This post is a MUCH shorter version of one of the chapters of my upcoming book, Understanding Worship In Afro-Caribbean Religions. Hope you enjoy it!
Hoodoo and all Afro-Caribbean religions share a lot in common with Traditional Witchcraft; as all Witches, we use lots of herbs, burn candles, keep altars, use divination oracles, etc. But of course, there are products that belong only to this religions, and that you may read about in books and articles on the topic.
When I started reading about Santeria, I noticed that writers usually spoke about stuff I had never read about, and there where little or no explanations about what that stuff was, what was it for, and how could I make it or buy it. Here is the list I wish I had found on any of those books!
Black Salts: a black powder made of charcoal, salt, camphor and many other elements. It is used to banish annoying neighbours or simply to put away people from our lives. Sprinkle it where the people you want out will step on.
Camphor: the ghost repellent of Hoodoo. It is usually added on floor washes and outdoors smudgings. Very, very powerful banishing all kinds of negativity if hung on a black flannel bag just above the main door.
Cascarilla Powder: made mainly from powdered white egg shells, though some practitioners add powdered chalk, blessed water, ashes… used to make a thorough spiritual cleaning, rubbed on the skin or sprinkled on places with negative energy.
Florida Water: a soft scented flower cologne used to clean mostly everything, from your own aura to your home or business. It is also widely used to clean altars and ritual items, as it “refreshes” their energies. Other regular waters used in Santeria are Kananga Water, Rose Water, Hoyt’s Water – they are all similar products.
Graveyard Dirt: the blessed ground from a cemetery. This dirt has two main purposes – one, empowering ANY kind of spell you make; two, working as a vehicle in spells that incorporate communication with the spirits of the dead.
Goofer’s Dust: the dust picked up from a tomb. Used to make curses. I don’t use it, but I had to add it for informational purposes.
High John The Conqueror Root (Ipomoea Jalapa): the mandrake root of Hoodoo – wherever you add it, preferably the whole root, it empowers and multiplies the force of a spell or amulet. It is usually carried in a red flannel bag. Makes a wonderful oil to anoint all kind of candles.
Hot Foot Powder: see Black Salts for use. This powder is made mainly with red brick dust, powdered jalapeño peppers and other elements.
Mojo Bag/Nation Sack/Mojo Hand: a red flannel bag containing several elements that form a talisman. Other colours of flannel are used depending on the practitioner. A Mojo Bag needs to be “fed” regularly, either will anointing oils or whiskey.
Red Brick Powder: the powdered clay of red bricks. Used to protect oneself or our house, to be added in protection amulets and in the drawing of Veves.
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum Multiflorum): In Hoodoo, this root is used as a talisman for protection against evil eye, curses and hexes. You can powder it and sprinkle around your whole house or burn it to clean places of bad energies. Works wonderfully with angelica root, in a green mojo bag, as a protection for travelling businesses.
Van-Van Powder: a white powder with lemon and mint scents, used to protect and empower spells or people.
Excellent information, thanks so much! I’ve made my own Florida water and it works quite nicely. Seen some of the other items mentioned in reading here and there and wondered about it…. Now I know. Thanks again.
Thanks for the information. I’ve decided to explore other areas of magic and find hoodoo fascinating. I had heard of some items, but had no idea what they were!