Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic: A Materia Magica of African-American Conjure

114 Pages·2002·26.059 MB·English

by  Catherine Yronwode

llUUVVV
HERB
AND ROOT
MAGIC
A Materia Magica of
African-American Conjure
~~
Traditional Formulary,
Giving tbe Spiritual Uses of
Natural Herbs, Roots, Minerals,
and Zoological Curios
by
catherine yronwode
1F
~--.\t~ http://avaxhome.ws/blogs/ChrisRedfield
Lucky Mojo Curio Company
11 ,-'Ie "1
::::r...",,=~- V=- ~ I'!'''''''Y ,,""'- Forestville, California
2002 •
+
C 2002 catherine yronwode
Dedication and Acknowledgements 6
All righlS rese .... ed under Intcmational and Pan-American Copyright Con"cntions. Introduction 7
No pan of this publication can be reproduced. stored in a retrieval system. or
Important Notice 18
transmitted in any format by any means. electronic. mechanical. photocopying.
recording. or otherwise. without the wrillcn pennission of the copyright owncr. Alphabetical USI or Herbs. Roots. Minerals. and Animal Curios 19
Conditions: Spirituality. Divination. Cleansing. Good Luck ?I:f)
TClu:
Psychism. Spmlunlity. ConUICI "'ill't the Dt-ad. SlImmon W1d Conln)l SpinlS
catherinc yronwode
Divinalion. ~am Lucky. Dn.-am True. RC(.:e\\e Omens
Cas! OIT Your Own Bad Hab.ts; Remove Sin
Production: Make Wishe!;: Change Luck: Receive Blessings:
nagasiva yronwode Gain \I.~sdom IU1d Insight: Bre/lk Up Old Cor,(!ittons
Conditions: Protection 210
IlluSlrations: Prorect Self and Home, SI'tIeId From Unnaturnl Illness
Pages 2 and II: 19th and 20th century herb packaging. collection of cll1herine yronwode. Ward Off the Evil Eye. Repel Wiu:hcruft and 11ag-IWmg
Pages 2. 23. 47. 71. 92.122. 146.171. and 197: anwork by F. Schuyler Mathews KeepA"'ay Unwanted People: Repel EVIl. Bar People. Billd Enenties
from Fi~ltl Book ofA I1I~ricolI \Vildj1Qw~,s, Knickerbocker Press. 1902. Preventl'lw':ft: ~\"enl Accidents: Warn of E"il: Stop ~ip
New Edition Revised and Enlarged. G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1912. Proc.:d from Sn.akes. Cure Venomous Sn.ake Bites
Prou:ct from Lightnmg. Cure Ligl'ttning Striles: Safe Tralel
Conditions: Love. Sex. and Family Mailers 21 I
!..o>·e. Sex. Romance. Marriage
Frontispiece (Page 2): Peao:e on the Home. Bles.lngs for the Family
Reooncilc with a Lol'el'
I. Bo~£'sf.T (Wllm: S:';l.K£ ROOT). pag~ 24.
Bring Aboul Marital Fidelil). Put. Stop to RWUting Around. Calcl't Out Adullerers
2.-Bos£.SY.T. PMnfIQultrjrol pachlgmg. HUMr <f
Friendship
F"hf1fJlln Ol1lg Mills. Fond tlu UH:. "is. . ('.1890.
3: WHm: S:..\ ....: ROOT. SpfritwJ/ suwJ_v poci;llgilrg. Conditions: Business. Gambling. and Money Matters 212
Mo-)Q 8nwJ. Kills NQ\'f'Ir. Co.. Chirugoill., c_ 193j. Atll'llCl and Dra"" Money
4 Lin: .:n:IlIAlt"TI:'G.pag. . 24. Ora"" Paying Customers to a BIIs/ness
j; Lin; .;\ I:III.ASTlM:. PlIllntltluutirol pocwgjng. S. Ask for Fal'OlllS and Bank Loans
8. Prnid & Co. Nn. York. N. r.. e. 1930. Find Hidden Treasure
6. I.rn: En:II..uoI1SG. Sp'rilual suppl)' puewSi"g. Gambling Luck
Mmi" CUrlQ Box Hnfds lHril's ShoO' Siring.f. ProIect and Keep Money
f)m~/ln's Blood. !.lIt E\'~rlaJlmg Hrrb. LodUI(HJ" Get a Job. a Promotion. Of a Raise
OU)/. Orlld /lion's Bon's {Chic' .. n Runts}, [urr. Renl Out Rooms or Propeny
lIeulT CIJ" /IIfmpliis, Ten" .• c. 193j.
Conditions: Jinxing. Live Things. Hot-FOOling. and Jinx-Breaking 213
Jim:. Cross. Goofer. Hurt, Trick. Poi.o;QII. Bring About Unn~tural Illness:
Get Rel'enge
Pm Live 'Things In You
ISBN 0-9719612-0-4 paperback HOI: Foot. Get Away. Move Away
ISBN 0-9719612-1-2 clothbound Contml. Dominale
Break Up and Dc:woy Love
Confuse Opponents: Rev~ Evil. Return Trick!;
Break JIn~es. Uncross. and Thke Off UnnatuntJ Illness
Fim Edlllon 2002 Take lJve Things Out of You
SccOOId Ed,,_ 200-'
Conditions: Hea1th, Power. Success. Legal Mauers. and Miscellanea 214
Thud Edmon 2007
foullh Ed\1JOn 2009 Ph)·sicaJ Health. Phy)ical Strength. Cure Unn3luntJ Illness; Prolong lJfe
Courage and Bravrry: Mental Heallh an,J Well Bemg. Sound Sleep, an End to r-;ightrI1am
Gain Pu¥.'eI'. Eloquence. S~s. and Mastery: Command RespttI
Law KeepAway; Coon Case and Legal Mallm
Published by M\lSical Sbll; Control and Influence (her Doss
The Lucky Mojo Curio Co. Plunkss Tecttung for a Baby: Increase Lactation In Aml1'l:lIs and Women
6632 Covey Road Be.auty; Restore Lost Se~ual Nplure
Find Oul a MUl'derer. inl'i§ibthly; Male Doli-Babies
Forestville. California
Bibliographies 215
95436
llluSlrations 2, II. 23, 47, 71. 92, 122,146, 171, 197
.
Printed in Canadll..
ERBS AND ROOTS. along with a select few mineral and animal
This book is for Althrea, the healer, H
curios, are the most importanl elements in traditional hoodoo. They
and for Eris, the Doggess of Discord.
are used as the basis for a\l manner of oils. powders, incenses.
I .... ould li"e to thank lhe following peoplc for their help: washes. perfumes, mojo hands, do\l·babies, spell bottles, and tricks laid
My hu~band nagash'D yron .... odc. for his lo\'c and devotion. for daily supplying me with down to be walked over - and for this reason, Southern conjures are called
coffee and ehooolatc. for making p~-war acoustic 'blues and country music available at all times.
"root doctors" and when folkS jinx their enemies they "put roots on them."
for keeping our computer.; up and online. and for help with this book's design and production.
My sister Holl) Greenwood. for editing and proofreading the manuscript and for helptng In fact, "rootwork" is a synonym for hoodoo in much of the country.
me imlncll5urnbly with plant taxonomy.
Susic Bossclmann, Kamala Wolf. and Elantari Lovc of the Lucky Mojo Curio COmpan). This alphabetical list of botanical, mineral. and animal hoodoo curios has
for running things smoothly and fending off tclcphone calls while i was writing this book. been compiled from many sources, both oral and wriuen. The infomlation
Don Roach. for keeping the garden going while i stayed inside working on the about modes of use is drawn primarily from the African-American tradition
manuscript. and for the wonderful dinner.; he has eooked for so many years.
of the American South. but it can be employed by anyone working in a
My mother Lilo Glol.er. for teaching me so much about ""Latin names:' gardening.
herbology. and how to collect old books. tradition of natural magic, no matter what their ethnic background.
The 1.600 mostly anonymous African-American Informants .... OO shared their knowledge
ofhoodoo with the laiC Harry Middleton Hyall. and Hyal\ himself. .... hose monumcntallabour as Hoodoo folk.magic is Nrican in origin, with admixtures of Native
a folklorist is mentioned In the bibliography. which hardly does his present contributions Justice. American herb lore and European folk-magic. the latter sometimes tracing
Eoghan Ballard and JeIT AJ'Kkrson. for Irnding photocopies of ok! journal articles; John M.
back to Medieval "wonder books" by the likes of Cornelius Agrippa and
Hansen for contributing information: Carolyn Long. (or sharing her research into the commercial
hbtory of conjure: Mnryann Snyder. for her gift of rare books: John Mullins, for the loan of books: Albertus Magnus. which were intrOduced to the black community during the
Steven Zanvil Sawol"in. for recipe re$CatCh: Billte L. Thmcr of the Uni\'m;ity of Texas Herbarium, late 19th century and continue to be popular to this day. In addition, much
for allo. ... ing me to spend many happy hour.; with the Legume coIk:ction: and Alan Balfour. Otris
herbal lore found in the Santeria. Santos, and Espiritismo traditions of Cuba
Smith. (Jorgen AntOlisson. and AI Young of the prewnrblucselist for answering my DllL'iicai questions.
And la~1 bul DOl least. Will Shade, OWIJe Bunc. Vol Ste\C1Is, Will Weldon. Charlie PoIkBcn and Mexico has been gradually incorporated in hoodoo over time, due to
Ramey. Jennie Cla}ton. TcclOo"Ce Blackman. Charlie Nickerson. Jab Jones. Hambone Lewis. Hattie the shared African foundations of these systems of belief and pmctice.
Hart. Minnie WllJloce. Frank Stokes. Will Batt~. Dan Sane. Tom Dickson. Wallcf FllIT)' Lewis. Kansas
Joe McCoy. Memphis Minme McCoy. Pearl Dicksoo. Jed Dn\·enpon. Gus CIUIOOf1. Noah Lewis.,
Hosea WOO(i.-.MhleyThompsofl, Elijah AvCf)'. Sleepy John Estes. Yank Rachel. Mrs. Van ZulaCarter ust like many people in America, our plant-immigrants from Europe,
J
Hunt, Mooch Richardson. Richard Rabbit Brown. Papa Harvey Hull. Long Cleve Reed. Mi~i5sippi Africa, and Asia were subjected to name-changes as they became
John Hurt. Alfred G. Knmes., The Fa So La Singers. The Vilglnia Dand~, Roosevelt Grn\'cs and
Brother, The IkndcMnvillc Double Quartet. Washington Phillips. Uncle Dave Macon and His Fruit established here. A plant known by one name in Europe may have
Jar Drinkell>. The AI:looroo $acn.'d Harp Singers. Rev. H. B. Jackson. Ernc"t Phipps alld His Holine~ another name in America _ or even three different names in as many
Singers. Mo.. L. Reed. Mr>;. T. A. Duncan~ The Pat-e Jubilee Singers. The Jones Brothen. Trio. Elder regions of the country. Likewise, Native American plants have often been
CWT)' and Coogregation. The Lubbock Texas Quartet. The Kentocky Mountain ChorusIm. The
Primitive Baptist O1olr of North Carolina. Blind Willie Johnson. Bryam's Jubilee Quanclle. Golden given nanles borrowed from the European plants with which people
p. Harri~, Rev. B. 1. UtI!, Lee Wells and His Jasper Alabama Sacred Harp Singers. Rev. Wm. equated them. based on their appeamnce, aroma, or medicinal properties.
McKinley DawkillS, Geeshie Wiley. Elvie Thomas. William Hams. M:lllie Delaney. Blind Joe
Reynolds. King Solomon WII. Garlkld Akers. Otto VirginJ. Joe CaliOOIt. Sarah Caner, A. P. Caner. To reduce the confusion caused by plants sharing tOO many similar
Ma)belJe Caner. Elders McintoOO and Edw..utb' Sanctirtcd Singers. Bessie Johnson. Rev. Johnny common names, botanists have devised a separate system for naming plants.
Blakey. Blind Willie MeTell. Kate McTell. Ruby Glale. William Moore. Robert Johnson. The f,,'IiddIe
They give them taxonomic binomials, popularly called "scientific namcs" or
Georgia Singing Convention No. l. The Biddleville Quimcue. The Ilendcr.sonville Quartet, The
Meggmson Female Quancne. f"kGhee and Cogar. OmrIie Patton. Allison's Sarn-d Harp Singers. "Latin names." Although this book ;s arranged by common names,
Blind Joe Taggart and James Taggan. The Carolina Gospel Singers. CIe\'e Chaffin and the McClung taxonomic binomials for each curio are also given, in both obsolete and
Brother.;. Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Elder Otis Jones. The He4venly Gospel Singers. I-Ioward Haney.
current variants. When dealing with herb suppliers, these "Latin names" are
Rev, J. M. Gates and Congregaooo. The Price Family Sacred Singers. The Utica Institute Jubilee
Singers. The Ditie Sacred Trio. Son ~Iouse, BHnd Alfred Reed Mae Glover. Booker T. Washington important. for they are the world-wide official names for each plant, never
Whl\c. Rube Lacy. Pectie Wheau;traw. Bartleque Bob Hick.~ Lllughing Charlie Uncoln. Prince Alben duplicated by another herb of similar habit. colour. or symbolism.
Hum. Charlie Jordan. A. A. Gray. $e1.'et1 Fooc Dilly. The Dykes Magic City Trio. Bob Campbell, J. P.
Nesror, Norman Edmonds. The Four Wandems. The Happy Hayseeds. The O:tks Family, Big Boy Because this is a practical guide to magic and not a botanical textbook,
Cleveland. William and VC1'lIey Smith. Eli FranX!r. Louie La.~y. Lu"e Jordan, Dick Justice. Armentier you can read it cover-to-cover or JUSt delve into it for specific spells, but. in
Do Caner Cllatroon. Fran}; Blevins and the 1lIr Heel Ranlers. Bud] Ka7.ee, WnJler Buddy Boy
Hawkins. Wilmer Watts and ~ Lonely Eagles. Ken Maynard, The CMson Brothers and Sprinkle, case you are interested. here are a few of the organizing principles i used
Winston Holmes, Charlie Thmcr. The Southem Moonlight EolCruUnetS. G. 8, GIlI)'!;Of1. Henry when assembling the material:
Whiuer. and The Nugrape TWins. for their kindly musicallK'COmpallime:nt 10 the creation of this wort.
7
6
Vegetable, animal, and mineral curios are in one list - rool workers The mention of substitutions brings up something of which many
root workers are not aware. and thai is fraud among spiritual
make few structural distinctions between these curios, so leaving minerals
suppliers. This is a painful subject. bUI it must be addressed if
and zoological curios oul of an "herb and root" i:x>Ok is senseless.
hoodoo is to be kepi alive as a branch of natural magic and not become a
Plants are listed by common name - for instance, MULLEIN inslead
mere display of feel.good '·witchery."
of Verbascilm thapsis - because that is how most people know them.
In limes past, when every worker dug his or her own plants from the wild
Within each plant's own entry, its name is in CAPITAL LE1TERS. In any
or grew thcm in a garden, plant matter was generally handled first in whole
other entry, its name is in SMALL CAPITALS. Taxonomic names are in Italics.
fonn. then dried, cut and sifted. boiled, or powdered for use. Workers could
When a single plant has se\'eral common names - such as ANGELICA,
not be misled about a plant'S identity. because they saw it whole, in leaf. in
which is called ARCHANGEL by some people and HOLY GHOST ROOT by
flower, and in seed. Such intimate plant·knowledge was, in fact. the basis
others - it is listed here under the mosl common African·American nanle.
of both herbal medicine and magical herbalism.
bul other common names are referenced SO thai you can find the plant by
Old.time hoOOOO spells made use of plants that were native to the United
looking up the nanle with which you are most familiar. Each plant is only
SlateS, as well as European plants that had become common garden herbs
given one entry, no mattcr how many common names it has.
here, spices that could be found in grocery stores. and medical herbs
When several plants share the same common name - such as the
available through local pharmacies. Because many of the Africans who
name RA1TI.ESNAK£ Roar. which applies to plants in six different genera
were brought to America as slaves came from the Congo, the plants they
(Cimici!lIga, Gemialla, Goodyera, Polygala. Prellathes. alld Trillium) -
chose to work with were intended to substitute for African plants no longer
you will be directed to ahemative common names based on the type of spell
available to them, and from the start there was a distinctly Central African
with which each of the different plants is most strongly associated. For
quality to hoOOoo rootwork.
instance, if you want 10 use WHORTI.EBERRY in a luck·spell, you will be
The "Doctrine of SignalUres" - the notion that what a plant looks like
directed to HUCKLEBERRY, but if you are trying to fmd a WHOR11..EBERRY
indicates its mode of use - characterizes herbalism worldwide. Likewise.
spell to make your enemy melancholy. you will be directed to BLUEBERRY.
in every culture, the medical use<; of herbs are reflected in their magical
When a genus of plants has many species that are interchangeable in
ascriptions. There is much in h<xXI.oo herb-magic. therefore. that would be
magical use - such as Rosa (the Rose genus) - the whole lot may be
familiar to a practitioner of Medieval Gemlan or even ancient EUllscan herb
identified by the genus, followed by "spp." which is the botanist'S way of
magic. However, each culture is unique. and hoodoo incorporates a number
grouping together "unnamed species in this genus."
of African beliefs and customs that set it apart from other branches of folk·
When a group of closely-related species share a single mode of use, magic. lbese African characteristics include an emphasis on "hot" plants
they are listed under one common name, but all of their different conunon and stinging insects; the utilization of metals and mineral saits, the
and taxonomic names are given as welL In cases like this - such as VIOlET' veneration of the dead and the concomitant benevolent significance of
and PANSY, which botanists and gardeners distinguish by appearance, but graveyards and crossroads, the magical power of doorsteps and fOOHracks
most root workers do not distinguish by use - you can employ anyone of (and hence the extensive use of shoes and stockings in addition to hairs and
the plants named in that group. because in tenns of spell·work, they are body fluids to represent a person), the wrapping and tying of packeHunu!ets,
considered symbolically close enough that one may substitute for the other. and a seeming reverence for the number nine aoove other numbers.
A ''family name" is given for each plant at the upper right of each The retention of African traits helped detennine the manner in which
entry. You can use this family name to learn more about the botany of root workers deployed the American and European herbs to which they
magical curios. if you are so inclined, but it is also included because it is a were exposed. Long after contact with Africa was losl. residual Africanisms
buyers last resort against fraudulent substitutions. If you ask for "ADAM AND set hoodoo apart from European folk·magic - which includes its own
EVE ROOT in the Orchid.acea:" (the Orchid family), the seller cannot repertoire of customs. such as Evil Eye belief. a generalized fear of the dead
legitimately prcsenl you with BALM OF GILEAD BuDS, a substitution which is and the concomitant negative significance of graveyards, a rich tradition of
a member of the Salicacere (the Willow fanlily). rhymed and chanted spells, and a seeming reverence for the number three.
n
8
_-
............. .... ...... .. .. - -
, ......
MfG. (D.
From an early period, African-American root doctors acquired herbal
knowledge from Native Americans. This aspect of hoodoo is under MULLEIN
documented. but hints as to its true extent may be found throughout the LEAVES
present text - for instance. at the entries for Coral Root. Devil's Shoe
Vetbl.scum Thapsu.
Strings. High John the Conqueror. RJccooll Penis Bones, and Tobacco. In
comparing Native American and African-American herbJI magic. i have CHICAGO,U. S.A.
been impressed with the precision whereby a plant's symbolism and method
of deployment were transferred from one culture to another. Such
methodological mapping can be seen quite clearly in the case of Coral Root,
1: MUGv,on, ~ 24. PIttJrm«cllricgl JHld:n&IIIl, Murray &: Nid:tll M/g. Co .. CIIIcolo. III. . c. 188'.
which is used to draw money. but only when steeped into a tea and sprinkled
&; MlUf.l~, J!GBc 24. PhtJrmocClllicaJ pocWIlIIg. M",roy d- Nidtll 101/,. Co.., CIlicG,tCI. ilL, c. IfJlo.
011 inanimate objects. and High John the Conqueror. which increases male J. M. Nit;I<eI, a partner WI MurraY & NiQIsI MIg. Co., was tha auIhor d !he Iam8d 1tiBI's BotaniCal Ready
strength. but only when carried in the fonn of a whole root. Such cross ~ III 8)(t-enSi-Y8 -.-.d- ~ IisIi1g 01 herbS ard I"C:ds used i"llhe drug Itade.
culturdl transfers succeeded both due to cultural similarities (e.g .. both ........... ....
.
cultures employed wrapping and tying as magical aCl,) and despite some -~
'
@ , \!!)
fundamental differences between the religious paradigms underlying the two \
cultures (e.g .. Native Americans tend to loathe corpses and ghosts. whereas
~.I}§.Yr
Africans tend to utilize human remains in religious and magical rites). More
research remains to be done in this area. and i recommend it to those in the . ... ... ...-R.. =OO T
academic community who have the time and resources 10 pursue it properly. ~ ~ ~ Ua.
;
I
~::::.:B
Not only did hoodoo not remain a purely African fonn of magic, it was
not confined to a rural. semi-literate population. Even before Emancipation. !
Dn ROIT,MtCK.J, ItEW,,(O"It.cITY.U.~.
urban root workers actively familiarized themselves with world-wide
J
traditions of "high magic." Paschal Beverly Randolph exemplified the ....._ I11. ." .. ~. .. .:.. ...
cutting edge of this emerging mulli-culturalism. Born in 1825 as a free man
of colour. he was a novelist, lecturer. and without doubt the greatest sex 9. . c~Y RoOT, PflBI U. p/tlmllaCt",jcgl porlajillg, P6ru. Dovi$ &: Co .. Dtlroll. Mich .. c. 1910.
magician of the mid 19th century. Randolph's approach [0 magic deftly 10 .. (m.lFJ.t;V RooT, pogc 24. PhtJrmoctllfic,,1 pad:ogin8. MIoITt. ~nI &: Co .. Ptoria. 1/1., c. 1890.
combined Spiritualism, Rosicrucianism. and Hjndu-style mirror-scrying 01 the companies whose labelS 8111 shoIIIn on this page ancIlhEI 1t0l1lispieoa, rrit two - Par\r.e. DaviS
F't"\arrnaC8Uti1s and ltJc:I(y Hearl c;osrnetics - are stiU i"I ex\slenC8. Nelthef seIlS heI"bS 8t this time.
with the use of down-home Southern curios such as the "New Orleans
Magnetic Pillow:' which he offered for sale through magazine ads. He!bs paa.ed b \he phatTl"I8C8UIic drug trade
ckJMg the 191h and 20th centuries were labeled
The late 19th century revival of interest in Hennetic magic that spread w'iIh boCh II oonvnon name and II \aXCIflOf"IW:;
Ii"IomiaL Further o:mnori names appeated on
from France and England to the United States also had an impact upon the packaOe sides. otten i"I 5MBl \arOl8IJ9S.
hoodoo: Conjures already well-versed in the reading of Psalms found it easy Many 01 the !PtJWeIS and padun Wllf8loca1ed "
to add copies of the pseudo-Kabbalistic "Seals of Solomon" to their mojo Ihe MIctNeSl Those I"lUlrested " !he histofy 01
this 'rdJstry rNr1 erp,t Gene Stranon PonM'I
bags, for added power. As early as the 19105, country root doctors were 1911 l"IO¥Il "The HarwsteI'. • Pof\8t's t.Jsb8nd
teUing folklorislS about the European grimoires that they bought by mail was a ~. so her knoWledge came at fwsI
hand. The SfDt'Is prtMgonisl is III IntiarWI herb
order from the L. W. DeL....1urence company in Chicago. By the 19305, when goMJl. and Portet's ~ 01 'rill operation.
the King Novelty Company of Chicago began reaching out to Southern 0011 tM Ii III v.fld.cnIfting wiIh \he ~ 01 a
woocIands garden, mtIf I1l1'o'8 been based onlhe
practitioners lhrough a system of agents and mail-order catalogues. both the
worX 01 ~ Meyer. author 01 "The Heib9BsI"
number of European magic books and the number of European herbs with and proprieIor 0I1he IrdanI. BotaniaII Garden.
which root workers were familiar had grown considerably - and many of
s.
II: Tltl"M[,pIIg<! 24. PItarmactWlicglpoct.lllin& IV, (jojdd of Bros. BoIanic Gtlnk", MaJdoc. Mcus" t. /900.
these now-desirable herbal curios could not be found locally in lhe South.
11
10
As long as bulk phannaceutical herbs were being distributed by the
Luckily for the conjure doctors, the introduction of packaged and mass·
large drug companies, the magical curios you could buy from a spirilUal
marketed pharmaceutical drugs in the 19th centwy had elevated the proper
supply company were impliciLly guaranteed to be of the species nanled and
identification of herbs and fOOlS to a high an. Well into the 20th century,
free from impurities. However, after 1950. as synthetic and standardized
people's lives depended upon the knowledge and integrity of a network of
drugs rapidly gained in popularity, the nation's bulk phannaceutical herb
wild-(;rafters and gardeners who supplied raw materials to phannaceutical
distribution system slowly fell apan. Due to changing medical practices.
herb wholesalers in the Midwest and East. These bulk packagers cut and
the lists of herbs available from drug suppliers became shorter. and as a
sifted the herbs, then compressed them into solid blocks under steam
pressure, or put them up loose in boxes. 1lle packages were labelled in Latin, result certain magical herbs and roots became very hard to find on the
commercial herb market, because they had lost their perceived medical
with variant common nanles on the sides. Medical doctors generally only
value. Simultaneously, human overpopulation was destroying the habitats
encountered herbs in this fonn. Root workers were moving into towns, so
of other wild herbs. so that gathering them became problematic at best.
few of them collected their own herbs in the wild. However. most medical
herbs also have magical uses. so urban conjures were able to take advantage By the I9 70s. a number of unscrupulous occult merchants with a great
of the medical industry's commitment to herb purity and specificity. deal of contempt for their clientele quietly started a policy that was once
explained to me as "substituting green for green and brown for brown" or
The 20th century saw the steady development of synthetic chemical
"making six herbs sell like a dozen." In short, with the exception of plants
drugs for use in medicine. Many of these drugs are based upon compounds
that had visually distinctive leaves (like Rosemary) or an unmistakable
originally found in herbs, but with changing technology it proved cheaper to
aroma (hke Mint), these spiritual suppliers felt free to substitute any cut
manufacture them in a laboratory in standardized dosages - and thus herbal
medicine fell out of favour in America except with a few fringe populations. and sifted herb for another of similar appearance.
As widespread demand for packaged medical herbs decreased. many Under the ';green for green and brown for brown" system. you might
pharmacies stopped carrying them. By the late 20th century. the typical root order Deer's Tongue, which is a bit on the expensive side, and receive
worker could no longer go down to the comer drug store and ask for ten Catnip, which is cheaper. Or you might order a Mexican "aceite"
cents' worth of Asafcetida or a package of Vandal Root. Instead, the herbs (dressing oil) tiLled "Raiz de Mandragora" (Mandrake root) and receive a
used in magic were generally gotten by mail order from one of the large bottle filled with Vetiver root instead. If you complained, the seller might
spiritual supply companies that catered to an African·American clientele. justify the substitution to you on the basis that .. It's the client's faith and
Spiritual supply companies specializing in hoodoo goods had appeared not the actual root that is doing Llle work."
on the scene in the early 20th century as adjuncts to the distribution of (If you believe that. why practice root work at all? Why not take up
cosmetics and hair-(;are products for the black community. The primary visualization magiC? I mean, if you think "belief is all," you can just dig
business of these companies was the manufacture of beauty prtXlucts. but up any old rool from your garden. write '"J the C' on it with a marker. and
they soon prepared occult oils. sachet powders, incense, and noor washes, convince yourself that it is John the Conqueror!)
and added extensive lines of candles and herbs 10 meet their customers'
The blame for this abuse of public trust does not rest entirely with herb-
needs. They sold these goods both wholesale and retail in their own stores,
sellers. Truth to tell. the suppliers of medical herbs still take great pride in
as well as through advertisements in African-American newspapers. via
proper identification of their plants. The real trouble seems to arise in the
agents. and by means of printed mail-order catalogues.
occult supply niche of the herb market. nOI the herb market at large. One
The spiritual supplies made by these manufaclUrers generally contained reason for this is that as root workers have become increasingly distanced
well-known magical herbs in recognizable fonn or they were fragranced from old·time rural knowledge of nalUral plant-magic, many of them have
with botanical essential oils. Like the medical phannacies of the same era, accepted the substitutions roisted upon them by fraudulent suppliers. In
early 20th century spiritual supply shops (often called "hoodoo some cases, being city folks. they are ignordllt of the rrauds. In other cases.
drugstores" or "conjure shops") obtained their herbs and roots in bulk they have gone along with the suppliers' lies in order to satisry clients who
fOnll from pharmaceutical wholesalers. They merely repackaged these will only buy the cheapest material available or who keep asking by name
certified-pure botanical goods in new boxes, for use as magical curios. for now·unobtainable roots that were popular in their grandmothers' days.
"
12
Unspoken and embedded European ~igms directly. affect any root
H oodoo itself is not a time-frozen artifact. an unchanged bit of
worker whO wishes to adap' Anglo-Amencan herb-magIc books to the
rural Americana. As early as the 1930s. root workers who rac of hoodoo. For instance. a striking characteristic of such books is
moved North could nOI rely on ready access to home-grown ~eirt ice con~t~
restrictiveness and rigidity. especially when to African
and wild-crahed Southem roots. Instead. they hooked up with the mail AtnCri beliefs. In Wiccan. New Age. Neo-Pagan, and sumlar European
order herb suppliers and. as their book-knowledge of the European can
influenced magical systems. there seem \0 be as many prohibitions and bad
magical tradition increased, they added more green herbs - a European
signs surrounding the practice of magic as there are encouragements and
specialty - to their repertoire of curios. For a long lime the old country good signs. European-American herb-magic authors are finnly within their
style work lived on side by side with Europeanized hoodoo. One worker own tradition _ and entirely ourside hoodoo tradition - when they make
might recommend Rue to break a jinx. another might prescrire an Alum bold statements about the worthlessness of herbs that were commercially
and Ammonia-water bath, and an extremely creative conjure might grown or were gathered under the ·'wrong" moon sign. By contrast, most
combine the three ingredients -the first one European and the other two
hoodOO pmctitioners will tell you that heros are fully prepared as God made
African - in a single preparation.
them. whether they are freshly picked or purcha'iCd in dried fonn.
In recent decades the old African style of hoodoo has become This restrictiveness does not apply only to the use of herbs; it penneates
increasingly diluted by the "help" (if you can call it that) that root workers the entire European magical belief-system. Thus we hear from Anglo
have accepted from well-meaning Anglo-American occult authors whose Americans that a horseshoe can only be hung in ONE direction or ·"the luck
books contain a preponderance of spells gleaned from various European runs ou,:' or that a rhymed spell must be recited a certain way EXACfLY
traditions. As African-American elders have died away. these popular and or it ··won't work:' We read of ·'extremely dangerous" spellS. of spells that
readily-available books on herb-lore have often become the young urban
will "backfIre" when perfonned incorrectly, and of the dreaded ·Three-Fold
root worker's first entrance to the world of magic. Law of Return:' Above all, we read of "white magic" versus ·'black magic"
It goes without saying that the Wiccan. New Age, and Neo-Pagan and "low magic" versus ·'high magic·' - and the implication is that we had
authors of modem herb-magic books who skew their plant-lists toward better be high and white. or all of our spells will backfire and we will be
Medieval European usage and away from the African-American doomed to a three-fold punishment for using magic at all.
uadition are not ill-intentioned. Some of them inCOrporate a bit of In addition to ignoring African-American herb usage and hedging spell
hoodoo-style candle-burning in their spells or mention '·rootwork" by work about with culturally idiosyncratic rules of restriction. some of the
name, but there is much that typifies hoodoo which they overlook, and most popular modem herb-magic books do not even accurately represent
they have a habit of calling what little they do pick up "Voodoo." which traditional European herb-magic. In a few, all references to plants that are
it is not. Their failure to make any mention of the old-time. hard-to-find, toxic when ingested seem to have been deliberately deleted; in others the
Southern. "country" plants is simply the result of the fact that they are authors have dropped any mention of rootS that are employed in magical
ignorant of black culture.
tricks of destruction. hann. or even mild coercion. This is all well and good
Typically. these authors do a good job of presenting both traditional for the "kanna'· of the authors. but it leaves their books woefully short on
and newly crealed spoken or rhymed spells in the European tradition, but down-home country-style spells, to say the least.
when addressing the subject of hoodoo, they don't understand the way Seeing as how their plant-lists are a bit thin after all that pruning. the
that mineral salts and herbs are combined in conjure, why mojos are fixed worst of these so-called experts simply make up brand-new. non-uaditional
by lying them, or why capturing an enemy's socks may be important. magical uses for common green herbs, hoping thereby to introduce their
They don't know how to petfonn an herbal spell in which the plant must own special style of ··pagan Voodoo:' As the old-time country spells are lost
be worked with while alive, and they certainly don't want to hear about to the community, the powerful singularity of African-American magic
spells thai involve urinating into Red Ant mounds or feeding one's becomes little more than a poor step-child to European-American practice.
husband powdered Dirt Dauber nests. These are old African magical and thus we see a great tradition stripped of half of its materia magica, and
traditions, carefully preserved in hoodoo, but nOI uansmitted to the public
applying for admission to the school of airy-fairy "magick."
by contem(Xlrary authors on herb magic.
I
guess this is where i. the author, must intrude and explain myself. I This was more lhan a wake-up call; it was an insult to my
may sound like a fiery African·American traditionalist, come to intelligence. ftossed the mulch out around a Lilac bush behind my store
defend the wellsprings of Southern hoodoo from colonialist Neo- and decided that the $5.00 it had cost me was my price of admission to
Pagans, but i am not. J amjusl an old Jewish hippie who studied botany so reality: The policy of "green for green and brown for brown" had gone
thoroughJy thaI what i knew about herbs eventually landed me injaiJ in the tOO far. It was time for me to speak out and put a stop to it if i could.
l%Os, if you know what i mean. I have been a student and practitioner of
When talking to my customers ~ especially my Southern
hoodoo since my leen years. thanks to having grown up in proximity to a
customers, in Georgia, Florida. and the Carolinas, where
number of workers from the South who had settled in Oakland, California
rootwork is still very much alive ~ i have noriced that
during World War 1\vo, and who were kind enough to educate me.
folks are highly interested in old-style conjure. but unless they have a
During the 19705 and '80s, the folks who had taught me about roots and knowledgeable family member or elder to teach them. they are reduced
minerals began to pass away. and i witnessed the closing of one hoodoo to studying books on herbs from the perspective of Wicca. Hennetic
drugstore after another as their proprietors retired. This did not interfere with Magic, Santeria, or Haitian Voodoo, because books on African
my personal practice. however, because i had my own herb garden and didn 'I American hoodoo just don't exist. I certainly saw the need for a truly
have 10 rely entirely on whm .the stores offered for sale. Also, m; a garden hoodoo-oriented herb-magic book long ago, and my only regret is that i
writer with a fair background in botany, i knew that when i needed a rare did not make time to write it earlier.
herb. i could always order it by irs proper botanical name from a medical
lowe a great debt to the many teachers. friends, and customers in the
herb supplier and be assured of getting exactly what i had asked for.
African-American community who have made my studies plea<iurable and
I did not fully realize how much herb knowledge was being lost to the my business as a practitioner and manufacturer possible. This book is my
community with the closure of the old stores until 1997. I was writing a anempt to give something of value back to the community that has given
hOlliculrural reference volume called The Califomia Gmrltmer's Book of me so much. It is a hoodoo grimoire or conjure doctor'S spell book, first and
Lists and operating my own store. the Lucky Mojo Curio Company, when foremost. but it is also a teaching tool designed to give tOOay's root workers
i ordered 100 matched pairs of Adam and Eve Roots from a weB-respected a basic botanical vocabulary, so that they won't be tricked by unscrupulous
spiritual supplier for $ 1.00 per pair. wholesale - and received instead 100 suppliers any more. The spells range in age and fonn from almost purely
Balm of Gilead Buds (worth half a cent each at the time. wholesale) and African to almost purely European, and mey represent a cross-section of
100 "somethings" that looked like boiled Peanuts, all neatly packaged in rural and urban hoodoo as it ha~ been practiced throughout the 20th century.
100 plastic Zip-Lock bags labelled "Adam and Eve Roots, I Pair."
This is the first in a series of volumes i am writing which will, i hope,
These things definitely were not roors of any kind, much less rare make hoodoo better known to the general public as a fully integrated
Apleclmm hyemale Orchid roots of the type i had been buying for three system of magic rather than a shadowy mystery thai is all too often
decades under the name Adam and Eve Roots. so i caBed the supplier to confused with Voodoo. I am in my mid-fifties now. the same age those
complain, and. to my surprise, the customer selVice rep blandly told me, old-folks in Oakland were who taught me how to put a Violet leaf in my
'These are our new Adam and Eve Roots." I explained to her !.hat only God shoe back in 1964. If i don't write some of this stuff down now, i don't
can make a root, and that He sure doesn't make Orchid roors grow on think it will be written down at all. So here it is - and i sincerely hope
Poplar trees. She aI/owed me to return the spuriously-labelled items for a you enjoy it, and can use it to your benefit, as i have. Herb-magic is a
full $100.00 in credit. but to me, that incident was a serious wake-up call strong force. and one which yields results for those who enter into it with
conviction. clarity. and wisdom.
About a month later. i ordered a pound of Jezebel Roots from a
wholesale supplier - and received a one-pound bag of landscaper's Fir Good luck to you. my readers. and God bless you in your work.
Tree bark mulch. neatly labeUed "Jezebel Roots, I lb." This was not only
catherine yronwode
not a root, it was the kind of chunky bark mulch commonly available in 2.5-
forestville. califomia
pound bags at any nursery or garden center. Remember. i was writing a
january. 2002
gardening book at the time - i definitely knew my landscaper's mulch!
16 "
IMPORTANT NOTICE ACACIA LegUminosa: (Mimosacea::)
(CASSIE FLOWER, CATECHU, EGYPTIAN THORN, GUM ARABIC)
A ccording to the Doctrine of Signatures. every plant was put on this Acacia baileyalla, Acacia catechu, Acacia lIeulbaw. Acaciafamesialla.
Acacia lIilOlica. Acacia senegal. etc,
Eanh by God for the use of Mankind (Genesis I :29), and the value of
each plant to mankind will be revealed to the discriminating herb doctor by ACACIA is much revered in religious and magical practice as an emblem of
the shape or colournlion of the plant itself. its spirirual "signature:' This book is immortality and of initiation, in the sense that initiation is symbolic of resurrection.
published under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. which 1bc ancient Egyptians made funeral wreaths of ACACIA leaves and the Hebrews
grants us the right to discuss such matters of spiritual interest. and to express planted a sprig of evergreen ACACIA to mark the grave of a departed friend.
viewpoints that are not endorsed by the scientific community. ACACIA wood is the Biblic.a1 shiuim·wood from which Noah's Ark and the
The magical ascriptions of the various curios given in this volume are Tabernacle and Altar were made. Jewish legend tells us that the Burning Bush of
authentic and trnditionru, and many f'O()( workers attest to their efficacy and power Moses ..... as an ACACIA. Christian lore links an ACACIA tree with the Cross and its
- but please remember this: Although herbs and IOOIS. when used in conjunction spiny brunches with the Crown of 1lloms. llle sap of some spiny ACACIA species
with prayer and other spiritual and occult practices. have been known to work yields GUM ARABIC, used as a binding agent.
wonders, in somc of Iife's gravest situations, your interests will best be served if. To Contact the Dead: Dip ACACIA leaves in holy water and sprinkle an
befall' undenaking conjure work. you also consult an appropriate professional such altar with the water, or bum ACACIA as incense 10 communicate with or
as a medical doclOr. lawyer. social worker, minister, or !he police.
to memoriali7.e the dead.
Be aware, also. that some herbs, roots, and minerals carried in conjure bags or To Open the Mind to Visions: ACACIA leaves are burned on charcoal to
b~'ed into baths are poisonous or upsetting when ingested. Please use common induce spiritual phenomena and develop personal psychic power: adding
.sense. If a plant is nDled as "purgative," "emetic," "cathanic," or "laxative" in these FRANKINCEI'ISE and MYRRH is said to intensify the effect.
pages, do not chew it or drink it as a tea without a further study of herb.·d medicine.
Additional magical uses at: ANISE. CELERY
You could hann yourself. Likewise. cenain insects and reptiles arc mentioned here
that are known to sling or bite, so usecaution and gocxl judgement when dealing with I\.tedical uses: AStringent. rhroat wash: the gum is a mucilaginous binder.
these species. Finally, a few of the essential oils mentioned here can be initating if Botanical notes: Despite its alternative common name. CASSIE FLOWER.
applied directly to the skin: they should be diluted with a suitable carrier oil before do not confuse ACACIA with CASSIA (SENNA), CASSIA BARK (CLNNAMON
being used to anoint oneself or used to dress candles. TIle fannula or "condition" oils BARK). or QuAsSIA (BrrfER Roar): they nrc: entirely different plants.
prepared by spiritual supply manufacturers generally comain enough carrier oil to be Further botanical notl'S at: BARBERRY. CINNAMON. QuASSIA. SENNA
safely handled. and they do not need to be diluted any further. but any herb or
essemial oil nlay cause dangerous allergic reactions in some people. Orchidaceo'C
ADAM AND EVE ROOT
Many of the herbs used in cor~ure arc commonplace and can be found growing (EVE AND ADAM ROOT, pmTY ROOT ORCHID,
allover Nonh America. Anned with a wild flower identification manual. you may SALEP ROOT, SALOOP ROOn
be able to harvest them yourself. being aware of the fact that endangered or rare AplectrwII hyemale, Orchis mascula, Orchis mor;o. Orchis militaris.
plants must not be disturbed. Others arc common garden plants. readily propagated Orc1Jis IIstuluta. Orchis coriophora. etc.
from seeds or cuttings. and you may enjoy growing them yourself. Some herbs are
ADAM AND EVE is a name given to many Orchids that grow from a pair of
available in dry foml, eithercut·and-siftcd or powdered, at grocery Stores or health
conjoined tuberous roots; in the USA, Aplectrum hyemale is the usual species
focxl shops in most towns and cities. A few curios are only carried by spiritUal
indicated. The twin roots are an Adam or "He" root. and an Eve or "She" root.
supply stores and may be difficult to locate in your area. Sample packets of most
of the herbs mentioned in these pages, as weU as many of the whole roots and nuts, A Woman's Bosom Sachet To Increase l..o\·e: Pltlce one ADAM ROOf and
minerals, and animal curios, are available by mail order from: one EVE ROOT, a pair of loDESTONE grits dressed with MACiNEllC SAND. and
a mated pair of BLOOD ROOf chips (a "He" (brown] and a "She" Ipink!) all
The Luc.ky Mojo Curio Co.
togcther in a red flannel bag. WritC your lover's NA.\IE ON PAPER in red ink.
6632 Covey Road,
cross your NAME over il. and add that to the bag. Feed this hand by sprinkling
Forestville. California 95436
a pinch of Att.raction Powder and a pinch of Love Me powder into it every
(707) 887·1521 (voice)
morning. Because the items are small. the bag can be worn in a woman's bra.
(707) 887·7128 (fox)
allowing the pov,ders to sift through the cloth slowly to act as a perfume
[email protected](email)
hence this type of conjure bag used to be called n "bosom sachet."
http://www.luckymojo.com (web site)
IS IQ