic, to the syncretic California conjure which has been so influenced by mail-order merchants and folk remedies from Chinatown. Then, there is New Orleans hoodoo, which is, to use a regionally appropriate metaphor, a gumbo of many different traditions all mixed together. Each version retains a bit of its own flavor, but also melds with the other tastes in the pot to make a big eclectic tradition.
Author Denise Alvarado terms this mixed tradition "Voodoo-Hoodoo," a term which irks some as the continuing inaccurate jumble of two terms which should remain distinct (Voodoo being a religion and hoodoo being a folk magical practice). However, if one takes the time to read Alvarado's passionate book on the topic, the "Voodoo-Hoodoo Spellbook", one can see that she is merely sticking to the terminology most people are familiar with and that the dog of diction has no teeth to bite when it comes to New Orleans-style magic. Instead, Alvarado presents a tradition which blends elements of Haitian Vodoun, folk Catholicism, Southern root work and hoodoo, and a touch of New Age spirituality to create a vibrant, current practice. She uses a number of good resources, often primary ones, to support her understanding of a practice she has lived with her whole life (according to her). She also frequently slips away from the facts and into personal experience, but does so in a non-authoritarian way. Her history of Mardi Gras and the magical folklore associated with them is captivating, as is her heartfelt look at the Seven African Powers.
When she does slip off of the scholarly or personal track the book can get a bit messy. Her correspondence tables are not a strength, and her inclusion of New Age style tumbled gemstones in her work almost undermines her traditionalism (as it seems fairly obvious that slaves doing similar work in the 19th century would not have had polished rose quartz to work with). Her flexible and fluid attitude towards Christianity probably raises eyebrows, too, though here it should be pointed out that she neither says one "must" work with Christianity nor one "must" work with African Traditional spirituality. Instead, she allows the individual worker to determine his or her own course of action. Her own course, she seems to say, is presented in these pages, but it's not the "only" course.
What most people will open this book for, though, is not history or a state-of-the-union on hoodoo terminology. People are looking for spells, and this book definitely has those. There are spells for love, luck, money, protection, and half-a-dozen other needs. Hundreds of spells and workings are contained in this book, as well as recipes for conjure oils and powders, instructions for candle working, and a discussion of poppets and dolls in magical work. Some of them seem totally reasonable within the context of her presented practice, and some seem a little forced. One thing this book absolutely has going for it is its distinctly New Orleans flavor. The Hurricane Prayer on p. 71, which reads in part, "Our Father in Heaven, through the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor and Saint Jude, spare us from all harm during this hurricane season," has an urgency that only the Gulf Coast could provide to such a working.
The bibliography and references in the book offer a lot of material to chew on as well, and so this book fits nicely on the shelf next to other "hoodoo 101" texts, while offering a few doors to open for a reader looking to go deeper. This definitely should not be taken as a complete course in hoodoo presented in a shiny red cover, but it can be a good starter for a person looking to get his or her feet wet (or powdery) when learning root work. It is practical, genial, open, and even somewhat scholarly at times (though not frequently the latter). It has good, workable spells and prayers. And Alvarado comes across as sincere and forthright, with no axe to grind, and a love for the work she shares here. [Full Disclosure Note: I received this book for free as a prize in a contest. I have not been paid or otherwise coerced by the publisher to write this review. No good or bad review was expected by the publisher, and an honest review has been given by the reviewer.]
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