Voodoo is a religion, witchcraft, bewitching.
Hoodoo is: 1, Bad luck, 2, the thing or person causing bad luck.
3, My favorite, fantastic rocky pinnacle or column formed by erosion.{May be viewed along Hwy 1 in Alberta}
Most of what passes for "legitimate" Voodoo in books, hollywood movies and popular culture, is actually the magicobotanical practice of Hoodoo, which is not a religion, and also has its origins in West Africa where it was a fully developed and very powerful tradition borne to specific ethnic lineage's gifted with the spirits to practice it correctly. HOODOO, though not a religion, is the "folk magic" of the common people in West Africa, just as it is in the diaspora today. From socalled "love potions," to taking vegenace upon an enemy, Hoodoo is largely what has survived the religious presecution of the Africans enslaved in the New World. Additionally, due to the laws passed perventing the African from practicing any African based tradition, "Hoodoo" (known as Ggbo in West Africa) was forced to undergo the same superficial transformation as did the Vodou religion (in which they hid their gods behind Catholic Saints). Hoodoo blended with acceptable Native American & European folklore and practice, but the actual methods and power behind it remained completely African. Click here for more historical information on Hoodoo.go to the bottom of this page if you are simply searching for books on the magicbotanical practice of Hoodoo. You may also follow the link below for a recent interview with Mami Wata & Vodoun priestess, Mamaissii Vivian on Hoodoo
The term Vodou (Vodu or Vudu in Benin; and Togo; also Vodon, Vodoun, Voudou, or other phonetically equivalent spellings. In Haiti; Vudu (an Ewe word, also used in the Dominican Republic) is by some individuals applied to the branches of a West African ancestral religious tradition. It is important to note that the word "Voodoo" is the most common and known usage in American and popular culture, and is viewed as offensive by the Afro-Diaspora practicing communities. However, the different spellings of this term can be explained as follows:
The word "Voodoo"' is used to describe the Creole tradition of New Orleans, Vodou is used to describe the Haitian Vodou Tradition, while Vudon and Vodun and Vodoun are used to describe the deities honoured in the Brazilian Jeje (Ewe) nation of Candomble as well as West African Vodoun, and in the African-American Diaspora. When the word "Vodou/Vodoun" is capitalized, it denotes the Religion proper. When the word is used in small caps, it denotes the actual deities honored in each respective tradition.
Its roots are believed to be varied and include the Fon, Mina, Kabye, Ewe, and Yoruba peoples of West Africa, from western Nigeria to eastern Ghana. In Benin, Vodun is the national religion, followed by around 80% of the population, or some 4? million people. The word Vod?n "Vodoun" "Vudu" is the Fon-Ewe word for spirit. Voodoo in Haiti is highly influenced by Central African traditions. The Kongo rites, also known in the north of Haiti as Lemba (originally practiced among the Bakongo) and is as widespread as the West African elements. The Vodoun religion was suppressed during slavery and Reconstruction in the United States, but maintained most of its West African elements.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodou
Hoodoo refers to African traditional folk magic. A rich magical tradition which was (for thousands of years), indigenous to ancient African botanical, magio-religious practices and folk cultures, its practice was imported when mainly West Africans were enslaved and brought to the United States.
Hoodoo is used as a noun and is derived from the Ewe word Hudu which still exists today. Hoodoo is often used in African-American vernacular to describe a magic "spell" or potion, or as a descriptor for a practitioner (hoodoo doctor, hoodoo man or hoodoo woman), or as an adjective or verb depending upon context. The word can be dated at least as early as 1891.* Some prefer the term hoodooism, but this has mostly fallen out of use. Some "New Age" non-Diaspora practitioners who have taken up Hoodoo as a hobby employ synonyms, including conjuration, conjure, witchcraft, or rootwork. The latter demonstrates the importance of various roots in the making of charms and casting spells. It is important to note that in traditional African religious culture, the concept of "spells" is not used. Here again, this Afro-botanical practice has been heavily used by the New Age, and Wiccan communities who have little understanding of "Hoodoo's" spiritual significance as it is traditionally used in Africa. An amulet characteristic of hoodoo is the mojo, often called a mojo bag, mojo hand, conjure bag, trick bag, or toby; this is a small sack filled with herbs, roots, coins, sometimes a lodestone, and various other objects of magical power.
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* An earlier attestation dates from 1863. A Confederate infantryman, wounded in the failed assault against Union-held Helena, Arkansas on 4 July, said, "Since that day at Helena I tell the boys I would rather buck against a hoodoo than try to down old Glory on the Fourth of July." Barring a radically different meaning of "hoodoo," the reference seems to be to trying to beat a curse (as being preferable to refighting the Battle of Helena). [citations needed]
Vodou is a religion. We worship Bondye or God. We honor our ancestors and serve the Law. The Law are not gods but spirits similar to angels or saints. The Law are the intermediaries between us and Bondye. A Mambo or Hougan (priests) holds feat (service) for the Law. The house members come together to give the favorite offerings to that specific Law and to ask advice, or help for issues that we can not resolve on our own. There is way more to the religion that I describe here. Here is the website for the house I belong to. http://www.sosyetedumarche.com/Vodou_Info/vodou_info.html
Hoodoo is African American folk magic. It uses mostly herbs, roots, stones, and other natural objects to bring about a desired effect. The basis of all Hoodoo is sympathetic magic. Simply put like attracts like. Example you could use a black female candle and the appropriate herbs on the genital area and put a pin in the same area the light the candle. Depending on the herbs used you could heal or hurt that area. Poppets are used alto in this type of magic.
Can anyone tell me the difference between Voodoo and Hoodoo?
