odd question for any NO-area natives

[OneGrassRoot]

I'm helping a friend who has written a book, with the subplot being about voodoo hoodoo, set in Louisiana.

It's my opinion that she should include post-Katrina information, and about those who practice and/or believe in voodoo view the disaster. We all know how the fundamentalist Christians viewed it, but I'm curious about those of other belief systems, especially those directed affected.

I'm not that familiar with the difference between voodoo and hoodoo and need to research this for my own curiosity and to help the editing process of my friend's book.

Can anyone recommend any books or websites which could speak to not only Louisiana-based voodoo/hoodoo, but how this community has come to terms spiritually with the aftermath of Katrina?

Many, many thanks in advance!

[pitohui]

1. she would need to actually interview members of the community

i'm not aware of any website, it's one of those things where you need to either interview members of that community or just make it up if it's fiction

haven't been in contact w. that community in years myself so i'm pretty unhelpful unfortunately

i see by the fabulous google that hoodoo is considered to be the more informal folk spells of voodoo but i always heard the word voodoo used for both the folk spells and the religious practice/dances and i thought hoodoo was just a "fun" word to say, shows what i know, i guess

it sounds like an interesting project, hope you keep us updated

[OneGrassRoot]

2. Thank you for replying....

Yes, I'm trying to find online communities, since actually going there for any extended period of time isn't an option.

I also have a huge stumbling block about one aspect of the story (yes, it's fiction, but it should be believable for it to be engaging, IMHO). Maybe you, or someone else, will have thoughts about this.

So, voodoo is a large part of this storyline, specifically families practicing voodoo in the early to mid 1900s in the swamp regions of Louisiana.

The author is not originally from the States. Her Italian mother, and grandmother, evidently practiced voodoo (in Italy - the history of THAT must be quite the story...lol). In her novel, she has the main characters (with voodoo in the family) being white people.

I know in more modern times people of all races have been experimenting with various religious/spiritual practices (the whole Eastern spirituality craze starting in the 60s, for example). But, for the first part of the 1900s, from what I'm reading, voodoo was very much limited to the black community in the States. In fact, there was a racial component to violence visited upon the black community members who practiced voodoo - it was exotic, from Africa, then via Haiti, and scared white people.

Is there a subculture of white people having practiced voodoo in the early 1900s that those of you in Louisiana have heard of?

Again, many thanks.

[choicevoice]

3. the white version of voodoo in south louisiana is called by a different name

In swamp and prarie areas of south Louisiana a white person practicing "spells and healings" was called a Treateur...They were usually french speaking people of cajun/indian mix backgrounds and what they practiced was related to their religion, usually Catholic based. My great grandmother who was half indian and half cajun was a Treateur. She was a very religious person and most of her religious background was Catholic in origin as was the usual religion of Cajuns in the area. She always prayed to the Virgin Mary and her principal object of devotion but a large part of her practice was also taken from the indian culture. Strange mix to be sure.

Some of her practice included readings of past and future, different rituals and prayers for different medical problems, all private with just her and the person in a locked room. The person seeking treatment also had to participate in the form of small acts of some sort or prayer or a combination of both and they were never to reveal any of the process. While I was never treated by her I knew many people who were and swore by her healings. She never charged for readings or healings.

She was a very strange mystical lady. Just one story for you. She was in her late 90's and very frail. She was hospitalized 3 times and was pronounced dead all 3 times. Each time she would revive and each time she would tell the doctors she was not going to die until she was 100. She told us this was told to her by the lady in the blue dress (The way she referred to the Virgin Mary). She died 3 days after her 100th birthday holding a small plastic statue of the Virgin Mary.

My olodest brother who was interested in this particular type of thing and had done lots of research on psychic healings, etc. had gone to a Budhist temple while in Thialand, they refused to tell him anything about his future. While visiting Louisiana he went to visit her and she refused to give him a reading and made him leave. She refused to give a reading to anyone in my immediate family. She did not like to give bad readings to family members. As it turns out I am the last remaining member of my immediate family. My mother died as a result of Early Onset Alzheimers in her late 50's, my oldest brother was killed in a particularly gruesome car accident in his late 30's, my 2nd brother died as a result of Early Onset Alzheimers in his early 50's, my 3rd brother died in a car accident in his early 20's. I am just waiting lol....but without fear as I understand that death is just a part of the process.

I hope this tidbit helps. I would be glad to answer any questions you may have although I am not familier with any of the particulars of her healings.

[OneGrassRoot]

4. Wow......

Thank you so much for sharing that - the info about the Treateur, as well as your personal experience through your great-grandmother.

I'm so sorry about the losses of so many family members, in such tragic ways.

There's such a rich history in all this. I'm fascinated. If you don't mind, I may bother you via PM to ask more questions.

Thanks for enlightening me about this aspect of things. Much appreciated.

[choicevoice]

5. would be happy to

Unfortunately I am not on much as we are in the middle of a major house remodel...right now they are changing out our central unit and I havn't had heat for 3 days and I am freezing my tush off. If you could give me an idea of when you would be on I could make plans to be on as well.

It is a very interesting subject and unfortunately with her death the healings were lost. My mother was given the opportunity to take the healings through a dream but was not prepared at the time to take them. What a loss.